In Search of Rex Morgan, MD: 06/28/12

Thursday, June 28, 2012

1969 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1969, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 361-413 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

January 1 - February 25: Julie Rockwell (see 1968)
February 25 - March 10: Melissa returns from her journey

Melissa returns from her vacation with June; June is still travelling
Melissa hopes June marries Willie Rodell, international playboy

March 10 - July 17: Lea Foster, retrograde amnesia, murder

The police bring a woman to the hospital who was found at a bus station wearing only a thin dress, and didn't know who she was
Dr. Glenn David, the lady's doctor, gets emotionally involved, and Rex has her transferred to psych
Rex and Glenn give her an IV injection to help her remember - all they get is her first name, Debra (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - April 3, 1969 © King Features Syndicate

Rex hears from police: a newlywed couple, Lea and James Peter Foster, have been missing for three weeks following their honeymoon; husband was found murdered
Rex identifies a mole on Debra that confirms she is Lea
Lea is the major suspect for her husband's murder as her fingerprints were found on the weapon; Glenn backs her up
Lea's brother-in-law (Jason Wilson) correctly identifies her, and also defends her (initially) before being creepy and telling individuals that he actually thinks she's the murderer
Lea's memory returns, and her story points to Jason; he confesses to Lea that he did it so that his wife would inherit family money, not James & Lea

July 17 - August 9: June returns!

Melissa is laying it on thick, telling June she should marry Willie

August 9 - 16: Ectopic pregnancy

A couple comes in with an emergency; the wife is in shock, Rex suspects an ectopic pregnancy

She has emergency surgery

August 16 - January 14, 1970: June... will she marry Willie?

Ginny has to leave work because her mother is ill - June agreed to step in temporarily
Willie flies from London to see June, worries she's still in love with Rex
June's true feelings come out: she's far more excited about medicine than money and fortune, 9/20/69 (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - September 20, 1969 © King Features Syndicate

Willie is involve in cutthroat business - caused a man to commit suicide
June shoots down Willie's marriage proposal
Willie's associate, Don Wallace, has an acute attack of chest pain when pressured by Willie
Rex reminds the reader that an accurate history is the doctor's best piece of information, 11/3/69, (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 3, 1969 © King Features Syndicate

Rex confronts Willie and tells him how awful a person he thinks he is
Christmas post gives a shout-out to man landing on the moon, 12/25/69

Rex Morgan, MD - December 25, 1969 © King Features Syndicate

Willie's evil plan to further aggravate Don's condition backfires when Don is thrilled to be fired
Willie's plan is unveiled to June, and she turns him down immediately as he heads back to New York

1968 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1968, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 310-361 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

February 26 - July 5: Senator Wesley "Wes" Parker Thorne...on steroids

Betsy Thorne meets Rex secretly to voice her concerns about her husband's health; she's found a pill in his pocket, Rex suspects it's steroids
Wesley is a presidential candidate-to-be, but has been irritable uncooperative lately, which is unlike his normal personality
Wes is increasingly delusional about his presidential nomination, making plans for his new cabinet before he's even nominated; he continues to be rude to his wife when she voices her concern about his health, 6/28/68 (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - June 28, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

In the very next strip, Wes admits something is wrong with him and agrees to begin admitted to the hospital, and declares he's going to withdraw from the presidential race (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - July 3, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

This story closes with Wes' father praising him for being courageous enough to make the announcement to the public; but we never learn what's actually wrong with Wes

July 5 - Nvember 15: Karl Lamon, serial killer

A long-distance phone call from Karl Lamon puts Ginny into a panic
Karl shows up after Keith Cavell (who's made yet another surprise visit - this time back from Vietnam) drops her off at the end of their date
He slaps her when she doesn't give up Keith's name, 8/5/68 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - August 5, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

It appears Karl is a hitman, and has killed two guys who tried to date Ginny, as well as several other prominent businessmen (later we learn he's killed over 20 people)
Karl leaves town to visit his next "customer" - he checks into a hospital (instead of a hotel); kills another businessman
Keith roughs up Karl for hitting Ginny; threatens him to never see her again; Karl hits Keith
Keith finds Ginny just in time before Karl nearly kills her
Lamon is turned over to the police and confesses all his crimes, 11/14/68 (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 14, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

November 15 - February 25, 1969: Julie Rockwell, marijuana hippie

Side story: Keith prepares to propose to Ginny, and shows his insecurity, given his reputation as a confirmed bachelor, 11/20/68 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 20, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

Julie's father is concerned that her behavior has changed in the last few months; high strung and irritable, withdrawn from her friends, etc.
Julie's blowing her mother's inheritance on drugs
Rex gives Mr. Rockwell and education on psychotomimetics (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - December 23, 1968 © King Features Syndicate

