"I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV" (UNCLASSIFIED)

Wed Nov 17 22:47:17 UTC 2010

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_LA Times_, 4/1/1985 Sec 6 p 1 [ProQuest]

"Though he will be able to continue on "General Hospital," he has been
removed from the viewers' eyes in at least one regard: The maker of
Vicks 44 cough medicine yanked the commercial in which Robinson says,
"I'm not a doctor, but I play a doctor on TV. . . ." "

[Referring to actor Chris Robinson, who had played Dr. Rick Webber on
"General Hospital", but got in trouble for evading taxes.  He kept the
GH gig but lost the Vicks commercial.]

1 on-topic ProQuest cite in 1985, 9 cites in 1986.

1 on-topic Newsbank cite in 1985, 18 cites in 1986.

My own personal memory of the quote is not of Robert Young, but his
co-star on Marcus Welby, James Brolin.  But apparently that is wrong.

> -----Original Message-----

> From: American Dialect Society [mailto:ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU] On
Behalf Of

> Jonathan Lighter

> Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2010 12:09 PM

> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU

> Subject: "I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV"

> 

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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>

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> Subject:      "I'm not a doctor but I play one on TV"

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> -

> 

> I'm still hearing jocular allusions to this TV line from nearly a
quarter

> century ago. The most recent was this morning. They take the form of
"I'm

> not an X but I play one on TV." Fred wisely included it among the
undated

> "Advertising Slogans" in YBQ.

> 

> The original aired in 1987:

> 

> http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x36pho_vicks-44_ads

> 

> GB offers 200 exact cites, surely making this one of the best-known

> quotations in current use.

> 

> JL

> 

> --

> "If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the
truth."

> 

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