Shagadelic

Kildare goes Kutcher.

It's All in the Grooves

The Doctor Is Out

We admit it: in the original Doctor McDreamy Wars of the early 1960's, we would have picked swarthy, intense Vince "Ben Casey" Edwards over clean-cut, wholesome Richard "Dr. Kildare" Chamberlain. However, Dr. Dick certainly had his well-scrubbed, boyish charm, and we must concede that he carried off an angora sweater exceedingly well:


Both Chamberlain and Edwards parlayed their massive television fame into brief singing careers; on that playing field, we give the edge to Chamberlain. Edwards was an extremely competent, Sinatra-style crooner; Chamberlain's quaky baritone, quite frankly, was more distinctive in its disarming cheesiness.




We also must credit Chamberlain with remarkable longevity; unlike many TV heartthrobs, whose shelf life is exceedingly short, Chamberlain gracefully moved into musical theater (most notably the revival of My Fair Lady) as well as films; and in 1983, he scored a huge triumph with Barbara Stanwyck in the epic mini-series, The Thorn Birds. Most recently, of course, Chamberlain confirmed and fulfilled many a fantasy when he came out in his autobiography, Shattered Love. What's up, Doc, indeed.

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN
March 31, 1934

The Doctors are In

RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN OF DR. KILDARE


CHAD EVERETT OF MEDICAL CENTER


VINCE EDWARDS OF BEN CASEY, M.D.

We're most interested in their bedside manner.

Of Course We're Smiling...!

...We're Thin, Blond, and Gorgeous!

Something in the Water...

TOM TRYON


RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN


GEORGE NADER


KERWIN MATHEWS


TAB HUNTER


SAL MINEO

...in Hollywood, c. 1955-1965, produced a bumper crop of gorgeous gaiety.