The Young Doctors

This article is about the soap opera. For the 1961 film, see The Young Doctors (film).

The Young Doctors
Genre	Soap opera
Created by	Alan Coleman
Developed by	Reg Watson
Written by	Alan Coleman Reg Watson Betty Quin Ian Coughlan Ian Bradley Patrea Smallacombe Tom MacLennen Michael Lawrence Brenda Little Tony Morphett Peter Connah Cheryl McClennand Ron McLean Julian Halls Richard Lane Jeff Ashby Rick Maier John Misto Cheridith Mok Roger Hudson Ben Mitchell Helen Carmichael John Paramor Sue Smith Sue Masters David Phillips Craig Wilkins Brian Faull Margaret Hilton-Blundell
Directed by	Alan Coleman Reg Watson Ian Coughlan Max Varnel David C. Wilson Brian Faull Peita Letchford Kendal Flanagan Chris Adshead Mike Murphy Chris Connelly Michael Pattinson Phillip Bowman Rusty Buckley Denny Lawrence Wayne Cameron
Starring	(see detailed cast and character list below)
Theme music composer	Alan Olivan / Brian King
Opening theme	The Young Doctors, performed by The Executives
Ending theme	The Young Doctors, performed by The Executives
Composer	Olivan/King
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
No. of seasons	7
No. of episodes	1,397 (60-minute pilot episode and 1,396 30-minute episodes)
Production
Executive producer	Reg Watson
Producers	Alan Coleman Sue Masters Peter Pinne (associate producer)
Production locations	The Film Centre, North Sydney
Running time	25 minutes
Production company	Reg Grundy Organisation
Original release
Network	Nine Network
Release	8 November 1976 (1976-11-08) – 30 March 1983 (1983-03-30)

The Young Doctors is an Australian early-evening soap opera originally broadcast on the Nine Network and produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation, it aired from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March 1983.

The series is set in the fictional Albert Memorial Hospital and is primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, rather than typical medical issues and procedures. The program was shown in numerous international locations, throughout the United Kingdom and North America, and also in France, Spain and New Zealand.

Series history

The series was created and devised by Alan Coleman with Reg Watson acting as Executive Producer. Watson had been the Producer of the British soap opera Crossroads from 1964 to 1973 and he moved back to Australia to help set up a new drama department within the Reg Grundy Organisation, which at the time, was better known for its game shows. With Coleman producing, as well as Watson's experience of making fast-turnaround, 5-days a week serial drama, The Young Doctors became the third soap opera produced by the Reg Grundy Organisation following Class of 74 / 75 for the Seven Network, and Until Tomorrow, which also briefly aired on Seven Network in 1975.

The Young Doctors began in November 1976, a week earlier than another new soap opera on Nine, The Sullivans, which was produced for the network by Crawford Productions. Nine Network made it clear only one of the series would be commissioned beyond the initial 13-week production run.

After the 13-week trial period The Sullivans, which had a budget which was three times bigger than The Young Doctors, emerged as the critical success, so The Young Doctors was cancelled. Fans lobbied Nine Network, who then decided to reverse their decision and by popular demand The Young Doctors continued in its daily 6.00 pm slot and had a successful run of six and a half years, making it one of Australia's longest running and popular serials of the time.

Later years

After several years however, many long-serving cast members began to leave, so during the final season in 1982–83, many new characters were added in an attempt to modernise and refresh the long-running serial.

Producer and co-creator Alan Coleman also left in early 1982, and he was replaced by Sue Masters twelve months before the series finished production in late November 1982. Masters went on to produce Grundy's replacement medical soap, Starting Out, for Nine, and then Grundy's stablemate, Prisoner, from 1983.

Several cast members from The Young Doctors including Judy McBurney, Genevieve Lemon, Babs McMillan, Tottie Goldsmith and Peter Bensley all went into leading roles in Prisoner after The Young Doctors finished production.

The advent of one-day cricket led to Nine Network moving the show around the schedules. The loss of several popular cast members also contributed to a sharp decline in ratings, and as a consequence of this, the series was moved to a mid-afternoon timeslot and then cancelled in late 1982.

When the series ended after 1398 episodes, it held the record of Australia's longest-running commercial television drama serial, which was previously held by Number 96. This was later surpassed by A Country Practice and then Neighbours, which is currently the longest-running Australian drama serial. The Young Doctors also holds the distinction, rare among long-running Australian dramas, of having never won any sort of television award.

