When I was 4 I was in love with Dr. Kildare. My Dad, also a doctor, told me that if I could stop sucking my fingers (preferred them to my thumb) for three months, he would take me to meet Richard Chamberlin.

Three months is an eternity to a four year old, but I was not going to let that come between me and my true love. So, for three long, excructiating months, not one finger entered my mouth. Not once.

Somehow, my Dad found a way to get us onto the Dr. Kildare set. The red flashing light scared me. It meant I had to be quiet because they were filming. Then they sat me at the end of a very bright, hospital hallway, on a ladder so Richard and I would be face to face. And then, there he was. OMG!!!!! Dr. Kildare was next to me, talking to me, put his arm around me. I couldn’t breathe and I couldn’t look at him. They wanted to get a good picture of us, and I just couldn’t do it. He told me he would wait for me and couldn’t have been nicer. I think this is why I went on to be an actress.

Dad and I got into the car to go home and the fingers went straight into my mouth. My Dad, horrified said,

“What are you doing?”

I said,

“You kept your end of the deal, and I kept mine.”

What Allee has to say about this:
Boy, your dad had a great ploy. I would’ve stopped sucking anything if it meant meeting Dr. Kildare.

The only thing I had to suck back was a Margarita when I went over to his place this last Friday night. Yes, the real Dr. Kildare, Richard Chamberlain’s, to watch The Towering Inferno which he costarred in as the schmuck responsible for the faulty wiring that toasted all of those people. I brought my Dr. Kildare stethoscope, record, greeting card and paper dolls book but the movie was so long I left without remembering to have him sign anything. But there will be many more occasions as the guy is a great guy and next time he’s coming over here.

This photo of you is adorable. You do look like an actress in training. I love the little T-strap shoes and the white gloves kill me. Was the dress velvet?

I love that your thumb went right back into your mouth as soon as you got into the car. If I were your dad I would’ve offered up Ben Casey next.