Julie overdoses on marijuana and barbituates and is taken to the emergency room where Rex treats her
She calls her dealer, Vic, secretly, insisting that "the movement needs" her
When the hospital staff doesn't give her adequate pain medication for her headache, she escapes to Vic, who gives her more pills
Julie has a confirmed frontal lobe tumor, and has been taking morphine from Vic
This story ends with Julie's good prognosis, and that the she will be helping the police track down the other protesters that were giving her drugs

1967 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 2 Jan - 30 Dec 1967, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 259-309 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

January 2 - February 25: Burton story, LSD (see 1966)
February 26 - March 5: MISSING
March 6 - June 10: Wilson "Wil" Westwood, the Novelist, and the Club Singer

Wilson's sister, Agatha ("Aggie"), wants him committed to a mental hospital, provoked by his infatuation with night club singer Wendy Marlow - she's young enough to be his daughter
Wilson gets in club brawl when another man tries to dance with Wendy
Aggie is upset when Wil says he wants to marry Wendy
Wendy meets Clark Garroway, orchestra leader, at the local hotel she's checked into
We find out that Aggie and Wil's mother has now passed, but 10 years prior had Wil committed to a sanitarium (possibly to prevent him from marrying a woman named Martha)
Rex and June bump into Wil and Wendy at dinner - they decide to dine together
Meanwhile, Agatha has acute chest pain at home (emotional), 4/8/67
Rex and Wil go to Wendy's opening night while June stays with a sedated Agatha (second episode of chest pain after Wil brings up Wendy)
Rex tries to talk Aggie down from being so resistant to Wendy
Clark and Wendy are driven off the road by a couple of "unsavory characters"
Clark tells Aggie that Wendy is in love with Wil, and she stops fighting it when Wil and Wendy decide to marry

June 10 - October 10: Karl Kessler, Electronics Genius

Karl thinks his wife, Fran, is developing neurotic fears, refusing to leave the house or answer the phone
Jodie Winters, Karl's secretary, agrees to stay with Fran when Karl leaves town for a week
We find out that Fran used to be a dramatic actress before she married Karl
Fran ODs on barbituates, a suicide attempt, 8/3/67
Info strip, 8/9/67 (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - August 9, 1967 © King Features Syndicate

Walter, Karl's driver, suggests Jodie is the one placing calls to Fran, and that she's not making it up
Walter's daughter, Florence, has been hospitalized for years, and Walter never misses a visit; we find out that Walter believes it's Karl's fault she's hospitalized, and that "he, too, would suffer---just as he made my Florence suffer".
Walter holds hostage Rex, Fran and Nurse Lowell, waiting for Karl to show to up settle old scores
Rex negotiates Walter down, and Karl tells his side of the story - he is, of course, innocent

October 11 - February 24, 1968: Dr. Nancy Willobee, Psychologist/Stalker

Nancy Willobee, PhD, is a psychology teacher at the local university, in trouble for denying students admission to class for being unkept
Nancy gets the smallpox vaccine from Rex
Nancy pulls out all the moves to seduce Rex at her home (she lives with her wealthy father)
Students protest against Nancy, she retaliates - the students are worried that they'll be contacted by the draft board if they're kicked out of school
She admits to Rex that she actually likes the students (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - November 9, 1967 © King Features Syndicate

Nancy leaves for the family lake house, but is attacked by two men that follow her
Rex drives up to check on her, and saves the day
Nancy lays it on even thicker, showing up unannounced at the hospital at night (she keeps kissing him, making him uncomfortable)
The Christmas day comic strip is entirely different from the rest of the story - a tribute to the troops (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - December 25, 1967 © King Features Syndicate

June, upset by Rex's distraction by Nancy, asks for a year's leave of absence but is interrupted by yet another phone call from Nancy
June gets pneumonia - Rex drops everything to take care of her

She's put in an oxygen tent, IV penicillin when her fever doesn't break

1966 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1966, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 223-258 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

December 13, 1965 - January 20, 1966: Jed's Fake Gunshot Wound

June and Dr. Morgan held at gunpoint to help Jed, a gunshot victim, at his practice

Jed is wanted for murder of a police station attendant (Marcia and Willie are his partners in crime)

Dr. Morgan saves the day!

