How “Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman” Became a Blockbuster and Changed the Actress’s Life When No One Believed in Her

The ’90s had several important events, Dolly’s birth, the first cloned sheep, and the launching of the first book of the Harry Potter saga. However, many will remember this era for a show that moved audiences all over the world: Dr. Quinn, a series that taught us helping others without expecting anything in return is the way to go.

At Bright Side, we love to remember the most famous classic stories and, therefore, we wrote this piece about Jane Seymour, the actress that played Dr. Quinn for you to know what happened behind the scenes of this TV series.

Medicine runs in her blood.

Jane was born in England in 1951. Her mom was a nurse and her dad was an obstetrician. And while she didn’t follow the path of medicine, her parents’ professions seem to have foreshadowed one of the most important parts of her future: her role as a doctor in the series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman.

In one of her Instagram posts, Jane remembers her dad saying, “He introduced me to ballet, opera, theater, and medicine. Little did he know how useful that would be with Dr. Quinn!”

A very prolific actress

Jane’s professional career began in the 1970s with her first roles in The Only Way and Frankenstein: The True Story. But it took off when she played the role of Solitaire, one of the main Bond girls, in the film Live and Let Die. Thanks to this film, the actress gained international fame.

In 1980, she landed one of her most important romantic leads: she played Elise McKenna in the feature film Somewhere in Time. However, until then, Jane did not know that one of her best roles was yet to come.

Her personal life, difficult moments and a twist

While her professional life was going smoothly, Jane’s personal life was a bit more complicated. In 1981, the actress was married to David Flynn, with whom she had two children, Katherine and Sean. But their relationship was not the best, so they ended up divorcing.

“I had a devastating divorce in which I lost everything. I was like $9 million in the red, with lawsuits from every major bank, including the FDIC. I was penniless, homeless, with two children. And so I called my agent and said, ’I will do anything.’” Jane said.

That’s how her agent approached her with the role of Dr. Quinn. “I got the script at 10 o’clock that night. At 10 the next morning, I had to say yes or no and go straight into wardrobe at noon and start filming at 6 the following morning. And I had to sign for five years,” the actress told.

No one thought the series would become a hit, not even CBS, but as soon as she arrived on set, Jane knew the production would make a splash. “It has magic,” she said.

The success of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

The series aired in 1993 and ended up having 6 seasons and 149 episodes. It was nominated for Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. It tells the story of a doctor who leaves the comfort of her city to practice her profession in a rural town.

The series became an absolute hit in the United States and garnered high ratings worldwide. It is one of the most emblematic and recognized stories of the 1990s.

More than 20 years after its premiere, Jane is ready to reboot the story: “We actually have the most wonderful scripts and everything ready to go for a reboot. We would start 26 years later when it’s all about women’s liberation. We’ve got to find a network or somebody who wants to do it, but we’re all on board. We have it all mapped out, [original series creator] Beth Sullivan did it, it’s brilliant,” she said.

Family life and future projects

At 71, Seymour looks better than ever. She is in a relationship, has 4 children, 3 grandchildren, and couldn’t be happier: “My life is about family, close friends who I consider my family and trying to make a difference”. With this last sentence, she refers to the Open Hearts Foundation, inspired by her mom’s philosophy, which seeks to empower emerging and growing non-profit organizations.

But family does not override her professional life. Seymour continues to work. Some of her most recent and outstanding works are Harry Wild, B Positive, and Ruby’s Choice. She was also part of the cast of other upcoming series, such as An Attractive Offer and Fame & Misfortune.

What was your favorite series of the ’90s? Why?