British-born Ann Anderson (
Lynn Redgrave), as hospital administrator, had three unruly doctors with whom to cope, and the comedy arose from their interactions. Dr. Charley Michaels (
Wayne Rogers) became the main problem for her, because of the romantic angle. She always pulled herself up short just before falling hopelessly in love with him. Dr. Solomon (
Ray Buktenica) was junior to Dr. Michaels and was his pal, and he would counterbalance Dr. Michaels's headstrong ways, almost a
double act, but elderly Dr. Weatherby (
David Wayne) was senior to them all, close to retirement, and with a mean streak, which meant that the others were often taking a rise out of the old fellow. The best he could do was to irritate Solomon by constantly getting his name wrong while going his own way. Other characters who were part of the series were Head Nurse Bradley (
Aneta Corsaut), a sympathetic and level-headed influence, Mrs. Phipps (Deedy Peters), a somewhat over-the-hill but enthusiastic
candystriper, always forcing her good intentions upon unwilling patients, and Conrad Peckler (
Mark L. Taylor), who was brought in as the arch villain of the piece to bring order to the hospital, hated by all. Ann abruptly returned to England (because Redgrave was fired by the producers) after the eighth episode of season three; her replacement was Jane Jeffries (
Sharon Gless), who had a similar love/hate relationship with Dr. Michaels for the final few episodes of the series. ==Controversy and cancellation==