Number 1 Programs: MARCUS WELBY, M.D.
MARCUS WELBY, M.D., a second year series, became the first modern day drama to become a number one program of any season. Before the 1970-71 season, only comedies, westerns, variety shows and one game show, were crowned the best shows of an entire season. The medical drama was also the first ABC series to reach the #1 spot for a season.MARCUS WELBY, MD, started out as a two-hour TV movie, airing on March 26, 1969, on ABC. The project was quickly picked up as a series for the 1969-70 TV season and it finished the season in the top ten, ranking eighth overall.
Staring in the title role was Robert Young, formally and best know as the lead of FATHER KNOWS BEST. Dr. Welby was a kind, family doctor who had unorthodox ways of treating his patients. He was pared with Dr. Steven Kiley, played by James Brolin, who was a young, stright-laced doctor.The series lasted for seven season, ending on May 2, 1976, after 169 episodes.Two TV movies were made in the 80's, with the first in 1984 and the last in 1988. The series only had the one season at #1, but was in the top two its first three seasons. For the 1972-73 season, it dropped to the #13 position. After that, for its final three seasons, it fell outside of the top 30.
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