The Young Doctors final episode aired on Nine Network on 30 March 1983 at 14:30, and, coincidentally, The Sullivans had also ended just two weeks earlier.

Stories and settings

Albert Memorial Hospital

Despite the medical setting, medical procedures rarely featured in storylines, with most of the stories and plots focusing more on the personal life, romances and dramas of the staff. All scenes were played out in the various sets forming the Albert Memorial Hospital. A memorial plaque situated on the wall of the studio set of the hospital's exterior stated the hospital opened in 1889 and it is also established early in the series that the Albert Memorial is located in a Sydney district, with Sydney generically referred to as 'the City'.

The most regularly seen set was the large hospital entrance lobby containing a reception desk, refreshments kiosk, a lift and stairs to the upper floors, and swinging double-doors that led into the casualty department. Various wards, offices, theatres and small medicine labs all saw an equal amount of romantic and dramatic action over the years. Alan Coleman revealed on a DVD release of the series that the various 'flats' used as sets were simply re-dressed with different hospital equipment and furniture giving the Albert Memorial a sense of monotony often associated with clinical, hospital environments.

Later in The Young Doctors run, location shooting became more frequent and viewers saw more of the hospital's exterior and grounds. Scenes filmed outside the hospital now showed modern, 1960s era buildings, presumably extensions to the original Victorian hospital. Exterior shots were filmed at the real life Royal North Shore Hospital and the former Greenwich Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, which was used for later exterior shots. There was also a Chapel located in the hospital grounds which was filmed on a few occasions, most notably when Julie Holland was shot at the altar on her Wedding day to dashing Doctor Russell Edwards. With location shooting so rare, a trip to Melbourne for a travelogue-style Wedding and tour of the city was an extravagant way to celebrate Liz Kennedy's marriage to Doctor John Forrest in 1981.

Bunny's Place

There was also a local bar Bunny's Place which was another venue for the staff to mingle. The bar was originally owned by, and named after, Bunny Howard, played by comedian, Ugly Dave Gray, who was killed off in an early episode. Bunny's Place was said to be situated on the opposite side of the busy main road to the hospital. After Bunny died, Edna Curtis (Vivienne Benson-Young) ran the bar for a while, until Anne-Marie Austin (Judi Connelli) took over a year later. Although the bar's exterior was never shown on-screen, its interior regularly featured in every episode for the duration of the 6 and a half-year series, appearing in both the first and final episodes.

Cast and characters

Early characters

The Young Doctors had a relatively high turnover of young cast playing the doctors and nurses whom featured alongside a more stable roster of longer-running elder cast members. The serial also featured many well-known Australian actors appearing in their earliest roles. The original "young doctors", joining the Albert Memorial in the first episode, were Doctor Gail Henderson, played by actress Peta Toppano. She went onto appear in the first season of Prisoner in 1979, and later, Return to Eden in 1986. Appearing alongside her was future singer, songwriter, and music producer Mark Holden who played pin-up Doctor Greg Mason for 6 months before his music career took off. There was also hospital lothario Doctor Craig Rothwell, played by John Walton, who appeared in the first scene of the pilot episode, drinking champagne on a theatre ward stretcher, with a suitably pretty young nurse by his side. Completing the first year interns were kind and conscientious Doctor Jim Howard (John Dommett), and finally, Doctor Grahame Steele (Tim Page), who went on to marry sister Eve Turner (Anne Lucas) in the serial's first wedding - the first of many.

Also appearing during the first year was the famous 1970s pin-up icon, Abigail, who completed two stints in the series during 1977 as Hilary Templeton, the assertive secretary to playboy tennis superstar, Phillip Winter (Noel Trevarthen), and later returning as pop star Georgie Saint's manager. She would go on to play tragic-heroine Caroline Morrell in Sons and Daughters the following decade.

Cornelia Frances

Particularly popular during the early years was Cornelia Frances who played sternly efficient Sister Grace Scott, later Matron. The character was regularly seen irate and disciplining the young nurses in her charge. She was also central to one of The Young Doctors most famous cliffhangers when Sister Scott accidentally plummeted down an empty lift shaft and broke her leg. Frances told Australia's TV Times magazine in 1977; “Sister Scott is no bitch. She’s quite humane but is frightened to show warmth.” She would go on to play equally formidable characters; first as Barbara Hamilton in Sons and Daughters from 1982 to 1986, and then Morag Bellingham in numerous stints on Home and Away between 1988 and 2017.

