Doctor Simon Locke

One of the lesser remembered or liked syndicated shows of the early 1970's.

I recall this show in it's guise as 'Police Surgeon', on American TV. Fairly typical 'The Doctor as Detective' plot line, with no major surprises. Different, as it was set in Canada, and not some big US city.

I read that Jack Albertson wanted out of this program as soon as he could be released. He complained about the cheapness of the show. Several 'History of TV' books just rake this show over the coals, as plain B-A-D!

Sam Groom has gone on to better things, and appears in a few 'Law and Order' episodes.

I haven't seen POLICE SURGEON for at least 30 years! I remember back in the day that it got a lukewarm response, at least from my high school buds, mostly due to the fact that episodes ran only thirty minutes. Of course, so did ADAM 12 and DRAGNET. It could have been that the show was not a Hollywood production to begin with, certainly not a network show, rather a Canadian television import, and run on independent stations in various time slots. It kind of had that on location, indie look, but was in color! Jack Albertson, first season regular, playing the wise, elder doctor to Sam Groom's young, modern on the go doc, may have thrown a PR monkey wrench into the deal as he claimed the producers were extremely cheap. He said actors had no dressing rooms and had to use bathrooms or bushes! He quit the show! Whatever the case, POLICE SURGEON ran four seasons and the plots were interesting, not that unlike ADAM 12, as an example. To note, the supporting actors, even Canadian actors, were quite good. Seasoned pro Larry D. Mann, a familiar face on so many classic tv shows of the 60s and 70s, was wisely brought in during the second season as Lt. Gordon, who assisted Groom in his investigations. Likewise, Sam Groom (as Dr. Simon Locke, a name that seems to always pop up with 70s tv trivia!), an accomplished actor in his own right, did a fine job in the title role and let the record show he did have a teen following in the 70s. Bottom line, it's still out there in reruns, folks! Cant be all that bad! Check for it on dvd, at least a couple of seasons should be available.

I watched this show in England in the seventies, and actually preferred it to many of the other American series of the period that were treated much less harshly by the critics. It was formulaic, so I was puzzled why I felt that way. Eventually I decided it was because it was only 30 -minute episodes. Most of the hour-format series seemed to take 30- minute plots and stretch them to approach an hour, so that copious commercial breaks wouldn't hurt. Taking an exactly similar plot and pacing it for 30 minutes (showing in England, without the monstrous commercial breaks) was better.

Sam Groom carried this show all by himself. He was the kind of doctor we all wish we could find today -- kind, caring, benevolent, and respectful of your wallet. In other words, this show was Science Fiction -- OK I am kidding of course -- except for Sam Groom. He was cool. The last thing I ever remember him doing was commercials for AMC, plugging "The Tough Americans" in response to the Japanese automobile onslaught of the late seventies. Five-year-no-rust-through warranty. Oh -- he also did commercials for Quaker State motor oil -- "Bret Bodine finishes first" in North Wilkesboro -- I am dating myself seriously. Unfortunately, the "tough Americans" didn't play with the Howdy Doody generation. AMC is gone. But Sam Groom is still around somewhere. I wonder what he's doing these days. Sam, if you are out there, CHEERS.

The first season came on in the afternoons in England and if you had just got in from an awful day at school it offered some sort of cosy sanctuary to be transported to a remote quiet town in Canada. Too young to have noticed production values you just accepted the images as they came. The pace was slow if I remember correctly but just right for a darkening winter's afternoon, and the caring, concerned, doctors Sam and 'wise old sage' Jack Albertson's characters represented were recognizable from real life of that time, but perhaps not today...Then the second season came and it had moved to the big city and called "Police Surgeon" it was now on steriods with flash,bang wallop titles and Dr. Locke was now some sort of 'Mannix' in a white coat, totally lost me as it was also now on late at night.