Episode guide: Marcus Welby M.D.

Marcus Welby M.D. featured Robert Young as Doctor Marcus Welby, a general practitioner who took a genuine interest in the welfare of his patients. Marcus Welby M.D. ran for seven seasons from 1969 to 1976. This article discusses some interesting episodes in the series.

Background to Marcus Welby M.D.

Marcus Welby was set in Santa Monica, California where Doctor Welby had a general practice. He was also chief medical adviser at Lang Memorial Hospital, assisted by Doctor Steven Kiley, played by James Brolin. Serious issues such as autism, depression, racism and addiction were depicted. The relationship between the older and younger doctor was tense, with Welby being more unconventional, using a holistic approach toward his patients, contrasting with Doctor Kiley who was careful and straitlaced.

Some interesting Marcus Welby M.D. episodes

Fun and Games and Michael Ambrose - 13 January 1970: Michael Ambrose arrives in Los Angeles with his father, a celebrity author who largely ignores his son. Michael, diagnosed as a diabetic, goes to extremes to attract his father's attention. The role of Michael was an excellent dramatic performance by The Partridge Family's David Cassidy. Just A Little Courage - 15 February 1972: Brian Kenny, a college instructor goes to Doctor Welby, seeking a cure for muscle spasms. Brian is played by David McCallum who played Illya Kuryakin in The Man From U.N.C.L.E and "Ducky" in NCIS. We'll Walk Out of Here Together - 26 September 1972: This episode featured long-time girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, Barbi Benton, who became a popular cast member of the Hee Haw series. Heartbeat For Yesterday - 12 December 1972: This episode featured two outstanding personalities of the sixties and seventies, William Shatner and Chief Dan George. The Other Martin Loring - 20 February 1973: Martin Loring suffers from illness caused by his efforts to repress his homosexuality. The episode was criticised for aligning homosexuality with sickness. Martin Loring was played by Mark Miller who starred in the 1960-1961 ABC sitcom series Guestward, Ho! and NBC's Please Don't Eat the Daisies between 1965 and 1967. Designs - 12 May 1974: A fashion designer married to a paraplegic falls in love with the doctor. The lady is played by Jane Wyatt who played Robert Young's wife in Father Knows Best. The Outrage 8 October 1974: A teenage boy is sexually assaulted by a teacher. This time, the series producers found themselves in hot water for equating homosexuality and pedophilia.

"We Treat People"

Marcus Welby MD was the doctor everyone wished they had when medical practitioners were giving less time to their patients. In the first episode, he tells an assembly of young doctors, "we don’t treat fingers or skin or bones or skulls or lungs. We treat people. Entire human people".