Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman is an American post-
Civil WarThe American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
westernThe Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
/
drama seriesDramatic programming in the UK, or television drama and television drama series in the US, is television program content that is scripted and fictional along the lines of √a traditional drama. This excludes, for example, sports television, television news, reality show and game shows, stand-up...
created by
Beth SullivanBeth Sullivan is an American film and television writer and producer, best known as the creator of the long-running CBS series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman....
. Dr. Michaela "Mike" Quinn, played by
Jane SeymourJane Seymour, OBE is an English actress best known for her performances in the James Bond film Live and Let Die , East of Eden , Onassis: The Richest Man in the World , and the American television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman...
, left Boston in search of adventure. She goes to Colorado Springs,
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
where she establishes herself as doctor/adviser.
The show ran on CBS for six seasons, from January 1, 1993, to May 16, 1998. In total, 150 episodes were produced, plus two television movies which were made after the series' cancellation. It aired in over 100 countries. Since 1997, reruns have been shown in syndication and on
ABC FamilyABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
, ION Television, the
Hallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
,
gmcgmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
, and INSP.
Plot
The series begins in the year 1867 and centers on a proper and wealthy female
physicianA physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
from Boston, Massachusetts ; Michaela Quinn (
Jane SeymourJane Seymour, OBE is an English actress best known for her performances in the James Bond film Live and Let Die , East of Eden , Onassis: The Richest Man in the World , and the American television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman...
) ; familiarly known as Dr. Mike. After the death of her father, Dr. Mike sets out west to the small wild west town of Colorado Springs, to set up her own practice. She makes the difficult adjustment to life in
ColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
with the aid of rugged outdoorsman and friend to the
CheyenneCheyenne are a Native American people of the Great Plains, who are of the Algonquian language family. The Cheyenne Nation is composed of two united tribes, the Só'taeo'o and the Tsétsêhéstâhese .The Cheyenne are thought to have branched off other tribes of Algonquian stock inhabiting lands...
, Byron Sully (
Joe LandoJoseph John Lando is an American actor, most recognizable for playing Byron Sully on the TV series Dr...
) and a midwife named Charlotte Cooper (played by
Diane LaddDiane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
). After Charlotte is bitten by a
rattlesnakeRattlesnakes are a group of venomous snakes of the genera Crotalus and Sistrurus of the subfamily Crotalinae . There are 32 known species of rattlesnake, with between 65-70 subspecies, all native to the Americas, ranging from southern Alberta and southern British Columbia in Canada to Central...
, she asks Michaela on her deathbed to look after her three children, Matthew (
Chad AllenChad Allen is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of seven, Allen is a three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, best known for rising to prominence as a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama,...
), Colleen (played by
Erika FloresErika Flores is an American actress and former child actress, known for her role as the first Colleen Cooper in the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman TV series. Erika left the role in 1995 on account of a salary dispute as well as personal reasons in the middle of the third season...
and later
Jessica BowmanJessica Robyn Bowman is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Colleen Cooper on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.-Career:Bowman was born in Walnut Creek, California...
) and Brian (
Shawn TooveyShawn Toovey is an American actor. He is best known for his role as "Brian Cooper" in the popular drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman for which Toovey won four Young Artist Awards....
). Dr. Mike settles in Colorado Springs and adapts to her new life as a mother with the children while finding love with Sully. Furthermore, she acts as a one-woman mission to convince the townspeople that a female doctor can successfully practice
medicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
.
Broadcast History
During its entire original run on CBS, the show aired from 8–9 pm Eastern time on Saturday nights. It was the last successful TV Western drama to date until the premiere of the AMC Western series
Hell on WheelsHell on Wheels is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Joe and Tony Gayton. Set in 1865, the series centers on the settlement that accompanied the construction of the first transcontinental railroad, referred to as "Hell on Wheels" by the company men, surveyors, support...
on November 6, 2011, and also one of the last original series to find long term success in a Saturday timeslot.
About the show
Dr. Quinn was best known for its large supporting cast and high-concept storytelling. The series often used its semi-historical setting as a vehicle to address issues of gender and race within the community. Countless issues were addressed that were relevant to modern times, some of which were quite controversial. One controversial episode took on
homophobiaHomophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
when the famous poet
Walt WhitmanWalter "Walt" Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist. A humanist, he was a part of the transition between transcendentalism and realism, incorporating both views in his works. Whitman is among the most influential poets in the American canon, often called the father of free verse...
came to town. Religion played a somewhat minor role in the series, but was also used to address certain issues and new ideas.
Jane Seymour was cast as Michaela Quinn at the last minute, after she was given the script to read the day before production was to begin on the pilot. She was instructed to read the script and make a decision whether or not to commit to the contract. Seymour is quoted as saying she was moved to tears by the script; the next day began fittings for costumes.
