Dr. Kildare Game, Ideal, 1962

It’s time to take two aspirin and enjoy the latest installment in my series about vintage board games.

Today’s Game: Dr. Kildare

Copyright Date: 1962

Mystifying Subtitle: “Medical Game for the Young.” I wonder why they felt the need to specify that it was for the young.

Game Box: I’m sure the draw for potential buyers was the large photo of dreamy Richard Chamberlain as Dr. Kildare, who is staring intently ahead and listening to an invisible person’s heartbeat.

The Analyzer

Recommend Ages: 7 to 14. Actually, it says “Approved for ages 7 to 14.” That’s a strangely officious way to put it.

Game Board: The board offers a cute representation of a hospital, with green corridors, patient rooms, an operating room, and more. The patients all seem happy, even the one traction.

Game Pieces: Dr. Kildare’s dreamy face again.

Game Play: Pretty cool. Players make their “rounds” through the hospital and diagnose their patients with the help of the “Analyzer.”  Patients’ conditions are written in code on diagnosis cards. I decoded two of them just for fun—nose bleed and sprained back.

Nice Touch: The instructions say that you can play the game by yourself.  I used to play board games against myself all the time—my brother was not really a board-game guy.

My Thoughts: I’ve never actually seen an episode of Dr. Kildare. It was a bit before my time. I saw The Thorn Birds at an impressionable age, though, so I can appreciate Richard Chamberlain’s charms. The game looks pretty entertaining—what kid doesn’t love decoding messages?

Another photo of Dr. McDreamy from the box insert. Okay, we get it, he’s handsome!

If you enjoyed this post, read the whole Spin Again Sunday series!