Entertainment
‘The Pitt’ Has Nothing on This 7-Part Medical Drama Everyone Forgot Was One of the Best Ever
The 1951-53 series City Hospital launched the era of the medical drama, a genre that has had so many entries throughout television history that it’s easy to lose track of the more prominent ones, such as Dr. Kildare, St. Elsewhere, Quincy M.E. The lone exception may be Grey’s Anatomy, a series one can’t lose track of simply because it refuses to die. Marcus Welby, M.D., a forgotten series that had a successful 7-season run between 1969 and 1976, reignited one career, launched another, and served as a stepping stone for the likes of Tom Selleck and William Shatner.
‘Marcus Welby, M.D.’ Places People Over the Problem
Marcus Welby, M.D., like Nip/Tuck, Private Practice, and Virgin River that followed, centers on the dynamic between medical professionals who share a practice together. In this case, that practice is shared by two family doctors who operate out of a home in Santa Monica, California: Dr. Marcus Welby (Robert Young), the older, fatherly figure, and Dr. Steven Kiley (James Brolin), the handsome young doctor. Serving as the efficient secretary, nurse, and confidante for the pair is the kindly Consuelo Lopez (Elena Verdugo).
The show defies expectations right off the bat, with the elderly Welby being the one willing to test new, unconventional ways of treatment, while his younger companion tends to stick to the book. Yet they share an engaging, healthy respect for one another, and, most importantly, prioritize the patient and their connection with them. That personal and compassionate engagement is fostered by the family practice angle, which also allows for a broad range of maladies-of-the-week and a degree of authenticity.
‘Marcus Welby, M.D.’ Launches and Relaunches, Careers
Audiences certainly did respond, making Marcus Welby, M.D. the most popular television show in the U.S. for a time, thanks largely to its two leads. For Robert Young, the series relaunched a career that exploded with his role as the titular parent in Father Knows Best. When that series ended in 1960, Young entered into a brief semi-retirement, one he didn’t particularly care for but necessitated to a degree by his own personal struggles with alcohol. The immediate success of Marcus Welby, M.D. launched him back into the spotlight, with the fatherly Welby serving as a comforting callback to his days as Father Knows Best‘s Jim Anderson.
Dr. Kiley launched James Brolin into stardom, serving as his first major television role after a string of one-off appearances on shows like The Patty Duke Show and Batman. Over the course of the series’ seven seasons, Brolin would earn two Golden Globes and an Emmy for his portrayal, one Golden Globe over Young’s award wins for the same. It opened the door to a long, storied career for the actor, with highlights including The Amityville Horror‘s George Lutz, Peter McDermott in Hotel, and the voice of the ever-present narrator in Netflix’s Sweet Tooth.
The Perfect Mystery-Medical Binge Is Finally Free To Watch 25 Years After Its Finale
And to think Dick Van Dyke’s 8-season series was nearly cancelled.
For a handful of actors, Marcus Welby, M.D. was an important stepping stone in their acting careers. Tom Selleck appeared in two episodes, with the last a mere 5 years before his breakout role in Magnum P.I.. For David Cassidy, his appearance on the show came the same year as his breakout role as Keith Partridge on The Partridge Family, and for Tom Bosley, Marcus Welby, M.D. was one of a series of roles before landing his iconic role as patriarch Howard Cunningham in Happy Days.
In the case of William Shatner, the series was an important stepping stone to the second stage of his career, with his role as Dr. Bellings in a Season 4 episode among his first post-Star Trek: The Original Series roles. Beyond serving as a launching pad for a number of actors, Marcus Welby, M.D. has a legacy that can be seen in shows like New Amsterdam or The Resident, shows where the doctors have empathy and deep compassion for those in their care. It may be forgotten, but Marcus Welby, M.D. lives on, and as long as there are characters in medical dramas that place people first, it will continue to do so. Maybe even longer than Grey’s Anatomy.
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