The pilot episode was shot in early 1992 and finally aired in a 2-hour special on New Year's Day 1993. CBS aired a second hour-long episode of Dr. Quinn the next night to grab the audience's attention. Expectations for the show were low due to its being aired alongside the Orange Bowl that year. Initially critics panned the series and predicted that it would be quickly cancelled. Therefore, the pilot served as a made for television movie that could either be developed into a series or stand alone as a single 2-hour movie. Ratings for the pilot and first episode were high and the show was immediately picked up for an entire season. Certain members of the pilot supporting cast were replaced.
The romance between Michaela and Sully was widely popular with audiences. The popularity was related to Jane Seymour and
Joe LandoJoseph John Lando is an American actor, most recognizable for playing Byron Sully on the TV series Dr...
's chemistry on screen. In the season 3 finale entitled "For Better or Worse", they were married in a special two-hour episode, which gained huge ratings and was highly publicized in magazines and on television. In season 4, Jane Seymour's pregnancy with husband James Keach was written into the show. Another highly rated episode was that of the birth of Michaela and Sully's daughter, Katie.
The large supporting cast were all given the opportunity to develop their own characters. They were often permitted to make suggestions and contribute ideas to the writers.
Dr. Quinn was one of the few dramatic shows to allow fans access to their filming sites at the Paramount Ranch in
Agoura Hills, CaliforniaAgoura Hills is a city in Los Angeles County, California, and has the ZIP code 91301. The population was 20,330 at the 2010 census, down from 20,537 at the 2000 census. It is located in the eastern Conejo Valley between the Simi Hills and the Santa Monica Mountains. This city on the Ventura...
. Fans were permitted to come and watch the filming of episodes each week. Members of the cast would often talk to their fans and sign autographs during breaks in filming. During the final season of the show's run,
an official web site was established. It is still active today. Two fans went on to create the Dr. Quinn Times, a newsletter in which interviews with the cast, producers, directors, and technical specialists were conducted and distributed to fans twice each year.
Jane Seymour and Barbara Babcock were the only cast members to receive Emmy nominations for their roles during the series. Seymour was nominated several times during the series' run, while Babcock received a single nomination in 1995 for the episode entitled "Ladies' Night." Her character Dorothy Jennings underwent a mastectomy. The show did win many technical awards, as well as hair and make-up honors. Jane Seymour also won a Golden Globe in 1996 for her portrayal of Michaela Quinn.
Replacement of Erika Flores with Jessica Bowman
There were various cast changes of minor characters during the series. However, the most profiled change took place during the show's third season when the character of Colleen Cooper was recast halfway through the year. Unlike the other actors, who signed 5-year contracts with the show,
Erika FloresErika Flores is an American actress and former child actress, known for her role as the first Colleen Cooper in the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman TV series. Erika left the role in 1995 on account of a salary dispute as well as personal reasons in the middle of the third season...
was hesitant. She held out for an increase in her salary and refused to sign a contract unless offered a contract of less than 5 years, or an increase in salary. Rumors circulated that Flores' father gave her an ultimatum to end the contract unless they offered her more money, or he would cut her off financially. Flores has denied such rumors claiming that she left the series for personal reasons as well as to pursue other opportunities. Whatever the reasons, the actress was abruptly dismissed with little warning by CBS after the show declined to meet her requests.
Beth SullivanBeth Sullivan is an American film and television writer and producer, best known as the creator of the long-running CBS series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman....
decided that she wanted the character to continue instead of being killed off or sent away. As a result,
Jessica BowmanJessica Robyn Bowman is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Colleen Cooper on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.-Career:Bowman was born in Walnut Creek, California...
was cast as the new Colleen in Flores' place. Some of Erika Flores' fans were vocal in their anger over the change and wrote CBS demanding to know why the actress had been replaced. CBS issued the following statement to the press:
Official "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman Web Site" – February 7, 1996
"Dear Viewers:
Over the past several months we have received numerous letters regarding the re-casting of "Colleen" on our show. When this change occurred, we released a statement to the effect of, "Unwilling to commit to 5 years, Erika Flores is leaving the series to pursue other interests." Well, it's now over one year and, the fact remains that Erika Flores left the show to pursue other interests.
Now, what are those other interests? I can tell you its primarily school. She's auditioned for movies, but her primary focus, to our knowledge, is school. After all, she's only 16 years old.
The events leading up to her decision to leave the show did include CBS's request that she sign a 5-year contract. Erika did not want to commit to that extended period of time, and CBS would not allow it (all the series regulars, including Jane Seymour, are required to sign a 5-year contract.)
We, as producers of the show, were able to convince CBS to double Erika's salary in an attempt to keep her on the show, but she still was unwilling to commit to 5 years. This being the case, we had no other choice but to replace her.
I hope that this will help clarify your questions about Erika Flores. She remains a very close friend of the show, often visiting the set for lunch and we wish her all the best in her future pursuits.
Tim Johnson
Producer, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"
(c) 1996 CBS"
The producers of the show felt that Jessica Bowman had the ability to successfully recreate the character on her own.
