Series
The Man and the Challenge
Sci-Fi & FantasyAction & Adventure
The Man and the Challenge is a 36-segment half-hour television adventure/science fiction series which ran new episodes on NBC from September 12, 1959, to June 11, 1960. It starred George Nader as Dr. Glenn Barton, a research scientist for the Institute of Human Factors, an agency that conducted experiments designed to measure human endurance for the United States government. The series was produced by Ivan Tors. Nader's costars included Jack Ging as Dan Wright, Michael Masters as Bill Locke, the Canadian-born Joyce Meadows as Lynn Allen, and Michael Keith as Matt Adams. The episodes focused on various individuals setting world records of strength, endurance, and mastery of various difficult skills. The program also featured appearances by Bethel Leslie as Eleanor Beck in "The Early Warning", Ted Knight, as Dr. Herter in the episode "Daredevils", and Raymond Bailey, in the role of Dr. Kramer on the series opener "The Sphere of No Return". Joining Knight in that segment was Paul Burke.
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Seasons & episodes
- 1The Sphere of No Return12 Sept 1959 · 30mIn order to test human stamina at high altitudes, Barton and two other men go up in a balloon. When one panics and fails the required standards he is replaced by a woman which draws a hostile response from the remaining pilot.
- 2Maximum Capacity19 Sept 1959 · 30mBarton sends two men into the frozen north to test their endurance in extreme levels of cold and isolation. He wants to determine the best way to train men for high security jobs in the Arctic.
- 3Odds Against Survival26 Sept 1959 · 30m
- 4Sky Diving3 Oct 1959 · 30mTo study the effects of gravity on potential astronauts, Barton goes to France to learn free fall parachuting from a brother-and-sister team of skydivers: Suzanne and Georges Bolet.
- 5Experiments in Terror10 Oct 1959 · 30m
- 6Invisible Force17 Oct 1959 · 30mIn a hostile country, three Americans are being held captive. Barton is asked by a Washington official to form a clandestine athletic unit to free them.
- 7Escape to Nepal24 Oct 1959 · 30mIn order to test the U2-21 drug which supposedly increases a man's ability to retain oxygen at great heights, Barton puts a group of mountaineers through a rigorous test in the Rockies before sending them to the Himalayas for a final test.
- 8Border to Border31 Oct 1959 · 30mTwo antagonistic jet pilots are entered into a Mexican auto race to prove that a team can overcome obstacles better than any single person could.
- 9Trial by Fire7 Nov 1959 · 30mBarton enters an active volcano to test a new type of fire suit. He nearly loses his life in the experiment.
- 10White Out14 Nov 1959 · 30mBarton researches hypothermia in Antarctica by reducing the body temperature of two doctors. He hopes the experiment will lead to an understanding of how to freeze astronauts to withstand certain aspects of interplanetary flight.
- 11The Breaking Point28 Nov 1959 · 30mA volunteer is sealed in a cell for 30 days and is subjected to psychological torment in order to determine his breaking point.
- 12Jungle Survival5 Dec 1959 · 30mGlenn Barton is sent on a dual mission: test survival techniques in the Amazon Basin and determine the fate of four lost fliers.
- 13I've Killed Seven Men12 Dec 1959 · 30m
- 14Man Without Fear19 Dec 1959 · 30mBarton uses a chemical names LSD-25 on a firefighter. The chemical removes fear, but raging forest fires prove that fear is a necessary part of courage.
- 15The Visitors26 Dec 1959 · 30m
- 16The Storm1 Jan 1960 · 30mGlenn Barton is asked to clear the reputation of a man who died mysteriously.
- 17Killer River9 Jan 1960 · 30mOn a cliff above the Colorado River, Barton rescues a parachuted pilot.
- 18Rodeo23 Jan 1960 · 30mBarton investigates the effects of a new rocket belt at a rodeo.
- 19The Windowless Room30 Jan 1960 · 30mA crack test pilot crashes his aircraft. After the crash he experiences a self-induced paralysis that slowly destroys his career and marriage. Barton restores the pilot's confidence by using hypnotic techniques.
- 20Nightmare Crossing6 Feb 1960 · 30mBarton tests candidates for command positions in space.
- 21The Lure of Danger13 Feb 1960 · 30mBarton looks individuals that subconsciously want to destroy themselves. He wants to learn why some men desire death.
- 22Recovery20 Feb 1960 · 30m
- 23Buried Alive27 Feb 1960 · 30mBarton experiments with Yoga to show that it can be helpful in adverting tragedy.
- 24Recondo3 Mar 1960 · 30mA warden's daughter is held hostage by four escaped convicts.
- 25Flying Lab12 Mar 1960 · 30mBarton performs and experiment to show that ignorance and fear cause lack of efficiency.
- 26Hurricane Mesa19 Mar 1960 · 30mBarton conducts a test on a pilot to prove that he can be switched successfully to a desk job.
- 27Astro Female26 Mar 1960 · 30mBarton puts four women against four men in order to prove that woman can equal and perhaps surpass males as astronauts.
- 28The Extra Sense2 Apr 1960 · 30mIn order to prove that emotional stress promotes telepathy, Barton parachutes from a high precipice.
- 29Man in a Capsule9 Apr 1960 · 30mBarton conducts a survival test on the surface of the ocean.
- 30The Dropper23 Apr 1960 · 30m
- 31High Dive30 Apr 1960 · 30m
- 32Daredevils7 May 1960 · 30mBarton puts the king of syut drivers through an incredibly dangerous test believing that the secret to survival lies in body chemical reactions.
- 33Shooter McLaine21 May 1960 · 30mBarton almost dies when a scientist ignoring his own physical limits and Barton's warnings misreads important test instruments.
- 34Early Warning28 May 1960 · 30m
- 35Breakoff4 Jun 1960 · 30m
- 36Highway to Danger11 Jun 1960 · 30mBarton researches highway hypnosis by subjecting himself to driving conditions that have killed five truck drivers.
Details
- Created by
- Ivan Tors
- First aired
- 12 Sept 1959
- Last aired
- 11 Jun 1960
- Status
- Ended
- Language
- English
- Network
- NBC
- Episodes
- 36
- Votes
- 1 on TMDB
Cast
Jack GingDan Wright
Joyce MeadowsLynn Allen
George NaderDr. Glenn Barton
