
Matthew Swain, M.D. is a fictional character in the novel ''
Peyton Place'', as well as
the movie and
TV series
A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, and cable, or distributed digitally on streaming platf ...
of the same name. In the movie, he was played by actor
Lloyd Nolan
Lloyd Benedict Nolan (August 11, 1902 – September 27, 1985) was an American stage, film and television actor who rose from a supporting player and B-movie lead early in his career to featured player status after creating the role of Captain Qu ...
and in the television series, he was played by actor
Warner Anderson
Warner Anderson (March 10, 1911 – August 26, 1976) was an American actor, best known for his starring roles in TV dramas '' The Lineup'' and '' Peyton Place''.
Early years
Anderson was born to "a theatrical family" in Brooklyn, New York, Marc ...
.
History
Matthew Swain was the long time physician in the
New Hampshire
New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...
community of Peyton Place. He had grown up in the community, having done his internship at
Mary Hitchcock Hospital in
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a New England town, town located along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 11,870. The town is home to the Ivy League university ...
. Dr. Swain was a widower, his wife Emily having died some years before the book began, and had been Peyton Place's doctor for some 30 years. The word "Specialist" was anathema to him, having once wrathfully told a specialist in ears eyes nose and throats, that "he specialized in sick people!" He also loved to send birthday cards to every child he delivered. In the novel, he was a friend and ally to the community's school teacher, Miss Elsie Thornton.
After his internship at Hanover, he was to go into partnership with one Dr. Jerrald Quimby, who had been the community's leading physician; until Harmon Carter, in concert with his girlfriend, and Dr. Quimby's then wife, Roberta, turned him away from his house. Furious, he hung his shingle at his parents' house on Chestnut Street and had not regretted doing so. The town had laughed at Dr. Quimby, who had married the much younger Roberta Welch, and sick people started seeing Dr. Swain, after the town found him senile and considered him a "Damned Old Fool". Later on, Dr. Quimby killed himself.
Dr. Swain was close friends with his neighbors on Chestnut Street; however his best friend was Seth Buswell, the editor of the town's newspaper, the ''Peyton Place Times''. He was best known for helping
Selena Cross during her unwanted pregnancy, the product of a
rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault involving sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual penetration, carried out against a person without consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority, or against a person ...
committed by her
sexually abusive stepfather,
Lucas Cross. He performed an
abortion
Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
(which at that time was illegal) and confronted Lucas about what he did. He eventually drove Lucas out of Peyton Place.
Later on, after Selena killed Lucas in self-defense, Dr. Swain testified about what Lucas had done and why Selena had killed him, imperiling his medical license. With his help, she was acquitted.
His only real enemies in town were
Marion Partridge, who didn't like his bluntness, and Evelyn Page, the mother of Norman Page, after he told her that "there was nothing wrong with her but selfishness and bad temper." These two women proceeded to go to the nearby town of White River and consulted that community's doctor, Dr. John Bixby, who was more than willing to tell them what they wanted to hear.
In the movie, he also helped Selena by testifying about what had happened (Lucas's molestation, and why Selena had a miscarriage). Dr. Swain also delivered a solemn rebuke to the townspeople about being prisoners of each other's gossip, mildly rebuking the community of not being there for Selena when she needed someone. The only person she could turn to was him and that was because she needed medical treatment. He reminded Peyton Place about how everyone went to church, but didn't practice what the churches preached; their school, which most take for granted; a wonderful newspaper which most use to wrap garbage; and how young people, like Allison and Norman, would leave and donate their minds to another community because they felt stifled in their hometown.
In the television series, Matthew Swain was the editor of the town's newspaper (this time, called the ''Peyton Place Clarion'') after the doctor became
Michael Rossi, the former high school principal. He was also the uncle of
Allison MacKenzie. In the television series, the character of Matthew Swain left Peyton Place midway through the first season.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swain, Matthew
Characters in American novels of the 20th century
Peyton Place characters
Drama film characters
Fictional physicians in soap operas
Literary characters introduced in 1956
American male characters in soap operas