Dr Paul

Dr Paul was a long-running radio soap opera that followed the life and times of Dr. Paul, a small-town doctor who found himself embroiled in the schemes and secret loves of the residents he treated.

The show first premiered on NBC in 1940 and ran until 1945, before being briefly revived in 1953 and then syndicated by RCA. For fifteen minutes every weekday, listeners tuned in to hear Dr. Paul work to save his patients, deal with the machinations of his wife, and navigate the affections of a woman who loved him from afar.

The show was billed as “radio’s wonderful story of adult love” and followed a traditional soap opera formula, with a variety of dramatic storylines and characters. The first series was sponsored by Dutch Mill Cheese, with the announcer providing delicious recipes for the audience at home. The later syndicated version was sponsored by Sno-Drift Shortening and Wesson Oil.

The Stars

The role of Dr. Paul was played by a number of actors over the course of the show’s run, including John Bushelle and Alastair Duncan.

Other regular cast members included Dinah Shearing and Lynne Murphy as Dr. Paul’s wife Virginia Martin, Laurel Mather as Elizabeth, Michael Plant as Ricky Scanlon, Alan White as Dr. John Cabot, and Brigit Lenihan as Dr. Paul’s housekeeper Molly.

Key Dates

• Dr Paul first premiered on NBC in 1940 and ran until 1945.
• The show was then briefly revived in 1953 before being syndicated by RCA.

Other Information

The show’s popularity and longevity speak to the enduring appeal of soap opera storytelling on the radio, with Dr Paul captivating audiences for over a decade with its tales of small-town drama and romance. However not many of these have survived. We have only 24 episodes of this series.

While not as well-known today as some other classic radio soap operas, Dr Paul remains an important part of the golden age of American radio.