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QUINCY, M.E.

"Main Man"

Original air date Nov 11, 1977
Directed by Ray Danton
Teleplay by Irv PearlBerg
Story by Ray Danton

Regular Cast
Jack Klugman as Dr. Quincy
Garry Walberg as Lt. Monahan
John S. Ragin as Dr. Asten
Robert Ito as Sam
Joseph Roman as Sgt. Brill

Guest Cast
Scott Colomby as Steve Daniels
Peter Brown as College Coach
Julie Adams as Mrs. Daniels
Leslie Ackerman as Janet Morris
Joe George as Thomas
Laurence Haddon as H.S. Coach
Nicolas Beauvy as Billy
Frederic Downs as Newley
Michael Francis Kelly as Frank

When a junior college football player dies on the field, Quincy can't find an apparent cause of death. The first person he seeks out for information is the boy's coach played by Peter Brown. In this walking and talking scene, Quincy gets the clue he needs to find the cause of death. He tells Quincy the deceased was a great football player who would have been recruited by a more prestigious college but for his grades. His grades may have been bad because the boy had periodic lapses of memory both on the football field and in the classroom. Quincy learns one other fact which proves important later. There's a brother, a high school football star.

With the information from the coach, Quincy finds a cyst in the dead boy's brain. This is an hereditary condition. Quincy attends the funeral as does the coach.

At the wake, Quincy tells the father that his second son Steve needs to be tested. If he has the same problem, surgery can restore him to full health, but it will keep him out of "the big game."

Steve's father delays the test until after the big game despite the risk to his son's health. Quincy, Steve's girlfriend and Steve's divorced mother are the only ones who seem to understand the importance of keeping Steve out of the game. The girlfriend has seen the memory lapses and a blackout. But Quincy is stonewalled by the father, the team doctor, the high school coach, the principal and the school board. At the end, the mother finally gets through to the father who takes Steve out of the game.

NiteOwl Review: Quincy was a pretty good show although it tended to be preachy about the social problems uncovered in the medical examiner's office. Frequently it was Quincy against the world or at least those in power. Peter was fine in the role of the concerned coach but the part didn't give him too much more to do than to look athletic. We have to say the tousled hair look was great.

Official Peter Brown Fan Site