Mr. Terrific

Overview

Mister Terrific is an American TV sitcom that aired on CBS Television from January 9, to May 8, 1967. It starred Stephen Strimpell in the title role, and lasted 17 episodes. The show was similar to NBC's Captain Nice, which followed Mister Terrific on Monday nights during its run.

Riding the tide of the camp superhero craze of the 1960s, the show's premise involved gas station attendant Stanley Beamish, a mild-mannered scrawny youth who secretly worked to fight crime for a government organization, The Bureau of Secret Projects, in Washington. All he needed to do was take a "power pill" which gave him the strength of a thousand men and enabled him to fly, much like Superman, albeit by furious flapping while wearing the top half of a wingsuit. Unfortunately, he was the only person on whom the pills worked. It was established that, although the pill would give him great strength, he was still vulnerable to bullets. Furthermore, each power pill had a time limit of one hour, although he generally had two 10-minute booster pills available per episode. Much of the show's humor revolved around Stanley losing his superpowers before he completed his given assignment.

Episodes

Matchless

S01E01 Matchless

January 9, 1967
Stanley is unaware that a hotly-pursued Power Paralysis device has been concealed in a book of matches placed in his coat pocket.
Mr. Big Curtsies Out

S01E02 Mr. Big Curtsies Out

January 16, 1967
Stanley is assigned to locate and identify an elusive and mysterious crime boss known only as "Mr. Big."
I Can't Fly

S01E03 I Can't Fly

January 23, 1967
A malfunctioning Air Force One could be easily repaired by Mr. Terrific, but Stanley's power pills have inexplicably stopped working.
My Partner the Jewel Thief

S01E04 My Partner the Jewel Thief

January 30, 1967
Stanley's suspicious behavior, as he tries to solve a jewel robbery, leads Hal to believe that his best friend has become a crook.
The Formula Is Stolen

S01E05 The Formula Is Stolen

February 6, 1967
The formula for the power pill is stolen. However, since the pill only works on Stanley, the thieves will also need to kidnap Stanley to brainwash him and then sell him to the highest bidder.
Stanley the Safecracker

S01E06 Stanley the Safecracker

February 20, 1967
The government sends Stanley on a mission where he must impersonate a safecracker who is identical to him. Stanley must fool the man's girlfriend plus somehow convince the gang he knows how to break into...
Stanley the Fighter

S01E07 Stanley the Fighter

February 27, 1967
Stanley goes undercover at a fighters' gymnasium to obtain evidence that the facility is actually a front for a counterfeiting ring.
Stanley the Jailbreaker

S01E08 Stanley the Jailbreaker

March 6, 1967
Stanley goes undercover as a prison inmate so that he can attempt to ferret out the location of a criminal's hidden loot.
Fly, Ballerina, Fly

S01E09 Fly, Ballerina, Fly

March 13, 1967
A defecting Soviet ballerina needs Stanley's help to get away from her countrymen. Stanley needs help retrieving his lost booster pill.
Harley and the Killer

S01E10 Harley and the Killer

March 20, 1967
An escaped murderer vows to extract fatal revenge on his one-time prosecutor—Harley Trent.
Stanley and the Mountaineers

S01E11 Stanley and the Mountaineers

March 27, 1967
In hill country, Stanley must find an illegal still and stop a shotgun wedding.
Has Mr. Terrific Sold Out?

S01E12 Has Mr. Terrific Sold Out?

April 3, 1967
Stanley is asked to demonstrate his powers for several representatives of foreign nations. One of them is an impostor who wants to kidnap Mr. Terrific.
Stanley Goes to the Dentist

S01E13 Stanley Goes to the Dentist

April 10, 1967
A dentist who's been using truth gas to get secrets from government agents changes tactics and places a tiny transmitter in Stanley's tooth.
Stanley the Track Star

S01E14 Stanley the Track Star

April 17, 1967
Stanley laces up his sneaks, and turns on the terrific speed, when he's assigned to locate a kidnapped athlete.
Try This On for Spies

S01E15 Try This On for Spies

April 24, 1967
Our hero accidentally gives a genuine set of vital blueprints to an enemy agent and keeps the phonies for our side.
Stanley Joins the Circus

S01E16 Stanley Joins the Circus

May 1, 1967
The search for a stolen code book sends Stanley undercover and under the big top. Ultimately he has to power up and battle several performers and a gorilla in order to accomplish his mission.
The Sultan Has Five Wives

S01E17 The Sultan Has Five Wives

May 8, 1967
The Bureau of Secret Projects must protect a visiting Sultan, so Stanley powers up and becomes a sort of Turbanator.

Cast

Stephen Strimpell
Stephen Strimpell
Stanley Beamish
Richard Gautier
Richard Gautier
Hal Walters
John McGiver
John McGiver
B. J. Reed
Paul Smith
Paul Smith
Harley Trent
Paul Frees
Paul Frees
Narrator

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