January 21 - 22: Dr. Leonardo Pettigrew

Dr. Leonardo Pettigrew intro - we don't see his face for the first 2 weeks

January 23 - May 22: MISSING
May 23 - 25: The Professor Con Man (incomplete)

We start in the middle of a story, with a lady named Selma accusing "The Professor" of stealing $5,000 from he while she was in a coma
It turns out that The Professor told Selma that he had a cure for diabetes, and that she no longer needed to take insulin and watch her diet, which resulted in her coma
Info on diabetics, 5/25/66 (see picture)

Rex Morgan, MD - May 25, 1966 © King Features Syndicate

May 25 - November 7: Introduction of Dr. L.R. Moreland

When June and Dr. Morgan pick up Dr. Moreland at the airport, they are SHOCKED to find out she is a woman! (see image)

Rex Morgan, MD - June 6, 1966 © King Features Syndicate

Dr. Morgan admits that if he knew she was a "hen medic", the only way he would have asked Dr. Moreland for an interview is if she included a picture - this comment doesn't seem to phase anyone!
Luci and June bond over marriage in the medical field
Dr. Moreland says she has more problems with female patients regarding her gender
Melissa, and elderly lady who is a close friend of Dr. Morgan and June is appalled that a women may be included in the practice (see image below)

Rex Morgan, MD - June 16, 1966 © King Features Syndicate

Luci has left a disappointed Tony Grand, who promised her a "big, fancy office" in Philadelphia
When she returns home to close up her business, Tony has bought her a car and an office building to open her own practice, for having diagnosed his little brother Joey with a heart condition, leading to a life-saving surgery
Tony, clearly very wealthy, confesses his interest in marrying Luci - she respectfully declines: "I'm not ready for marriage, Tony! I've spent four years in college, four years in medical school, four years in hospital internship and residency to prepare myself to practice medicine! I feel an obligation to use the skills I've learned! Someday...yes...I would want to marry...but I can't do that now!"

Interesting that she feels she can't do both - that being a wife and a doctor are mutually exclusive responsibilities

Tony throws a huge party, inviting the Senator, to see Luci off - Rex is invited
While she's publicly given a car, audience members comment to each other that they've never heard of her
Tony and Joey secretly drive down to follow Luci's flight
Luci's first patients insist on also seeing Rex, not confident or comfortable with her
Tony and Joey show up at June's before Luci gets home - she's still out to dinner with Rex

Joey tells June that Tony thinks women shouldn't work like men - June agrees!

Luci is late to the hospital because Tony insists on taking her to breakfast (against her will)

Rex is furious

9/15 and 9/16 have a few medical comments on treatment of patients (see images)
Dr. Moreland postpones dinner with Tony and Joey to cover Rex's house calls
The child with a 105F fever stops breathing, Luci performs a tracheotomy before Rex shows up; she's treated with diphtheria antitoxin (she had missed a booster shot), 10/18
June sneaks out at night to tell Tony to cancel his flight because Luci loves him, they decide to get married and Rex is out of a new assistant

Rex Morgan, MD - September 15, 1966 © King Features Syndicate

November 5 - March 4: Jack Burton & Friends, LSD

Wallace Burton, Jack's father, comes to see Rex because he's worried about his son
Jack just got home from his freshman year of college, and it turns out he hadn't been in class for the last two weeks and dropped off the football team
Jack's roommate, Dick Huston, called Jack's mother, Barbara, worried about him
Jack's been spending time with a senior, Veronica Sands - sounds to be trouble
While Dr. Morgan and Mr. Burton look for Jack, we see him in the football stadium hallucinating; Dick suspects LSD
Veronica takes Jack to Mr. Arrodine, previously a biology professor; Mr. Arrodine and Veronica are jealous of Jack's 4-day acid trip
Info strip, 12/19-20/66 (see image)

Jack refuses to take LSD again when he returns to Mr. Arrodine's house with Veronica; he's thrown out, and she runs out of the house on a bad trip
Jack and Dr. Morgan find Veronica passed out in the snow
Veronica's roommate dies after Mr. Arrodine gives her an overdose of sedative to stop her trip (he sent everyone out of the house when he thought the police might show up)
When the police arrive, Mr. Arrodine hides the LSD in his greenhouse, and they don't find it - seems like these days a greenhouse would be the first place the police would search!
Russell, Mr. Arrodine's (houseboy?) cracks under the pressure and gives them both up
Story gets cut short by one week

1965 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1965, Publishers Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 171-223 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

January 7 - May 24: The Liz Donatell Scandal

Resident Dr. Eric Hardy blows off a shift while canoodling with lover Miss Elizabeth "Liz" Donatell, daughter of the Chairman of the Hospital
Introduction to Dr. Farnsworth, medical director of the hospital (sweeps Dr. Hardy's indiscretion under the rug by orders of the Chairman)
Liz blows off a date with Dr. Hardy to dine with Roger Marston, who is also in love with her; she drives the car off the road resulting in Roger losing vision in one eye
Liz tries to seduce Dr. Morgan; when he resists she charges with him assault (telling her maid, Helen, to lie to those who ask about it) - 3/16/65
Sergeant Brooks visits June Gale to question about the death of Liz Donatell - 4/30/65

