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''The Doctors'' is an American daytime
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
television series which aired on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
from April 1, 1963, to December 31, 1982. There were 5,155 episodes produced, with the 5,000th episode airing in May 1982. The series was set in Hope Memorial Hospital in a fictional
New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...
town called Madison.


From anthology to serial

On , ''The Doctors'' debuted as an
anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a differ ...
rather than a conventional soap opera, a very ambitious concept for that time. Stories were originally self-contained within one episode and featured various medical emergencies. On , because of the obvious burdens and expense of casting for separate stories each day and due to ratings being lower than expected, stories were expanded to weekly arcs with a new plot introduced every Monday and concluding that week on Friday. This, however, was only marginally more successful than the daily anthology format had been. Beginning on , ''The Doctors'' ceased its experimental anthology format and became a traditional continuing serial, like all the other daytime dramas on air at the time. For most of the series, storylines revolved around Hope Memorial Hospital and its
patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and in certai ...
Chief of staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supporti ...
Dr. Matt Powers (played by James Pritchett), who started on the program on July 9, 1963, although Pritchett originally appeared on the series during its weekly anthology period, in another role. The cast for the original daily concept, which lasted from the premiere on April 1, 1963, until July 19, 1963, was: *
Jock Gaynor Jock William Gaynor (September 14, 1929 – April 2, 1998) was an American television actor and producer. He was known for playing the role of Deputy Marshal Heck Martin in the first season of the American western television series '' Outlaws''. ...
as Dr. William Scott (April 1, 1963 – July 19, 1963, premiere cast) *Richard Roat as Dr. Jerry Chandler (April 1, 1963 – January 17, 1964, premiere cast) *Margot Moser as Dr. Elizabeth Hayes (April 1, 1963 – July 19, 1963, premiere cast) *
Fred J. Scollay Fred J. Scollay (March 19, 1923 – November 3, 2015) was an American character actor with dozens of credits in daytime and primetime television, as well as film and stage work Early years and military service Scollay was born in Roxbury, M ...
as Rev. Sam Shafer (April 1, 1963 – 1966, premiere cast) The early cast for the second, weekly concept, which lasted from July 22, 1963, until February 28, 1964, was: *Richard Roat as Dr. Jerry Chandler (April 1, 1963 – January 17, 1964, premiere cast) *Fred J. Scollay as Rev. Sam Shafer (April 1, 1963 – 1966, premiere cast) *James Pritchett as Dr. Matt Powers (July 22, 1963 – December 31, 1982) *Rex Thompson as Michael Powers (July 22, 1963 – 1966) * Ann Williams as Dr. Maggie Fielding (July 22, 1963 – May 25, 1965) *
Joseph Campanella Joseph Anthony Campanella (November 21, 1924 – May 16, 2018) was an American character actor. He appeared in more than 200 television and film roles from the early 1950s to 2009. Campanella was best remembered for his roles as Joe Turino on ' ...
as Alec Fielding (August 19–23, 1963) *
Ruth McDevitt Ruth Thane McDevitt ( Shoecraft; September 13, 1895 – May 27, 1976) was an American film, stage, radio, and television actress. Career The daughter of John Barnabas Shoecraft and Elizabeth Imber Shoecraft, McDevitt was born in Coldwater, Mich ...
as Mrs. McMurtrie (Rev. Shafer's housekeeper) (September 16, 1963 - July 9, 1964) *Charles Braswell as Alec Fielding (January 20 – February 11, 1964) *Scott Graham as Dr. Johnny McGill (January 20, 1964 – December 1964) *Joan Anderson as Nora Hansen Lloyd (March 9, 1964 – 1966)


Storylines

In the program's early years, ''The Doctors'' was considered to be more bold in storyline choices than its primary rival at the time, ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
'' (which premiered on the same day, with a similar premise to ''TD''). While the doctors on ''General Hospital'' worked in harmony with one another for the most part and in some cases were intimate friends, the physicians on ''The Doctors'' were shown in stories that balanced personal and professional concerns. Some doctors were depicted as competitive and cutthroat. ''The Doctors'' incorporated humor and realism into its storylines, and remained anchored to actual medical work in its setting. For example, when Matt Powers was on trial for murder, he was forced to rescind his Chief of Staff position. His successor schemed to remove his allies, such as Dr. Althea Davis, from positions of influence in the hospital. Althea's stories included her challenges as a female doctor working with a mainly male staff; one story outlined how Althea's divorce was discussed by the board as a moral issue in a way that no male doctor's personal life had ever been discussed. Other notable storylines explored
cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
and
drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to engage in certain behaviors, one of which is the usage of a drug, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use of ...
. Doreen Aldrich (played by Jennifer Wood and then by Pamela Lincoln) suffered from
leukemia Leukemia ( also spelled leukaemia and pronounced ) is a group of blood cancers that usually begin in the bone marrow and result in high numbers of abnormal blood cells. These blood cells are not fully developed and are called ''blasts'' or ' ...
, and Joan Dancy (Margaret Whitton) struggled with an addiction to drugs. In its final years, the show began to move away from its early realism and sobriety in plot toward more stereotypically "soapish" writing. For example, one storyline centered around a woman over 60 years old who impersonated her daughter Adrienne Hunt (
Nancy Stafford Nancy Elizabeth Stafford (born June 5, 1954) is an American actress, speaker and author, known for her roles on television. She came to prominence in the 1980s as Michelle Thomas, law partner, on five seasons of '' Matlock''. She later hosted a ...
) by taking a special serum that would keep the old woman younger, but caused the death of Billy Aldrich (
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nichol ...
) in the process.


