DOCTOR FILMS
With an interchangeable cast of characters that included Dirk Bogarde, legendary cad Leslie Phillips, Kenneth More, James Robertson Justice, Kay Kendall, Donald Sinden, Joan Sims and even Brigitte Bardot, the Doctor series of six films was based on Richard Gordon's best selling books.
:: Doctor In The House
In Doctor in the House (1954) the first in the series, Dirk Bogarde plays the wide-eyed, innocent medical student, Simon Sparrow. He falls in with a crowd of students who have been kept down in the first year, including a lecherous Donald Sinden, rugby playing Donald Houston and a congenitally lazy Kenneth More. With them he must master the problems of patients, nurses, an overfriendly landlady's daughter and the redoubtable surgeon St Lancelot Pratt played by the inimitable James Robertson Justice. The movie won a BAFTA for Kenneth More as Best Actor, was the top money-maker in the British film industry that year and spawned six immensely successful sequels, and a TV sit-com, making the series an enduringly popular entry in British comedy's hall of fame.
:: Doctor At Sea
Dr Sparrow (Dirk Bogarde) tires of practising medicine on dry land and sets off to sea. Aboard a steamship he encounters various eccentric characters, whilst blundering his way through a series of comedy scrapes. Love interest comes in the delectable form of Brigitte Bardot in her first role for British audiences. The screenplay, written by Jack Davies and Nicholas Phipps was nomated for a BAFTA.
:: Doctor At Large
This film saw Sparrow as a fully-fledged doctor in a casualty department. However, he longs for some excitement, which he gets when he is rude to an important patient and given his marching orders. His next job brings much unwanted female attention and he still longs to be a surgeon. Is he destined to be more successful with women than with medicine?
DOCTOR TV SERIES
Based on the highly popular Doctor series of books by Richard Gordon, DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE was a massive hit for ITV1 on its original transmission in 1969. With well crafted comedy scripts from leading lights such as Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden (The Goodies), John Cleese and Graham Chapman (Monty Python's Flying Circus) and Barry Cryer (The Two Ronnies, The Kenny Everett Television Show), the Doctor series lasted nearly a decade and was even revived in the 90s as a further sequel. This set contains all thirteen hilarious episodes from series one, complete and uncut, previously unavailable before on DVD in the UK. It's the tail-end of the Swinging Sixties and young Michael Upton (Barry Evans - Mind Your Language, Crossroads) manages to be accepted as a medical student at St. Swithin's Hospital, though his admittance is more to do with his rugby skills than any medical ability he may possess. Taken under the wing of fellow students Dick Stuart-Clark (Geoffrey Davies - Doctor on the Go, Doctor in Charge) and Duncan Waring (Robin Nedwell - Shillingbury Tales, Doctor in Charge), the latter currently on his fifth year as a first year student), Upton is soon plunged into a whirlwind of beer, well-meaning disasters, womanising fellow students and the force of nature that is Professor Loftus Disc One Why Do You Want to Be a Doctor? Passing his interview to become a medical student at St. Swithins on the basis of his prowess on the rugby field, Michael Upton's first day becomes a mixture of the boring and the ghastly! Written by John Cleese and Graham Chapman Directed by David Askey Original ITV Transmission 12 July 1969 Settling In Upton moves into the hall of residence at St. Swithins, accompanied by large amount of baked beans. Invited to a dance, he 'rescues' one of the nurses but hadn't figured on the consequences. Written by Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden Directed by David Askey Original ITV Transmission 19 July 1969 It's All Go... Upton and Waring are about to do their first dissection and are given a solid drubbing by Professor Loftus for making a mess of it. Stopping in the pub for a lunchtime libation, they discover they have seriously underestimated the potency of the cider they sell there... Written by Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 26 July 1969 Peace and Quiet Upton decideds enough is enough - his flat is just too noisy and he needs peace and quiet to study. But he hasn't realised just how hazardous hunting for a flat can be! Written by Bill Oddie and Graeme Garden Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 2 August 1969 The Students are Revolting It's 1969 and students throughout the world are revolting, but not at St. Swithins as there's nothing to revolt against. That is, until someone decides that protests are needed "to free themselves of an outdated syllabus"... Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 9 August 1969 Rallying Round Coerced into joining the St. Swithins Motor Club, Upton is paired up with the flighty Fiona in her Jaguar. It's not long before they come to the notice of the police. Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 16 August 1969 If in Doubt-Cut It Out! After a less-than-spectacular anatomy lecture on the ins and outs of the appendix, Upton is convinced he has appendicitis. Rushed to St. Swithins casualty unit he is appalled to see that the doctor assigned to him is the same one who botched the lecture! Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie network Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 23 August 1969 Disc Two The War of the Mascots During a drunken team celebration Muriel the Ape - the stuffed rugby team mascot - is stolen by a rival team. This is an annual occurrence which invariably heralds an escalating level of stupidity and tit-for-tat and Upton is appalled to see that this year's plans involve transvestitism and water bombs... Written by Graham Chapman and Barry Cryer Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 30 August 1969 Getting the Bird Appalled to find out that he's the only one without a regular 'bird', Upton is coerced by Stuart-Clark into accepting a blind date with Pat Mortlake, known colloquially as 'rigor mortis'... Written by Graham Chapman and Barry Cryer Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 6 September 1969 The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Casino Uptons 'digs' are being used by his fellow medical students as a place to play poker and leaflets have been jokingly distributed, advertising the flat as "The Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Casino". It's not long before the spectre of organised crime rears its ugly head. Guest Bernard Bresslaw Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie Directed by Maurice Murphy Original ITV Transmission 13 September 1969 Keep It Clean! It's time to plan the annual show that the students put on for the patients and where better to discuss it that a bar. Upton is in need of a drink in his hand when the Dean suggest that he should be Producer! Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie Directed by Bill Turner Original ITV Transmission 20 September 1969 All for Love Upton's in love and it's disrupting his concentration - not only is he not paying attention to lectures he's lost his interest in rugby too! He's rudely brought back down to earth, however, when he discovers that the love of his life is Professor Loftus's daughter... Guest Lynn Dalby Written by Graeme Garden and Bill Oddie Directed by Bill Turner Original ITV Transmission 27 September 1969 Pass or Fail Exam fever sets in when they all come to realise it's a fortnight left until the finals. Everyone has their own method of learning and the method usually involves panic, beer or both! Can they possibly cram an entire year's worth of learning into a fortnight? Written by Graham Chapman and Barry Cryer Directed by Bill Turner Original ITV Transmission 4 October 1969