Other cast changes
Numerous cast changes occurred throughout the series, although none was as significant. Most notable was the replacement of
Jane WymanJane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
as Michaela's mother, Elizabeth Quinn. Wyman signed on to play the role for the third episode of Dr. Quinn in season one. Sources claim that Seymour and Wyman did not get along during the shooting of the episode. Later Wyman refused to return for another guest appearance in season 2. Georgann Johnson was hired to replace Wyman in the role and continued throughout the remainder of the series, making one guest appearance each season and appearing in the final Dr. Quinn television movie.
Michelle Bonilla originated the role of Theresa Morales in season five and was replaced by Alex Meneses in season six. She was abruptly let go for reasons that were never publically stated. Meneses' portrayal was well received and she was featured throughout the sixth season, when her character fell in love with Jake Slicker.
The role of Anthony (Grace and Robert E.'s adopted son) was played by Brenden Jefferson for four episodes in season four. He was replaced by Brandon Hammond who continued in the role throughout season five and six.
In the pilot episode, Loren Bray was portrayed by Guy Boyd, Jake Slicker was portrayed by Colm Meany, and Robert E. was played by Ivory Ocean. All three roles were recast for the remainder of the series by Orson Bean, Jim Knobeloch, and Henry G. Sanders, respectively. Similarly, Jennifer Youngs did not begin playing Ingrid until the character's second appearance; the first time the character appeared, she was played by Ashley Jones.
Tensions
The cast was reported to get along well despite some tensions, which led to minor recastings and some disagreements between the show's writers and cast.
The most documented tension came at the end of the show's fifth season, as
Joe LandoJoseph John Lando is an American actor, most recognizable for playing Byron Sully on the TV series Dr...
was unhappy with both the show's and his character's direction. He seriously considered leaving the show. Lando, who felt the show needed to be shaken up, openly stated after a heated argument that Dr. Quinn could continue just fine with the Sully character killed off. Since it was not known if Joe Lando would return, the fifth season finale showed Sully being thrown over a cliff into a river. Viewers were left to wonder, along with Michaela Quinn, if he was dead or alive.
As winter turned into spring in the early months of 1997, it seemed likely Joe Lando would not return so
John SchneiderJohn Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
was asked to return to the show playing Sully's best friend Daniel Simon. John Schneider was intended to take Lando's place as the show's leading man and Michaela Quinn's new love interest. But, upon learning this, Dr. Quinn fans created a campaign, known as "Save Our Sully." By the time of filming the season 6 premiere in the spring of 1997, and after being freed up to pursue other projects, Joe Lando agreed to return. He was given part-time status on the show, and did not appear in every episode. Although the episodes were spread out throughout the season, they were filmed over a period of several weeks. Joe Lando then returned only for the finale.
Ratings
| Season | U.S. ratings | Network | Rank |
| 1 |
1993 |
N/A |
CBS |
#19 |
| 2 |
1993-94 |
13.46 million |
CBS |
#25 |
| 3 |
1994-95 |
10.7 million |
CBS |
#49 |
| 4 |
1995-96 |
9.6 million |
CBS |
#55 |
| 5 |
1996-97 |
8.5 million |
CBS |
#58 |
| 6 |
1997-98 |
11.7 million |
CBS |
#51 |
Demographics change and cancellation
The show was a major hit in the United States for CBS and drew large ratings even though it aired on Saturday nights, when networks rarely air new episodes owing to low viewership. Despite the high ratings, CBS claimed that the demographics changed during the show's run. During its final season, the majority of Dr. Quinns viewers were women 40 years of age and older, and not the male and female 18-to-40 demographic that networks try to reach. In response, CBS ordered the writers to give the show a slightly darker feel than in previous seasons. As a result, season six was darker than any other season before it, with the death of several characters as well as some highly sensitive subject matter: the painful miscarriage of Michaela's second child, as well as an episode entitled Point Blank where Michaela was shot by a man and then later developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Many fans did not like the changes while others felt that the tensions and high drama benefited the show after the overall pleasant past seasons. Despite these opposing opinions, the ratings still proved to be steady and consistent. The series was suddenly canceled in 1998 after its sixth season.
Dr. Quinn: The Movie
The cancellation of Dr. Quinn caused a massive fan protest, the likes of which had not been seen since the campaign to save
Star TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
in the mid-1960s. CBS decided that instead of producing another season, as the cost involved was deemed too high, it would make a TV movie. In May 1999, one year after its cancellation, CBS aired Dr. Quinn: Revolutions, a made for television movie which was set in 1877. However, the actual date should have taken place in 1875, two years after the final episode of Dr. Quinn in the year 1873. In the movie, Katie Sully is kidnapped and Dr. Mike and Sully, along with help from some members of the town, go and search for their missing daughter in Mexico. Fans of the show were delighted that a film was being produced but were not altogether impressed with the concept of the movie. It was very different in tone to the rest of the series, incorporating more guns and violence to try to please the demographic of males in their 20s. Furthermore, both Jessica Bowman and Chad Allen declined to take part in the episode. Also William Olvis' entire score was scrapped in favor of cost effective music that had nothing to do with the actual series. Fans were shocked to find a Dr. Quinn episode that did not include the main title sequence or theme. Moreover, the script, acting and interpretations of the characters came across as unfamiliar and quite unlike those from the actual series. Beth Sullivan was so furious with CBS's control over the project she declined to be involved with it. It was critically panned and failed in the ratings, due to a lack of promotion.