Awards and production

In 1972 and 1974, the serial received a
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for Best Drama. During that period until a new opening sequence was created in 1977, announcer
Mel Brandt Melville Brandt (June 18, 1919 – March 14, 2008) was an actor and NBC staff announcer. Born in Brooklyn, New York, Brandt joined NBC around 1948. His radio announcing credits included '' The Adventures of Frank Merriwell'', ''Author Meet ...
(who was also known for his announcing the animated "Laramie Peacock" color opening in the 1960s and 1970s) would inform the audience at the beginning of each episode: ''"And now, The Doctors, (The Emmy-Award winning program) dedicated to the brotherhood of healing."'' The iconic theme song "Patterns", which was updated with a new version in 1977 and 1979, stayed with the program through August 1, 1980 and was composed by in-house musician Bob Israel at
Score Productions Score Productions is an American musical production company specializing in background music and themes for television shows. Started in 1963 in a brownstone townhouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan by music producer Bob Israel, Score has cr ...
. It debuted with the episode which aired on May 24, 1971.May 24, 1971 theme. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_30jMb5QlWg. Episodes of ''The Doctors'' were originally taped in black and white at Studio 3B, one of NBC's production studios at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City. It was the last NBC daytime serial to transition from black and white to color on October 17, 1966. For most of its run, ''The Doctors'' was packaged and sponsored by the
Colgate-Palmolive Colgate-Palmolive Company is an American multinational consumer products company headquartered on Park Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The company specializes in the production, distribution, and provision of household, health car ...
company through its Channelex division; in September 1980, NBC moved production in-house when C-P decided to close Channelex. However, C-P continued to buy much of the program's advertising time until its cancellation.


