Classic Television - Weekdays

The Doctors

Original channel

NBC

Original run

April 1, 1963 – December 31, 1982

Starring

James Pritchett

Elizabeth Hubbard

Ann Williams

David O'Brien

The Doctors is an American television soap opera which aired on NBC Daytime from April 1, 1963, to December 31, 1982. There were 5280 episodes produced, with the 5000th episode airing in November 1981. The series was set in Hope Memorial Hospital in the fictional "Madison," located somewhere in New England.

Originally, The Doctors was not supposed to be a conventional soap opera. It first aired in 1963 for a trial run as an anthology series with self-contained episodes about medical emergencies. When the show was brought back in 1964, the show adopted a serial form of storytelling. For most of the series, storylines revolved around Hope Memorial Hospital's Chief of Staff Matthew Powers (played by James Pritchett).