It seemed Dr. Quinn would not return again until CBS decided to give it another go.
Dr. Quinn: The Heart Within
A second movie entitled Dr Quinn: The Heart Within aired in May 2001. The movie was set a year after Revolutions, making it 9 years since the first episode of Dr. Quinn in the year 1867. This time around, CBS gave Beth Sullivan total creative control; however, there were some strong ground rules. To save money the movie had to be filmed in Canada, and only the principal cast could be involved. Jane Seymour also served as an executive producer. The plot revolved around Michaela and the Sully family returning to Boston to attend Colleen's graduation from Harvard Medical School. Having transferred from The Women's Medical College to the male dominated university since the series finale, Colleen has met harsh criticism from the board and her own father-in-law resents the fact that she continues to pursue medicine despite his misgivings. Unfortunately, Michaela's mother Elizabeth, played by Georgann Johnson, has fallen ill due to a heart condition and eventually dies leaving her estate to Michaela to establish a hospital in Colorado Springs. Colleen finds herself in a similar situation as her mother was in Boston nine years earlier, in that she is not respected or taken seriously as a woman doctor. The movie is a proper finale to the series, depicting the Cooper children finding their futures in Boston while Michaela returns to Colorado Springs to begin a new chapter in her life. While the movie was better received by fans, they did complain that more of the townspeople were not involved, due to CBS's demands, as well as the absence of
Chad AllenChad Allen is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of seven, Allen is a three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, best known for rising to prominence as a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama,...
's character Matthew (Allen declined to appear in the movie after he learned none of the show's supporting cast had been asked to star in it). Despite these criticisms, the movie beat out all its competition in the ratings coming in first place and was much more in nature of the actual series.
Reruns and future
The show has enjoyed strong ratings in reruns. Dr. Quinn was one of the rare instances of a show entering rerun syndication in the middle of a TV season. It debuted reruns in most American markets on Monday, December 30, 1996, just two days shy of the show's 4th anniversary. With 4 seasons being the minimum requirement for syndication pickup, Dr. Quinn reruns could have started at the more traditional launch date of September 1996, but the show's distributor, like many, had an additional minimum episode limit in order for the show to be eligible for syndication. This episode count was not reached until several episodes into Dr Quinn's fifth season (1996–1997), and since stations had already purchased the show at the beginning of that season, the distributor decided not to hold off until the next fall and let the stations start airing reruns right away.
When PAX TV launched in August 1998, it acquired reruns of current family-friendly series from CBS, including Dr. Quinn. Seeing that diehard Dr. Quinn fans were up in arms over the show's cancellation by CBS that year, these national reruns via PAX did help to relieve the blow; especially in markets where local stations might have not been airing reruns in syndication.
Until late 2005, the
Hallmark ChannelThe Hallmark Channel is a cable television network that broadcasts across the United States. Their programming includes a mix of television movies/miniseries, syndicated series, and lifestyle shows that are appropriate for the whole family...
aired it daily, but in late 2005 Hallmark removed Dr. Quinn from its lineup, citing a drop in viewership. It is also believed that the high cost in Dr. Quinn distribution rights also played a role in its removal. Dr. Quinn continues to be seen throughout the world and has been translated to several languages.
Starting in June 2009 the
Gospel Music Channelgmc is an American satellite and cable television channel, known from its 2004 launch until February 1, 2010 as Gospel Music Channel. It is also available in high-definition as a separate channel called gmcHD ....
began airing Dr. Quinn weekdays at 5:00 and 6:00. More recently Vision TV Canada began airing Dr Quinn week nights at 6PM AT. It also airs on CHNU10 in the Lower Mainland of BC, Canada at 3 PM PST Weekdays.
It has also been showed continuously in Denmark since 2001 with plans on to keep it at its daily broadcast time of 1:00, Monday to Friday, on Danish TV station, tv2.
Since the last movie in 2001, many of the show's cast members have expressed interest in reprising their roles and would like to do another reunion movie, or even a new season. Jane Seymour, Joe Lando, Chad Allen, and other cast members have stated they would all like to work together again and would reprise their Dr. Quinn roles if the opportunity arises. The show's creator, Beth Sullivan, has also stated her interest in writing another Dr. Quinn movie.
In 2003,
A&E NetworkThe A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
managed to buy the distribution rights for Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman from CBS. All six seasons plus the two made-for-TV movies have been released on DVD. The series appears on the GMC Network. GMC aired all the series episodes, including the season six episodes not shown in a decade, during the summer of 2010. Joe Lando did several teasers and promotions for the weekend marathons, and says he finds GMC's ad campaign "funny," saying: "Truthfully, I haven't had that many opportunities to make fun of Sully. No one's really found me that funny. But it's fun to do it now. GMC came up with a great ad campaign. My kids were entertained by it and my wife got a kick out of it."