Broadcast history


Original series run

The popularity of ''The Doctors'' took off in the late
1960s File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...
, when it was featured in advertisements for NBC's 90-minute serial block. NBC first placed the program at 2:30 p.m. Eastern/1:30 Central, where it would eventually air in between ''
Days of Our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...
'' (starting in November 1965) and '' Another World'' (starting in May 1964). When ''The Doctors'' premiered in 1963, it replaced entertainment mogul
Merv Griffin Mervyn Edward Griffin Jr. (July 6, 1925 – August 12, 2007) was an American television show host and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer, later appearing in film and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 he hosted his own ta ...
's first daytime
talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Show ...
in the 2:30 timeslot, and remained in the slot for nearly sixteen years. From the late 1960s until the mid-
1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...
, ''The Doctors'' ranked as one of the top five daytime dramas in the United States. It peaked at fourth place in the 1973–1974 television season, behind CBS' ''
As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...
'' and fellow NBC serials ''Days of our Lives'' and ''Another World.'' However, within a period of three years, ''The Doctors'' plummeted from fourth to eleventh in the ratings. The decline in ratings was partly attributed to two serials with which ''The Doctors'' shared its timeslot: ABC's ''
One Life to Live ''One Life to Live'' (often abbreviated as ''OLTL'') is an American soap opera broadcast on the ABC television network for more than 43 years, from July 15, 1968, to January 13, 2012, and then on the internet as a web series on Hulu and iTunes ...
'' and CBS's ''
Guiding Light ''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...
'', which expanded to an hour in consecutive years; ABC increased the running time of ''One Life to Live'' from 45 minutes in 1976 to an hour in 1978 while CBS expanded ''Guiding Light'' to an hour in length in 1977. As the 1979 season began, the entire NBC soap opera lineup was suffering in the ratings. While ''The Doctors'' was not alone in this, the network began a series of relocations involving the veteran serial that year, which would amplify the series' ratings trouble and eventually lead to its demise. The first move was done to help boost the ratings of ''Another World'', which had fallen off significantly after reaching the top spot the previous season tied with ''As The World Turns'' also falling in the rating as well. In an unprecedented (and since unrepeated) move, NBC decided to extend ''Another World'' and make it the first serial to run for ninety minutes daily. ''The Doctors'' and ''Days of Our Lives'' were both moved ahead thirty minutes to accommodate the switch, but managed to finish just 0.2 points lower in the
Nielsen ratings Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. Then, in 1980, the producers of ''Another World'' began development on a new serial. The project eventually became the ''Another World'' spinoff ''
Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
'', which NBC had wanted to serve as a daytime version of the then-popular CBS primetime serial ''
Dallas Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
''. On August 4, 1980, after reducing ''Another World'' and ''
The David Letterman Show ''The David Letterman Show'' is an American morning talk show that was hosted by David Letterman on NBC. It originally aired from June 23 to October 24, 1980. Originally, the series lasted 90 minutes, then 60 minutes from August 4 onward. Backg ...
'' by thirty minutes each, NBC launched ''Texas'' at 3:00/2:00 PM. ''Another World'' was the lead-in for the spin-off moving back a half hour to 2:00/1:00PM in 1980. ''The Doctors'' was shifted to the only open spot on the network's lineup, the 12:30 p.m./11:30 a.m. slot following ''
Card Sharks ''Card Sharks'' is an American television game show. It was created by Chester Feldman for Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. The game features two contestants who attempt to predict the outcome of survey questions to gain control of a row o ...
''. The move, however, did not come without problems. The noon hour would often see affiliates of the three major networks opt not to air their offerings for at least part of, if not all of, the timeslot and usually air a local newscast or some other programming, and ''The Doctors'' disappeared from some markets when it made the move. In addition, the 12:30 timeslot was a competitive one for the three networks. ABC's competition came from ''
Ryan's Hope ''Ryan's Hope'' is an American soap opera created by Claire Labine and Paul Avila Mayer, airing for 13 years on ABC from July 7, 1975, to January 13, 1989. It revolves around the trials and tribulations within a large Irish-American family in th ...
'', which had been beating ''The Doctors'' by nearly a full ratings point in the overall rankings. The serial's competition on CBS originally consisted of the long-running ''
Search for Tomorrow ''Search for Tomorrow'' is an American television soap opera. It began its run on CBS on September 3, 1951, and concluded on NBC, 35 years later, on December 26, 1986. Set in the fictional town of Henderson in an unspecified state, the show focu ...
'', which was also pulling in significantly higher ratings than ''The Doctors'' had been. In June 1981, CBS moved ''
The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
'' to 12:30 and the ratings faded even further. ''The Doctors'' fell to a 3.8 rating at the end of the 1980–81 season and again to a 3.3 the following year. NBC had not completed its reshuffling of the daytime lineup, though, and on March 29, 1982, ''The Doctors'' was moved ahead another half hour to noon/11:00 Central, resulting in the cancellation of ''
Password Plus ''Password Plus'' and ''Super Password'' are American TV game shows that aired separately between 1979 and 1989. Both shows were revivals of ''Password'', which originally ran from 1961 to 1975 in various incarnations. With only subtle differen ...
''. The move was made after the network acquired its former rival ''Search for Tomorrow'' placing it in the 12:30/11:30 slot where ''The Doctors'' was after CBS moved the show from that same time slot it held for thirty years to boost the rating for ''The Young and the Restless'';. It became available to NBC after CBS opted not to renew the serial instead of returning it to the 12:30 spot it lost to ''The Young and the Restless''. In April of that year, NBC moved ''Texas'' to 11:00 a.m./10:00 Central to give ''The Doctors'' a lead-in and to try to increase the soap's low ratings. Despite NBC's acquisition of ''Search for Tomorrow'', the move of ''Texas'' to the 11:00 a.m. timeslot backfired; ''The Doctors'' saw no ratings bump from the serial whose presence had indirectly caused its ratings decline. NBC's serial lineup at the time was struggling in the ratings as a whole and ''The Doctors'' was no exception as it continued to falter, becoming one of the few serials at the time to fall below 2.0 in the ratings. Preemptions for other programming, along with the performance of ''
Family Feud ''Family Feud'' is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson. It features two families who compete to name the most popular answers to survey questions in order to win cash and prizes. The show has had three separate runs, the ...
'' on ABC and having to compete with ''The Young and the Restless'' in some markets, drove the numbers to record-setting lows. NBC announced the cancellation of ''The Doctors'' (along with that of ''Texas'') during the fall of 1982, and the last episode aired on December 31, 1982. The show once again finished in last place as part of the still-struggling NBC daytime lineup, which failed to see one of its serials finish in the top five in the final Nielsens for a fifth consecutive season. The ratings for ''The Doctors'' bottomed out at 1.6, less than half of what they were the year before and nearly one-fourth of what they were three years earlier. The final number broke a record set by the short-lived ABC soap '' The Best of Everything'', which pulled a 1.8 rating at the conclusion of its only season in 1970; only '' Sunset Beach'' (1997–1999) and ''
Passions ''Passions'' is an American television soap opera that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1999, to September 7, 2007, and on DirecTV's The 101 Network from September 17, 2007, to August 7, 2008. Created by screenwriter James E. Reilly and pro ...
'' (1999–2007), two later NBC serials, finished a season with a lower final rating. The ninety minutes freed up by the cancellations of ''The Doctors'' and ''Texas'' were filled by game shows beginning the following Monday. ''The Doctors'' saw its place taken by ''
Just Men! ''Just Men!'' is an American game show that aired on NBC Daytime from January 3 to April 1, 1983. The show starred Betty White, who won an Emmy award for her work on the show, with Steve Day announcing. It pitted two female contestants who were ...
'', which was cancelled after thirteen weeks. The noon timeslot would not receive a stable show until ''Super Password'' premiered in September 1984, which ran until March 1989.


