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'Dr. James Kildare' is 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. This was due to the fact that Lew Ayres, who had played the young doctor, was a conscientious objector to the war. In the midst of World War II patriotism, Ayres' position became unpopular, and he was replaced by actor Keye Luke as a young intern. Previously, Luke had become well known as Number One Son in the Fox Charlie Chan series, and he later became even more famous as Master Po in the TV series ''Kung Fu''.

Contents

Films

Later films without Kildare

Radio

Television

Comics

Satires

References in popular culture

Listen to

References

External link

Films

★ ''Internes Can't Take Money'' (1937), starring Joel McCrea as Kildare [1]

★ ''Young Dr. Kildare'' (1938), which introduced Lew Ayres in the Kildare role, and Lionel Barrymore as Dr. Gillespie [2]


★ ''Calling Dr. Kildare'' (1939) [3]

★ ''The Secret of Dr. Kildare'' (1939) [4]

★ ''Dr. Kildare's Strange Case'' (1940) [5]

★ ''Dr. Kildare Goes Home'' (1940) [6]

★ ''Dr. Kildare's Crisis'' (1940) [7]

★ ''The People vs. Dr. Kildare'' (1941) [8]

★ ''Dr. Kildare's Wedding Day'' (1941) [9]

★ ''Dr. Kildare's Victory'' (1942) [10]

Later films without Kildare

★ ''Calling Dr. Gillespie'' (1942) [11]

★ ''Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant'' (1942), which introduced Gillespie's assistants Dr. Randall Adams (Van Johnson) and Dr. Lee Wong How (Keye Luke) [12]

★ ''Dr. Gillespie's Criminal Case'' (1943) [13]

★ ''Three Men in White'' (1944) [14]

★ ''Between Two Women'' (1945) [15]

★ ''Dark Delusion'' (1947), without Johnson [16]

Radio

In the summer of 1949, MGM reunited Lew Ayres and Lionel Barrymore to record the radio series, ''The Story of Dr. Kildare'', scripted by Les Crutchfield, Jean Holloway and others. After broadcasts on WMGM New York from February 1, 1950 to August 3, 1951, the series was syndicated to other stations during the 1950s. The supporting cast included Ted Osborne as hospital administrator Dr. Carough, Jane Webb as nurse Mary Lamont and Virginia Gregg as Nurse Parker, labeled "Nosy Parker" by Gillespie, with appearances by William Conrad, Stacy Harris, Jay Novello, Isabel Jewell and Jack Webb.

Television

'''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) while trying to learn his profession, deal with the 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
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Comics

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).

Satires

★ The Doctor was referenced from time to time in Warner Bros. cartoons of the 1940s, such as ''Patient Porky'' ("Dr. Chilled Air") and ''Hare Tonic'' ("Dr. Killpatient").

★ The Doctor was also referenced in the 1942 Tex Avery cartoon "Blitz Wolf." The Wolf, representing Hitler, requests that someone "Call for Dr. Kildare."

★ 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

★ The television show is also comedically referenced in the film "How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying" (1967).

References in popular culture

★ On an episode of The Young Ones, "Sick".
DAMAGE: "Here, excuse me, excuse me. But I'm not actually known for my patience."

RICK: "Oh. Oh. Well, you're probably not Dr. Kildare then!"

http://freespace.virgin.net/kris.job/yngones/sick.htm

★ In the Marvel comic The Amazing Spider-Man #4 (September 1963).
Potential Villain: "It feels like a piece of Web dropped down on us! But... who...?"

Spider-Man: "Well, It's not Dr. Kildare!"

Listen to

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References

★ Dunning, John. ''On The Air: The Encyclopedia of Old-Time Radio''. Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-507678-8

★ McNeil, Alex. ''Total Television''. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. ISBN 0-14-004911-8

★ Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: ''The Story of Dr. Kildare''

External link

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