{{Short description|Series of novels by Richard Gordon}} {{Italic title}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2016}} {{Use British English|date=June 2016}} The '''''Doctor''''' novels are a series of 19 comic novels by British physician Richard Gordon, covering the antics of a group of young doctors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-40921618|title=Doctor in the House author dies aged 95|date=14 August 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> They were published between 1952 and 1999.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9quXDQAAQBAJ&q=%27doctor%27+novels+richard+gordon+published+between+1952+and+1986&pg=PT147|title=Doctor At Large|first=Richard|last=Gordon|date=30 September 2012|publisher=House of Stratus|isbn=9780755130986|via=Google Books}}</ref>

==Novels== {{columns-list| # ''Doctor in the House''. London: Michael Joseph. 1952. # ''Doctor at Sea''. London: Michael Joseph. 1953. # ''Doctor at Large''. London: Michael Joseph. 1955. # ''Doctor in Love''. London: Michael Joseph. 1957. # ''Doctor and Son''. London: Michael Joseph. 1959. # ''Doctor in Clover''. London: Michael Joseph. 1960. # ''Doctor on Toast''. London: Michael Joseph. 1961. # ''Doctor in the Swim''. London: Michael Joseph. 1962. # ''Love and Sir Lancelot''. Heinemann. 1965. # ''The Summer of Sir Lancelot''. Heinemann. 1965 # ''Doctor on the Boil''. Heinemann. 1970. # ''Doctor on the Brain''. Heinemann. 1972. # ''Doctor in the Nude''. Heinemann. 1973. # ''Doctor on the Job''. Heinemann. 1976. # ''Doctor in the Nest''. Heinemann. 1979. # ''Doctor's Daughters''. Heinemann. 1981. # ''Doctor on the Ball''. 1985. # ''Doctor in the Soup''. 1986. # ''The Last of Sir Lancelot''. 1999. }}

==Adaptations== ===Films=== {{main|Doctor (film series)}} The seven ''Doctor'' films were developed from the books, directed by Ralph Thomas and produced by Betty Box.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/507764/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Thomas, Ralph (1915-2001) Biography|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> The early films featured Dirk Bogarde in the lead as Doctor Sparrow and Donald Sinden as Benskin.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/457556/|title=BFI Screenonline: Doctor in the House (1954)|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref> Later films starred Leslie Phillips.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f5e1afb|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425184707/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b9f5e1afb|url-status=dead|archive-date=25 April 2017|title=Leslie Phillips|website=BFI}}</ref> The first film came in 1954 and the last in 1970.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.screenonline.org.uk/people/id/479395/index.html|title=BFI Screenonline: Box, Betty (1915-1999) Biography|website=www.screenonline.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Stephen|last=Vagg|magazine=Filmink|date=11 August 2025|access-date=11 August 2025|url=https://www.filmink.com.au/forgotten-british-film-studios-the-rank-organisation-1965-to-1967/|title=Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation, 1965 to 1967}}</ref>

===Television series=== {{main|Doctor in the House (franchise)}} The films inspired in turn to seven different ''Doctor'' television series between 1969 and 1991, totalling 157 thirty-minute episodes: * ''Doctor in the House'', which first ran on ITV from July 1969 to July 1970, with a total of 26 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1970s/doctor-house/|title=Doctor in the House &#124; Nostalgia Central}}</ref> * ''Doctor at Large'', which first ran on ITV from February to September 1971, with a total of 29 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/dqnnft/doctor-at-large--s1-e29-situation-full-of-promise/|title=Doctor at Large - S1 - Episode 29: Situation Full of Promise|website=Radio Times}}</ref> * ''Doctor in Charge'', which first ran on ITV from April 1972 to December 1973, with a total of 43 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1970s/doctor-charge/|title=Doctor In Charge &#124; Nostalgia Central}}</ref> * ''Doctor at Sea'', which first ran on ITV from April to July 1974, with a total of 13 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nostalgiacentral.com/television/tv-by-decade/tv-shows-1970s/doctor-sea/|title=Doctor At Sea &#124; Nostalgia Central}}</ref> * ''Doctor on the Go'', which first ran on ITV from April 1975 to April 1977, with a total of 26 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/tv/doctor_on_the_go/|title=Doctor On The Go - ITV Sitcom|first=British Comedy|last=Guide|website=British Comedy Guide}}</ref> * ''Doctor Down Under'', which first ran on Australian Channel Seven from February to May 1979, with a total of 13 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.memorabletv.com/australia/tvad2.htm|title=The Dismissal to Dynasty &#124; Memorable TV Australian Shows|date=7 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307010404/http://www.memorabletv.com/australia/tvad2.htm|archive-date=7 March 2011}}</ref> * ''Doctor at the Top'', which first ran on BBC 1 from February to April 1991, with a total of 7 thirty-minute episodes.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishclassiccomedy.co.uk/doctor-at-the-top|title=Doctor At The Top|date=16 March 2019}}</ref>

===Radio series=== *''Doctor in the House'', a 13 part BBC Radio 4 adaptation began in September 1968, starring Richard Briers as Simon Sparrow and Geoffrey Sumner as Sir Lancelot Spratt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9c6985f5abd14f71844037babb775c11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170820225935/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9c6985f5abd14f71844037babb775c11|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 August 2017|title=Doctor in the House|date=September 17, 1968|issue=2340|pages=29|via=BBC Genome}}</ref> *''Doctor at Large'', a 13 part BBC Radio 4 series started in June 1969, with Briers and Sumner reprising their roles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/265d1f285ce24584919501b3e26659ce|title=Doctor at Large|date=17 June 1969|issue=2379|pages=25|via=BBC Genome}}{{dead link|date=September 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==See also==

* ''Dr. Kildare'', an American dramatic comedy series of novels, films, and serialized radio and television programs. * List of fictional doctors

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{Doctor (novel series)}}

Category:Novel series Category:Doctor in the House