Run for Your Life (1965)

A classic NBC drama about a terminally ill man who chooses purpose over despair, traveling America and touching lives before his time runs out.

Run for Your Life - Series Information

  • Original Title: Run for Your Life
  • First Air Year: 1965
  • Last Air Year: 1968
  • Created by: Roy Huggins
  • Type: TV Series
  • Genres: Drama
  • Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode (60 minutes)
  • Number of Seasons: 3
  • Number of Episodes: 86
  • Status: Ended
  • Original Language: English
  • Spoken Languages: English
  • Networks: NBC
  • Production Companies: Universal Television, Roncom Films

Run for Your Life - Plot

Run for Your Life is an American television drama series starring Ben Gazzara as a man with only a short time to live. It ran on NBC from 1965 to 1968. The series was created by Roy Huggins, who had previously explored the "man on the move" concept with The Fugitive.

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Run for Your Life - Cast & Crew

Creator(s)

  • Roy Huggins

Main Cast

  • Ben Gazzara
  • Nicholas Colasanto
  • Fernando Lamas
  • Anne Helm
  • Stephen McNally
  • Eric Braeden
  • Bruce Dern
  • Carol Lawrence
  • Charles Aidman
  • Jeremy Slate

Writers

  • Philip DeGuere Jr.
  • Robert Bloch
  • Howard Browne

Executive Producers

  • Roy Huggins

Run for Your Life - FAQs

What is Run for Your Life about?

Run for Your Life follows Paul Bryan, a man diagnosed with a terminal illness and given only months to live. Rather than surrender to despair, he travels across America, helping strangers in need and seeking meaningful human connection before his time runs out. The series blends existential drama with episodic adventure.

Where can you watch Run for Your Life?

Streaming availability for Run for Your Life varies by region. You can check current platforms, rental options, and purchase links for your country by visiting JustWatch, which aggregates all available viewing options in one place.

Who stars in Run for Your Life?

Ben Gazzara leads the series as protagonist Paul Bryan. The show also featured guest and supporting performances from Nicholas Colasanto, Fernando Lamas, Anne Helm, Stephen McNally, Eric Braeden, Bruce Dern, Carol Lawrence, Charles Aidman, and Jeremy Slate across its three seasons.

Is Run for Your Life connected to The Fugitive?

Run for Your Life shares its creative DNA with The Fugitive. Both series were created by Roy Huggins and built around the same "man on the move" concept — a lone protagonist perpetually in transit, driven by circumstance rather than choice, encountering new people and moral dilemmas each week.

How many seasons does Run for Your Life have?

Run for Your Life ran for three seasons on NBC. Season 1 and Season 2 each comprised 30 episodes, while Season 3 contained 26 episodes, bringing the total to 86 episodes across the show's full run from 1965 to 1968.

Who created Run for Your Life?

Run for Your Life was created by Roy Huggins, a prolific television producer best known for developing The Fugitive. Huggins also served as executive producer on the series. Writers including Philip DeGuere Jr., Robert Bloch, and Howard Browne contributed scripts throughout the show's run.

When did Run for Your Life first air?

Run for Your Life premiered on NBC in 1965 and concluded in 1968. The series aired during the mid-1960s golden era of American network television drama, occupying a prime-time slot and earning a loyal audience over its three-season, 86-episode run.

Is Run for Your Life based on a true story?

Run for Your Life is not based on a true story. It is an original dramatic concept created by Roy Huggins, built around the fictional premise of a terminally ill man traveling the country doing good deeds. The show's emotional resonance comes from its universal themes rather than any real-life inspiration.

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