Gwen Plumb

Another star cast member was Gwen Plumb, a recipient of the British Empire Medal and AM recipient for her service to the arts and communities service, who portrayed gossipy kiosk lady Ada Simmonds for the length of the series, appearing from episode 1 (Ada did not appear in pilot episodes A+B).

Chris King

Ada was very close to Dennis Jamison, the hyperactive hospital orderly, played for six years by Chris King who became a big hit with viewers.

Joanne Samuel

Actress Joanne Samuel was another fan-favourite as Nurse Jill Gordon. The actress was written out of The Young Doctors by Alan Coleman to allow Samuel the golden opportunity to star in the film Mad Max alongside Mel Gibson in 1979. The film is now widely considered an enduring example of classic Australian cinema.

Rebecca Gilling and Alan Dale

Rebecca Gilling, who later became an international star due to her iconic role as Stephanie Harper in the hugely successful series Return to Eden, spent three years in The Young Doctors as Liz Kennedy. Her character memorably progressed from a first year Nurse to a fully qualified Psychologist before being fatally electrocuted by a faulty lamp on her Wedding night to Doctor John Forrest, an early role for Alan Dale, who later became a star of Neighbours for eight years as Jim Robinson, before going on to appear in many successful U.S drama series and films.

Jackie Woodburne

Neighbours current longest running actress, Jackie Woodburne, who has played wise and enduring Susan Kennedy for over 27 years, was tragic young Nurse Maggie Gordon in The Young Doctors during 1980–81.

Paula Duncan

Paula Duncan, the sister of actress Carmen Duncan, left her role in The Young Doctors to join Crawford's soap, Cop Shop. Duncan would star in this series for its entire run from 1977 to 1984 as Detective Danni Francis. In 1985, she was cast in a 'Special Guest Role' during the first year of Neighbours when it originally aired on Seven Network. Following this, Duncan joined Network Ten's Prisoner for its final season in 1986 as regular character Lorelei Wilkinson, and it was then another starring role in Grundy's replacement soap for Prisoner on Network Ten, Richmond Hill, in 1988 as Janet Bryant.

A prolific soap star, more guest stints followed, including Home and Away in 1989, Paradise Beach in 1993, Breakers in 1997, and a return to Neighbours in a different role during 2011.

Michael Beecher and Alfred Sandor

The Albert Memorial hospital's suave superintendent, Doctor Brian Denham, was played by former male-model Michael Beecher for almost the entire run, leaving shortly before the series ended. Similarly, Alfred Sandor who played charming surgeon Doctor Raymond Shaw, was forced to leave due to ill health, and his last appearance was just a month before the final episode.

Final cast

Staying on until the very end of the series was Gwen Plumb as Ada Simmonds; Lyn James, who played Doctor Denham's faithful secretary, Helen Gordon, also appeared for the duration of the series, alongside Tim Page, who played grumpy but highly efficient, Dr. Grahame Steele.

Susanne Stuart, a real-life nursing sister who helped the actors on-set with basic first-aid to add to the series authenticity, was originally seen in very early episodes as a non-speaking Sister, quietly filing patient records or answering the telephone in the background - however, her role was gradually expanded (her first brief speaking part was during episode 32), and she became Sister Suzanne Gibbs, becoming a regular until the end, along with Judy McBurney, as Nurse Tania Livingstone, who'd first appeared in episode 64.

Cultural impact

Although The Young Doctors was obviously low-budget, and the limitations of the fast-turnaround production schedule sometimes crept into the programme, it was however immensely popular during the late 1970s. One highlight episode of this period was the Wedding Day of Tania (Judy McBurney) to Tony Garcia (Tony Alvarez) in March 1978. The producers splashed out on an OB unit, and a rare church wedding took place with the wedding photos gracing all of the week's TV magazine covers. In a 2006 interview, Judy McBurney, who played Tania, commented; "I thought Young Doctors was a beautiful show. I felt it was innocent, sweet, and a good show...and I think that's why people remember it".

