Doctors, The


The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation Presents

02:26

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About

From Wikipedia:

The Doctors is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC Daytime from April 1, 1963, to December 31, 1982. There were 5280 episodes produced, with the 5000th episode airing in November 1981. The series was set in Hope Memorial Hospital in the fictional "Madison," located somewhere in New England.

The Doctors debuted as an anthology series 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.

Because of the obvious burdens and expense of casting for separate stories each day and due to ratings being lower than expected, on July 22, 1963, stories were expanded to weekly arcs with a new plot introduced every Monday and concluding that week on Friday. This, however, was only marginally successful than the daily anthology format had been.

Beginning March 2, 1964, The Doctors ceased its experimental anthology format and became a traditional continuing serial, like all the other daytime dramas on air then. For most of the series, storylines revolved around Hope Memorial Hospital and its patriarchal Chief of Staff Dr. Matthew "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. 

Highlights
Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
04:28
H. Wesley Kenney on directing two actors in their final scene on The Doctors
04:48
David Canary on his early experiences in soap operas - playing a terrorist on The Doctors
02:43
Bob Costello on producing The Doctors (and discusses its eventual demise)
01:48
Ted Bergmann on managing Colgate's television interests, including The Doctors
02:05
Who talked about this show

Ted Bergmann

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Ted Bergmann on managing Colgate's television interests, including The Doctors
02:05
Ted Bergmann on managing Colgate's television interests, including The Doctors
00:27

Robert Caminiti

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Robert Caminiti on learning to become a stage manager on the daytime drama The Doctors
01:34
Robert Caminiti on learning to work with actors on The Doctors
03:01
Robert Caminiti on his various duties as stage manager on The Doctors
06:52

David Canary

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David Canary on his early experiences in soap operas - playing a terrorist on The Doctors
02:43

Robert E. Costello

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Bob Costello on producing The Doctors (and discusses its eventual demise)
01:48

Valerie Harper

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Valerie Harper on her first role on television, on The Doctors
00:28

H. Wesley Kenney

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H. Wesley Kenney on directing two actors in their final scene on The Doctors
04:48
H. Wesley Kenney on producing The Doctors and Days of Our Lives
06:07

Rita Lakin

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Rita Lakin on being head writer for The Doctors
06:27

Stewart MacGregory

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Stewart MacGregory on being unit manager for The Doctors
02:15

Daniel J. Travanti

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Daniel J. Travanti on appearing on The Doctors and General Hospital
03:41

Kim Zimmer

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Kim Zimmer on replacing Kathleen Turner on The Doctors in 1979
04:28
Kim Zimmer on playing "Nola Dancy Aldrich" on The Doctors
03:59
Kim Zimmer on the plot of The Doctors and on having a baby while on the show
03:54
Kim Zimmer on leaving The Doctors
00:35

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