The Lieutenant
A Marine Corps drama set at Camp Pendleton (near San Diego, California) proving ground for men who pride themselves on being United States Marines. From the lowliest recruit to the highest-ranking General, the men of Pendleton symbolize the utmost in rigorous training and military perfection. Lieutenant William T. Rice (Gary Lockwood), late of Annapolis, and now in charge of a rifle platoon, is no exception. This short-lived series was written by Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, and featured an amazing cast of future stars.
- 1963-1964
- 1 season
- NBC
- Drama
A Marine Corps drama set at Camp Pendleton (near San Diego, California) proving ground for men who pride themselves on being United States Marines. From the lowliest recruit to the highest-ranking General, the men of Pendleton symbolize the utmost in rigorous training and military perfection. Lieutenant William T. Rice (Gary Lockwood), late of Annapolis, and now in charge of a rifle platoon, is no exception. This short-lived series was written by Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, and featured an amazing cast of future stars.
Season 1 Episode Guide
29 Episodes 1963 - 1964
Episode 1
A Million Miles from Clary
Sat, Sep 14, 1963 60 mins
Lieutenant Rice risks the morale of his command when one man is seen to be slacking and letting others carry his load.
Episode 2
Cool of the Evening
Sat, Sep 21, 1963 60 mins
Rice helps a young woman being attacked. To his surprise she claims he was the attacker. Rice must convince the woman to change her story and try and discover the true identity of the attacker before his career is ruined.
Episode 3
The Proud and the Angry
Sat, Sep 28, 1963 60 mins
Rice is tasked with infiltrating a training platoon and investigate claims of cruelty against the commanding officer. What he discovers is a much more complex situation, that could turn deadly at any moment.
Episode 4
The Two Star Giant
Sat, Oct 5, 1963 60 mins
Rice is pulled on a temporary assignment to be the aid for a general. Due to his fine work and influence of a girl he is being considered as a permanent replacement, something Rice dreads.
Episode 5
A Very Private Affair
Sat, Oct 12, 1963 60 mins
Rice reports for his first day as a commissioned officer, and is handed a command known for its ill discipline. Rice needs to understand the issues within the unit and try and meld them into a cohesive force.
Episode 6
To Take Up Serpents
Sat, Oct 19, 1963 60 mins
To complete a section of his infantry training Rice must fly attack mission Marine fighters. As training progresses Rice realizes he has a fear of flying. Not willing to give up he speaks to the base doctor about how he can complete the training.
Episode 7
A Touching of Hands
Sat, Oct 26, 1963 60 mins
Rice is asked to be part of a planning committee for a charity event. His friendship with one of the committee members leads to gossip mongers in the group making claims the two are having affair.
Episode 8
Captain Thomson
Sat, Nov 2, 1963 60 mins
Lt. Rice is sent on anti insurgency exercises with Captain Thomson. A series of incidents occur that make Rice uncomfortable with the report he must submit about the exercises.
Episode 9
Instant Wedding
Sat, Nov 9, 1963 60 mins
Rice is pressed upon by a friend to look after his girl in advance of a year-long posting in the far east without leave. She demands they marry right away, and it falls on Rice to quickly put together a formal Marine wedding ceremony.
Episode 10
A Troubled Image
Sat, Nov 16, 1963 60 mins
Rice is given a squad of foreign soldiers to train, one being a woman has been singled out for special attention throughout training. As the tour progresses Rice discovers things about the history of the solider that makes him ponder how exactly he will measure success.
Episode 11
Fall from a White Horse
Sat, Nov 30, 1963 60 mins
Lt. Gerald Allison faces a court-martial because of a hit and run accident. Allison appoints his friend Lt. Bill Rice to be his defense counsel. What appeared to be an open and shut case begins to unravel, as new evidence is uncovered.
Episode 12
Alert!
Sat, Dec 14, 1963 60 mins
Rice is called away when his unit is called to alert and prepared to fly out on exercise. There is real concern this might not be an exercise and they might be going to war. Rice has to deal with all his own emotions as well as those he commands.
