Doctor in the House
Based loosely on the novel by Richard Gordon, Doctor In The
House was the first of a number of 'Doctor' series made
between 1969 - 1977.
Michael Upton, Duncan Waring, Paul Collier
and Dick Stuart-Clark were medical students at St Swithin's
teaching Hospital in London (The building used for filming was
Wanstead Hospital in East London).
Robin Nedwell played Dr Duncan Waring, starring alongside
George Layton, Geoffrey Davies and Ernest Clark. The students were
keen to do well, but unfortunately their talent for attracting
disaster made them a constant thorn in the side of the imposing
Professor Geoffrey Loftus (a fearsome variation on the formidable
Sir Lancelot Spratt of the original books).
Geoffrey Davies (who portrayed the suave and debonair Dick
Stuart-Clark) went to art school and worked as a commercial artist
for a short time before deciding to fulfil his ambition and become
an actor.
He spent 18 months with the Harrogate Repertory Company
before taking a two-year course at RADA, after which he landed the
role of Lieutenant Faversham in the film Oh What A Lovely War.
Doctor in the House was written by some comedy
heavyweights, amongst them Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden (of The
Goodies), John Cleese and Graham Chapman from Monty Python,
Barry Cryer and Bernard McKenna . Both Garden and Chapman were
qualified medical doctors and so were especially appropriate
writers.
 The main force behind the TV series, though, was Frank Muir
who, as head of comedy at the new London ITV franchise LWT, was
determined to get Richard Gordon's Doctor saga on to the
small screen.
Although screened in black and white, the first series was
actually made in colour, so when eight of the episodes were
repeated early in 1970 they were seen in colour for the first
time.
The series ultimately appeared under various guises such as Doctor
In Charge and Doctor At Sea during its run, and was
briefly revived by BBC One as Doctors on Top in
1991.
Sadly, Robin Nedwell collapsed and died On 1 February 1999
during a routine visit to a doctor's surgery near his home in
Hedge End, near Southampton.
EPISODES
Why Do You Want To Be A Doctor? / Settling In / It's All Go /
Peace And Quiet / The Students Are Revolting / Rallying Round / If
In Doubt, Cut It Out / War Of The Mascots / Getting The Bird / The
Rocky Mountain Spotted / Fever Casino / Keep It Clean / All For
Love / Pass Or Fail It's All In The Little Blue Book / What Seems
To Be The Trouble? / Take Off Your Clothes . . . And Hide / Nice
Bodywork, Lovely Finish / Look Into My Eyes / Put Your Hand On
That / The Royal Visit / If You Can Help Somebody - Don't! /
Hot Off The Presses / A Stitch In Time / May The Best Man . . . /
Doctor On The Box / Finals
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