We can’t tell you about tonight’s extra special episode… 

It would spoil all the fun!

Original Air Date:

March 18, 1989 – Season One

Cast:

Richard Mulligan as Dr. Harry Weston / Kristy McNichol as Barbara Weston / Dinah Manoff as Carol Weston / David Leisure as Charley Dietz / Park Overall as Nurse Laverne Todd

Guest Stars:

Stephen Dorff as Billy at 14 / Aeryk Egan as Billy at 11 / Debra Engle as Mrs. Sexton / Richard Kind as Elton / Billy O’Sullivan as Billy at 5 / Michael Lee Owens as Billy at 7 / Matthew Perry as Billy at 18

Synopsis:

Harry has a busy day at the office, beginning with sweet William, a one-week-old infant that Harry practically has to wrestle away from his mother. Then pre-schooler Willie comes in for a cootie shot and brings along his invisible friend, Curtis. Next is young Billy and his dad – Harry has the difficult task of explaining to Billy’s father that his son is diagnosed with adolescent-onset diabetes. Ten-year-old Billy is in to have his arm cast removed and, while he’s there, asks Harry to explain sexual intercourse. (Billy’s dad is dead, and his mother thought Dr. Harry was the best candidate for the facts-of-life talk.) Harry lends Billy a copy of “Where Did I Come From?” Then Harry has the unpleasant experience of learning that one of his young patients has been experimenting with marijuana. Harry’s last – and actually only – patient of the day is 18-year-old Bill, who’s there to pick up his medical files before heading off to college. It was Bill’s final visit to the pediatrician’s office which triggered Harry’s reminscence of this single patient’s life.

Notes:

This episode takes place entirely at the hospital, with no subplots. Richard Mulligan and Park Overall are the only two regular cast members to appear.

Then-unkown actors Stephen Dorff and Matthew Perry appear as Billy at different ages. Both went on to successful careers, especially Perry, who, five years later, began a 10-year run as Chandler Bing on another NBC sitcom, Friends.

Watch:

Watch the full episode on DailyMotion.