screen captures from the Cutter to Houston pilot episode, 1983
Shelley's second foray into series TV was Cutter to Houston. It was about three young doctors from the world-famous Texas Medical Center in Houston who were recruited to run a small hospital in the fictional rural town of Cutter, Texas. Jim Metzler and Alec Baldwin played the other two doctors. Jim played idealistic GP Dr. Andy Fenton, who grew up in Cutter and is glad to be home. Alec played internist/ladies man Dr. Hal Wexler, who is getting through his probation, having been relegated to Cutter for being a little too fast and free with his prescriptions. And Shelley played Dr. Beth Gilbert, an ambitious surgeon on temporary assignment in Cutter and aspires to be a heart surgeon in Houston.
more screen captures from the Cutter to Houston pilot episode, 1983
To continue, Beth is left to make a difficult decision in order to save a man's life. The man, Frank Bickum, has been pinned down by debris at the site of the oil rig accident and the situation there is getting very dangerous. Beth makes her call, and the crew later flies back to Cutter Community Hospital. Frank's pregnant wife, Ginny, finds out about the accident and rushes to the hospital looking for Dr. Gilbert. Beth, exhausted, is resting in one of the rooms when Ginny finds her. Beth awakens to talk to Ginny who is worried about her husband's health. Beth assures her that Frank is doing well.
