Hank

I was a fan too. The main thing I would add to the other comments is that Hank was a terrific athlete. Dabbs Greer, who seems to coach all of the college's teams, always had a practice or a game or a meet in the way of Hank's next class. So when he'd cut across the field Greer would always wonder who that wonderful, sprinter, kicker, halfback was. I haven't seen anything resembling a tape of this but perhaps one will surface on TVLand or at the Museum of Television and Radio. Maybe they'll do a Title IX remake of it. An athlete dropping into class has more of a farcical element than in 1965.

I remember this show from watching the original broadcasts when I was pretty young, only I did not correctly remember the title. I recall the sub-theme that Hank could run so fast that the athletic coach wanted to know who he was, there was a certain implied irony (he was a natural athlete and could probably have attended college on a scholarship if he wasn't so preoccupied with auditing for free and running away). Long ago I tried to remember what the show was called and I confused the title with another show of the era so I probably doubly confused folks when I was reminiscing.

Anyhow, the show made a positive impression on me and I too had the problem of no one else having seen or remembered it until I did a Google search and stumbled upon it here.

I remember this show well from my childhood, along with the other TV sitcom Camp Runamuck. I was in 5th grade when this show came out and watched every episode. It was funny, and to this day every once in awhile, the show's catchy theme pops into my head and I try to remember the lyrics. I saw the lyrics elsewhere on this site or another only today and can finally see what they are, because I had long forgotten them. I liked the show because Hank was always a positive guy, doing his best to take care of his sister, get a good education and better himself. Of course, all the running around, the costume changes and his efforts to get an education on the sly kept me entertained. I too remember the last episode when he was caught, but in the end, it had a happy ending. Being just a kid who really loved the show, I watched knowing it was the final episode and stayed glued to the tube through the closing credits and the last run of the theme song. Isn't it something how some shows touch you and are remembered fondly in your memory as you're growing up? By the way, the notion of somebody repeatedly slipping into classes without paying, etc. isn't so far-fetched. It was recently in the newspaper here in Southern California about some guy attending several college courses to learn, yet he was never enrolled in them. I can't remember the rest of this true incident, but it did happen.

I just happened to be looking at some old favorites and stumbled on this one. I was a fan of Hank too. Friday nights at 8 PM...followed by Camp Runamuck (another fond memory) at 8:30 (or vice versa)...... Hank did an unusual thing on this show..while others were "dropping out" of college, he "dropped in". He couldn't afford tuition and this was his only option for an education he desperately wanted. The other comments were accurate about his disguises and staying one step ahead of everyone...

The final episode had him impersonating another student (false chin and all) who was supposed to be under quarantine. He is finally caught after all his close calls during the run of the show. But, in his disguise, he had taken a standard exam and had scored the highest score ever recorded. He is assured of a scholarship and all his hard work is rewarded. The show ends with his future at the college assured........

I have fond memories of "Hank" and remember watching it religiously on Friday nights. I was in the seventh grade when the show was on. I thought it was extremely clever, and it contributed to a fascination with college that I already had. (I ended up spending 13 years in college and graduate school--but I took all my classes legally!) As I remember, the college president's major crusade was trying to catch students who audited classes. A few years later, he would have been happy if the biggest problem on campus was unregistered students sitting in on classes. I also remember that the president's daughter was Hank's girlfriend and that she knew all about Hank's illegal activities. In retrospect, however, I have to wonder why Hank could not have gotten an athletic scholarship since he was such a fabulous athlete. I don't remember seeing the last episode that wrapped up the show. It is too bad the network did not renew it.