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) 

Rex Morgan, MD - June 10, 1965     © King Features Syndicate

• 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)

Rex Morgan, MD - August 31, 1965     © King Features Syndicate

Rex Morgan, MD - September 22, 1965     © King Features Syndicate

• 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