TopBilled Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I am enjoying this marathon of Dr. Kildare films. I have seen them all before, with the exception of two (and I am glad to see they will play later this afternoon). He has to be one of the most stylish physicians ever on screen! I love this guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbeckuaf Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 I have seen them all before too, and I totally dig on them!!! Fun way to spend a Wednesday!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 I believe they showed them last year, too, for his birthday. He's just so good in this role. He elevates B-film fare and makes you think you are watching an A-film. My first exposure to him was in the 80s, when he guest-starred three times on Michael Landon's Highway to Heaven. He was great then, too. Over 60 years of screen performances, and he never strayed far from his formula of presenting distinguished, mostly professional men who faced life's situations with grace and dignity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
audreyforever Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 I agree that these films are wonderful, especially because of Lew. I prefer these films any day over these modern Hospital dramas. SPOILER: Just a quick question, does anyone knoe why MGM decided to write out Laraine Day the way they did? I understant they were grooming her for bigger roles, but c'mon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbeckuaf Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Audrey, from all I've heard, you are right as to why they wrote Laraine Day out of the series, but...wow, I agree, it was a pretty heavy way to do it! I guess...I dunno...perhaps they thought it a very dramatic way to do it, but wow, what a downer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Right...they could've recast the part with a new starlet or just had Day's character leave town. They certainly did choose a dramatic exit for her. Personally, I would've preferred that there had been a happy ending for them, especially since Ayres was about to leave MGM soon. He only made one more Dr. Kildare picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray Faiola Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Ayres and Barrymore did a very fine radio version of the show in '50-'51. Walter Schumann did the music and the co-stars were Virginia Gregg, Evelyn Varden and Edwin Max and his monkey wrench as Joe Wayman. Ted Osborne was the foppish Dr. Carewe. Excellent programs well worth listening to (although I wish Barrymore had put in his upper plates for the later shows!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thestick Posted January 1, 2012 Share Posted January 1, 2012 Don't throw tomatoes at me but this is not one of my favorite roles for Ayres. Of course I will watch anything he is in but one of my favorite roles was his in Johnny Belinda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 What one must realize is that if it not for Dr. Kildare, Lew probably would not have been cast in both THE DARK MIRROR and JOHNNY BELINDA (his comeback films after the war), where he portrays doctors. The Kildare series effectively typecast him as a medic, and his volunteer work in the Medical Corps during the war helped reinforce that image in the minds of people. For the rest of his career, he would often play doctors and professors. Years later, NBC tried to get him to appear on the Kildare television series. However, NBC balked when Ayres said he would only do the show if there was no cigarette advertising. The job went instead to Richard Chamberlain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopBilled Posted January 1, 2012 Author Share Posted January 1, 2012 I am watching Lew Ayres right now on Netflix streaming. It's a title he made for Republic called KING OF THE NEWSBOYS (1938). He's great in this low-budget picture. This was part of a three-film deal he had with Republic where he agreed to star in two (this one and THE LEATHERNECKS HAVE LANDED) and they would let him direct one (HEARTS IN BONDAGE). Again, Ayres proves that his inimitable charm and acting talent can make even a small production worth seeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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