Dr. Kildare
Dr. James Kildare was a
fictional character, the primary character in a series of
American theatrical
films in the late 1930s and early 1940s, an early 1950s
radio series, a 1960s
television series of the same name and a
comic book based on the TV show. The character was invented by the author
Frederick Schiller Faust (aka Max Brand).
The character began in the film series as a medical intern; after becoming a
doctor he was mentored by an older physician, Dr. Leonard Gillespie. After the first ten films, the series eliminated the character of Kildare and focused instead on Gillespie.
*
Interns Can't Take Money (
1937), starring
Joel McCrea as Kildare
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Young Dr. Kildare (
1938), which introduced
Lew Ayres in the Kildare role, and
Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie
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Calling Dr. Kildare (1939)
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The Secret of Dr. Kildare (1939)
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Dr. Kildare's Strange Case (1940)
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Dr. Kildare Goes Home (1940)
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Dr. Kildare's Crisis (1940)
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The People vs. Dr. Kildare (1941)
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Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day (1941)
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Dr. Kildare's Victory (1942)
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Calling Dr. Gillespie (
1942)
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Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942), which introduced Gillespie's assistants Dr. Randall Adams (
Van Johnson) and Dr. Lee Wong How (
Keye Luke)
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Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case (1943)
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Three Men in White (1944)
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Between Two Women (1945)
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Dark Delusion (1947), without Johnson
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Richard Chamberlain as Kildare |
Dr. Kildare was an
NBC medical drama television series which ran from
September 27,
1961 until
April 5,
1966, encompassing a total of 190 episodes. The show, which premiered at the same time as an
ABC medical drama,
Ben Casey, quickly achieved success and helped spark a number of new shows dealing with the medical field.
"Kildare" told the story of a young intern, Dr. James Kildare (
Richard Chamberlain), working in a fictional large metropolitan hospital (Blair General) whilst trying to learn his profession, deal with problems of the patients and win the respect of the senior doctor, Dr. Leonard Gillespie (
Raymond Massey).
In the series' first episode, Gillespie tells the earnest Kildare, "Our job is to keep people alive, not to tell them how to live." Kildare ignores the advice, providing the basis for stories over the next four seasons, many with a
soap opera touch. The series was largely responsible for making Chamberlain, who beat out 35 other contenders for the role, a teen idol in the 1960s. He also recorded a song, "Three Stars Will Shine Tonight," with the music from the show's familiar opening theme. In
2006 Chamberlain reprised the role in a parody of
Grey's Anatomy (along with other famous TV doctors from
Julia,
St. Elsewhere,
M*A*S*H and
The Love Boat) on the
2006 TV Land Awards.
Dell Comics' short-lived comic book based on the television show lasted nine issues from 1962 to 1965. The first two issues were part of the
Four Color Comics line. Ken Bald drew the
Dr. Kildare comic strip for 21 years (1962-1983).
In a
French & Saunders spoof of
Doctor Who,
Dawn French tells a Doctor Who knock-knock joke: "Knock Knock" "Who's there?" "Doctor." "Doctor Who?" "Doctor Kildare!".
Link*Dunning, John.
On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio. Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0195076788
*McNeil, Alex.
Total Television. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. ISBN 0140049118
*
Dr. Kildare (18 radio episodes)*
