Zeus

Calling Dr. Gillespie (1942)

• Director
  • Harold S. Bucquet
• Writers
  • Max Brand(characters)
  • Kubec Glasmon(story)
  • Willis Goldbeck(screenplay)
• Stars
  • Lionel Barrymore
  • Donna Reed
  • Philip Dorn

  When Lew Ayres' wartime conscientious-objector status caused MGM to drop the actor like a hot potato, Ayres' "Dr. Kildare" series became the sole responsibility of Lionel Barrymore as the crusty Dr. Leonard Gillespie. In the first Kildare-less entry, Calling Dr. Gillespie, the ageing medico has a new assistant, refugee Dutch surgeon Dr. John Hunter Gerniede (Philip Dorn). Both Gillespie and Gerniede tackle the case of schizophrenic homicidal maniac Roy Todwell (Phil Brown), who is quite a handful to say the least. The story comes to a more suspenseful conclusion than usual as Todwell stalks Gillespie in the dead of night. MGM star-to-be Ava Gardner has a tiny, uncredited bit role.