One of the programmes most popular doctors was Ben Fielding, played by Eric Oldfield. He was also Male Model of the Year in 1977 and became the second man to appear naked in a centre spread for Cleo magazine whilst appearing in the show. The actor fondly recalls the photo shoot on a reunion documentary available on both the Umbrella and ViaVision DVD releases, where he describes the pictures as "taboo" because "it wasn't acceptable back then for men to be taking all their clothes off". Oldfield also commented that the pictures have since garnered a popular cult following amongst gay men.

Another notable actor, a very young Russell Crowe, appeared in his first acting role in The Young Doctors. In an episode originally aired in 1977, appropriately, he played a young boy called Russell.

During the 1970s, a number of actors appearing in the show also had singing careers, preempting a similar fad for "singing soap stars" a decade later with another Grundy soap opera, Neighbours. Early episodes featured singers including Jewel Blanch, Mark Hembrow, Bartholomew John, Mark Holden and Judi Connelli. Possibly due to the fast production schedule, and filming six months in advance of transmission dates, contemporary cultural references are rare in The Young Doctors, however, in a very early 1977 episode, Sister Gibbs briskly remarks; "...casualty is busier than an ABBA concert today". The reference to ABBA is likely due to the fact that their 1977 film, Abba: The Movie, was at the same time being produced by Reg Grundy Productions.

Also extremely popular in the United Kingdom, the success of The Young Doctors here is notable because it didn't air in Britain contemporaneously with Australian broadcasts. Most ITV regions did not start showing it until after it had ended in Australia in March 1983. It therefore looked somewhat dated compared with more recent Australian serials that were airing at the same time (namely, Sons and Daughters), nevertheless, it became so popular, a fan club was formed, which was active for several years well into the 1990s.

Even with the strong ratings, magazine covers, fan clubs, VHS and DVD campaigns, The Young Doctors holds the rare distinction for a long-running series to never have won any kind of Award. It was not short of Nominations however, and in the 1978 Australian Film and Television Awards, The Young Doctors was nominated for Best Drama; Tim Page was nominated for Best Actor in a TV Series; Joanne Samuel was nominated for Best Actress in a TV series; and up for Gold Sammys were Cornelia Frances and Delvene Delaney. The following year at the 1979 Australian Film and Television Awards, The Young Doctors was again nominated for Best Drama; Peter Lochran was nominated for Best Actor in a TV Series; and up for Gold Sammys were Diana McLean, Peter Lochran and Joanne Samuel. Cornelia Frances noted on the audio commentary for episode 325 on the 2008 Umbrella DVD release, Classic Cliffhangers, that she lost out on the Logie Award for Best Actress for three consecutive years to Lorraine Bayly, who played Grace Sullivan in The Sullivans.

Regular Cast

There was consistently a core cast of 16 regular characters in The Young Doctors, with all cast members contracted to appear in three out of a block of five episodes each week. Sometimes, a regular character would not be seen on-screen for several weeks and there is an obvious rotation of recurring characters whom came and went as script requirements permitted. More often than not, a departing regular character would simply disappear from the screen, but their presence in the serial would be maintained by regular scripted references to the character being elsewhere in the hospital, or, as Cornelia Frances described it, "stuck in a cupboard for weeks", but, always off screen.

Doctors

Actor	Doctor	Duration
Tim Page	Dr. Graham Steele	1976–83 Original cast
Alfred Sandor	Dr. Raymond Shaw	1976–82 Original cast
Michael Beecher	Dr. Brian Denham	1976–82 Original Cast
John Dommett	Dr. Jim Howard	1976–79 Original cast
Mark Holden	Dr. Greg Mason	1976–77 Original cast
John Walton	Dr. Craig Rothwell	1976–77 Original cast
Peta Toppano	Dr. Gail Henderson	1976–77 Original cast
Robert Coleby	Dr. Paul Barratt	1977
Judy Lynne	Dr. Susan Richards	1977–80
Barry Creyton	Dr. John Somerville	1977
Brian Moll	Dr. Vincent Snape	1977–79
Tony Alvarez	Dr. Tony Garcia	1977–79
Bartholomew John	Dr. Chris Piper	1977–79
Paul Mason	Dr. Mike Neilson	1977
Andrew Sharp	Dr. Andrew Baxter	1977–78
Veronica Lang	Dr. Lesley Collins	1978
Gordon McDougall	Dr. Crew	1978
Tim Elliot	Professor William Hume	1978
Kevin Wilson	Dr. David Meredith	1978
Eric Oldfield	Dr. Ben Fielding	1978–82
Peter Lochran	Dr. Peter Holland	1978–82
Chris Orchard	Dr. Rod Langley	1978–80
Rebecca Gilling	Dr. Liz Kennedy	1979–82
Alan Dale	Dr. John Forrest	1979–83
Serge Lazareff	Dr. Ian Parrish	1979
Peter Bensley	Dr. Mike Newman	1979–83
Eileen Colcott	Dr. Marion Stoddard	1979
Mike Dorsey	Dr. Clifford Langley	1979
John Hamblin	Dr. Dan Wheatley	1979, 1981
Peter Cousens	Dr. Russell Edwards	1980–81
Joy Chambers	Dr. Robyn Porter	1980–81
Carole Skinner	Dr. Judith Ann Napier (aka Dr. Hall)	1980
Vince Martin	Dr. Richard Quinlen	1981–82
Raina McKeon	Dr. Martha Ahmed	1981–82
Adrian Van Den Bok	Dr. Nick Barratt	1982–83
Michael Gow	Dr. Lance Wilkinson	1982–83
Nick Holland	Dr. Matt Burke	1982
Graham Harvey	Dr. David Henderson	1982–83
Sally Tayler	Dr Vicki Daniels	1982–83

