Doogie Howser, M.D. : Synopsis, Pictures, Photos, Trivia, Filming Locations

Star Neil Patrick Harris reportedly drew inspiration from watching Robert Young in "Marcus Welby, M.D." (1969). Learning that Young was ill and pondering death, Harris visited Young with tapes of "Doogie Howser" and helped cheer him up.

Steven Bochco stated in his interview on the Season One DVD that had he been able to finish the series and write a "final" season (as opposed to ABC's abrupt cancellation of the show in its fourth season), he would have had a season long story arc in which Doogie becomes disillusioned with medicine and in the end, becomes a writer.

Steven Bochco partially modeled the character of Doogie Howser after his father who had been a child prodigy himself as a violinist.