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    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Drama
    Drama TV Shows - 1980s 4 Mins Read

    Trapper John MD

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    1 9 7 9 – 1 9 8 6 (USA)
    151 x 60 minute episodes

    The huge popularity of M*A*S*H in the 70s paved the way for several spin-offs.

    Trapper John MD began 28 years after Dr “Trapper” John McIntyre returned from Korea and was discharged from the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M.A.S.H).

    In the intervening years, he had mellowed and become part of the establishment he had scorned as a young man, and was now serving as Chief of Surgery at San Francisco Memorial Hospital.

    Trapper now dealt with medical and administrative problems alike with an almost zen-like calm, having learned to mollify the hospital administration, represented by bookish Arnold Slocum (Simon Scott).

    In the pilot, however, he met up with a younger, wilder version of himself in Dr George Alonzo “Gonzo” Gates (Gregory Harrison), who had recently returned from three years with another M.A.S.H unit in Vietnam.

    Also featured was Trapper’s scrub nurse, Clara “Starch” Willoughby (Mary McCarty), who went all the way back to his M.A.S.H days (she was replaced by Nurse Ernestine Shoop (Madge Sinclair) when actress Mary McCarty died during the hiatus between Trapper John‘s first and second seasons); sexy young nurse Gloria “Ripples” Brancusi (Christopher Norris); and Doctors Justin “Jackpot” Jackson (Brian Mitchell) and Stanley Riverside II (Charles Siebert) – the latter a likeable but officious chief of emergency services who, it was rumoured, owed his job more to his father’s position on the hospital’s board of directors than to his own skill.

    Trapper also had to deal with the occasional intrusions into his life by his ex-wife, Melanie (Jessica Walter). Their son, J.T (Timothy Busfield), who had recently graduated from medical school, arrived in 1984 to do his internship at San Francisco Memorial.

    The following year saw the arrival of nurse Libby Kegler (Lorna Luft) to replace Gloria; attractive, mature Catherine Hackett (Janis Paige) as the new administrator, and young surgeon and emergency service helicopter pilot Andy Pagano (Beau Gravitte).

    trapper_SY903_

    Early in 1986, Gonzo suffered a stroke (Gregory Harrison was leaving the series) and, although he regained most of his faculties, was unable to return to surgery.

    Trying to put his life back together and unsure that he wanted to stay in medicine if he could not be a surgeon, Gonzo left the hospital on an extended vacation with his new bride, Fran Brennan (Andrea Marcovicci), who he met when she was a patient with multiple sclerosis.

    The series ran for seven seasons, from 1979 until 1986, and was popular around the world. It was an excellent mix of drama and humour, with a good group of characters and talented writers.

    Except for Bonanza star Pernell Roberts, who replaced M*A*S*H actor Wayne Rogers in the title role, the cast was comprised mainly of young unknowns.

    They would not remain unknown for long. Trapper John MD, would launch several of its stars into very successful careers.

    Wayne Rogers was approached to reprise his role of Trapper John from M*A*S*H but turned it down, saying he did not want to play a doctor on TV again.

    Oddly enough, he then went on to play another doctor in the sitcom House Calls.

    Dr “Trapper” John McIntyre 
    Pernell Roberts
    Dr George Alonzo “Gonzo” Gates
    Gregory Harrison
    Nurse Ernestine Shoop 
    Madge Sinclair
    Dr Stanley Riverside II 

    Charles Siebert
    Dr Justin “Jackpot” Jackson
    Brian Mitchell
    Nurse Gloria “Ripples” Brancusi
    Christopher Norris
    Nurse Clara “Starch” Willoughby 
    Mary McCarty
    Dr J.T. McIntyre 

    Timothy Busfield
    Arnold Slocum 

    Simon Scott
    Melanie McIntyre 

    Jessica Walter
    Nurse Shapiro 

    Marion Yue
    Dr Sandler 

    Richard Schaal
    Dr Charlie Nichols 

    Michael Tucci
    Nurse Clover 

    Bebe Kelly
    Nurse Andrews 

    Sarah Cunningham
    Andrea Branscusi 

    Robin Ignico
    E.J. Riverside

    Marcia Rodd
    Nurse Libby Kegler 

    Lorna Luft
    Fran Brennan 

    Andrea Marcovicci
    Catherine Hackett 

    Janis Paige
    Dr Christmas 

    Kenneth David Gilman
    Dr Andy Pagano
    Beau Gravitte

    Video

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