Sisters

Actor	Sister	Duration
Cornelia Frances	Sister/Matron Grace Scott	1976–79 Original cast
Susanne Stuart	Sister Suzanne Gibbs	1977–83
Jeannie Drynan	Sister Margaret Evans	1977
Judy McBurney	Sister/Nurse Tania Livingstone	1977–83
Anne Lucas	Sister Eve Turner	1977-80
Sheila D'Union	Spinal Unit Sister	1977
Diana McLean	Sister Vivienne Jeffreys	1978–82
Babs McMillan	Sister Erin Cosgrove	1982–83
Helen Scott	Sister Norma Campbell	1981

Nurses

Actor	Nurse	Duration
Delvene Delaney	Jo Jo Adams	1976–77 Original cast
Margaret Nelson	Julie Warner	1976–77 Original cast
Joanne Samuel	Jill Gordon	1976–79 Original cast
Kathryn Dagher	Kelly Jones	1977
Gregory Apps	Martin Price	1977, 1978–79
Paula Duncan	Lisa Brooks	1977
Louise Howitt	Deborah Kendall	1977
Ros Wood	Kate Rhodes	1977–82
Lynda Stoner	Kim Barrington	1977–79
Lisa Aldenhoven	Julie Holland	1978–81
Rosie Bailey	Virginia Mason	1978–80
Debbie Baile	Vicki Rainer	1978–79
Robyn Gibbes	Angela Parry	1978
Kim Krejus	Sally Brown	1978
Carla Hoogeveen	Jeanette Palmer	1978
Karen Pini	Sherry Andrews	1979–82
Margaret Laurence	Yvonne Davies	1979
Julie Wilson	Jodie Carter	1980–81
Jackie Woodburne	Maggie Gordon	1981–82
Christine Harris	Dolly Davis	1982–83
Julie Nihill	Linda Wilson	1982–83
Susan Stenmark	Genevieve Ridgeway	1982–83
Genevieve Lemon	Zelda Baker	1983
Julianne White	Diane Trent	1983

Hospital Staff

Actor	Role	Duration
Gwen Plumb	Ada Simmonds	1976–83 Original cast
Lyn James	Helen Gordon	1976–83 Original cast
Chris King	Dennis Jamison	1976–82 Original cast
Kim Wran	Caroline Fielding	1977, 1978–82
Robert Leys	Mark Holland	1978–80
Harold Hopkins	Terry Cooper	1978
Kent Strickland	Damian Swift	1979
Robert Korosy	Flint Stone	1981–83
Tottie Goldsmith	Toni Sheffield	1982–83
Stephen McDonald	Tim Jones	1982-83

