Marcus Welby, M.D. portrayed the cases of a veteran
general practitioner in Santa Monica, California, whose
thoroughness and dedication involved him in the lives
of all sorts of patients. Assisting him was Dr. Steven
Kiley, who during the first season contracted to work
with Welby for one year before resuming his training
as a neurologist (he stayed). Thus the inevitable
tension between youth and experience was established,
but in this case Welby tended to be the more unorthodox
of the two, often confounding the dedicated but textbook-
oriented Kiley with his psychiatric approach to medicine.
Welby treated the whole patient, his temperament, fears,
and family environment, as well as his physical ailments.
A love interest was provided for Dr. Welby during the
first season by Myra Sherwood, but this role was soon
dropped. The only other suggestion that Welby might
have a life of his own came in the last season, when his
married daughter (Sandy) and his six-year-old grandson
(Phil) were occasionally seen. There was no Mrs. Welby.
The only other regulars over the years, in fact,
were nurses Colsuelo Lopez and Kathleen Faverty.
Although romance eluded Dr. Welby it did finally come
to young Dr. Kiley, in the person of Janet Blake, public
relations director of Hope Memorial Hospital. They
were married on the telecast of October 21, 1975.
Cast and Characters
Robert Young as Dr. Marcus Welby
James Brolin as Dr. Steven Kiley
Elena Verdugo as Consuelo Lopez
Pamela Hensley as Janet Blake (1974-1976)
Sharon Gless as Kathleen Faverty (1972-1976)
Marcia Ralston as Nurse Donnelly (1969-1976)
Connie Izay as Anesthesiologist (1973-1976)
Anne Schedeen as Sandy Porter (1974-1976)
Gavin Brendan as Phil Porter (1975-1976)
Anne Baxter as Myra Sherwood (1969-1973)
Broadcast History, Episode Guide & TV Schedule First Telecast: September 23, 1969
Last Telecast: May 11, 1976
View the Marcus Welby M.D. Episode Guide Number of Seasons: 8
Number of Episodes: 169
Original Network: ABC
Original Primetime TV Schedule:
September 1969- May 1976, ABC, Tuesday 10:00-11:00PM
Marcus Welby M.D. Theme Song Lyrics and Opening Credits
Marcus Welby, M.D. portrayed the cases of a veteran
general practitioner in Santa Monica, California, whose
thoroughness and dedication involved him in the lives
of all sorts of patients. Assisting him was Dr. Steven
Kiley, who during the first season contracted to work
with Welby for one year before resuming his training
as a neurologist (he stayed). Thus the inevitable
tension between youth and experience was established,
but in this case Welby tended to be the more unorthodox
of the two, often confounding the dedicated but textbook-
oriented Kiley with his psychiatric approach to medicine.
Welby treated the whole patient, his temperament, fears,
and family environment, as well as his physical ailments.
