Guest Who: New "Life" for a Stalled Career

Over-the-air stations have carried the lesser-known Roy Huggins-produced series Run for Your Life, but otherwise it has been difficult to find in recent years. In the wake of the whopping success of The Fugitive (1963-1967), Huggins (creator of that show) produced this similar series. Whereas The Fugitive was an anthology that traced the wanderings of a an unfairly accused man on the run, Run for Your Life (1965-1968) was an anthology that traced the wanderings of a man given less than two years to live, who wanted to pack as much living into those remaining months as possible.

35 year-old Ben Gazzara played the stricken star of Run for Your Life. Seen in a different locale every week, he attempted to squeeze the most out of whatever months he had left.

This episode opens with a young lady, forlornly strolling the beach while a (very syrupy) song plays. The song is the same as the ep's title, "Someone Who Makes Me Feel Beautiful," sung by Sue Raney. (Raney would sing the title song for 1967's Wait Until Dark.)

A closer look reveals a little more familiar face, one known primarily from a couple of high-profile movies, but now in stasis. Remarkably, no seagulls dive-bomb her.

Yes, it is Miss Tippi Hedren, of The Birds (1963) and Marnie (1964.) She catched a glimpse of Gazarra as he is floating by on a fishing charter. (And, no, before you ask, the hair didn't come attached to this headband! LOL It's all hers.)

Hedren had, of course, tangled with director Alfred Hitchcock, who had her under personal contract, and was unable to make another movie until 1967. In one of his crueler moments, he wouldn't let her be hired by another director until the time on the agreement had run out. So a just-prior Kraft Suspense Theatre installment (with Jeffrey Hunter) and this episode of Life was it until then. 

The action then shifts back to Gazarra, who's occupied with his big rod. He's chartered the boat in order to go looking for swordfish, but, considering his own mortality, he let's them go once captured...

Also guest-starring (and I'm sorry the quality of the video isn't better) is one Fernando Lamas. Known for his own endowments, this is a true sword fight among the gents. Ha ha!

Inside the boat's cabin, 'Nando tells Gazarra that he's grown a beard during this once-per-year outing so that he can avoid women (who are drawn to him like bees to a flower.) He's usually a gigolo, but needs a recharge one month a year! (I don't know if the real Lamas ever required such a thing...! LOL) For a moment, I wondered if the very-intrigued Gazarra was thinking of trying something new during his own personal ticking time clock...

Unfortunately, an explosion blows the boat to smithereens and injures Gazarra's leg in the process, too.

His rescuer Lamas has all hands on deck until he can get his injured pal back to safety.

Safety comes in the form of Hedren's hospitality.

Turns out that she (also 35) is recently-divorced and very wealthy. However, she's also quite damaged by the disaffection of her ex-husband and is in sore need of being brought out of her defensive shell.

It looks as if a grateful Gazarra will likely be up to the task at hand.

But, wait, faithful readers... What's this? A newly-shaven (and sadly now boat-free!) Lamas has dropped in to check on the patient.

He's also there to check on the rich caregiver! He describes his career to her as a sort of "animal husbandry!" (I am not making this up...)

Still-gimpy Gazarra can only look on and marvel at how slick Lamas is operating with his latest prey.

Lamas departs, but not before setting a date with Hedren. She begins to question whether she's done the right thing and confesses to Gazarra that her ex made her feel unattractive to the point that she tried to commit suicide.

The date, at a local cantina, is going along all right, though.

Hedren is enjoying a couple of locals flamenco-dance themselves silly.

Lamas, in the tightest pants he could muster up, begins his own mating ritual. But this suddenly worries his date and she asks to leave the place.

A walk on the beach leads to Lamas coming on strong...

...and the Tipster isn't completely immune to his charms.

But in the end she feels the need to bid him goodnight. Alone. (The 1965-68 period of this show means that we are often treated to fun whirl-a-whip hairdos and simple, colorful clothes of the sort seen in this post.)

Gazarra has witnessed this whole scenario and warns Lamas off from hurting Hedren any further. She's fragile and susceptible.

As his condition improves, he begins to take her out some himself.

Lamas (50 at the time of this episode) just doesn't get it. He takes Hedren (of all people!) to a cockfight! She's appalled. Note the hilarity, though. She's wearing a dress with an artful rooster embroidered on it!

Gazarra gets further with a seaside picnic lunch.

It's becoming rather clear for which man Hedren is developing some real feelings.

The three of them head out onto another boat for some more fishing.

Ben's got his equipment on display again.

But down below, Lamas lays all the cards on the table.

A stunned Hedren now has a big decision to make and it's now more complicated.

The men are able to remain friends no matter what. (With Gazarra making sure there's a reason to tune in next time...!) Mr. Gazarra passed away of cancer in 2012 at age 81. Mr. Lamas had been taken of cancer long before in 1982 at age 67. (Both were pancreatic.)

Meanwhile Hedren has to live with her decision. In real life, she proceeds with the remnants of a derailed career. Fortunately for her there was a half-century's worth of acting roles in her future, though she would never fully regain the momentum that those two early movies promised. As of this writing, she is 93. A survivor indeed. 

This episode may be seen (in a trimmed for broadcast rendition) right here.