Did you grow up watching the medical drama series Trapper John MD? It was a great series
that followed Dr. “Trapper” John McIntyre as a surgeon and mentor based in San Francisco.
He was a wonderful character and arguably one of the best heroes we’ve had on American television.
The show’s success came through the writings of Richard Hooker – who was himself a surgeon
and who had previous success in television with MASH. But credit must also go to the
excellent Trapper John MD cast members who brought these incredible characters to life.
Sadly, the main Trapper John MD cast members have now left us.
Let’s look back at their incredible lives and careers….
PERNELL ROBERTS
Pernell Roberts was born on May 18, 1928, in Waycross,
Georgia. As a teenager, he played in bands and acted in school plays.
While serving in the US Army he performed in the US Marine Corps band – playing the tuba and horn.
He eventually moved to New York and began appearing in off-Broadway plays.
He considered himself to be a serious actor and wanted to take on mostly dramatic roles.
He became a huge star when he played Adam Cartwright on Bonanza. This was one of America’s
most popular Western shows and his portrayal of the eldest Cartwright son was highly lauded.
However, he didn’t enjoy working on the show and didn’t particularly like
the character of the storylines. He left the show after only a few seasons to pursue more
serious work. His role as Dr. “Trapper” John McIntyre is what he’s best remembered for.
With the show, he got to show off his dramatic skills and
once again portrayed a character who resonated with American audiences.
He also continued to act in plays and made guest appearances in TV shows and in TV movies.
Pernell Roberts died on January 24th, 2010, at the age of 81 in Malibu, California.
Before we tell you more about how each Trapper John MD cast member
died, please like this video and subscribe to FactsVerse for more pop culture stories
and interesting documentaries. Now, back to the video…
CHARLES SIEBERT
Charles Siebert was born on the 9th of March, 1938, in Kenosha,
Wisconsin. He was a classically trained actor who studied under Father John J.
Walsh at Marquette University. He also studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
He began acting in theatre and appeared in many local productions held by various troupes.
He was part of different acting troupes such as Shakespeare in the Park,
the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, and the Williamstown Theatre Festival among many others.
He also appeared in Broadway plays with his debut in 1967 with the play Life of Galileo.
During the late 1960s, he also began appearing on television, focusing mainly on soap operas.
His role as Dr. Stanley Riverside II in Trapper John MD became his most
well-known role. He loved working on the show so much that he even directed a few episodes.
He also had a few great film roles including work in Coma, And Justice For All, White Water Summer,
Eight Men Out, All Night Long, and The Other Side of Midnight.
He died on May 1st, 2022, at the age of 84 in Santa Rosa, California.
MARY MCCARTY
Mary McCarty was born in September 1923, in Winfield,
Kansas. She grew up in Los Angeles which must have sparked her interest in show business.
In fact, it was at the tender age of 5 that she began singing and dancing in musical revues.
Her first on-screen role was in the film Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.
She became a child star and appeared in over 70 films by the time she was 11 years old!
As an adult, she appeared in feature films such as The French Line,
All That Jazz, Somebody Killed Her Husband, and Babes In Toyland.
She also appeared in a variety of Broadway plays including Chicago,
Annie Christie, Bless You All, and Miss Liberty. She also worked as a
choreographer and taught dance to many prominent actresses.
Her role as a nurse, Clara Willoughby on Trapper John
MD is the role that made her most famous. This was the role where she
was able to show off her dramatic skills and reach the widest audience possible.
She died of unspecified causes on April 3, 1980, at the age of 56 in Los Angeles.
SIMON SCOTT
Simon Scott was born on September 21st, 1920, in Monterey Park,
California. His acting career began in the theater. He was a member of the Peninsula
Players Theater in Wisconsin and originally performed under the stage name ‘Dan Scott.’
He began his television career in the early 1950s with his first credit in
the popular adventure program Biff Baker USA. He later became a series regular on
Perry Mason, appearing in several episodes from the 1st season to the
9th season – each time playing a different character involved in a different case.
One of his early major TV roles was as John Riggs on Markham – in which his character was
the assistant to private investigator Roy Markham played by Ray Miland. He continued to receive act
in popular TV shows throughout the 1960s. He landed roles in popular shows such as:
• Alcoa Premiere • Surfside 6
• 77 Sunset Strip • General Hospital
• The Alfred Hitchcock Hour • Temple Houston
• The Virginian • Mr. Novak
• I Spy • Death Valley Days
• The Munsters and • Pistols n Petticoats
He gained recognition for his role as General Bronson in McHale’s Navy. This was the role
that solidified him as a major TV star. In the 1970s, he was cast as Arnold Slocum in
Trapper John MD which became the other major role that he was recognized for.
This would also be his last role as he retired from acting after the show ended.
He died on December 11, 1991, at the age of 71 in Los Alamitos, California.
