the series was placed around a decaying urban teaching hospital called St. Eligius, in Boston South End neighborhood (rumored at the time to be obstensibly based on Boston City Hospital), and took its name from the hospital's nickname. A hospital served patients non precious per additional prestigious institutions. As a medical drama, St. Elsewhere dealt by having good issues of life & dying, though episodes as well involved the material total of black comedy.

the series got the big ensemble cast, a "realistic" ocular style, & the richness of interlocking stories. Its influence may be seen inside additional recent medical series like ER.

Cast
Dr. Donald Westphall — Ed Flanders Dr. Mark Craig — William Daniels Dr. Ben Samuels (1982-1983) — David Birney Dr. Victor Ehrlich — Ed Begley, Jr. Dr. Jack Morrison — David Morse Dr. Annie Cavanero (1982-1985) — Cynthia Sikes Dr. Wayne Fiscus — Howie Mandel Dr. Cathy Martin (1982-1986) — Barbara Whinnery Dr. Peter White (1982-1985) — Terence Knox Dr. Hugh Beale (1982-1983) — G.W. Bailey Nurse Helen Rosenthal — Christina Pickles Dr. Phillip Chandler — Denzel Washington Dr. V. J. Kochar (1982-1984) — Kavi Raz D. Wendy Armstrong (1982-1984) — Kim Miyori Dr. Daniel Auschlander — Norman Lloyd Nurse Shirley Daniels (1982-1985) — Ellen Bry Orderly Luther Hawkins — Eric Laneuville Joan Halloran (1983-1984) — Nancy Stafford Dr. Robert Caldwell (1983-1986) — Mark Harmon Dr. Michael Ridley (1983-1984) — Paul Sand Mrs. Ellen Craig — Bonnie Bartlett Dr. Elliot Axelrod (1983-1988) — Stephen Furst Nurse Lucy Papandrao — Jennifer Savidge Dr. Jaqueline Virginia wade (1983-1988) — Sagan Lewis Orderly Warren Coolidge (1984-1988) — Byron Stewart Dr. Emily Humes (1984-1985) — Judith Hansen Dr. Alan Poe (1984-1985) — Brian Tochi Nurse Peggy Shotwell (1984-1986) — Saudra Sharp Mrs. Hufnagel (1984-1985) — Florence Halop Dr. Roxanne Turner (1985-1987) — Alfre Woodard Ken Valere (1985-1986) — George Deloy Terri Valere (1985-1986) — Deborah May Dr. Seth Griffon (1986-1988) — Bruce Greenwood Dr. Paulette Kiem (l986-1988) — France Nuyen Dr. Carol Novino (1986-1988) — Cindy Pickett Dr. John Gideon (1987-1988) — Ronny Cox Tommy Westphall (1983-1986, plus final episode) — Chad Allen

Trivia
The building utilized inside exterior shots of the hospital, when merely the prevent out of Boston City Hospital (now Boston Medical Center), is an apartment building & was never utilized as a hospital.

In the opening credits a uncommon (&, per prevent of the indicate anachronic) shot of an MBTA Orange Line train can be seen on the elevated tracks above Washington Street. This line was demolished & relocated around the image below ground in 1987.

a survive episode is of particular note because it explains that the entire course of cases of the indicate's start were the figment of an autistic son's (Tommy Westphall) imagination.