Historical facts and filming information
- While much of Dr. Quinn was fictional, some of the events and people were based on historical fact:
- Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania actually existed and is today part of Drexel University College of Medicine
Drexel University College of Medicine is the medical school of Drexel University. The medical school has the nation's largest enrollment for a private medical school, and represents the consolidation of two medical schools: the nation's first medical school for women and the first U.S. college of...
.
- The Sand Creek Massacre
As conflict between Indians and white settlers and soldiers in Colorado continued, many of the Cheyenne and Arapaho, including bands under Cheyenne chiefs Black Kettle and White Antelope, were resigned to negotiate peace. The chiefs had sought to maintain peace in spite of pressures from whites...
in 1864 was referred to in the pilot episode (though it was historically inaccurate as the pilot took place in 1867).
- Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer
George Armstrong Custer was a United States Army officer and cavalry commander in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars. Raised in Michigan and Ohio, Custer was admitted to West Point in 1858, where he graduated last in his class...
and Chief Black Kettle are true historical figures.
- The Battle of Washita River
The Battle of Washita River occurred on November 27, 1868 when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th U.S...
, seen in the third season episode Washita, was an actual historical event. In the show, the battle took place in 1869 in Colorado, while in fact it took place in the fall of 1868 in Oklahoma.
- In what most consider the final episode of the series, the town's often-antagonist banker, Preston A. Lodge III, went bankrupt as a result of the great stock market crash caused by the Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
, a historically-accurate event. Lodge lost much of the townspeople's money along with his own in the Panic.
- One of the major historical oversights of the show is that Colorado Springs was not technically founded until 1871 by General William Palmer and was mainly a resort town. There were no saloons as Palmer declared Colorado Springs to be alcohol-free. Colorado Springs stayed "dry" until the end of Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
in 1933. However, nearby towns including Old Colorado CityOld Colorado City, formerly Colorado City, is a national historic district in the city of Colorado Springs. Its approximate boundaries are U.S...
and Manitou Springs did permit saloons.
- Dr. Quinn was largely filmed at the western set on Paramount Ranch
A movie ranch is a ranch that is at least partially dedicated to being used as a site for the creation and production of motion pictures, and television productions...
in Agoura Hills. Fans of the show were able to visit the sets, talk to the actors and watch the filming of the series during its 6-year run. Since Dr. Quinn ended, the ranch has been used numerous times for other filming projects. Numerous buildings including the church, Sully Homestead, school and Chateau Springs Hotel were leveled soon after the series was canceled. However, the entire town still remains. Despite minor changes over the years it is still recognizable as the Dr. Quinn set and is a popular tourist attraction for many fans.
- Other areas used throughout the series were the backlot at Universal Studios in Hollywood, including The New England Street as the location of Quinn Family Home and the New York Streets doubling as the streets of Boston and Washington. The setting of Boston in the final movie was filmed in Canada using various locations in Old Montreal.
- William Olvis wrote the underscoring music for the series except for a few episodes in season one (where he either alternated with Star Trek spin-off series composer David Bell, or co-scored with Bell) and the Revolutions movie.
- Jane Seymour's husband James Keach directed and produced numerous episodes of Dr. Quinn and guest starred in the season 5 episode entitled "The Hostage."
- Due to child labor laws, the role of Katie, Dr. Mike and Sully's daughter, was portrayed by identical triplets, Alexandria, McKenzie, and Megan Calabrese.
- Jane Seymour is the only cast member who appeared in every episode of the series. Shawn Toovey missed only one episode as did Chad Allen who also did not appear in episode titled "Reunion" (Season 4) as well as the two made for TV movies. Joe Lando came in third, missing only a few episodes in the sixth and final season.
Cast
- Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour, OBE is an English actress best known for her performances in the James Bond film Live and Let Die , East of Eden , Onassis: The Richest Man in the World , and the American television series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman...
— Dr. Michaela Quinn
- Joe Lando
Joseph John Lando is an American actor, most recognizable for playing Byron Sully on the TV series Dr...
— Byron Sully
- Chad Allen
Chad Allen is an American actor. Beginning a prolific career as a child actor at the age of seven, Allen is a three-time Young Artist Award winner and GLAAD Media Award honoree, best known for rising to prominence as a teen idol during the late 1980s as David Witherspoon on the NBC family drama,...
— Matthew Cooper
- Erika Flores
Erika Flores is an American actress and former child actress, known for her role as the first Colleen Cooper in the Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman TV series. Erika left the role in 1995 on account of a salary dispute as well as personal reasons in the middle of the third season...
— Colleen Cooper (up to mid-season 3)
- Jessica Bowman
Jessica Robyn Bowman is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as Colleen Cooper on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.-Career:Bowman was born in Walnut Creek, California...
— Colleen Cooper Cook (from season 3 on)
- Shawn Toovey
Shawn Toovey is an American actor. He is best known for his role as "Brian Cooper" in the popular drama Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman for which Toovey won four Young Artist Awards....
