House Calls

House Calls was a syndicated network sitcom based on the 1978 feature film of the same name, directed by Hy Averback & John Clark, starring Wayne Rogers.

The show first premiered on December 17, 1979. After Lynn Redgrave was fired from the series, following the birth of her child, she was replaced by Sharon Gless.

Although the ratings were excellent at first, they later dropped and the show was cancelled in early 1982 after 3 seasons, but the final episode aired on September 13, 1982.

Plot
"House Calls" was about British-born Ann Atkinson (Lynn Redgrave), a hospital administrator who had three unruly doctors to cope with and the comedy arose from their interactions. Dr. Charley Michaels (Wayne Rogers) became the main problem for her, because of the romantic angle. She always pulled herself up short just before falling hopelessly in love with him.

Dr. Solomon (Ray Buktenica) was junior to Dr. Michaels and was his pal and would counterbalance Dr. Michaels's headstrong ways, almost a double act, but elderly Dr. Weatherby (David Wayne) was senior to them all, close to retirement and with a mean streak which meant that the others were often taking a rise out of the old fellow. The best he could do was to irritate Solomon by constantly getting his name wrong while going his own way.

Other characters who were part of the series were Head Nurse Bradley (Aneta Corsaut), a sympathetic and level-headed influence, Mrs. Phipps (Deedy Peters), a somewhat over-the-hill but enthusiastic candystriper, always forcing her good intentions upon unwilling patients, and Conrad Peckler (Mark L. Taylor), who was brought in as the arch villain of the piece to bring order to the hospital, hated by all.

During the last 13 episodes, after Ann suddenly returned to England, her replacement was Jane Jeffries (Sharon Gless), who had a similar love/hate relationship with Dr. Michaels.

Cast

 * Wayne Rogers as Dr. Charley Michaels
 * Lynn Redgrave as Ann Anderson [seasons 1-2]
 * Sharon Gless as Jane Jeffries [season 3]
 * Ray Buktenica as Dr. Normon Solomon
 * David Wayne as Dr. Amos Weatherby
 * Mark L. Taylor as Conrad Peckler
 * Deedy Peters as Mrs. Phipps
 * Aneta Corsaut as Head Nurse Bradley
 * Diane Lander as Nurse Sally Bowman [season 1]
 * Beth Jacobs as Nurse Nancy [seasons 2-3]
 * Suzanne Hunt as Nurse Shirley Bryan [season 2-3]

Controversy
Lynn Redgrave was fired from the series, following the birth of her new child. Redgrave insisted on bringing her daughter to work because she wanted to be able to breast-feed the baby on schedule, but this was interpreted by the studio as holding out for more money while being disruptive to shooting requirements.

Redgrave sued Universal for breaking her existing contract, but she never was rehired and the suit was dismissed several years later. Universal replaced her with Sharon Gless (who was then under a 10-year contract with Universal at the time).

Accolades
Wayne Rogers was nominated for an Emmy and Lynn Redgrave, who was also nominated for a Golden Globe.