Episode 13
The Art of Discipline
Sat, Dec 21, 1963 60 mins
Rice is given a difficult unit to command after the previous commander failed to meet his objectives. Rice tries to turn the unit around by raising morale but his own commanding officer questions his techniques.
Episode 14
The Alien
Sat, Dec 28, 1963 60 mins
Captain Rambridge is surprised when an adoption agency delivers a young Korean boy into his care. He tasks Rice with untangling the mess and getting the boy out of his life.
Episode 15
O'Rourke
Sat, Jan 4, 1964 60 mins
An ex Marine who is also a journalist is assigned to Rice's unit to do an article on the modern Marine core. Rice quickly discovers not is all as it should be in the situation.
Episode 16
Gone the Sun
Sat, Jan 18, 1964 60 mins
Rice returns to his home town to aid in the burial of a Marine killed in a training accident. He has to deal with the grieving family of the boy as well as the changes that have occurred since he has been away.
Episode 17
Between Music and Laughter
Sat, Jan 25, 1964 60 mins
Rice becomes entangled in efforts by Captain Bambridge's wife to reconcile their marriage.
Episode 18
Interlude
Sat, Feb 1, 1964 60 mins
A drunk driver kills himself and puts Rice in a naval hospital with paralyzed legs. Te doctors are unsure of his chances for recovery. For days, he wallows in self pity until he meets another patient, a bubbly admiral's daughter who helps him through therapy, and into a love affair.
Episode 19
Capp's Lady
Sat, Feb 8, 1964 60 mins
Sgt. Capp comes to Rice with a personal problem. It seems somehow he's gotten into trouble and as a consequence has to marry a girl.
Episode 20
Green Water, Green Flag
Sat, Feb 15, 1964 60 mins
After Rambridge is stricken with appendicitis, Rice is put in charge of a major maneuver. He has issues with the attitude of a fellow officer. The situation becomes critical when a breakdown of communications leads to a potential battlefield disaster.
Episode 21
To Set It Right
Sat, Feb 22, 1964 60 mins
Rice is confronted with racism in his unit. He sets out to find a solution, but the answer seems as elusive as ever.
Episode 22
In the Highest Tradition
Sat, Feb 29, 1964 60 mins
Rice, while updating the regimental history comes across the intriguing story of a commanding officer who had 6 of men awarded bravery medals. As he investigates further he discovers a very reluctant hero, and as time goes on he discovers the source of that reluctance.
Episode 23
Tour of Duty
Sat, Mar 7, 1964 60 mins
Rice is in charge of the local shore patrols for the day. He has to make a series of decisions about the men being brought in on various charges. He must balance his instincts with what the navy and marines expect.
Episode 24
Lament for a Dead Goldbrick
Sat, Mar 14, 1964 60 mins
A newspaper reporter writing an expose of Marine training methods holds Rice responsible for the accidental death of a Marine.
Episode 25
Man with an Edge
Sat, Mar 21, 1964 60 mins
Rice loses his girlfriend to a Naval Academy football All-American, who also happens to be the nephew of the colonel.
Episode 26
Operation - Actress
Sat, Mar 28, 1964 60 mins
During the course of serving as advisor while shooting a training film for the marines, Rice encounters a temperamental starlet who gets into trouble by being caught in a raid on a wild party. She seeks to beat a studio contract's "morals clause" by trying to be linked romantically with the wholesome young marine.
Episode 27
Mother Enemy
Sat, Apr 4, 1964 60 mins
A young sergeant is being evaluated for officer training, but unexpectedly it's revealed that his mother is a communist agent and she's in town to pitch a rabble-rousing speech at a rally where she will denounce the Marine Corps for not immediately elevating his rank, against his wishes. It falls on Rice to determine what will be done with the sergeant.
Episode 28
The War Called Peace
Sat, Apr 11, 1964 60 mins
To shore up a security risks at another marine facility where new weapons technologies are tested, including long range missiles, Rice is sent undercover as a civilian contractor to analyze the problem. He finds that some of the men in charge are extremely careless with classified material.
Episode 29
To Kill a Man
Sat, Apr 18, 1964 60 mins
While en route to Han Ang to deliver classified papers, the helicopter Rice is traveling on goes down in hostile territory.