— Brian Cooper
Supporting cast
- Orson Bean
Orson Bean is an American film, television, and Broadway actor. He appeared frequently on televised game shows in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, including being a long-time panelist on the television game show To Tell the Truth....
— Loren Bray
- Jim Knobeloch
James Joseph "Jim" Knobeloch is an American actor best known for his role as Jake Slicker on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman....
— Jake Slicker
- Frank Collison
Frank Collison is an American actor known to television audiences as the hapless telegrapher Horace Bing in the series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.-Early life:...
— Horace Bing
- William Shockley
William Shockley is an actor and musician.Shockley was born in Lawrence, Kansas and found his love for music at the age of seven...
— Hank Lawson
- Geoffrey Lower — Rev. Timothy Johnson
- Henry G. Sanders — Robert E.
- Larry Sellers
Larry Sellers is an American actor/stuntman of Osage/Cherokee/Lakota heritage. He commonly portrays Native American characters such as his role on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman as Cloud Dancing-External links:...
— Cloud Dancing
- Jonelle Allen
Jonelle Allen is an American actress, singer, and dancer.Born in New York City, Allen grew up in Harlem's Sugar Hill among neighbors that included Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, and Johnny Hodges, all of whom had an influence on her career choice...
— Grace
- Heidi Kozak
Heidi Kozak is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her act as Sally Burns in Slumber Party Massacre 2 and Sandra in Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood...
— Emily Donovan (season 1)
- Gail Strickland
Gail Strickland is an American character actress.Strickland was born in Birmingham, Alabama, the daughter of Theodosia and Lynn Strickland, who owned a tire shop...
— Ms. Olive Davis, Loren's sister (season 1)
- Jennifer Youngs — Ingrid (seasons 1–4)
- Helene Udy
Helene Udy is an American actress and director. She is perhaps best known for her role as Myra Bing on Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman....
— Myra Bing (seasons 1–4)
- Haylie Johnson — Becky Bonner (seasons 1–6)
- Barbara Babcock
Barbara Babcock is an American character actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Grace Gardner on Hill Street Blues for which she won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress—Drama Series in 1981 and her role as Dorothy Jennings on Dr...
— Dorothy Jennings (seasons 2–6)
- Georgann Johnson – Elizabeth Quinn (seasons 2–6)
- Alley Mills
Alley Mills is an American actress best known for her role as Norma Arnold, the mother in the coming-of-age series The Wonder Years.-Life and career:...
– Marjorie Quinn (seasons 2–6)
- Elinor Donahue – Rebecka Quinn Dickinson (season 2–6)
- Charlotte Chatton
Charlotte Chatton is an English actress. She is best known for playing as Emma in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman , Genevieve L'Merchant in the Sci-Fi/Action/Horror film Hellraiser: Bloodline, Madeleine Astor in Titanic , Peggy in Stand-ins , and as Jen Cross in Dakota Road .-Television:*Beyond Belief:...
— Emma (seasons 4 & 5)
- Michelle Bonilla — Teresa Morales (season 5)
- Brandon Douglas
Brandon Douglas is an American actor. He first came to prominence in the television series Falcon Crest, in which he played Ben Agretti during the 1988-1989 season. He is well known for playing Dr. Andrew Cook in the popular CBS series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman...
— Dr. Andrew Cook (seasons 4–6)
- Jason Leland Adams
Jason Leland Adams is an American actor and Producing Director at the Bootleg Theater. He is perhaps best known for his role as Preston A. Lodge III, on the popular television series Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman.- Early life :...
— Preston A. Lodge III (seasons 4–6)
- Alex Meneses
Alexandra Estella DeAnna "Alex" Meneses is an American television and film actress and model.She was born in Chicago of Mexican American descent on her father's side and Ukrainian American descent on her mother's. Meneses studied acting at Chicago's The Second City Improvisational Theater during...
— Teresa Morales Slicker (season 6)
- John Schneider
John Richard Schneider III is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his portrayal of Bo Duke in the 1980s American television series The Dukes of Hazzard, and as Jonathan Kent on Smallville, a 2001 television adaptation of Superman.Alongside his acting career, Schneider performed as a...
— Daniel Simon (season 6)
- Brenden Jefferson – Anthony (season 4)
- McKenzie Calabrese, Megan Calabrese - Katie Sully
Notable Guest Stars
alphabetical order
- Edward Albert
Edward Albert was an American film and television actor. He was also known as Edward Laurence Albert, Laurence Edward Albert and occasionally Eddie Albert, Jr.-Early life:Albert was born Edward Laurence Heimberger in Los Angeles, California, to actor Eddie...
- Dr. William Burke (ep. 2x06)
- David Beecroft
David Beecroft is an American actor noted for his television appearances, having played both regular and recurring roles in shows such as Falcon Crest , Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman and Melrose Place. In 1992 he starred on the short-lived series Hearts are Wild...
