Women Doctors in the Movies

  The 1930s Women doctors in films of the 1930's are characters in what were then called "women's pictures". These are romances, geared to a female viewing audience. In most cases, the woman's profession is secondary to the plot of the movie. The exceptions are The Right to Romance and Woman Doctor, in which the woman's career is of primary importance to the plot. Mary Stevens, M.D. (1933) Character of Interest: Mary Stevens (played by Kay Francis), Pediatrician Dr. Mary Stevens is a successful pediatrician. The key plot points are her romance with a married man and the birth of an illegitimate child. Perhaps the most interesting scene in the film involves a baby who has swallowed a pin. Called to the scene without any medical equipment, Dr. Stevens uses her hairpin to safely pull the pin from the choaking child's mouth. "They say medicine is a man's game; I wonder what a man would have done with this?" she poses

 The 1940's Appointment for Love (1941) Character of Interest: Jane Alexander Cassil (played by Margaret Sullavan) General Practitioner The crux of the movie is that Dr. Alexander doesn't want to live in the same apartment with her husband because her practice demands her attention at all hours. Her husband (played by Charles Boyer) is not in the least concerned with her leaving her career. The ending leads us to assume they will live together, but she will continue with her work. You Belong to Me (1941) Character of Interest: Helen Hunt (played by Barbara Stanwyck), General Practitioner This is a pretty silly movie. Its emphasis is on the jealous husband of our female doctor, who reacts violently to his wife's male patients. However, there are some interesting and surprising aspects to this movie. Dr. Hunt is a successful GP, with male and female patients (though she is accused by several men of only having male patients because

Shadow on the Wall (1950) Character of Interest: Caroline Canford (played by Nancy Davis), Psychiatrist Harriet Craig (1950) Character of Interest: Dr. Lambert (played by Katherine Warren), Psychiatrist The Secret Fury (1950) Character of Interest: Dr. Twining (played by Elisabeth Risdon), Psychiatrist   Emergency Wedding aka The Doctor's Husband (1950) Character of Interest: Helen Hunt (played by Barbara Hale), General Practitioner   Saddle Legion (1951) Character of Interest: Ann F. Rollins (played by Dorothy Malone), General Practitioner The Girl in White (1952) Characters of Interest: Dr. Emily Dunning (played by June Allyson), Ambulance Surgeon Marie ["Yeomy"] Yeomans (played by Mildred Dunnock), General Practitioner This is the only film about the life of a real person. Dr. Emily Dunning Barringer was the first woman ambulance surgeon in New York City. A gynecologist, she was involved in the effort to require blood tests

  Jane Wyman Presents the Fireside Theatre (1955-1958) Episode: The Doctor Was a Lady (27 March 1958) Character of Interest: Fran Mitchell (played by Frances Bergen) Zane Grey Theater (1956-1961) Episode: Courage is a Gun (14 December 1956) Character of Interest: Ellen Kimberley (played by Beverly Garland), Physician and Surgeon Have Gun - Will Travel (1957-1963) Episode: No Visitors (30 November 1957) Episode: The Return of Dr. Thackery (17 May 1958) Character of Interest: Phyllis Thackery (played by June Lockhart), GP.   Ben Casey (1961-1966) Character of Interest: Maggie Graham (played by Bettye Ackerman), Anesthesiologist Dr. Kildare (1961-1966) Characters of Interest: Jessie Martel (played by Susan Oliver), Lilith McGraw (played by Diana Hyland), Dr. Anne Warner (played by Gail Kobe), Dr. Emmy Lorfield ( played by Carol Eve Rossen), Dr. Dunning ( played by Virginia Gregg), Susan Merivale ( played by Lisabeth Hush), Ruth Halliman ( played by Barbara Bel Geddes), Suzanne S