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I am curious about The Doctors going from self-contained stories to the more serialised format. Wiki states When it first aired in 1963 as an anthology, it did so for a trial run with self-contained episodes about medical emergencies. When the show was brought back in 1964, the show finally adopted a serial form of storytelling.

This seems to suggest the show was off air for a period of time. Anyone know if this is the case and how long it was off air?

Edited by will81
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I don't have the book handy at the moment, but I would recommend that you pick up Robert LaGuardia's Soap World. It was published in 1983 (never updated to my knowledge), and has long been out of print - but you can find it through your library system and/or used book venues like Amazon. TD was among the cancelled soaps given a full synopsis of its entire run. It splits the anthology and serial formats. I believe it gives the airdates, too.

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I wonder exactly what the nature of Althea's relationship was with the hospital chaplain, Sam Schaeffer, that was brought up in her therapy sessions. None of the soap books or any synopsis I've read mentions it at all. I do know he was played by Fred J. Scollay, who went on to play Charley Hobson on AW in the late 70s, father to Clarice and husband to Ada. He also had a recurring role as a judge on L&O back in the early 90s - and I believe his last appearance was him telling Michael Moriarty's EADA Ben Stone not to screw up the case. Last I heard, he is still alive at the age of 91.

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That's a nice collage.

It's so strange actually seeing Bethel Leslie as Maggie. I can't say she's been some revelation - I still prefer Lydia Bruce - but it's nice to be able to put a name to the face, and I do think she does a decent job in the role.

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Bethel Leslie took over as Maggie in October 65

Variety reported in October 66

Bert Berman, producer of NBC-TV's daytimer, "The Doctors," has brought his crew-back to the newly renovated NBC Studio 3A after six month exile at 1481 Broadway. .

Apparently Studio 3A was being upgraded for color broadcasting.

Edited by Paul Raven
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