Ratings History

''For historical ratings information, see
List of American daytime soap opera ratings The following is a list of television Nielsen ratings and rankings for American daytime soap operas from 1950 to the present, as compiled by Nielsen Media Research. The numbers provided represent the percentage of TV households in the United S ...
''


1960s

1962–1963 Season * 1. As the World Turns 13.7 * 11. ''The Doctors'' 3.4 (Debut: April 1, 1963) 1963–1964 Season * 1. As the World Turns 15.4 * 8. ''The Doctors'' 3.4 1964–1965 Season * 1. As the World Turns 14.5 * 8. ''The Doctors'' 7.5 1965–1966 Season * 1. As the World Turns 13.9 * 9. ''The Doctors'' 6.6 1966–1967 Season * 1. As the World Turns 12.7 * 8. ''The Doctors'' 7.6 1967–1968 Season * 1. As the World Turns 13.6 * 5. ''The Doctors'' 9.7 1968–1969 Season * 1. As the World Turns 13.8 * 5. ''The Doctors'' 9.3 1969–1970 Season * 1. As the World Turns 13.6 * 8. ''The Doctors'' 8.6


1970s

1970–1971 Season * 1. As the World Turns 12.4 * 7. ''The Doctors'' 9.4 1971–1972 Season * 1. As the World Turns 11.1 * 5. ''The Doctors'' 9.3 1972–1973 Season * 1. As the World Turns 10.6 * 5. ''The Doctors'' 9.3 1973–1974 Season * 1. As the World Turns 9.7 * 1.
Days of our Lives ''Days of Our Lives'' (also stylized as ''Days of our Lives''; simply referred to as ''Days'' or ''DOOL'') is an American television soap opera that streams on the streaming service Peacock. The soap, which aired on the American television net ...
9.7 * 1. Another World 9.7 * 4. The Doctors 9.5 1974–1975 Season * 1. As the World Turns 10.8 * 6. ''The Doctors'' 9.0 1975–1976 Season * 1. As the World Turns 9.4 * 8. ''The Doctors'' 7.3 1976–1977 Season * 1. As the World Turns 9.9 * 11. ''The Doctors'' 6.9 1977–1978 Season * 1. As the World Turns 8.6 * 1. Another World 8.6 * 11. ''The Doctors'' 6.5 1978–1979 Season * 1.
All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 20 ...
9.0 * 11. ''The Doctors'' 6.3 1979–1980 Season * 1.
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
10.5 * 11. ''The Doctors'' 6.1


1980s

1980–1981 Season * 1. General Hospital 14.0 * 13. ''The Doctors'' 3.8 1981–1982 Season * 1. General Hospital 13.8 * 15. ''The Doctors'' 3.3 1982–1983 Season * 1. General Hospital 11.4 * 14. ''The Doctors'' 1.6 (Final Season; ended December 31, 1982)


Reruns

In July 2014,
Retro TV Retro TV (stylized as retrotv), formerly known as Retro Television Network, is an American broadcast television network owned by Get After It Media. The network mainly airs classic television sitcoms and drama series from the 1950s through th ...
announced that it would begin broadcasting reruns of ''The Doctors'' in the latter half of the year, starting with episodes from 1967. On September 29, 2014, the network began airing two episodes of ''The Doctors'' each weekday, starting at 12 p.m. (ET)/11 a.m. (CT) (which was also the series' last time slot on NBC). Retro TV followed this up by adding two more daily airings of ''The Doctors'' reruns at 9 p.m. (ET)/8 p.m. (CT), beginning December 22, 2014. Retro TV started off their reruns of ''The Doctors'' in September 2014 with the episode which originally aired December 4, 1967, and due to the 1980-82 episodes being unavailable due to the pandemic, stopped its run of episodes with the December 31, 1979 episode on April 23, 2020, at which point syndication on Retro TV restarted with the December 4, 1967 episode on April 27, 2020. As of November 2022,Retro TV still hasn't announced when or if they will air the 1980-82 episodes, angering many loyal viewers. , episodes airing date from August 1970, with one episode aired at 12 p.m. Eastern Time and a rerun of the noontime episode airing at 7:30 p.m. ''The Doctors'' has been distributed by SFM Entertainment, which has 4,865 episodes available for syndication, only 290 episodes short of the entire run. As of July 2018 Retro was running the series seven days a week, but from three different periods of time, with Monday through Friday with one time frame, and then Saturday and Sunday each with two additional respective time frames in the series.


Proposed spin-off

''House of Hope'' was a proposed spin-off of ''The Doctors'' in 1970.
NBC Daytime NBC Daytime was the daytime programming block of NBC. It historically featured many soap operas, game shows, and talk shows. Its main competitors were CBS Daytime and ABC Daytime. Game shows were discontinued from NBC Daytime's lineup in 1994 a ...
picked up ''
Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...
'', the '' Another World'' spin-off, instead. A real-life police investigation involving ''The Doctors'' was used as the basis for the 29th episode of ''
Cagney and Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very dif ...
'', entitled "Matinee", where a fictional TV soap opera helped solve a murder case.