MADGE SINCLAIR
Madge Sinclair was born as Madge Dorita Walters in Kingston,
Jamaica. She initially worked as a teacher in Jamaica before emigrating
to the United States in 1966. She moved to New York to pursue an acting career.
Her acting career began with acting in local productions
at The Public Theater which was run by the producer and director Joseph Papp.
Her first film role was in the 1974 film Conrack
which she starred alongside Jon Voight. She was lauded for her
performance in this film and was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress.
She then played Bell in the mini-series Roots which made
her a huge star. She continued to work in both film and television throughout her career. Her
role on Trapper John MD was that of nurse Ernestine Shoop and she won acclaim for her role.
Her other notable film roles included work in Cornbread Earl and Me,
Leadbelly, Convoy, Uncle Joe Shannon, Coming To America, The End of Innocence, and The Lion King.
Her other notable television roles were in series such as One in a Million:
The Ron LeFlore Story and Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones. She also appeared
in the series Alex Haley’s Queen, Me and The Boys, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Madge Sinclair died on December 20, 1995, after battling leukemia. She was 57 years old.
SURVIVING CAST MEMBERS
Now let’s catch up with the surviving cast members of Trapper John MD to see what they’re up to.
Gregory Harrison
Gregory Harrison played “Gonzo” Gates – a young surgical assistant to Dr. Trapper
John. This was the role that made him a TV star as he only had brief
experience acting before. He later found fame in the TV movie For Ladies Only.
His notable film roles include work in films such as:
• Razorback
• North Shore • Cadillac Girls
• It’s My Party • Air Bud: Golden Receiver
• The M Word and • The Vanished
He mostly focuses on working in television. His most recent TV work has included work on General
Hospital and 9-1-1. He also appeared in the 2021 TV movie Sweet Carolina.
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Brian Stokes Mitchell began his acting career in the late 1980s working on stage. He appeared
in plays such as Oh Kay!, Jelly’s Last Jam, and Kiss of the Spider Woman. On TV,
he first came to fame with the role of John Dolan in Roots: The Next Generations
His role as Dr. Justin Jackson on Trapper John MD made him a huge star. He’s continued
to have a prolific career in television. In 2021, he appeared in the TV series Evil
and the animated series Centaurworld. He also appeared in the film Tick Tick Boom!
Christopher Norris
Christopher Norris is best known for her role as nurse Gloria Brancusi on Trapper John MD. She
also appeared in a few B-movies such as Summer of 42, Mr and Mrs BoJo Jones, and Airport 1975.
On television, she also appeared in The Love Boat, Hotel,
Santa Barbara, and Another World. She decided to retire from acting in the
1990s to pursue a degree in psychology. She’s also a noted antique collector.
She’s now stepped away from the limelight but is
still remembered fondly for her role on Trapper John MD.
Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield began his acting career on stage in the late 1970s. He made a few TV
appearances in the 1980s and then won acclaim when he joined the cast of Trapper John MD
in 1984. He played Dr. John McIntyre Jr. for a total of 39 episodes.
He later gained acclaim for his role as Elliot Wilson in the show thirtysomething.
He also became known in cinema for his role in the film Field of Dreams.
Since then he’s been busy working in both film and television. His most recent acting
role was in the 2020 series For Life. He’s also directed several TV series such as Sports Night,
Ed, White Collar, The Glades, Psych, Franklin and Bash, and Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings.
Lorna Luft
Lorna Luft began her entertainment career as a child appearing on The Judy Garland Show.
She appeared on stage several times, particularly in musicals such as Promises
Promises. She also appeared in several musical films including
Grease 2. She’s sung and performed many songs for musicals for which she’s won acclaim.
She played nurse Libby Kegler on Trapper John MD and this became the role she was most known
for. She only made occasional appearances on TV since then and also had a few film roles, most
notably in the 1998 film 54. She’s been focusing mainly on her participation in various charities.
Janis Paige
Janis Paige is now 99 years old and has of course stepped away from the limelight. But she’s been
one of America’s most prolific actresses. Her career has spanned musical theater, television,
and cinema. She played Catherine Hackett in 15 episodes of Trapper John MD. This was her first
major recurring role after decades of making occasional appearances on popular TV shows.
She had a shorter film career appearing in film mostly from the 1940s to the
1960s. These films included The Younger Brothers,
Fugitive Lady, Two Gals and Guy, Silk Stockings, Follow the Boys, and Welcome To Hard Times.
Her final film role was in the 1994 action film
Natural Causes. OUTRO
Are you a fan of Trapper John MD? The show was one of the best drama series
America has produced and shows us the heroism of doctors and medical staff.
Now, here’s what we’d like to hear from you:
Do you think that Trapper John MD would be a popular show today? Or
do we prefer darker-themed shows with darker characters today?
Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments.
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