HOUSE CALLS: PAGING DR. MICHAELS {SERIES PREMIERE} (TV)
Summary
The premiere of this comedy series based on the film of the same name, about a group of doctors and hospital staff.
Ann Anderson, the new assistant administrator of Kensington General Hospital, tries to report in but is met rudely by the various staff, including Doctors Charley Michaels and Norman Solomon and the nearsighted, elderly, and stubborn Doctor Amos Weatherby. Ann soon finds her new job to be daunting, as the hospital is poorly mismanaged. Charley apologizes to her and attempts to placate her, but they soon begin bickering. Charley notes that despite their disagreements, he feels that Ann’s presence is necessary to help the hospital move forward. Charley has to stave off the attentions of the wealthy Louella Grady, and also tries to assuage the concerns of the wife of a patient about to undergo gallbladder surgery. He tries to ask Ann out to dinner; she refuses, but Charley does not take no for an answer.
Charley appears at Ann’s doorstep that night and convinces her to have dinner with him. They have a conversation about Ann’s divorce from her husband, and they bond as Charley attempts to unclog her kitchen sink. He is called away on a house call while, unbeknownst to him, his gallbladder patient takes an unexpected turn for the worse. The patient’s wife, hysterical, demands that Dr. Weatherby perform the surgery if Charley doesn’t arrive, much to Dr. Solomon’s chagrin. Charley reports to Louella’s home, where she claims to be suffering from nausea, but he sees through her attempt at seducing him. Ann calls the hospital when she receives an alert through Charley’s beeper, which he accidentally left at her apartment. The hospital manages to reach Charley as Dr. Weatherby prepares for surgery. Charley returns in time to perform the operation and completes it successfully. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: December 17, 1979 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:36
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:54056
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1979-1982
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jerry Davis … Executive Producer
- Sheldon Keller … Producer
- George E. Crosby … Associate Producer
- Alex March … Director
- Mark Shulman … Created by, Writer
- Julius J. Epstein … Created by, Writer
- Jack Elliott … Music by
- Allyn Ferguson … Music by
- Michael Lang … Music by
- Wayne Rogers … Cast, Dr. Charley Michaels
- Lynn Redgrave … Cast, Ann Anderson
- Ray Buktenica … Cast, Dr. Norman Solomon
- David Wayne … Cast, Dr. Amos Weatherby
- Candice Azzara … Cast, Louella Grady
- Vincent Howard … Cast, Anesthetist
- Vivi Janiss … Cast, Older Nurse
- Margaret Nesbitt … Cast, Mrs. Johnson
- Aneta Corsaut … Cast, Head Nurse
- Sharon DeBord … Cast, Admissions Nurse
- Diane Lander … Cast, Sexy Nurse
- Di Ann Monaco … Cast, Pretty Nurse
- Deedy Peters … Cast, Mrs. Phipps