Man from Atlantis

Duffy made four Man from Atlantis TV movies in the spring of 77. In the fall of 1977 it was a weekly hour long series. Unfortunately, it only lasted 13 episodes.

In the series he was a man who was found naked washed up on a California shore. Med techs were unable to revive him, as it appears he was suffocating. A medical doctor Elizabeth Merrill (Belinda J. Montgommery) noticed he has gills rather than lungs. She returned him to the shore and put him under water and he recovered.

The man's memory was a complete blank. A team of scientists, headed by Dr. Merrill, examined him. He was not only able to breathe under water but had webbed hands and feet. He could exist for short periods of time outside of water, but not for long. When they asked a computer what possible explaination there was for this man (who they named "Mark Harris") the computer replied with a question: "Last citizen of Atlantis?"

Mark Harris not only had no memory of who he was or where he came from, he seemed to know nothing of our civilization as well. He eventually learned English but seemed virtually emotionless. Dr. Merrill believed he had the capacity to learn emotions as he learned other things, but her fellow scientists were not convinced.

Mark wanted to return to the ocean, for he believed he might remember his past if he did. The government, however, didn't want to lose this water breathing man. Eventually, he struck a deal with the government..if he helped them in a special mission, against a villianous man named Mr. Schubert (Victor Buerno) he would be given his freedom.

After helping them defeat Schubert, Elizabeth took Mark to the beach where he was found. Mark noticed that Elizabeth was crying..he had never seem a human cry before, and asked her why water was coming from her eyes. Elizabeth explained that she was sad to see him leave, for she became attached to him. Mark had maintained that maybe if he returned to the open ocean he might remember who he was...and Elizabeth countered that maybe he would forget about her and all the friends he had made.

Despite this, Mark dove into the ocean and began to swim away. However, he didn't get far...he began to think of Elizabeth and how she saved his life; of the various new friends he had made on land..and remembered Elizabeth's comment "Maybe you'll forget all about us". Mark turned back and returned to shore where he found Elizabeth still there. As the pilot concluded he said to Elizabeth "I have not learned enough".

The three other TV films has Mark working for the Institute of Oceanic Research, along with Elizabeth, and he had various adventures. The movies did well enough to spawn the tv show. As I stated, the ratings were soft on the 13 episodes and NBC cancelled it in mid-season.

After cancellation Duffy filmed the Dallas pilot, and CBS picked up the show in the spring of 78. So Patrick Duffy became one of the few actors to do two different tv shows during the same television season (77-78). Dallas was a long running show for him, of course where he became close friends with co-star Larry Hagman.