Dr. Kildare

9/28/1961 – 8/30/1966 NBC
60 minutes – 132 episodes
30 minutes – 58 episodes
Black and White/Color

From a series of 30s-40s movies starring Lew Ayres as Dr. Kildare

Dr. Kildare Cast

Richard Chamberlain as Dr. James Kildare
Raymond Massey as Dr. Leonard Gillespie (1961-1966)

Eddie Ryder as Dr. Simon Agurski (1961-1962)
Jud Taylor as Dr. Thomas Gerson (1961-1962)
Joan Patrick as Receptionist Susan Deigh (1961-1962)
Steve Bell as Dr. Quint Lowry (1965-1966)
Ken Berry as Dr. Kapish
Jo Helton as Nurse Conant
Jean Inness as Nurse Fain (1965-1966)
Lee Kurty as Nurse Zoe Lawton (1965-1966)
John Napier as Ken Cleveland (1966-1967)
Robert Paget as Dr. John Ross
Cynthia Stone as Mrs. Salt

Dr. Kildare Theme Song

“Three Stars Will Shine Tonight” music by Jerry Goldsmith, lyric by Hal Winn

Dr. Kildare Tidbits

For those who were not around for the phenomena it is difficult to describe how hot Richard Chamberlain became or how many teenage girls, myself included, thought he was “dreamy.”

Dr. Kildare debuted at same time as “Ben Casey.” While both played doctors, and both shows were popular, Richard Chamberlain got three times as much fan mail as Vince Edwards. He even recorded the show’s theme song and it was a hit.

Dr. Kildare was initially an intern at Blair General Hospital. His mentor was Dr. Gillespie (Raymond Massey), the wise head of internal medicine. The show tackled tough issues and tried for realistic storylines.

In the first season, Kildare had two intern comrades, Drs. Agurski (Eddie Ryder) and Gerson (Jud Taylor) but they were written out after the first season as the show moved the focus to the patients.

By the third season Dr. Kildare had been promoted to resident (must have been that bedside manner!). In the 1965-1966 season the show appeared twice weekly as a half hour show.

Passings

Jean Innes died in 1978 of cancer, Raymond Massey in 1983 of pneumonia, and Eddie Ryder in 1997.
Richard Chamberlain
(Click for Larger View)

Richard Chamberlain

Richard Chamberlain
(Click for Larger View)

Richard Chamberlain

The Tyger, Tyger (Pts. 1 & 2) episodes 1/16/1964 and 1/23/1964Guest starred Yvette Mimieux as a dying patient, love interest. Title taken from the William Blake poem.