Dr. Christian

An underrated and long-running family series, "Dr. Christian" comes across today more as a quiet anthology of small-town life than as a straight medical drama, bringing the people of the small town of River's End to life through the eyes of the kindly Dr. Paul Christian. As portrayed by actor Jean Hersholt, Dr. Christian can perhaps best be described as a male Molly Goldberg with a medical degree; a gentle and well-meaning meddler who always manages to lead you in the right direction...whether you want to be led there or not.

The series is loosely based on the life of a real man -- or, rather, on the media-manufactured image of the life of a real man. Dr. Allen Roy Dafoe was a small-town Canadian obstetrician who gained worldwide fame when he attended the birth of Elzire and Olivia Dionne's identical quintuplet daughters -- and was quick to capitalize on his fame. In 1936, Dafoe's story became "The Country Doctor," a successful film for 20th Century Fox, and Jean Hersholt - a Danish character actor of moderate success - was cast in the title role. The following year, Hersholt brought the same characterization to radio as "Dr. Christian."

The series involved Christian and his nurse Judy Price in a wide range of situations in the lives of Rivers' End residents -- family crises, ill-starred romances, social or ethical dilemmas. The programs were given a polished production by the CBS Hollywood team and became closely associated with its longtime sponsor: the Cheseborough Manufacturing Company, makers of Vaseline.

While the ethics of the real Dr. Dafoe in exploiting his connection to the quintuplets have been seriously challenged, Jean Hersholt himself went on to earn a lifelong reputation for kindness and generosity, capped by his founding of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, which to this day provides a wide variety of medical and insurance services for the elderly of the entertainment industry. In his honor, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents the annual Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

Here's your chance to experience "Dr. Christian" from its beginning in this collection of the series' first twelve episodes, broadcast in the fall and winter of 1937 -- all in crystal-clear fully restored audio.

#1 Operation in a Shack
Sunday, November 7, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#2 Steve and Charlotte Dixon
Sunday, November 14, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#3 The Tanzy Family
Sunday, November 21, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#4 Susan and the Opera Singer
Sunday, November 28, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#5 The Blind Boy
Sunday, December 5, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#6 The Mother-In-Law
Sunday, December 12, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#7 Danny Barnes
Sunday, December 19, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#8 Doris Fleming
Sunday, December 26, 1937 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#9 The Kidnapped Husband
Sunday, January 2, 1938 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#10 Hit and Run
Sunday, January 9, 1938 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#11 The Flood
Sunday, January 16, 1938 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline

#12 The Brent Family
Sunday, January 23, 1938 - 30:00 - CBS, sponsored by Vaseline