Cast

Core characters during the series' run included: * James Pritchett as Dr. Matt Powers (1963–1982) * Ann Williams (1963–1965),
Bethel Leslie Jane Bethel Leslie (August 3, 1929 – November 28, 1999) was an American actress and screenwriter. In her career spanning half a century, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurel Award in 1964, a Tony Award in 1986, and a Cable ...
(1965–1968), and Lydia Bruce (1968–1982) as Dr. Maggie Hansen Powers * Gerald Gordon as neurosurgeon Dr. Nick Bellini (1966–1975, 1976) * David O'Brien as Dr. Steve Aldrich (1967–1982) * Carolee Campbell (1967–1976), and
Jada Rowland Jada Rowland (born February 23, 1943) is an American actress and illustrator. Actress Rowland was born into a family of actors and artists. She has appeared on Broadway and television, most notably in daytime soap operas. She has appeared as ...
(1976–1982) as Carolee Simpson Aldrich, R. N. *
Elizabeth Hubbard Elizabeth Hubbard is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Dr. Althea Davis on ''The Doctors (1963 TV series), The Doctors'' (1964–69, 1970–77, 1981–82), and as powerful businesswoman Lucinda Walsh on ''As the World Turn ...
(1964–1969; 1970–1977; 1981–1982) and Virginia Vestoff (1969–1970) as Dr. Althea Davis *
Glenn Corbett Glenn Corbett (born Glenn Edwin Rothenburg; August 17, 1933 – January 16, 1993)"CORBETT Obituary — Corbett, 59, starred in 'Route 66,' Wayne films." ''San Antonio Express-News'' January 18, 1993. Web. May 29, 2012. Document #0F22314D ...
as Jason Aldrich (1976–1978; 1979 ; 1980–1981) Several well-known actors and actresses had roles on ''The Doctors'' throughout its long run, including: *
Marc Alaimo Marc Alaimo (born Michael Joseph Alaimo; May 5, 1942) is an American actor, known for his villainous roles. He is best known for his role as recurring villain Gul Dukat in the TV series '' Star Trek: Deep Space Nine''. Career Alaimo is a classica ...
as Frank Barton (1971-1972) *
Jane Badler Jane Badler (born December 31, 1953) is an American-Australian actress and singer. She is known for her role as Diana, the main antagonist in NBC's science fiction series '' V'' between 1983 and 1985. Badler also appeared in ABC's version of '' ...
as Natalie Bell Dancy (1981–1982) *
Alec Baldwin Alexander Rae Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, and producer. In his early career, Baldwin played both leading and supporting roles in a variety of films such as Tim Burton's ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), Mike Nichol ...
as Billy Aldrich (1980–1982) *
Nancy Barrett Nancy Barrett (born October 5, 1941) is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Carolyn Stoddard (among other characters) in the 1960s gothic soap opera ''Dark Shadows''. Biography Barrett was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, ...
as Nurse Kathy Ryker #2 (1971–1972) *
Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates (born June 28, 1948) is an American actor and director. Known for her roles in comedic and dramatic films and television programs, she has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, includ ...
as Phyllis (dayplayer, 1978) *
Doris Belack Doris Belack (February 26, 1926 – October 4, 2011) was an American character actress of stage, film and television. Life and career Belack was born in 1926 in New York City, the younger daughter of Isaac and Bertha Belack, Jewish immigrants ...
as Dr. Claudia Howard (1980) * Peter Burnell (1968–1973),
Armand Assante Armand Anthony Assante Jr. (; born October 4, 1949) is an American actor. He played mobster John Gotti in the 1996 HBO television film '' Gotti'', Odysseus in the 1997 mini-series adaptation of Homer's ''The Odyssey'', Nietzsche in ''When ...
(1975-1976), as Dr. Mike Powers, *
Ellen Burstyn Ellen Burstyn (born Edna Rae Gillooly; December 7, 1932) is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complicated women in dramas, she is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award, and two Primetime Em ...
as Dr. Kate Bartok (1964–65). * Chris Calloway as Ivie Gooding (1982) * Shawn Campbell as Billy Aldrich (1977–79) *
David Canary David Hoyt Canary (August 25, 1938 – November 16, 2015) was an American actor. Canary is best known for his role as ranch foreman Candy Canaday in the NBC Western drama ''Bonanza'', and as Adam Chandler in the television soap opera ''All My Ch ...
as Warner Far Wind (1979, 1980) * Paul Carr as Dr. Paul Summers (1976-1977) *
Dixie Carter Dixie Virginia Carter (May 25, 1939 – April 10, 2010) was an American actress. She starred as Julia Sugarbaker on the sitcom ''Designing Women'' (1986–1993) and as Randi King on the drama series ''Family Law (American TV series), Family La ...
as Dr. Linda Elliott (1977) *
Peggy Cass Mary Margaret "Peggy" Cass (May 21, 1924 – March 8, 1999) was an American actress, comedian, game show panelist, and announcer. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting ...
as H. Sweeney (1978-1979) * Zaida Coles as Anna Ford (1968–1970) *
Geraldine Court Geraldine Court (born Geraldine Oldenboorn; July 28, 1942 – November 20, 2010) was an American actress. Early years Court was born in Binghamton, New York, but her childhood included living in Nashville and in New Orleans. She received a Fran ...
as Ann Larimer (1973–1975, 1976–1977) *
Augusta Dabney Augusta Keith Dabney (October 23, 1918 – February 4, 2008) was an American actress known for her roles on many soap operas, such as the wealthy but kindly matriarch Isabelle Alden on the daytime series ''Loving''. She played the role from 1983 ...
as Theodora Van Allen (1980–1981) *
Ted Danson Edward Bridge "Ted" Danson III (born December 29, 1947) is an American actor. He achieved stardom playing the lead character Sam Malone on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'', for which he received two Primetime Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. He ...
as Dr. Mitchell Pearson (1977) * Nancy Donohue as Nancy Bennet (1968–1969) *
Olympia Dukakis Olympia Dukakis (June 20, 1931 – May 1, 2021) was an American actress. She performed in more than 130 stage productions, more than 60 films and in 50 television series. Best known as a screen actress, she started her career in theater. Not lon ...
