The Doctors: From Tape to Screen

[@jaredjlinden]

This company deserves a lot of credit for digitizing an show like this. They’re not going to make a lot of money on it; it’s clearly a labor of love.

[@vincentlara4563]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I began watching daily on Retro TV earlier this year (I believe currently around late 1971) and then every Saturday since last July (I believe currently early to mid 1980). I am really enjoying this show, I think it is great! I'm 60 now and always loved the soaps but never watched The Doctors during it original run. This is truly a treat to now watch and I must admit I am hooked. Thank you again, all of you for the effort you put into making this happen!

[@dgwaters]

It’s probably just me but the whole story of what they did to restore The Doctors is pretty cool.

[@cfs89]

Thank you for all the hard work!!!

[@doingithard179]

Thank you so so much to every single person in any way involved in making this happen!!!!!! Your contribution to the history of U.S. and international TV broadcasting is immeasurable!!!!!!! Not to mention the joy you have brought to old and new fans alike!

[@ClassicRefuseTrucks]

Seeing the sheer size of the reels alone explains why so few shows of this era have survived, not to mention the herculean effort needed to digitize them for preservation. This show was certainly worth the effort, and the finished product looks terrific. I have noticed that some episodes that had aired on RTV in years past are now absent. Hopefully they weren't lost between 2014 and now. Kudos to Retro TV for stepping up to the plate when no one else cared.

[@tnate6004]

Thanks to Colgate-Palmolive for having the foresight to save the episodes. It's tragic that someone at Procter & Gamble didn't have the same idea. Thank you, Retro TV, for going through the painstaking process of digitizing the episodes. I worked at a TV station in the 80's and we would get those huge 2" tapes from Coral Ridge Ministries in the mail to play on an ancient Ampex machine on Sunday mornings.

[@jlhabitan50]

6:00 - From this part onwards certainly gave me a fright because it dawned on me before they even mentioned it that those missing episodes may have been wiped out of existence, which, as it turned out that it was. Being an editor myself, I certainly can relate with the efforts done on digitizing any show made from a long time ago. I myself had the honor of being able to do a similar process to some shows in the 1990s and early 2010's for a client of the company I work for. The shows came in either small digital tapes or in betamax, all in varying degrees of damage. Ironic though that shows made from 1990's were all in better condition than the ones from only 10-15 years ago.

[@andreaobrien7631]

Great job! Looking forward to watching the 1980 episodes. Fell in love with this show in 1970, as a 12 year old. Brings back loads of happy memories. Thanks again for all your hard work!

[@mitch6225]

Thank you so much for all that you did for us to be able to watch The Doctors. Quite an undertaking. Maybe you would be able to get three other short lived soaps that I believed have been saved. Bright Promise was also on NBC from 1969-1972 as was a Bing Crosby Production and also on NBC from 1972-1974-Return to Peyton Place. Capitol was on CBS from 1982-1987 as well.

[@artax84z]

I assume you guys did reach out to NBC to see if they had the episodes somewhere. Sad that they were taped over. We are very lucky that Colgate did not do that. I also hope that you attempt to get any of the pre-1967 episodes and digitize them, we don't care if there are missing segments, we just want to see whatever is available. They can go online and or run them Saturday like you are doing with the 1980 episodes

[@sexymama1966]

That's one reason why I hold the Colgate-Palmolive in the highest regard.

[@tazoz100]

Would it be possible for you to put all the full episodes of The Doctors here on youtube ? It would be so much more practical to be able to watch them here on youtube . Thank you for all the hard work you have already accomplished .

[@flopez4747]

Thank you very much for your job! You offer us a real treasure! I hope you can rescue more soaps ( OLTL 70s-80s, Capitol 5 years, Rituals 260 episodes)

[@jetsom1000]

good job this is the only soap where the reels exist........the rest where wiped.....so enjoy........

[@artax84z]

Corday Productions have saved all the episodes of Days of Our Lives

[@jetsom1000]

@@artax84z how far back?...and are they on air?......back to 60s 70s?

[@artax84z]

@@jetsom1000 They go back to the first episode in 1965, They did digitize the first 2 episodes and aired them on Soapnet, when that was still on. I was hoping they would be put on Peacock. I had hoped Retro could make a deal with Corday, like they do the digitization which gives them the right to air it, and then after it airs on Retro they can put it on Peacock with maybe Retro getting like 5 % of whatever Ad's the run.

[@rboltt]

Any chance of seeing the shows prior to December 4, 1967?

[@DNBursky]

Great work! I thought the 1967-1979 episodes were already digitized. Wasn't it only the 1980 episodes that needed to be digitized? Not trying to downplay the work that was done.

[@mikewalz5738]

I used to watch The Doctors with my parents when they off during the week, the one thing I remember was when they were in the elevator, with the large white line going by while it was traveling between floors.

[@dominickdirienzo8266]

I enjoy watching The Doctors on the It’s real good TV app.

[@artax84z]

We see some 1963 into 1964 at the 1:30 mark When do you plan to add them to the website and maybe air them after the 1980 shows on Saturday

[@johnodonnell5474]

Wish we could watch it on KZbin again

[@GinnaQuintanilla]

😂❤Love the Doctors. 2:13 2:17

[@gremlin8464]

The edge of night would be a great soap opera to add to your streaming service 🙏🏻

[@Americanmikey_]

Can you get some retro episodes of One Life to Live?

[@derekdestep40]

I hope the guiding light reels are in there also

[@russnichol6803]

Have they tried to find any other older soaps? Now that they have the equipment might be a good time.

[@kas9904]

Can they use the tapes people at home recorded For those missing years?

[@chuckbracken]

Shame the last two years were erased.. hope you start when Maggie gets rescued by matt

[@markbright776]

Hopefully there are fans that taped the last two years on there vhs and beta VCRs and kept them even after forty years. It's a long stretch maybe it could be a help.

[@Americanmikey_]

Please gain the rights to The Edge of Night!

[@earlsmith7428]

Have to wonder about all the other programs that deserve this effort?

[@espor9297]

To bad could see early years of the doctors

[@Lupton2000]

This is not related to the Doctors, but I've heard over the years that Colgate owns The $50,000 Pyramid. I hope they can it from Colgate (Sony still doesn't have that in their holdings).

[@sexymama1966]

They did, I saw articles that Colgate were bringing the show to syndication.

[@Avatar610]

How about getting OTHER classic soaps like “Dark Shadows”, “Bright Promise” (available from CBS/Paramount), “Santa Barbara”, “Strange Paradise”, and the prime time “Peyton Place”?

[@sexymama1966]

In case you didn't know, strange paradise and peyton place are around.... dark shadows is definitely on a steaming service.

[@Lupton2000]

Hopefully they can find the finale.

[@DNBursky]

It is available somewhere on the web.

[@Lupton2000]

@@DNBursky Thanks. It was my favorite episode!

[@cfs89]

There are only 171 episodes posted and not 181 as promoted in the Michael Fairman article. The episode where Matt rescued Maggie is not there and many of the dates are wrong. Some episodes are listed on a date that was on a Saturday.