Dr. Gillespie's New Assistant (1942)

Director:

Willis Goldbeck

Writers:

Lawrence P. Bachmann (writer)
Willis Goldbeck (writer)

Release Date:

November 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Dr. Gillespie's health is failing, and the hospital is urging him to get a new assistant that he doesn't want...

Plot Keywords:

Intern | Hospital | Deaf Child | Amnesia | Doctor

Cast

Lionel Barrymore	...	Dr. Leonard Gillespie
Van Johnson	...	Dr. Randall 'Red' Adams
Susan Peters	...	Mrs. Howard Allwinn Young
Richard Quine	...	Dr. Dennis Lindsey
Keye Luke	...	Dr. Lee Wong How
Alma Kruger	...	Molly Byrd
Nat Pendleton	...	Joe Weyman
Stephen McNally	...	Howard Allwinn Young
Frank Orth	...	Mike Ryan
Walter Kingsford	...	Dr. Walter Carew
Nell Craig	...	Nurse Parker
Marie Blake	...	Sally
George Reed	...	Conover
Ann Richards	...	Iris Headley
Rose Hobart	...	Mrs. Black

Runtime:

87 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942)

The Assistant to the Assistant's Assistant

**SPOILERS** In order to lighten the workload for the very overly active yet wheelchair bound Dr. Lonard-or just plain Lenny to his friends- Gillespie,Lionel Barrymore, his boss Blair General Hospital supervisor Dr.Walter Carew,Water Kingsford, and the overly nosy and pain in the butt, to Dr. Gillespie, head nurse Molly Byrd, Alma Kruger, decide that the old man needs an assistant. That's before the not so in best of shape Dr.Gillespie drops dead on the job! As it turned out three young interns qualified to fill Dr. Kildare's or actor Lew Ayres', who's away in the South Pacific serving his country as a combat medic and ambulance driver,shoes.

With the three eager beaver interns Kansas Red Adams, Van Johnson, Aussie Dennis Lindsey, Richard Quine, and Brooklyn-even though he's an Asian/American-Lee Wong How, Keye Luke, picked to fill Dr. Kildare's shoes far more important things are happening at the hospital that makes their stories second rate. Shipping magnet Howard Allwinn Young, Stephan McNalley, the son of a good friend of Lenny's is about to go on his honeymoon with his bride of three days pretty fashion designer the former Clair-now Mrs. Young- Murtin, Susan Peters. For some strange reason Clair completely loses her memory just as the honeymoon is about to start! This has Dr. Gillespie together with interns Red Lee & Dennis try to figure out what caused Mrs. Young's sudden and dramatic memory loss! The very moment she was about to experience an event, her honeymoon, that she should remember for the rest of her life!

With the help of intern Red Adams, the all American boy of the trio, Dr. Gillespie uncovers the secret-or reason-for Clair's strange behavior. It's no memory loss at all on Clair's part but something she wishes she would soon forget from her not so distance, when she was 16 in her native Dallas Texas, past. Something that if her husband Howard knew about would very possibly destroy Clair's marriage before it got started or even worse consummated!

Soap opera like hospital medical drama with wise old Lenny the "Gip" Gillespe doing his best to bring Howard, who's completely in the dark to what's going on in the movie, and Clair together acting more like a marriage consoler then doctor. In the end the truth, about Clair's dark past, as well as true love wins out with Howard and Clair overcoming their difficulties. As well as the three interns, Red Dennis & Lee, not only ending up as permanent residents at Blair General but even more important being able to serve the free world in combating Fascism, as doctors on the front lines, in both the European and Pacific theaters of war! Something that the man that they wish to replace Lew Ayres, or Dr. Kildare, actually did in real life not in the movies that got him canned for being a conscious objector, yet serving his country as a combat medic, from the movie series!