''
The Flying Doctors '' was an
Australia n drama series produced by
Crawford Productions that revolved around the everyday lifesaving efforts of the real
Royal Flying Doctor Service Of Australia .
It was initially a
1985 mini-series based in the fictional outback town of Cooper's Crossing starring
Andrew McFarlane as the newly arrived Dr. Tom Callaghan. The success of the mini series led it its return the following year as an on-going series with McFarlane being joined by a new doctor, Chris Randall, played by
Liz Burch . McFarlane left after the first season and actor
Robert Grubb came in as new doctor Geoff Standish.
The series' episodes were mostly self-contained but also featured ongoing storylines, such as Dr. Standish's romance with nurse Kate Wellings (
Lenore Smith ). Other major characters included pilot Sam Patterson (
Peter O'Brien ), mechanic Emma Plimpton (
Rebecca Gibney ), local policeman Sgt. Jack Carruthers (
Terry Gill ) and Vic and Nancy Buckley (
Maurie Fields and
Val Jellay ), who ran the local pub/hotel, the Majestic. Andrew McFarlane also later returned to the series, resuming his role as Dr. Callaghan. The popular series ran for many seasons and was successfully screened internationally.
By
1993 the ratings were in decline and few original characters remained in the much-changed cast. To revamp the show the setting was changed to
Broken Hill , the name changed to ''R.F.D.S.'', and of the cast only original cast members Fields and Jellay were retained in the show. The storyline had their characters, formerly publicans at the Cooper's Crossing pub, moving to Broken Hill. The show lasted just one season in this new incarnation.
