Doctor in the House
Date: 1954
Director: Ralph Thomas
Production Company: General Film Distributors
Stars: Dirk Bogarde, Kenneth More, Donald Sinden, Key Kendall, James Robertson Justice, Donald Houston
Location(s): London
Region(s): London C-D
Storyline:
Simon Sparrow is a newly arrived medical student at St Swithin’s hospital in London. Falling in with three longer-serving hopefuls he is soon immersed in the wooing, imbibing and fast sports-car driving that constitute 1950’s medical training.
Additional Information:
Jimmy Snow worked on special effects at both Pinewood and Denham Studios but a name that often remained uncredited, as with this film. An interesting Biography and her Memories of him has been written for us by his granddaughter Brigitte, all of which can be read here.
Can you help:
If you have any information regarding this production, the locations or, even better, some comparison shots please contact us. Images submitted must be in Landscape orientation, as would be seen on the cinema screen, not Portrait.
We are aware that there are films on the site that were added when the criteria for the inclusion of locations was very different from today and, as a result, there may be scenes missing from some productions. Please do not forward additional screen captures to us but bring the detail to our attention, for we do, and are, 're-addressing' these older entries as time allows.
- Capture 1
- 29 Jun 2011

University College, Gower Street, London. Also seen in 'Raising the Wind', 'Wicked as They Come', 'Thunderbirds', 'The Lost Language of Cranes', ‘The Idol’, ‘Doctor in Love’, ‘The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu’, 'A Business Affair', ‘Inception’, ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, 1959’s ‘The 39 Steps’ and ‘The Man Who Never Was'.
Now.SJ.
- Capture 2
- 25 Aug 2008
- 16 Aug 2024
Gower Street, and University College, London.
Now.SJ.

A very similar view appears in Doctor at Large. SJ
- Capture 3
- 25 Aug 2008
- 16 Aug 2024
Now.SJ.

Not many changes over the years. SJ
- Capture 4
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
Now.SJ.

The entrance now favours pedestrians. SJ
- Capture 5
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
Now.SJ.

Panning a little more to the left to show the double gatehouse. SJ
- Capture 6
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
Now.SJ.

A more colourful scene but not in a good way. SJ
- Capture 7
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
Gower Street, and University College, London.
Note an addition to the building, not to mention the tree, has obscured some of the University College Hospital. SJ.

The tree has thickened and building works have returned. SJ
- Capture 8
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
Gower Street, and University College, London.
Now and the same. SJ.

The sky is bluer. SJ
- Capture 9
- 27 Jun 2008
- 16 Aug 2024
I feel pretty certain this is Tottenham Court Road at Goodge Street Underground and that the street with the Express Dairy on the corner is Tottenham Street. Roy Barnacle.
Got it! Roy Barnacle gave me the clue, but the station is Euston Square in Gower Street. The houses are those on the left of dh002a. The doorway is what was the medical bookshop H.K. Lewis, now part of UCL. The scaffolded building in the background is on Euston Road. The now shot is from a slightly different angle because of the large sign. This Express Dairy site on Gower Place seems to have been pulled down shortly after the film was made, and its replacement building pulled down and rebuilt very recently, but the bus, though now a bendy one, is still a 73. Pic from Adrian Grepnold, well spotted Adrian.

A clearer view years later. SJ
- Capture 10
- Pre 2008
- 15 Mar 2024
South-east Gower St? Adrian Grepnold.
Well, I said Gower Street and I was wrong. But I turned two corners and found this, in Tavistock Square. I'm not actually convinced this is the right terrace, but it must be the twin of the right one, probably now demolished. Adrian. (Seems pretty good to me - JT.)

This update is slightly designed to reopen the debate. It's on the west side of Tavistock Square and I think it's a pretty good match too. SJ
- Capture 11
- 15 Mar 2024

Panning to the right, passing no32. SJ
- Capture 12
- 15 Mar 2024

And again to the steps of no31. SJ
- Capture 13
- 25 Aug 2008
- 06 May 2024
Ladies Turkish Baths Queen Sq. Adrian Grepnold.
Now. SJ.