Dr. Morgan's lawyer, Harold, is called in

Roger gives away information that indicates he's the murderer; turns himself in when confronted by Dr. Morgan - 5/8/65

May 24 - August 20: Dr. Keith Cavell

Dr. Keith Cavell (surgeon), June's best friend, returns unexpectedly from a medical trip to Africa
Several strips show tremors in his hands
Teaching strip, 6/10/65, about MS (see picture)

Jessica Lance, Dr. Cavell's [ex?] girlfriend tracks him down
Dr. Hayes, the neurologist, says there are no signs of MS
Cavell beats up a guy at the bar, leaves an anonymous envelope of money to pay for medical expenses
Dr. Morgan intervenes and prevents the breakup of Dr. Cavell and Jessica

August 21 - December 10: Jerry Howe, the Mentally Retarded Child

Mother Vivian Howe is embarrassed about her son's mental retardation and keeps him out of school and away from people
Husband Bert Howe is fed up with Vivan's behavior, constantly worried about her son's health and treating him as if he's as fragile as glass
Strip covers the parents perspective of having a mentally retarded child, 8/31/65, also education about mentally retarded children, 9/22/65 (see pictures)

Jeff Watson sets Bert up with Kay Bardin, to June Gale's irate disapproval
Bert takes Kay on a date when he finds Vivan has taken Jerry to her mother's for an "indefinite stay", prompted by Bert's insistence on Jerry enrolling in school
Bert and Kay get in a car wreck on their way home, Bert needs a craniotomy to find the bleed ("the spinal tap showed blood")
Dr. Morgan gives advice to Bert about his marriage
Bert and Vivian decide to place Jerry in school

1964 Comic Strips: A Summary

Source*: Curtis, Dal. Rex Morgan, MD. 6 Jan - 31 Dec 1964, Publishers Newspaper Syndicate (Chicago, IL).
*p. 126-172 on disk from King Features Syndicate.

All comic strips are posted online by special permission of King Features Syndicate, Inc.

December 3 - April 16, 1964: Jeanie Tang, heroin addict

January 1 - 5: MISSING
Jeanie Tang is a singer at a local night club owned by sleeze-ball Nero
Al Croyden fears she's not well and approaches Rex about her health
Jeanie complains of headaches and begs for an "envelope" from Nero - she's up to 3x/week and spending almost all of her salary on it
January 12 - 19: MISSING
Al confronts Jeanie about her addiction, asks her to see Rex
January 26 - February 2: MISSING
Nero sends Jeanie out to a farmhouse (with henchman, Kleeg) in the country, where "Mama Bess" gives her a fix
Mama Bess wallops Jeanie when she tries to escape (overcome by pain)
March 8 - 15: MISSING (suspect Rex finds Jeanie during this time)
Rex suspects Jeanie either has a brain tumor or a ruptured aneurysm, and schedules her a craniotomy (see image)

Nero lies to the police and accuses Al of supplying Jeanie with the heroin
April 5 - April 12: MISSING
Nero, Mama Bess and cronies are arrested after Rex helps the police bring them in

April 17 - August 13: Mr. Homer Standly, frontal lobe tumor

Kate Standly, who lives with her father, is worried about his mental status
Jim Walden, Kate's fiance, is fed up with her father's erratic behavior and the devotion she shows to him
Homer puts an advertisement in the paper about Rex and Kate's intended marriage, completely confused by the purpose of his visit
Rex explains a brain lesion can cause symptoms of mental illness, 6/19/ 1964 (see image)

June gives her 2 week notice when she see's the wedding announcement, and Rex has not told her
Teaching moment strip, patient perspective of having a brain tumor, 7/21/64 (see image)

August 13 - January 9, 1965: Don & Rick Santell, alcoholics

Don Santell, the country's new singing sensation, is found by his bookie, Jocko Mapes, after being beat up in a parking lot

Rex administers a tetanus shot

Rick, Don's estranged brother and admitted alcoholic, shows up - Jocko cares about him, Don hates him (due to an historic fight over a girl with whom Rick was in love)
Rex explains the relationship between delirium tremens and alcoholism, 9/25/64 (see image)

Teaching moment, patient perspective on alcoholism, 10/30/64 (see image)

Don refuses to offer support to Rick for when he's discharged from the hotel and needs rehabilitation for his drinking
Don proposes to June on Christmas at Melissa's
In the end, Don and Rick decide to go to an AA meeting after Jocko gives Don the truth that he's a terrible performer, and needs his brother, the best arranger in the business