THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 29, 1994 TAG: 9412290110
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Larry Bonko
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
A HERE IS A SAMPLE of other TV series involving men and women of medicine:
Dr. Kildare'' NBC (1961-66). The first drama about doctors that commanded a large primetime following. Richard Chamberlain found stardom playing a young intern under the watchful eye of Raymond Massey. Based on a successful series of films in the 1940s.
``Ben Casey'' ABC (1961-66). The hunky Casey, played by Vince Edwards, was ABC's answer to the wholesome-looking Kildare. A brilliant surgeon, Casey was a brooding, intense doctor who took on the medical establishment. Sam Jaffe co-starred and was forever telling Casey to cool it.
``Marcus Welby, M.D.'' ABC (1969-76). Robert Young was 64 when he took the title role. Welby was no Ben Casey; his bedside manner was warm and cuddly. James Brolin played his assistant in Santa Monica, Calif. It was Brolin's big break in TV.
``M*A*S*H'' CBS (1972-83). Some consider it the best primetime series ever. The producers successfully transferred Hot Lips, Trapper John, Hawkeye and the others characters from Robert Altman's 1970 movie to TV. Ratings for the finale are still unmatched in primetime. In 1979, CBS launched ``Trapper John, M.D.'' with Pernell Roberts in the lead role. It had a seven-year run.
``St. Elsewhere'' NBC (1982-88). Gave Norfolk actor Stephen Furst a meaty role as emergency room physician Dr. Elliot Axelrod. Ed Flanders and William Daniels starred in this series about a struggling Boston hospital. Producers turned manic comic Howie Mandell into a competent dramatic actor.
``The Nurses'' CBS (1962-65). Starred a young actress with an unforgettable name - Zina Bethune. It was one of the first series about life behind the scenes at a large metropolitan hospital.
``Doogie Howser, M.D.'' ABC (1989-93). They all laughed when this series about a teenage doctor signed on, but the series starring Neil Patrick Harris had staying power. It was a hoot to see Doogie handle acute medical problems while grappling with puberty.
`The Interns'' CBS (1970-71). The gruff and tough Broderick Crawford of ``Highway Patrol'' took charge of five young doctor wannabes.
``Doc Elliot'' ABC (1974). James Franciscus played a big-city doctor who left the concrete canyons to set up practice in Colorado.
``Medical Center'' CBS (1969-76). James Daly, the father of Tyne Daly and Timothy Daly of ``Wings,'' co-starred with Chad Everett in a familiar concept - wise old doctor nurturing young impatient doctor with great promise.
``Nightingales'' NBC (1989). Aaron Spelling doesn't win them all. For every ``Beverly Hills 90210'' to his credit, there is also a ``Nightingales.'' It was a show about nurses as sexual toys. Real-life nurses put heavy pressure on NBC to get rid of it. by CNB