- Sergeant Terence McKay (ep. 5x25, 5x26, 6x01, 6x02, 6x03, 6x11)
- Verna Bloom
Verna Bloom is an American actress. She co-starred in the 1973 film High Plains Drifter with Clint Eastwood and the 1974 made for TV movie Where Have All The People Gone? with Peter Graves and Kathleen Quinlan...
- Maude Bray (ep. 1x01)
- Guy Boyd
Guy Boyd may refer to:*Guy Boyd *Guy Boyd...
- Loren Bray (ep. 1x01) later recast
- David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
- Houston Currier (ep. 5x20)
- June Carter Cash
Valerie June Carter Cash was an American singer, dancer, songwriter, actress, comedienne and author who was a member of the Carter Family and the second wife of singer Johnny Cash...
- Sister Ruth (ep. 2x05, 3x09, 5x16)
- Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
- Kid Cole (ep. 1x05, 2x05, 3x09, 5x16)
- Maxwell Caulfield
Maxwell Caulfield is a British film, stage, and television actor who is based in the United States, known for his roles as Michael Carrington in Grease 2 and as Miles Colby in The Colbys and its parent show Dynasty . He has more than 70 film, stage and television credits. He starred in Ronald F...
- Andrew Strauss/David Lewis (ep. 2x24)
- Denise Crosby
Denise Michelle Crosby is an American actress best known for portraying Security Chief Tasha Yar on Star Trek: The Next Generation...
- Isabelle Maynard (ep. 4x25)
- Robert Culp
Robert Martin Culp was an American actor, scriptwriter, voice actor and director, widely known for his work in television. Culp first earned an international reputation for his role as Kelly Robinson on I Spy , the espionage series in which he and co-star Bill Cosby played a pair of secret agents...
- Dr. Elias Jackson (ep. 1x07)
- Steven Culp
Steven Bradford Culp is an American film and television actor, best known for his roles as Rex Van de Kamp in the television series Desperate Housewives and CIA Agent Clayton Webb in JAG.-Early life:...
- Peter Doyle (ep. 5x21)
- Jon Cypher
-Biography:Born in New York City, Cypher graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1949 and Brooklyn College in 1953. He made his television debut as the Prince in the original 1957 production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella opposite Julie Andrews in the title role...
- Preston A. Lodge II (ep. 5x10)
- Kristin Davis
Kristin Landen Davis is an American actress.She first rose to prominence and achieved fame for playing the role of Charlotte York Goldenblatt on HBO's Sex and the City. She has achieved success appearing in roles in film and television.-Early life and education:Davis was born in Boulder, Colorado...
- Carey McGee (ep. 3x09)
- Zach Galligan
Zachary Wolfe "Zach" Galligan is an American actor.-Biography:Galligan was born in New York City, the son of Carol Jean , a psychologist, and Arthur John Galligan, a lawyer who was a founding partner of the law firm of Dickstein Shapiro. He has a sister, Jessica, and attended Columbia University...
- Chester Barnes (ep. 6x12)
- Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an American actor whose career as both a child and adult has included television series and theatrical films....
- Zach Lawson, Hank's son (ep. 1x15)
- Jerry Haynes
Jerome Martin "Jerry" Haynes was an American actor from Dallas, Texas. He is most well known as Mr. Peppermint, a role he played for 30 years as the host of one of the longest-running local children's shows in television, the Dallas-based Mr...
- Mr. Royce (ep. 6x08, 6x09)
- Richard Herd
Richard Herd, Jr. is an American actor in television and film. He is well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and the 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors' Supreme Commander...
- Dr. John Hansen (ep. 2x06, 2x07)
- James Keach
James Keach is an American actor, producer, and director. He is the younger brother of actor Stacy Keach, Jr., and son of actor Stacy Keach, Sr.-Background:...
- Brent Currier (ep. 5x20)
- Stacy Keach, Sr.
Stacy Keach, Sr. was the stage name of Walter Stacy Keach , an American actor whose screen career spanned six decades. He and his wife, Mary Cain , were members of the Peninsula Players summer theater program during the 1930s. He may be best known for his role as Carlson in the television show Get...
- Judge Webster (ep. 5x03, 5x07, 5x14)
- Diane Ladd
Diane Ladd is an American actress, film director, producer and published author. She has appeared in over 120 roles, on television, and in miniseries and feature films, including Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore , Wild at Heart , Rambling Rose , Ghosts of Mississippi, Primary Colors, 28 Days , and...
- Charlotte Cooper (pilot, ep 2x11)
- Matt Letscher
Matthew Letscher is an American actor.-Biography:Letscher was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He attended college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity....
- Tom Jennings, Dorothy's son (ep. 2x19)
- Anne Lockhart - Maureen (ep. 2x06, 2x07)
- Barbara Mandrell
Barbara Ann Mandrell is an American country music singer best known for a 1970s–1980s series of Top 10 hits and TV shows that helped her become one of country's most successful female vocalists of the 1970s and 1980s...