Other cast and characters

• Laura Denham – Joanna Moore•Smith (1976–77) Original cast, recurring 1979-80
• 'Bunny' Howard – Ugly Dave Gray (1976) Original cast, to episode 43
• Edna Curtis – Vivienne Benson-Young (1976–77) Original cast
• Roger Gordon - Ric Herbert (recurring, 1976–78)
• Frank Curtis - Iain Finlay (1976)
• Toby Denham – Greg Kelly (1976–77)
• Abbie Singleton - Jewel Blanch (1976)
• Maureen Howard - Virginia Rudeno (1976–77)
• Ric Martin – Gerry Sont (1976)
• Rosalie Parker – Carol Raye (1976–77)
• Arthur Simmonds – Willie Fennell (recurring, 1976–78)
• Dot Warner - Shirley Cameron (1977)
• Russell – Russell Crowe (1977)
• Hilary Templeton – Abigail (1977, 1978)
• Philip Winter – Noel Trevarthen (1977)
• Georgie Saint – Mark Hembrow (1977, 1979)
• Milt Baxter - Mark Hashfield (1977)
• Sir Thomas Kendall - James Condon (1977)
• Mrs Nielsen - June Salter (1977)
• Irene Hardy - Anne Semler (1977)
• Glenda Stacey - Julieanne Newbould (1977)
• Ben Stone - John Jarratt (1977)
• Anne-Marie Austin – Judi Connelli (1977–78)
• Sandy Pearce – Anna Hruby (1977–78)
• Rene Brooks – Moya O'Sullivan (1977)
• Clarrie Baker - Tony Adams (1977)
• Vicky Clayton - Bronwen Samuel (1977)
• Cora Clayton - Tina Grenville (1977)
• Erika Hoffman – Karen Petersen (1978–1980)
• Amelia Frost – Enid Lorimer (1978)
• Roxanne Moore - Harriet Littlesmith (1978)
• Moira Callaghan – Hilda Scurr (1978)
• Edward Gordon – Brian Harrison (1978–9)
• Deirdre Snape - Elizabeth Kemp (1979)
• Kevin McAllister – Vincent Ball (1979)
• David McAllister – Simon Burke 1979
• Roland Perry – Wallas Eaton (1979–80)
• Lois Norton – Penne Hackforth-Jones (1979)
• Mrs Newman – June Collis (1979, 1981)
• Ken Hansen – Joe Hasham (1979)
• Steve Newman – Kit Taylor (1979, 1981–2)
• Sylvia Marcus – Carmen Duncan (1979)
• Sophie Bertram – Betty Lucas (1979)
• Douglas Kennedy – Bill Kerr (1980)
• Rachel Thorpe – Ros Wood (1980)
• Hazel Kennedy – Jessica Noad (1980)
• Arthur Shepherd – Ron Shand (1981)
• Pippa Blake – Benita Collings (1982)
• Mrs Wilson – Mary Ward (1982)

Opening and closing theme

The Young Doctors has a memorable and distinctive instrumental theme tune, highly evocative of the era. The theme was composed by Alan Olivan and Brian King and played by The Executives, the band also making a cameo appearance performing the tune at Bunny's at the end of an early episode.

There were two versions of the opening theme; the first was used from the pilot episode, through to early 1978. It is a fast-paced arrangement with the accompanying visuals of the main cast cleverly edited with quick-cut synchronisation to the beat. With its distinctive horn section, thumping piano and dramatic drum snares, this theme is heavily influenced by the disco sound of the era.

The second version was introduced along with a brand new opening sequence focusing on the main cast performing an operation in the hospital theatre. A new intro gives way to a re-recording of the established signature tune. In 1980 an ambulance siren is heard at the start of the opening theme, replaced by a beeping heart monitor effect in 1982, which was used until the final episode in 1983.

There were four versions of the closing theme. The first was a distinctive disco arrangement, with the cast shown dancing to it in the first version of the opening titles, and although the end theme was in the same style, it was played at a much slower pace. During 1977, the closing sequence was shortened and a slightly faster arrangement of this closing theme was used. This was replaced by the probably most remembered and longest running closing theme which first aired in 1978 and was still being used to close the final few episodes in 1983. It is an extended, but slower, version of the new opening theme, and it includes a distinctive guitar bridge section, and is the only version of the theme that featured a dramatic piano and trumpet staccato intro. This one minute theme is used on episodes where cast, all crew, and sponsors are all credited. It is also included on two compilation albums: Australian TV's Greatest Hits released by Silva Screen Records in 1988, and TV Tunes, released by K-Tel in 1989.

The third version is a 30-second, shorter arrangement of the second theme, however, it completely removes the intro and starts directly at the signature trumpet section, features a slightly different electric guitar solo, and has a much shorter, punchier ending. This theme was used when the credits contained only cast and sponsorship slides and not the crew.

