Buck James
American medical drama television series
title: "Buck James" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1987-american-television-series-debuts", "1988-american-television-series-endings", "1980s-american-medical-drama-television-series", "american-english-language-television-shows", "television-series-by-sony-pictures-television", "television-shows-set-in-texas", "american-broadcasting-company-medical-dramas"] description: "American medical drama television series" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buck_James" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American medical drama television series ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox television"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| genre | Medical drama |
| creator | Paul F. Edwards |
| starring | {{Plain list |
| composer | Barry Goldberg |
| country | United States |
| language | English |
| num_seasons | 1 |
| num_episodes | 19 |
| executive_producer | {{Plain list |
| producer | {{Plain list |
| runtime | 60 minutes |
| company | {{Plain list |
| network | ABC |
| first_aired | |
| last_aired | |
| :: |
| image = | caption = | genre = Medical drama | creator = Paul F. Edwards | starring = {{Plain list|
- Dennis Weaver
- Alberta Watson
- Shannon Wilcox | composer = Barry Goldberg | country = United States | language = English | num_seasons = 1 | num_episodes = 19 | list_episodes = | executive_producer = {{Plain list|
- Robert E. Fuisz
- Bill Storke | producer = {{Plain list|
- David Abramowitz
- Robert Birnbaum
- Paul F. Edwards GarnerSimmons | editor = | location = | camera = | runtime = 60 minutes | company = {{Plain list|
- Robert E. Fuisz-William F. Storke Productions
- Tri-Star Television (1987) (season 1)
- Columbia Pictures Television (1988) (season 1) | network = ABC | first_aired = | last_aired =
Buck James is an American medical drama television series created by Paul F. Edwards that aired on ABC from September 27, 1987, until May 5, 1988.
Premise
Buck James is a middle-aged surgeon at a hospital in Texas who also has a passion for ranching. James, a "hard-driving, daredevil, brilliant sort of fellow", is chief surgeon at Holloman University Hospital and head of one of its trauma units. In addition to his challenges at work, at home he has a son "who is going through all the usual painful gyrations of growing up" and a two-month-pregnant daughter who has separated from her husband and he had to deal with "a divorced wife who wouldn't let go."
The title character was based on real-life physician Red Duke. Star Dennis Weaver shadowed Duke at work (including being present during surgeries that Duke performed) to prepare for playing James, and Duke was a consultant on scripts for the show. Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where Duke practiced, was the location for filming of the show's pilot.
Buck James was broadcast from 10 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Sundays on ABC from September 27, 1987, until January 10, 1988. and from 10 to 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursdays
Cast
- Dennis Weaver as Buck James
- Alberta Watson as Rebecca Meyer
- Shannon Wilcox as Jenny James
- Jon Maynard Pennell as Clint James
- Dehl Berti as Vittorio
- John Cullum as Henry Carliner
- Elena Stitiler as Dinah James
- Perry Anzilotti as Myron
Episodes
|Title=Pilot |AltTitle= Heart of Texas |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=1 |DirectedBy=Rick Wallace |WrittenBy=Paul F. Edwards |ShortSummary= Buck's unmarried daughter returns, and he has to deal with hospital politics. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Sins of the Father |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=2 |DirectedBy= Rick Wallace |WrittenBy=David Abramowitz |ShortSummary= A dying boy has parents whose religious beliefs prohibits transfusions. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Too Close to Home |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=3 |DirectedBy= Rick Wallace |WrittenBy= David Abramowitz |ShortSummary= Jenny's mother has a stroke. An argument between a group of ranchers and a bank turns into a hit-and-run. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Absalom, Absalom |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=4 |DirectedBy= Don Weis |WrittenBy=Paul F. Edwards |ShortSummary= Kyle finds out that an old girlfriend has AIDS. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=A Question of Loyalty |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=5 |DirectedBy= Win Phelps |WrittenBy= Art Monterastelli |ShortSummary= Rebecca and a trauma surgeon has a standoff at the hospital. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=And Keep Them From Harm |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=6 |DirectedBy= Mimi Leder |WrittenBy= Paul F. Edwards |ShortSummary= Rebecca performs an elective hysterectomy and is criticized. Torio is discriminated against because of his race. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Silent Partners |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=7 |DirectedBy= Jan Eliasberg |WrittenBy= Garner Simmons |ShortSummary= Buck has to persuade a man, who has a daughter with down syndrome, to undergo a risky operation. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=The Last Ride |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=8 |DirectedBy= Don Weis |WrittenBy= Syrie Astrahan James |ShortSummary= Clint's best friend is almost killed in a rodeo accident. Rebecca gets offered a job at a hospital in New York. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Let Nothing You Dismay |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=9 |DirectedBy= Michael Fresco |WrittenBy= Paul F. Edwards & Garner Simmons |ShortSummary= Dinah and Clint are both depressed during the holidays. A little girl brings Christmas joy to the hospital. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=The Good Samatarian |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=10 |DirectedBy= Jerry Jameson |WrittenBy= Garner Simmons |ShortSummary= Buck has to operate on a woman in difficult labor. Dinah's ex-boyfriend returns to try and win her heart. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Almost Perfect |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=11 |DirectedBy= Mimi Leder |WrittenBy= David Abramovitz |ShortSummary= It is revealed that Dinah's unborn baby has a deformity. Rebecca's grandparents has problems with her new boyfriend who isn't jewish. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Lives in the Balance |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=12 |DirectedBy= Sigmund Neufeld, Jr. |WrittenBy= Garner Simmons |ShortSummary= Buck finds out that a dying boy is the perfect heart donor for a sick child. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=The Bottom Line |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=13 |DirectedBy= Don Weis |WrittenBy= David Abramovitz |ShortSummary= Buck is in a collision with a drunken driver on a highway. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Act of Aggression |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=14 |DirectedBy= David Jackson |WrittenBy= David Jackson |ShortSummary= Clint is sent to jail because of a practical joke. Buck is called in to save the life of a prisoner who is scheduled for execution. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Quality of Life |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=15 |DirectedBy= Michael Fresco |WrittenBy= Art Monterastelli |ShortSummary= A friend of Buck decides to forgo technology that could save his life. Rebecca has doubts about her chief-residency post. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Top Secret |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=16 |DirectedBy= Joel Rosenzweig |WrittenBy= Josef Anderson |ShortSummary= A cover-up by an airplane manufacturer is behind a poorly designed plane. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=To Everything a Season |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=17 |DirectedBy= Mimi Leder |WrittenBy= Paul F. Edwards |ShortSummary= Buck has an argument with a burn specialist. Clint wants to take a job in the oil industry instead of going to college. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=Heal Thyself |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=18 |DirectedBy= Don Weis |WrittenBy= David Abramowitz |ShortSummary= A mysterious illness affects Buck's performance. |LineColor=e2d06c |Title=The Requiem |OriginalAirDate= |EpisodeNumber=19 |DirectedBy= Win Phelps |WrittenBy= |ShortSummary= Buck and Les Grant argue over the hospital's budget, but before they reach an agreement, Grant is shot. |LineColor=e2d06c
References
References
- (2010). "Playing Doctor: Television, Storytelling, and Medical Power". University of Michigan Press.
- TV Guide. "Buck James Cast and Details". TV Guide.
- (1999). "The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946-Present". The Ballentine Publishing Group.
- (September 26, 1987). "TV: Dolly Parton's Variety Show". The New York Times.
- (2018). "I'm Dr. Red Duke". Texas A&M University Press.
- (2013). "Medical Visions: Producing the Patient Through Film, Television, and Imaging Technologies". Oxford University Press.
- (September 21, 1987). "Lisa Bonet Spins off, Vietnam comes home, as do the women of Brewster Place. Peter Jennings explains the Constitution". New York Magazine.
- (1996). "Total Television: the Comprehensive Guide to Programming from 1948 to the Present". Penguin Books USA, Inc..
- (March 23, 1987). "(untitled brief)". Broadcasting.
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