7.4/1017 votes#1 - First year,First Day
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1963
A brilliant student with a good business - an auto body shop - wants to quit school. He challenges Novak to give him a good reason for continuing his education.
Director: Boris Sagal
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1013 votes
#2 - To Lodge and Dislodge
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1963
Julie Dean, a blind student at Jefferson High, develops a crush on Mr. Novak.
Director: Boris Sagal
Writer: N/A
- 8.5/1012 votes
#3 - I Don`t Even Live Here
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/1963
When Mr. Otis was conducting the English class, all the students were raking in As - but Novak can't seem to get the same caliber of work out of them.
Director: Abner Biberman
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/1010 votes
#4 - X is the Unknown Factor
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/1963
Mike Daniels is being considered for an important science scholarship, but he's having problems in Novak's literature class. Dr. Frank Baxter, TV educator, appears as Dr. Gagan.
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/1011 votes
#5 - A Single Isolated Incident
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1963
A black student, Marcy Desmond, is violently accosted by a gang of youths who let her know that she's not welcome at Jefferson High.
Director: Abner Biberman
Writer: N/A
- 8.4/1011 votes
#6 - The Risk
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1963
Novak helps a former teacher and mentor obtain a position at the school. The instructor is a recovering alcoholic, while his much-younger wife is still afflicted with the disease.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1011 votes
#7 - Hello Miss Phipps
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/1963
Maude Phipps, a teacher for some 40 years, is sharply outspoken and is the object of various complaints -- including those of irate parents who don't like the idea of her teaching social hygiene to their children.
Director: Don Medford
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/1012 votes
#8 - To Break a Camel's Back
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/12/1963
Novak clashes with Holly Metcalfe, a rebellious senior who doesn't like to follow rules.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1012 votes
#9 - A Feeling for Friday
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/19/1963
It's a hectic Friday and Novak is very pleased to get an invitation to spend the weekend at his former sweetheart's family estate.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1011 votes
#10 - Pay the Two Dollars
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/26/1963
A father holds Novak responsible for roughing up his son. It all happened when Novak broke up some student horseplay.
Director: Walter Doniger
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/1014 votes
#11 - Love in the Wrong Season
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/3/1963
Novak, who's dating a teacher, has some competition from one of her students.
Director: Ida Lupino
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#12 - The Boy Without A Country
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1963
Novak and Vane prepare a hero's welcome for a new student, a Russian defector, who's quick to show that he's not easy to get along with.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/108 votes
#13 - A Thousand Voices
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/17/1963
Novak defends the members of an off-campus car club, who have run into trouble.
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/106 votes
#14 - My Name is not Legion
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/24/1963
Novak is interested in Arnold Frazer, a new student who shows signs of brilliance and trouble adjusting to school life.
Director: Bernard Girard
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/1011 votes
#15 - He who can Does
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 12/31/1963
Novak invites a famous novelist to address the school's Literary Club - despite protests of Miss Pagano who feels that the writer's unorthodox views will be a bad influence.
Director: Irving Lerner
Writer: N/A
- 7.0/106 votes
#16 - Song of Songs
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/7/1964
An overly strict father takes the school, and Mr. Novak to task, when he finds the subject matter read aloud in class by his daughter to be highly erotic.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/107 votes
#17 - The Exile
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/14/1964
Charlie Payne, who dropped out three years ago, now has nothing better to do than spend his time hanging around the school grounds.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#18 - Sparrow on the Wire
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/21/1964
A member of Novak's debating club makes some anti-Semitic remarks during an intra-squad debate.
Director: Mark Rydell
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/108 votes
#19 - The Private Life of Douglas Morgan Jr.
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 1/28/1964
Campus clown Doug Morgan decides he can attract attention - and get excused from compulsory ROTC classes - by claiming to be a conscientious objector.
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: N/A
- 9.1/1011 votes
#20 - Death of a Teacher
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/4/1964
The death of a teacher brings forth a variety of reactions and emotions from the students and faculty at Jefferson High.
Director: Richard Donner
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#21 - I`m on the Outside
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/11/1964
A student named Steve Acero tells Principal Vane that Mr. Novak is prejudiced against him because he is of Mexican extraction.
Director: Abner Biberman
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#22 - Chin Up, Mr. Novak
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 2/18/1964
Novak's having problems with a literature class - until it's taken over by Margaret Mumsley, a 75-year old exchange teacher from England.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/108 votes
#23 - Fear is a Handful of Dust
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 2/25/1964
Novak tries to help shy, introverted Sue Johnson by encouraging her to develop her talent for caricature.
Director: Abner Biberman
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#24 - How Does Your Garden Grow?
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/3/1964
An inexperienced and frightened substitute teacher has trouble with her first class at Jefferson High.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/107 votes
#25 - The Tower
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/10/1964
After numerous complaints that an elderly geometry instructor is no longer an effective teacher, Vane is forced to retire her.
Director: Michael O'Herlihy
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Mr. Novak Season 1
Every episode of Mr. Novak Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Mr. Novak Season 1!
Mr. Novak is an American dramatic series starring James Franciscus in the title role, which aired on NBC for two seasons, from 1963 to 1965.
Genre:Drama
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"First year,First Day" is the best rated episode of "Mr. Novak" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 17 votes. Directed by Boris Sagal and written by N/A, it aired on 9/24/1963. This episode is rated 1.2 points higher than the second-best, "To Lodge and Dislodge".