Trivia / Doctor in Trouble

• Acting for Two: Gerald Paris plays both a taxi driver and a passenger.
• Billing Displacement:
  • Despite having his role cut down to only one scene, James Robertson Justice is still given third billing for his loyal service to the Doctor... Series.
  • Joan Sims is given star billing despite first appearing in the last ten minutes.
  • One poster adds Jacki Piper to the list of stars despite the fact she only appears in the final scene.
  • The trailer has Fred Emney listed with the stars despite the fact he has precious little to do in the actual film.
• Blooper: The ropes extending from the Golden Horn to the Drobny disappear in a wide shot.
• Cast the Runner-Up: After being the original choice for Sir Lancelot 16 years prior, Robert Morley returns to play his brother, Captain Spratt.
• Completely Different Title:
  • Belgium/France: Doctor in Distress.
  • Brazil: Sex of a Doctor.
  • Germany: It's Difficult for a Stowaway.
  • Greece: A Mischievous Doctor.
  • Norway: Doctor in High Seas.
  • Portugal: Doctor... Watch Out for Them.
  • Sweden: Shipwreck on Board.
• Creator Backlash:
  • Betty Box wasn't happy with Robert Morley's casting over James Robertson Justice, feeling the film was doomed from the start. In her autobiography, she claimed:
    Situations which would have been hilarious with James were just mildly amusing with Morley, and the whole point of the piece was lost.
  • Ralph Thomas thought the Doctor... Series was getting desperate by this point.
  • Joan Sims thought this film lacked the comic quality of those in the series that had come before it.
• Creator Couple: Real-life married couple Jack Armstrong and Alecia St Legia play uncredited passengers.
• The Danza: Michael Fleming as Mr. Fleming.
• Dawson Casting: Leslie Phillips was 46 when he played the 35-year-old Dr. Burke.
• Deleted Scene: The BBFC ordered some shots of a topless Ophelia to be cut in order to avoid an X certificate.
• DVD Commentary: With British comedy historian Robert Ross talking to Leslie Phillips (Dr. Tony Burke).
• Fake American: Angela Scoular and Tom Kempinski as Ophelia O'Brien and Stedman Green.
• Fake Brit: The Polish John Bluthal as a British taxi driver.
• Fake Nationality: Satterjee is played by the British Graham Stark in Brownface.
• Fake Russian: Joan Sims as the Russian Captain.
• Follow the Leader: The film provides much broader and bluer comedy than others in the Doctor... Series in an attempt to appeal to fans of the Carry On... Series, which was at the peak of its popularity when this film was released.
• Irony as She Is Cast: Graham Chapman's character, Roddy, is a stereotypical Camp Gay, while Chapman (a gay man himself) deeply hated said stereotype and made sure to avoid being one in real life.
• Playing Against Type: Joan Sims was mostly known for playing nagging shrews, Cockney lasses, or upper-class ladies, a far cry from the butch Russian Captain she plays here.
• Playing Their Own Twin: James Robertson Justice was hoped to also play Captain Spratt, the brother of his usual role of Sir Lancelot.
• Queer Character, Queer Actor: Roddy the Camp Gay photographer is played by the gay Graham Chapman.
• Recycled Script: The Radio Times Guide to Films complains that the film feels as if it was made up with leftover material from Doctor at Sea, while the original VHS outright called it a blend of At Sea and Doctor in Love.
• Role Reprise: After missing Doctor in Distress (1963) and playing a different character in Doctor in Clover, Leslie Phillips returns to his original role of Dr. Burke.
• Uncredited Role:
  • Sylvana Henriques as Audrey.
  • Celestine Burden as Mélisse.
  • Michael Fleming as Mr. Fleming.
  • Sheila White as one of the nurses watching TV with Dr. Burke.
  • We don't find out who played Maurice, Mr. Sergeant, Bonzo, or Jamie.
• What Could Have Been:
  • If James Robertson Justice hadn't had his stroke, he would've played Robert Morley's role of Captain Spratt in addition to playing Sir Lancelot.
  • This wasn't supposed to be the final Doctor film but ended up being it due to British films becoming unprofitable in America.
• You Look Familiar:
  • Irene Handl, John Le Mesurier, and Jimmy Thompson play different roles to the ones they had played in Doctor in Love.
  • John Bluthal plays a different role to the one he had played in Doctor in Distress (1963).
  • Anthony Sharp plays a different role to the one he had played in Doctor in Clover.
  • Marianne Stone returns for her third unique role in the series.
  • Joan Sims returns for her fifth unique role in the series.

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