- Gilda St. Clair (ep. 5x04)
- Colm Meaney
Colm J. Meaney is an Irish actor widely known for playing Miles O'Brien in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He is second only to Michael Dorn in most appearances in Star Trek episodes. He has guest-starred on many TV shows from Law & Order to The Simpsons...
- Jake Slicker (ep. 1x01) later recast
- Richard Moll
Charles Richard Moll is an American actor and voice artist,best known for playing Bull Shannon, the bailiff on the NBC sitcom Night Court from 1983 to 1992...
- John (ep. 3x06, 3x28, 3x29)
- Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
- Marshall Elias Burch (ep. 5x09, 6x19)
- David Ogden Stiers
David Ogden Stiers is an American actor, director, vocal actor, and musician, noted for his roles in Disney movies, as well as his performances in the television series M*A*S*H as Major Charles Emerson Winchester III and the science fiction drama The Dead Zone as Reverend Gene Purdy...
- Theodore Quinn (ep. 5x15)
- Tom Poston
Thomas Gordon "Tom" Poston was an American television and film actor. He starred on television in a career that began in 1950...
- Mysterious 'Dead Man' (ep. 2x03)
- Andrew Prine
Andrew Lewis Prine is an American film, stage, and television actor.-Early life and career:Prine was born in Jennings, Florida. After graduation from Andrew Jackson High School in Miami, Prine made his acting debut three years later in an episode of CBS U.S. Steel Hour...
- Thaddeus Birch (ep. 1x09)
- Fred Rogers - Reverend Thomas (ep. 4x19)
- Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
- Daniel Watkins (ep. 1x16)
- Richard Roundtree
Richard Roundtree is an American actor and former fashion model. He is best known for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft and in its two sequels, Shaft's Big Score and Shaft in Africa .-Personal life:Born in New Rochelle, New York, Richard Roundtree graduated from...
- 'Barracuda' Jim Barnes (ep. 6x21)
- Nick Tate
Nicholas John "Nick" Tate is an Australian actor best known for his role as Eagle pilot Alan Carter in both seasons of the 1970s science fiction television series Space: 1999, as well as for playing the role of Gordon Hamilton's errant brother James in the 1980's soap opera "Sons and...
- Martin 'Avishominis' Chesterfield (ep. 6x18)
- Travis Tritt
James Travis Tritt is an American country music singer from Marietta, Georgia. He signed to Warner Bros. Records in 1989, releasing seven studio albums and a greatest hits package for the label between then and 1999. In the 2000s, he released two albums on Columbia Records and one for the defunct...
- Zachary Brett (ep. 4x14)
- Casper Van Dien
-Early life:Van Dien was born and grew up in Milton, Florida, the son of Diane , a retired nursery school teacher, and Casper Robert Van Dien, Sr., a retired U.S. Navy Commander and fighter pilot. There is a long military tradition in Van Dien's family. Aside from his father, his grandfather was a...
- Jesse (ep. 3x03, 3x04)
- Ray Walston
Ray Walston was an American stage, television and film actor best known as the title character on the 1960s situation comedy My Favorite Martian. In addition, he is also remembered for his roles as Luther Billis in South Pacific , Mr. Applegate in Damn Yankees , J.J...
- Lucius Slicker (ep. 5x08)
- Jane Wyman
Jane Wyman was an American singer, dancer, and character actress of film and television. She began her film career in the 1930s, and was a prolific performer for two decades...
- Elizabeth Quinn (ep. 1x03) later recast
- Trisha Yearwood
Patricia Lynn Yearwood, professionally known as Trisha Yearwood , is an American country music artist. She is best known for her ballads about vulnerable young women from a female perspective that have been described by some music critics as "strong" and "confident."Trisha Yearwood signed with MCA...
- Choir Director (ep. 3x10)
DVD releases
A&E Home VideoA&E Television Networks is a U.S. media company that owns a group of television channels available via cable & satellite in the US and abroad...
has released all six seasons of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman on DVD in Region 1. They have also released the two television movies that were made after the series ended.
| DVD Name |
Ep # |
Release Date |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season One |
17 |
May 27, 2003 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season Two |
24 |
September 30, 2003 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season Three |
25 |
March 30, 2004 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season Four |
27 |
October 26, 2004 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season Five |
26 |
January 25, 2005 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Season Six |
22 |
July 26, 2005 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Movies |
2 |
June 27, 2006 |
| Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman: The Complete Series |
151 |
October 20, 2009 |
Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman was released on DVD in the UK through
Revelation FilmsRevelation Films is a British distributor of entertainment programmes on DVD.It was perhaps most well known as the company through which as of November 2006, the American anime company FUNimation Entertainment has launched its titles in the United Kingdom on region 2 DVD...
who have recently released the first of the two movies with the second to follow in July 2010.
See also
- List of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman episodes
- Bramwell
Bramwell is a British television series starring Jemma Redgrave as Dr. Eleanor Bramwell, a woman challenging the domination of men in the medical establishment, who runs a free hospital for the poor in the East End of London, during the late Victorian era .The series by Carlton Television was shown...
, British television series based on the same premise.
External links