as Mrs. Martin (1978) *
Mark Goddard Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936) is an American actor who has starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). He ...
as Lt. Paul Reed (1982) *
Dorothy Fielding Dorothy may refer to: *Dorothy (given name), a list of people with that name. Arts and entertainment Characters *Dorothy Gale, protagonist of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' by L. Frank Baum * Ace (''Doctor Who'') or Dorothy, a character playe ...
as Sara Dancy Powers (1977–1979) *
Julia Duffy Julia Margaret Duffy (née Hinds; June 27, 1951) is an American film, stage, and television actress. She began her career in television, appearing in minor guest roles before being cast in the role of Penny Davis in the series ''The Doctors (1963 ...
as Penny Davis (1973–1974, 1975–1977) *
Jonathan Frakes Jonathan Scott Frakes (born August 19, 1952) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and subsequent films and series. Frakes als ...
as Tom Carroll (1977–1978) *
Jock Gaynor Jock William Gaynor (September 14, 1929 – April 2, 1998) was an American television actor and producer. He was known for playing the role of Deputy Marshal Heck Martin in the first season of the American western television series '' Outlaws''. ...
as Dr. William Scott (1963–1964) *
Gil Gerard Gil Gerard (born January 23, 1943) is an American actor, whose roles include Captain William "Buck" Rogers in the 1979–81 television series '' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century''. Early life Gerard was born January 23, 1943, in Little Rock, Arkan ...
as Dr. Alan Stewart (1973–1976) *
Katherine Glass Katherine Glass (born January 11, 1947) is an American actress best remembered for her television work in the 1970s. Career Glass was raised as a Roman Catholic in New Haven, Connecticut."Kathy takes a day at a time" by Jon-Michael Reed, ''The ...
as Mary Jane "M. J." Match (1978–1981) *
Gracie Harrison Gracie may refer to: Names * Gracie (name), a given name and a family name (includes a list of people with that name) * Gracie family, a Brazilian family known for their practice and development of martial arts * Hurricane Gracie, a 1959 Atlantic ...
as Greta Van Powers #5 (1980-1981) *
Kathryn Harrold Kathryn Harrold (born August 2, 1950) is an American counselor and retired actress, best known for her leading roles in films '' The Hunter'' (1980), '' Modern Romance'' (1981), '' The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper'' (1981), '' Yes, Giorgio'' (1982), ...
as Nola Dancy Aldrich (1976–1977) * John Heffernan as Professor Everett Chambers (1976) *
Earl Hindman Earl John Hindman (; October 20, 1942  – December 29, 2003) was an American actor, best known for his role as the kindly unseen neighbor Wilson W. Wilson, Jr. on the television sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–99). Early years Hin ...
as Roy Griffin (1974) * Patrick Horgan as Dr. John Morrison (1970–1974) * Anna Maria Horsford as Group Therapy Patient (1977) *
Alvin Ing Alvin Y. F. Ing (May 26, 1932 – July 31, 2021) was an American singer and actor. His career included movies, television, musical theatre, and cabaret acts. Early life, family and education Ing was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. He studied music at ...
as Dr. Chiang (1974) *
House Jameson House Baker Jameson (December 17, 1902 – April 23, 1971)DeLong, Thomas A. (1996). ''Radio Stars: An Illustrated Biographical Dictionary of 953 Performers, 1920 through 1960''. McFarland & Company, Inc. . P. 139. was an American actor in the era ...
as Nathan Bunker (1967–1968) *
Adam Kennedy Adam Thomas Kennedy (born January 10, 1976) is an American former professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Washington National ...
as Brock Hayden (1965) * Dianne Kirksey as Bobbi Duvall (1980–81) *
Terry Kiser Terry Kiser (born August 1, 1939) is an American actor. Besides portraying the deceased title character of the comedy ''Weekend at Bernie's'' and its sequel, ''Weekend at Bernie's II'', he has more than 140 acting credits to his name, with a car ...
as Dr. John Rice (1967–1968) * Barbara Lang as Marilyn Langley (1982) *
Louise Lasser Louise Marie Lasser (born April 11, 1939) is an American actress, television writer, and performing arts teacher and director. She is known for her portrayal of the title character on the soap opera satire ''Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman.'' She was ...
as Jackie *
Laryssa Lauret Laryssa Kukrycka Lysniak Lauret (August 9, 1939 – July 5, 2015) was an American actress of Ukrainian descent. She worked on Broadway and off Broadway, as well as in television in long-running roles, such as Dr. Karen Werner in '' The Doctors'' a ...
as Dr. Karen Werner (1967–1969, 1971–1972, 1975) * Elizabeth Lawrence as Virginia Dancy (1976–78) * Jean LeClerc as Dr. Jean-Marc Gautier (1982) * Karl Light as Dave Davis (c. 1963–1966) *
Pamela Lincoln Pamela Lincoln (born Pamela Gill; June 19, 1937 – November 21, 2019) was an American actress of television and film. Her best-known movie role is the William Castle film ''The Tingler'', where her screams save the life of Vincent Price, w ...
as Doreen Aldrich #2 (1977–1979) *
Franc Luz The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' ( King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th cent ...
as Dr. John Bennett (1979-1981) *
Valerie Mahaffey Valerie Mahaffey (born June 16, 1953) is an American character actress and producer. She began her career starring in the NBC daytime soap opera '' The Doctors'' (1979–81), for which in 1980 she was nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outst ...
as Ashley Bennett (1979-1981) *
Meg Mundy Margaret Anne Mary Mundy (January 4, 1915 – January 12, 2016) was an English-born American actress and model. She was born in London, and in 1921, at the age of six, emigrated to the United States with her family. Personal life Mundy was born ...
as Mona Aldrich Croft (1972–1973, 1975–1982) *
