The Complete Story of 'The Doctors' (1963-1973)

Daytime TV covered the world of soap operas for decades before finally folding in the 1990s. In the mid-70s, the magazine did an excellent series titled "The Complete Story of..." recounting the history of a soap opera from its inception. Below is the historical feature on the first 10 years of NBC's The Doctors (1963-1973), which is currently being aired on Retro TV.

Some of the interesting tidbits include:

* The Doctors did not start as a serial; it began as a "half-hour anthology series of medical dramas, set in the large metropolitan Hope Memorial Hospital, and with the four principals alternating daily in the lead role, according to NBC's original announcement. The roles were Dr. William Scott (played by Jock Gaynor), Dr. Jerry Chandler (portrayed by Richard Roat), Dr. Elizabeth Hayes (played by Margot Moser) and Rev. Samuel Shafer, a hospital chaplain (played by Fred J. Scollay).

* Later in the first season, Herb Kenwith and Paul Lammers became the directors. But after nine months, The Doctors shifted to a continuing story line, and by 1965, James Pritchett was portraying Dr. Matt Powers, chief of staff at Hope Hospital, and Elizabeth Hubbard was playing Dr. Althea Davis, chief of the Outpatient Clinic.

* James Pritchett did a single performance during The Doctors' one-story-a-week phase, on June 20, 1963. "I played a corporation president running away and having a broken back that brought me to the hospital." He returned to The Doctors on July 9, 1963 as Dr. Matt Powers when the serial was still was still a one-story-a-week show.

James Pritchett Remembered, Emmy-Winning Actor Was Born 92 Years Ago Today

Dr. Matt Powers can been seen running Hope Memorial (and smoking his pipe) weekdays on Retro TV.

During his 19 year run on NBC soap opera The Doctors (1963-1982), actor James Pritchett received critical praise, passionate fan support, and even a Daytime Emmy Award in 1978. His Dr. Matt Powers was Chief of Staff at Hope Memorial, the leader of a group of talented but flawed doctors, husband to Maggie, friend and confidant. Pritchett is now winning over a whole new generation of fans who are tuning in for The Doctors repeats on Retro TV, with episodes from 1968 currently airing weekdays from 12-1 p.m. ET. Two months of story is in the books and Matt is regularly sharing memorable moments with Maggie (Bethel Leslie), Althea (Elizabeth Hubbard), Nick (Gerald Gordon) and more.

5 Reasons to Watch 'The Doctors' on Retro TV

Daytime soap opera The Doctors ran on NBC from 1963 to 1982. In September, the show returned in reruns on digital channel Retro TV, starting with the December 4, 1967 episode. As of Friday, we are up to January 29, 1968, and The Doctors ("in living color") has been a pure delight. There are many reasons to love it, including Rita Lakin's smart and funny scripts that allow stories to be told about educated, intelligent characters who just happen to be very flawed. Viewers also get to see the original NBC logo and tags (including "stay tuned to Another World, next in color"). Below are five more reasons to watch back-to-back episodes of The Doctors weekdays from 12-1 p.m. ET on Retro TV:

5. Dr. John Rice's relationship with Polly Merriweather.

Polly Merriweather (Betty Walker) is a terminal patient at Hope Memorial being treated by Dr. John Rice (Terry Kiser). Over time the two have formed a close bond as she talks about her nieces, that have not visited her, and who she should leave her fortune to after she's gone. John has grown to really care Polly beyond the typical doctor-patient relationship. Their sweet exchanges always warm viewers hearts. If only there was a way to save Polly.

'The Doctors' Joins Retro TV on Monday, Watch a New Sneak Peek Video

Classic daytime soap opera The Doctors will join Retro TV's afternoon lineup starting September 29th. Fans of the Emmy-winning series will find two episodes airing back-to-back Monday through Friday at 12 p.m. ET/PT.

Watch a new sneak peek clip below:

Retro TV Adding Classic Daytime Soap Opera 'The Doctors' Later This Year

Luken Communications today announced the addition of the classic NBC daytime soap opera The Doctors to Retro TV. Set in Hope Memorial Hospital in the fictional New England city of Madison, The Doctors' storylines revolve around the hospital's Chief of Staff Dr. Matthew Powers (James Pritchett) and his dedicated staff. Several well-known actors and actresses passed through the halls of Hope Memorial during its run, including Academy Award nominee Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Academy Award winner Kathy Bates (Misery), Academy Award winner Ellen Burstyn (The Exorcist), Emmy Award winner Ted Danson (Cheers), Emmy Award winner Terry O'Quinn (Lost), Brooke Shields (Suddenly Susan) and Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner (Peggy Sue Got Married).