The second and third theme tunes were used interchangeably in 1978-79 episodes, but it wasn't used in 1980 or 1981, presumably due to the running time of the episodes, and the number of sponsorship slides being shown. These advertisements would be removed from international episodes thus reducing the run time of the closing credits considerably; this meant viewers of episodes edited outside Australia seldom, if ever, heard any of these theme tunes played out in full at the end of an episode, although the third, shorter version would air on very rare occasions.

The fourth version was used on the credits for the final episode only and was a suitably slow and sombre arrangement reflecting the end of the series. This slow version had previously been used as incidental music and the ending bars were often used as a "sting" at commercial break points in the later episodes.

International success

The relatively long-running serial also achieved modest international cult success, particularly in the United Kingdom, where it was broadcast on the ITV network. It also aired in New Zealand, France and Spain.

UK broadcasts

In the United Kingdom the programme was acquired by 13 of the 14 weekday members of the ITV Network. Scottish Television never purchased the series, although Grampian Television and Border Television did. Most of the ITV regions screened The Young Doctors at their own regional pace, starting in January 1982.

• Central Television pioneered the programme in a Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 slot from Tuesday, 2 January 1982, but during the year, moved to Monday and Tuesdays at 15:45, sharing the slot with the then seasonal Scottish soap opera, Take the High Road, which had started in 1980. In January 1983, episodes increased to daily at 15:30 until Sons and Daughters began in February. These two serials then shared this timeslot for well over four years, with The Young Doctors always airing on Mondays and Tuesdays. This continued until September 1987 when a revamp of ITV's daytime schedule saw Central return the programme to 12:00 noon, and then 12:35, thus allowing both The Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters to increase to four or five episodes a week in their revised respective slots. Following the end of Sons and Daughters in December 1988, The Young Doctors returned to 15:30 during Christmas week, and usually aired Tuesday to Friday until Families began in April 1990, which took the Monday and Tuesday 15:30 slot. The Young Doctors was finally moved to 14:50-15:20, Monday to Thursday later in 1990, and finished 15 August 1992, the first ITV region to complete all of the series.
• HTV started the series on Tuesday, 4 January 1983 and continued regularly twice weekly. Initially broadcast Mondays and Fridays at 17:15-17:45, it was soon moved to 15:30-16:00 on Mondays and Tuesdays and finished on 18 April 1994.
• Granada Television and Border Television both broadcast three weekly episodes, and screened The Young Doctors Wednesday to Friday. Both regions overtook Central for several years, however, they ultimately finished the series after Central at Easter 1993 at 15:20.
• Anglia Television started on 3 September 1984, going out Mondays and Tuesdays at 15:30 until 17 April 1990; then changed to Wednesdays and Thursdays from 25 April 1990. It was then moved to Thursdays and Fridays from Friday 6 July 1990 and an additional Wednesday episode returns in January 1991. Then Mondays to Fridays from January 1992 and finally, Thursdays and Fridays at 13:55 until Friday, 2 June 1995.
• Thames Television and LWT in London started screening the series initially at 17:15 on Thursdays and Fridays from 23 June 1983 until 1 September 1984, before switching the series to 15:30 slot, to allow Blockbusters the slot. From this point onwards, only Thames broadcast the series. When Carlton Television took over in January 1993, the series was dropped for 6 months to allow backlog of Blockbusters episodes to be aired, The Young Doctors returned daily on 7 June 1993 concluding the programme as an 80minute special from 13:55 on Friday 30 December 1994.
• Grampian Television started on Monday, 14 November 1983, increased to 4 episode per week by 1991, and finished Friday, 30 September 1994.
• Television South (TVS) started on Monday 9 April 1984 broadcasting Mondays and Tuesdays 15:30; In May switched; Mondays to Wednesdays 17:15 for summer 1984; then Thursdays and Fridays 15:30 from early September 1984; then Mondays to Wednesdays from January 1985 until Wednesday 2 September 1987; then Wednesdays and Thursdays at 12:00 noon; then Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays used from 4 January 1988 15.30; then Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 25 April 1990. TVS lost their franchise at the end of 1992 but their successor, Meridian Television continued to show the series (more information on the timeslot required) and completed the run on 8 July 1993.
• Tyne Tees Television began the series Monday, 1 October 1984 and aired Mondays and Tuesdays 15:30 until 17 April 1990. It was then moved to Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 14:00 from 25 April 1990. From Thursday, 3 January 1991 moves to 15:20 Thursdays and Fridays. A Wednesday episode was added from 23 January 1991, and then from January 1992, it is broadcast Mondays to Fridays at 15:20. From Monday 4 January 1993 Tyne Tees and Yorkshire screened the programme daily at 15:20. From January 1994 until the end in December of that year, this changed to Monday – Thursday at 14.50.
• TSW Started the series on 1 April 1985, Monday and Fridays at 17:15 until 8 July, when it was moved to 15.30 slot. On 17 October 1988, the series moves to 12:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays but due to network programming resulted in the series becoming weekly during 1989/1990, but returned to twice a week by the end 1990. Westcountry Television took over in 1993, and continued twice a week until early 1994 when it was increased to three times a week until 20 December 1995 when episode 1101 was broadcast. The series was not completed.
• Years after most of the other regions Yorkshire Television started the series in October 1988, going out five times a week, reducing to three times a week from January 1989. In January 1993, they had to skip 215 episodes to enable them to catch up to Tyne Tees Television, as from January 1993, both regions screened exactly the same material. It aired daily at 15:20, until January 1994 when the Friday episode was dropped until the series ended on Thursday 15 December 1994.
• The Young Doctors was also aired on Sky Channel. On Monday, 6 February 1989, the first episode was broadcast 17:00–17:30. From 6 July 1989, it was moved to 15.15–15.45 (to make way for Sky Star Search which took the 17:00–18:00 slot). 256 episodes were broadcast in these slots.