Denise Nickerson Denise Marie Nickerson (April 1, 1957 – July 10, 2019) was an American child actress. She is best known for her role as Violet Beauregarde in the 1971 film ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory''. She later played Allison on ''The Electric Co ...
as Katie Harris * James Noble as Dr. Bill Winters (1967–1968) *
Terry O'Quinn Terrance Quinn (born July 15, 1952), known professionally as Terry O'Quinn, is an American actor. He played John Locke on the TV series ''Lost'', the title role in '' The Stepfather'' and ''Stepfather II'', and Peter Watts in ''Millennium'', w ...
as Dr. Jerry Dancy (1981) * Ray "Cliff Owens a
Dr. Richard Styner
(1968) * Petronia Paley as Dr. Jessie Rawlings (1977–78) *
John Pankow John Pankow (born April 28, 1954) is an American actor. He began his career on-stage in New York, in numerous Off-Broadway and Broadway plays including Peter Shaffer's ''Amadeus'', John Patrick Shanley's ''Italian American Reconciliation,'' and ...
as Danny Martin (1981–1982) * Holly Peters as Nurse Kathy Ryker #3 (1972–1973) * Carol Pfander as Nurse Kathy Ryker #1 (1970–1971) *
Nancy Pinkerton Nancy Pinkerton Peabody (May 7, 1940 – March 4, 2010) was an American actress. Pinkerton is perhaps best known as the original actress to play Dr. Dorian Lord on the ABC daytime soap opera ''One Life to Live'' from 1973 to 1977, a period whic ...
as Viveca Strand (1979-1981) * Carol Potter as Betsy Match (1977) * Ralph Purdum as Phillip Townsend III (1968–1969) *
Victoria Racimo Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...
as Tia Mahala * Larry Riley as Calvin Barnes (1980-1982) *
Rex Robbins Rex McNicol Robbins (March 30, 1935 – September 23, 2003) was an American character actor of stage and screen. Career Robbins appeared opposite Angela Lansbury in the 1974 Broadway revival of '' Gypsy''. He made his Broadway debut in 1963 as ...
as Murray Glover (1981–82) * Conrad Roberts as Ed Stark (1968–1969) * Mercedes Ruehl as Nurse Ursula (1977) * Richard Sanders as the Bartender (1974) * P. Jay Sidney as Paul Stark (1968–1969) * Hillary B. Smith as Kit McCormack, R. N. (1982) * Jocelyn Somers as Jessica Bartok *
Tom Spratley ''Where the Lilies Bloom'' is a 1974 American drama film adaptation of the novel by the same name, written by Bill and Vera Cleaver. The film was produced by Robert B. Radnitz and directed by William A. Graham in Watauga County (towns of Boon ...
as Fred Sanders (1974) *
Nancy Stafford Nancy Elizabeth Stafford (born June 5, 1954) is an American actress, speaker and author, known for her roles on television. She came to prominence in the 1980s as Michelle Thomas, law partner, on five seasons of '' Matlock''. She later hosted a ...
as Adrienne/Felicia Hunt (dual role) (1982) * Count Stovall as Dr. Hank Chambers (1978–79,1981) * Anna Stuart as Toni Ferra Powers (1971–1976) * Robert Frank Telfer as Luke Dancy (1976–1982) *
Marie Thomas Marie Thomas (17 February 1896 – 10 October 1966) was the first Indonesian woman to become a physician. She received her diploma from the School of Training of Native Physicians (STOVIA or ''School tot Opleiding van Indische Artsen'') in 1922. ...
as Lauri James Iverson (1972,1973–1975) *
Pamela Toll Pamela may refer to: *''Pamela; or, Virtue Rewarded'', a novel written by Samuel Richardson in 1740 *Pamela (name), a given name and, rarely, a surname * Pamela Spence, a Turkish pop-rock singer. Known as her stage name "Pamela" * MSC ''Pamela'', ...
as Liz Wilson (1966–1970) *
Kathleen Turner Mary Kathleen Turner (born June 19, 1954) is an American actress. She has received various accolades, including two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, and two Tony Awards. Turner became widely k ...
as Nola Dancy Aldrich (1978–1979) *
Nana Visitor Nana Tucker ( ; born July 26, 1957), known professionally as Nana Visitor, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' and Jean Ritter in the television series ''Wildfire''. ...
as Darcy Collins (1980–81) * Nicholas Walker as Brad Huntington (1980–81) * Peter Walker as Edmund Powell (1980) *
Sigourney Weaver Susan Alexandra "Sigourney" Weaver (; born October 8, 1949) is an American actress. A figure in science fiction and popular culture, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Gram ...
(pre 1976) *
Beatrice Winde Beatrice Winde (born Beatrice Lucille Williams; January 5, 1924 – January 3, 2004) was an American actress. Her work as a character actor, and a singer, in theatrical, television, and film roles, spanned several decades. Life and career W ...
as Lillian Foster (1980–81) * Jennifer Wood as Doreen Aldrich #1 (1977) *
Ian Ziering Ian Andrew Ziering (; born March 30, 1964) is an American actor best known for his role as Steve Sanders on the television series ''Beverly Hills, 90210'', which he played from 1990 to 2000. He is also the voice of Vinnie on ''Biker Mice from M ...
as Erich Aldrich (1981–1982) *
Kim Zimmer Kimberly Jo Zimmer (born February 2, 1955) is an American actress, best known for her role as Reva Shayne on the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light''. For this portrayal, she has won four Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama ...
as Nola Dancy Aldrich (1979–1982) Among the guest stars on ''The Doctors'' were
Johnny Carson John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He is best known as the host of ''The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'' (1962–1992). Carson received six Pr ...
as himself,
Don Imus John Donald Imus Jr. (July 23, 1940 – December 27, 2019), also known mononymously as Imus, was an American radio personality, television show host, recording artist, and author. His radio show, ''Imus in the Morning'', was aired on various stat ...
as himself,
Judy Collins Judith Marjorie Collins (born May 1, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning seven decades. An Academy Award-nominated documentary director and a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, she is known for her ec ...
as Judith Howard, Tony Randall as himself, and Brooke Shields as Elizabeth Harrington.


