USA
/ ABC / x30m-e / 27 September
1965 - 31 March 1967
Broadcast: Mon.-Fri. 2-2:30 p.m
and then Mon.-Fri. 3:30-4 p.m
The Nurses brought only the setting, lead characters, and
title of a nighttime CBS drama which aired September
27, 1962-September 7, 1965 to ABC daytime (that
program became The Doctors and the Nurses in September
1964). Mary Fickett and Melinda Plank assumed the
respective roles of veteran nurse Liz Thorpe and newcomer
Gail Lucas at Alden Hospital in New York City, and their
plights were far more tumultuous than the problems faced
by the characters on CBS, although a mentor-student
relationship remained.
On the early episodes, Gail planned to marry Ken
Alexander (they called off the wedding in December
1965). Meanwhile, her pal, student nurse Donna Steele,
had a witch of a mom in Pat, although dad Jake was not
so bad. Donna and Gail found they had much in common,
including Liz's maternal feelings for them. For example,
Liz forbade Donna to see Mike, who was suspected of
criminal activities by the police, and Mikes mother Martha
put similar restrictions on him. Mixed in with this troubled
staff were Brenda McLeod, a matriarch who faced several
illnesses before dying three months after the debut;
Jamie
McLeod, who shared special memories with Liz; Dr. Paul
Fuller, a psychiatrist who assisted Liz and dated Gail after
her relationship with Ken faltered; Sandy
Fergin, Gall's
roommate; and Dr. John Crager.
Despite theoretically ideal scheduling (the show followed
General Hospital from 1966-67), the daytime Nurses
never generated enough enthusiasm to dent The Edge of Night
on CBS and You Don't Say on NBC. ABC replaced it with
Dark Shadows.
cast
Mary Fickett / Melinda Plank / Carol Gainer
/ Sally Grade / Richard McMurray
/ Darryl Wells / Joan Wetmore / Patricia Hyland
/ Arthur Franz / Judson Loire /
Nat Polen / Paul Stevens / Mimi Turque
/ Nicholas Pryor / Sandy Fergin
/ Ken Alexander (1965)
