Dr. Kildare
The Stepping Stone
TV Flash files “The Stepping Stone” as hour 21 of 191 in the TV Flash guide — Dr. Kildare (1961–1966) on NBC, season 1, episode 21, aired 1962-02-22, 60 min.
From the desk
How this hour is filed
This leaf is S01E21: listed hour 21 of 191 in the Dr. Kildare guide, hour 21 of 33 in season 1. It aired 1962-02-22 (60 min). The listed hour before it is “The Dragon” (S01E20). Next is “The Bronc Buster” (S01E22).
Viewer FAQ
Where does The Stepping Stone sit in the Dr. Kildare guide?
S01E21 is listed hour 21 of 191 — hour 21 of 33 in season 1, season 1 episode 21.
When did Dr. Kildare S01E21 air?
The Stepping Stone aired 1962-02-22 and is listed at 60 minutes.
Where should I start?
Kildare under Gillespie at Blair General is the intern-mentor contract: Chamberlain's earnestness, Massey's stern teacher. Patient cases as weekly humility lessons.
In the series
Why this series still plays
Dr. Kildare made Richard Chamberlain a matinee intern under Raymond Massey's Dr. Gillespie, turning hospital halls into teen-magazine terrain. NBC's medical drama ran beside Ben Casey and helped lock the intern-vs-mentor template. Chamberlain's earnest star-making is the moment network medicine learned it could be both civic parable and heartthrob delivery system.
The intern discourse started as a teen-magazine face. Dr. Kildare made Richard Chamberlain a matinee intern under Raymond Massey's Dr. Gillespie, turning hospital halls into heartthrob terrain. NBC's medical drama (1961–1966; five seasons, 191 episodes) ran beside Ben Casey and helped lock the intern-versus-mentor template. Based on characters created by Max Brand; Max Ehrlich and William McCleery were among the television architects. Cases teach humility; handsome idealism wears a white coat. **Chamberlain's…
Filed against
- Richard Chamberlain as Dr. James Kildare
Richard Chamberlain made Dr. Kildare a matinee intern under Raymond Massey's Dr. Gillespie — hospital halls as teen-magazine terrain, NBC medical drama locking the intern-vs-mentor template beside Ben Casey. Earnest star-making, bedside…
- Raymond Massey as Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Raymond Massey played Dr. Leonard Gillespie on Dr. Kildare, NBC’s 1960s medical drama that made Richard Chamberlain a matinee intern under a mentor’s glare — hospital halls as teen-magazine terrain, intern-versus-mentor template locking…