A slightly more accurate positioning here. SJ
- Capture 14
- Pre 2008
- 06 May 2024
Queen Square WC1. Adrian Grepnold. The location also appears in 'Doctor in the House'.
Now pic by Adrian, absolutely spot-on sleuthing here.

Panning slightly left and west. SJ
- Capture 15
- 25 Aug 2008
- 06 May 2024
The west side of the square. SJ.

Now, without scaffolding, so it was worth the wait. SJ
- Capture 16
- 22 Aug 2008
- 10 Jul 2026
Maybe, just maybe, a clue here for the hard of hearing.
Yup, Harley Street on the corner of Wigmore Street. SJ.

A chance for a more accurate match. SJ
- Capture 17
- 22 Aug 2008
- 10 Jul 2026
Passing the corner of Harley Street as it meets Wigmore Street.
Now. SJ.

New doors after refurbishment in 2024-25. SJ
- Capture 18
- 22 Aug 2008
- 10 Jul 2026
He turns west into Wigmore Street.
Now. SJ.

Looking west opposite Cavendish Square. SJ
- Capture 19
- 22 Aug 2008
- 14 Sep 2023
Wigmore Street, London, W1 .
Bell and Croyden still going strong, on the corner of Welbeck Street. SJ.

A refurbishment in 2015 changed the colour scheme to what it is now. (SR)
- Capture 20
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
UniCol.
One and the same. SJ.

Works are drawing to a close. SJ
- Capture 21
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
With no change apart from the motors. SJ.

A completely new design around the old (north side) observatory. SJ
- Capture 22
- Pre 2008
- 26 May 2026
Gower St University College Hospital, I think, Adrian Grepnold.
University College Hospital, from the gateway of University College. Pic by Adrian.

With hindsght, I could have lined up the foreground railings with the background a little better and a shot later in the day would replicate the strong shadows on the hospital in the original. SJ
- Capture 23
- 25 Aug 2008
- 26 May 2026
UniCol again.
Still the same. SJ.

With a replica of Discophorus overlooking the quad and the southern astronomical shed. SJ
- Capture 24
- 'Now' required
A pub.
- Capture 25
- 21 Aug 2008
- 22 Apr 2024
A London Square. Myddleton Square EC1 found by SJ and confirmed by Barry Page.
The northwest corner of Myddelton Square. SJ.

A closer shot with which to update. SJ
- Capture 26
- 21 Aug 2008
- 22 Apr 2024
Myddleton Square was also seen in the 1999 remake of 'The End of the Affair'. SJ.
From a similar viewpoint. SJ.

Looking from the square up Mylne Street to Pentonville Road where Arena House at 66-68 has been replaced by The Claremont in the mid 2010s. Next door Jury's Inn has been taken over as a DoubleTree by Hilton with the buidling retained. SJ
- Capture 27
- 21 Aug 2008
Now part of Islington, Barry Page reminds us that Myddleton Square was in the Metropolitan Borough of Finsbury at the time of filming.
For details . . . see the London Film Location Guide by Simon James. Inglebert Street to the left.
- Capture 28
- 22 Apr 2024
The southwest corner of Myddleton Square in EC1 located by SJ and confirmed by Barry Page with K. Maley adding that this is the eastern end of River Street.

Looking east from River Street. I finally corrected my street-away error from 2013! SJ
- Capture 29
- 25 Aug 2008
- 06 May 2024
Back to the west side of Queen Square, WC1. Shame about the scaffolding. SJ.

16 years later, one realises that scaffolding isn't forever. SJ
- Capture 30
- 25 Aug 2008
- 06 May 2024
More scaffolding. SJ.

Panning left. SJ
- Capture 31
- 25 Aug 2008
- 06 May 2024
And again. SJ.

With a decent view of the obelisk. SJ

