thanks to youtuber awells84

Imagine veteran actor Lew Ayres cast for the umpteenth time as TV's Dr. Kildare rather than Richard Chamberlain. Lionel Barrymore passed away in 1954, so he wasn't available to reprise his role as Dr. Gillespie.
-NW

Unaired Dr. Kildare TV Pilot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rm17D9PzEo

Viewer comments:
@fromthesidelines
10 months ago

This was produced in 1960, from the same team behind "ONE STEP BEYOND" [producer Collier Young and director John Newland, who also filmed their series at MGM], featuring Lew Ayres as an older "Dr. James Kildare" {he previously portrayed him in the initial MGM movie series from 1938 through 1942, and a syndicated radio show from 1949 through '51) - this time mentoring young physicians following in his footsteps at good ol' "Blair General". This half-hour pilot found no takers for the 1960-'61 season, but MGM refused to give up on reviving the idea. A new hour-long pilot was produced by Norman Felton in early 1961, featuring Richard Chamberlain as "Dr. Jim Kildare", and Raymond Massey as "Dr. Leonard Gillespie". NBC bought it for the 1961-'62 season.

p.s. the scene at 9:16 was featured in a photo in the April 4, 1960 issue of BROADCASTING magazine, in an article on TV pilots for the 1960-'61 season.