Hospital at the End of the City (Czech: Nemocnice na kraji města) is a Czechoslovak television series first released in 1978 by Czechoslovak Television.[2] It featured an ensemble cast and received much viewer praise in Central Europe. The series, with a screenplay by Jaroslav Dietl and directed by Jaroslav Dudek, ran from 1978 to 1981 for a total of twenty episodes. The show's success inspired the German television series The Black Forest Clinic.[3]

Hospital at the End of the City
Hospital complex in Most, one of the original filming locations[1]
CzechNemocnice na kraji města
Genre
Written byJaroslav Dietl
Screenplay byJaroslav Dietl
Story byJaroslav Dietl
Directed byJaroslav Dudek
Starring
ComposerJan Klusák
Country of originCzechoslovakia
Original languageCzech
No. of seasons2
No. of episodes20
Production
Producers
CinematographyJindřich Novotný
EditorJaroslav Kotlant
Running time57 minutes
Production companyCzechoslovak Television
Original release
Release5 November 1978 (1978-11-05) –
30 December 1981 (1981-12-30)
Related

Synopsis

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The series follows Dr. Sova, head of the orthopedic department at a hospital in the fictional town of Bor, and his colleagues. It focuses both on their work and private lives.

Cast and characters

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Production and release

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Initial filming began in 1976 with Karel Höger in the lead role of Dr. Sova, but the actor died suddenly in 1977, and was replaced by Slovak actor Ladislav Chudík.[4] The show premiered on 5 November 1978 and was met with great success, both in Czechoslovakia and Germany, after being broadcast in 21 countries. After the first season, which consisted of thirteen episodes, another season was commissioned, for a further seven episodes. In addition to fictionalized portrayals of hospital activity, the series contained footage of authentic surgeries, mainly in the field of orthopedics.[citation needed]

Sequels and parody

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A sequel series was developed in 2003,[5] called Hospital at the End of the City, Twenty Years On (Czech: Nemocnice na kraji města po dvaceti letech), starring most of the original cast. Thirteen episodes were produced.[6] In 2008, another set of thirteen episodes followed, this time under the title Hospital at the End of the City – The New Generation (Czech: Nemocnice na kraji města – nové osudy).[7][8]

In 1999, a parody series titled Hospital on the Verge of Destruction (Czech: Nemocnice na pokraji zkázy) came out.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Mostecká nemocnice "na kraji města" shání lékaře na Ukrajině" [Most Hospital "Hospital at the End of the City" Is Looking for Doctors in Ukraine]. e15.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Nemocnice na kraji města" [Hospital at the End of the City]. ceskatelevize.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  3. ^ "Heile Welt hat immer Konjunktur" [A Perfect World Is Always Booming]. spiegel.de (in German). 21 October 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Ladislav Chudík byl až náhradní řešení. Primáře Sovu si měl v Nemocnici původně zahrát někdo jiný" [Ladislav Chudík Was an Alternative Solution. Someone Else Was Originally Supposed to Sova at the Hospital]. rozhlas.cz (in Czech). 8 November 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  5. ^ "Nemocnice na kraji města po dvaceti letech" [Hospital at the End of the City, Twenty Years On]. ceskatelevize.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Folytatódik a Kórház a város szélén" [Hospital at the End of the City Continues]. origo.hu (in Hungarian). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Nemocnice na kraji města - nové osudy" [Hospital at the End of the City - New Destinies]. csfd.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Egymilliárdba került a Kórház a város szélén folytatása" [It Cost a Billion to Continue Hospital at the End of the City]. index.hu (in Hungarian). 8 January 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Nemocnice na pokraji zkázy" [Hospital on the Verge of Destruction]. csfd.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 27 March 2021.
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