Main crew

Some notable writers, producers and directors of ''The Doctors'': Henry Kaplan, Dennis Brite, Douglas Marland, Frank Salisbury, Malcolm Marmorstein, Rita Lakin, Elizabeth Levin, Gerald Straub, Orvin Tovrov, Allen M. Potter, Allen Potter, Joseph Stuart, Robert Costello, Leonard Kantor, Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock, David Cherrill, Peter Brash, Doris Quinlan, A.M. Barlow, Heather Matthews, Kate Brooks, Ralph Ellis (writer), Ralph Ellis, James Lipton, Eugenie Hunt, William T. Anderson (Lighting).


Head writers

*Orin Tovrov, 1963 – 1966 *Ian Martin, 1966 – 1967 *John Kubek, 1967 *Rita Lakin, June 1967 – June 1968 *Rita Lakin and Rick Edelstein, June 1968 – June 1969 *Rick Edelstein, June 1969 - November 1969 *Ira Avery, November 1969 – April 1970 *Ira Avery and Stanley H. Silverman, April 1970 – September 1970 *Eileen and Robert Mason Pollock, September 1970 – August 1975 *Robert Cenedella, August 1975 - February 1976 *Margaret DePriest, February 1976 - September 1976 *Douglas Marland, September 1976 – 1977 *Mel Brez and Ethel Brez, Late 1977 - April 1978 *Linda Grover and David Cherrill, 1978 – February 26, 1979 *Elizabeth Levin and David Cherrill, February 27, 1979 - December 1979 *Ralph Ellis and Eugenie Hunt, December 1979 – 1980 *Lawrence Konner and Ronnie Wencker-Konner, 1980 – 1981 *Elizabeth Levin, September–December 1981 *Harding Lemay and Stephen Lemay, December 1981 – May 1982 *Barbara Morgenroth and Leonard Kantor, June – December 1982


Executive Producers

*Orin Tovrov, 1963–1965 *Jerry Layton, 1965–1967 *Allen M. Potter, 1967–1973 *Joseph Stuart, 1973–1975 *Jeff Young, 1975–1977 *Chuck Weiss, 1977–1979 *Doris Quinlan, 1979–1980 *James A. Baffico, 1980–1981 *Robert Costello, 1981–1982 *Gerald Straub, 1982


Awards and nominations


Daytime Emmy Award wins


Drama series and performer categories


Primetime Emmy Award wins

* 1971 "23rd Primetime Emmy Awards" (Drama Series) * 1972 "24th Primetime Emmy Awards" (Drama Series)


See also

*
Jonathan Frakes Jonathan Scott Frakes (born August 19, 1952) is an American actor and director. He is best known for his portrayal of Commander William Riker in the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and subsequent films and series. Frakes als ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Doctors, The 1960s American drama television series 1970s American drama television series 1980s American drama television series 1960s American medical television series 1970s American medical television series 1980s American medical television series 1963 American television series debuts 1982 American television series endings American television soap operas Black-and-white American television shows Colgate-Palmolive Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series winners NBC original programming Television shows set in New England