Who’s Still Alive From ‘Marcus Welby, M.D.’?
Marcus Welby, M.D., gave television one of its most reassuring doctors when it premiered on ABC in 1969. Robert Young starred as Dr. Marcus Welby, a widowed family physician in Santa Monica who still made house calls and treated patients with an old-school, personal touch. James Brolin played his younger partner, Dr. Steven Kiley, while Elena Verdugo played Consuelo Lopez, the nurse and office manager who helped keep the practice running.
The series became a major hit for ABC, even ranking as the No. 1 show on television during the 1970-71 season, and remained on the network until 1976. Here’s a look at the main and notable recurring cast members from Marcus Welby, M.D., who are still alive today.
James Brolin as Dr. Steven Kiley
Everett Collection; Anna Kooris/Netflix/Everett Collection
James Brolin, 85, played Dr. Steven Kiley, the younger doctor who worked alongside Welby and often brought a more modern perspective to the practice. The role became Brolin’s major television breakthrough and earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama in 1970.
After Marcus Welby, M.D., Brolin continued working steadily in film and television, with credits including Capricorn One, The Amityville Horror, Hotel, Life in Pieces, and Sweet Tooth. In recent years, he appeared in Ransom Canyon and is known for his marriage to singer and actress Barbra Streisand.
Pamela Hensley as Janet Blake
Everett Collection; Aaron Spelling Productions Inc./Everett Collection
Pamela Hensley, 75, played Janet Blake during the final season of Marcus Welby, M.D. Janet was a public relations director who married Dr. Kiley. After Marcus Welby, M.D., Hensley became especially familiar to fans of late-’70s and ’80s television as Princess Ardala on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and C.J. Parsons on Matt Houston. She also appeared in films including Rollerball and Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze, and later became an author.
Sharon Gless as Kathleen Faverty
CBS/Everett Collection; Eliza Morse/Fox/Everett Collection
Sharon Gless, 82, played Kathleen Faverty, an assistant program director at the hospital who worked with Welby and Kiley. Gless appeared on Marcus Welby, M.D. before becoming one of television’s most recognizable actresses of the ’80s. She later starred as Christine Cagney on Cagney & Lacey, a role that earned her two Emmy Awards, and went on to appear in The Trials of Rosie O’Neill, Queer as Folk, and Burn Notice. Gless also published her memoir, Apparently There Were Complaints, in 2021.
Anne Schedeen as Sandy Porter
Everett Collection
Anne Schedeen, 77, appeared in a recurring role as Sandy Porter, Dr. Welby’s daughter, in the later years of the series. Schedeen was still early in her television career when she appeared on Marcus Welby, M.D., but she went on to become much more widely known in the ’80s. Her most famous role came as Kate Tanner, the mother on ALF, which ran from 1986 to 1990. She also appeared on shows including Emergency!, Three’s Company, Cheers, and Judging Amy.
In Memoriam
Robert Young, who played Dr. Marcus Welby, died on July 21, 1998, at age 91 of respiratory failure.
Elena Verdugo, who played Consuelo Lopez, died on May 30, 2017, at age 92 of natural causes.
Anne Baxter, who appeared as Myra Sherwood, died on December 12, 1985, at age 62 after a stroke.
Where to Watch Marcus Welby, M.D.
You can purchase it on DVD or through platforms like Amazon. Unfortunately, it does not seem to be streaming or on cable at the time of posting this.
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