Doctor In Charge

1 9 7 2 – 1 9 7 3 (UK)
43 x 30 minute episodes
1 x short special

More adventures and misadventures at St Swithin’s Hospital (the third in the series) with the amiable Dr Duncan Waring, Radiologist Dr Paul Collier and harebrained anaesthetist Dr Dick Stuart-Clark.

Other regular characters included the perennial bighead Dr Lawrence Bingham (Richard O’Sullivan) and Professor Geoffrey Loftus.

Jonathan Lynn co-wrote a dozen of the scripts (with George Layton, who again played Paul Collier in the show), writing himself back into the final episode as former medical student Danny Hooley, now Doctor Hooley.

The primary object of admiring glances from the young medics was Nurse Sandra Crumpton, played by Sammie Winmill, who was born in Bognor in 1948 and worked as a dental nurse and kindergarten teacher before making her television debut in Doctor In Charge.

A young Tony Robinson also appeared in one episode, as an accident-prone student.

Notable among the writers was a young Liverpudlian, Phil Redmond, who turned in an unsolicited script, had it accepted and ended up as the author of three episodes.

These launched his TV career, which would lead to his creation of Grange Hill, Brookside, Hollyoaks and other drama shows.

Robin Nedwell reprised his role as the central character of Duncan Waring, who had been one of the medical students in the original Doctor In The House.

Born in Birmingham, Robin spent most of his childhood in Wales and went to school in Cardiff. It was while he was at school that he was first encouraged to become an actor by his English master.

From Cardiff, Nedwell went to the Central School of Speech and Drama in 1966 and went straight into the first Doctor series from there.

Robin Nedwell collapsed and died On 1 February 1999 during a routine visit to a doctor’s surgery near his home in Hedge End, near Southampton.

Duncan Waring 
Robin Nedwell
Paul Collier 
George Layton
Dick Stuart-Clark 
Geoffrey Davies
Lawrence Bingham 
Richard O’Sullivan
Prof Geoffrey Loftus 
Ernest Clark
Nurse Sandra Crumpton 
Sammie Winmill

Video

Episodes

The Devil You Know / The Research Unit / The Minister’s Health / The Black & White Medical Show / Honeylamb / Doctors’ Lib / Which Doctor? / Climbing the Ladder / Face the Music / Mum’s the Word / The Fox / A Night with the Dead / This Is Your Wife / Honeymoon Special / The Long, Long Night The System / On the Brink / Amazing Grace / Shut Up and Eat What You’re Given / Yellow Fever / The Taming of the Wolf / An Officer and a Gentleman / That’s My Uncle / The Big Match / The Rumour / Blackmail / A Long Day’s Journey into Knighthood / The Merger / Men without Women / A Deep Depression Centred over St. Swithin’s / The Epidemic / The Garden Fete / Brotherly Hate / The Loftus Papers / In Place of Strife / The Pool / The Godfather / A Man’s Best Friend Is His Cat / There’s No Fire without Smoke / Hello Sailor! / Any Complaints? / Watch Out – There’s a Thief About / Should Auld Acquaintance Be Forgot?