In February 1990, now called Sky One, the channel dropped another Australian soap, The Sullivans, from their mid-morning schedule, so from 5 February 1990, The Young Doctors rewound back to the first episode (due to almost catching up with some ITV regions, and having overtaken ITV Yorkshire), and it was aired now 10:30-11:00. Sky One eventually cancelled The Young Doctors just over two years later, at episode 589, which aired Friday, 29 May 1992.

New Zealand broadcasts

In New Zealand The Young Doctors was aired on TV2. On Monday, 22 February 1982, the first episode was broadcast at 5.30pm. From 19 July 1982, it was moved to the 6pm slot. To make way for Sons and Daughters, the series was moved from 6pm to a 'double episode' format at 6.30pm on a Tuesday and Wednesday evening from 11 February 1986. It reverted to half hour, weekday episodes in the 5.15pm slot from 4 August until 12 December 1986, and then to double episodes in the 5.05-5.55pm slot from 15 December 1986 until 6 February 1987. From 9 February 1987, the series was moved to TV One and reverted to half hour episodes at 5.15pm. The final episode was broadcast on Wednesday 27 May 1987.

Remake

In November 2007, the Nine Network announced plans to remake the series in conjunction with FremantleMedia. Originally, it was set to be broadcast in 2008 but due to script delays, the premiere date had been pushed back to 2009. The remake was set to be named Young Doctors (minus "The"). However, at the end of 2008, the Nine Network officially passed on the idea. The network decided against the remake, instead, confirming a second series of the popular Australian drama Underbelly. FremantleMedia is currently searching for another television station to contract the programme.

Home media

Selected episodes of the serial were released on DVD in October 2006, under the title of The Best Romances. A second set of selected episodes, under the title of Classic Cliffhangers, was released in February 2008. In 1994, prior to the DVDs, a VHS was edited in the UK by "NTV entertainment" collecting episodes A, B (pilots) & 1.

On 16 June 2021, ViaVision Entertainment released the first 250 episodes of the series in a 35 disc set which consisted of all episodes screened in 1976 and 1977.

Title	Format	Ep #	Discs/Tapes	Region 4 (Australia)	Special Features	Distributors
The Young Doctors	VHS	3	1	1994	None
The Young Doctors: 30th Anniversary	DVD	12	2	6 November 2006	Reunion Audio Commentary Stills Gallery Umbrella Trailers	Umbrella Entertainment
The Young Doctors: Classic Cliffhangers	DVD	12	2	2 February 2008	Audio Commentary Umbrella Trailers	Umbrella Entertainment
The Young Doctors Collection 1	DVD	1-250	35	16 June 2021	Reunion; Ada's cookbook	ViaVision Entertainment

External links

• The Young Doctors at IMDb
• Aussie Soap Archive: The Young Doctors — Overview and Review
• Documentary celebrating 30 year anniversary, with cast interviews
• The Young Doctors at the National Film and Sound Archive