"CHICAGO HOPE"
Arguably the role with which most people immediately identify Adam, after appearing as the sensitive, highly skilled neurosurgeon Dr Aaron Shutt, in (according to one report) all but one (Season 3 'Divided Loyalty') of the 141 episodes... 6 seasons...of the high quality David Kelley hospital drama. The show deservedly attracted highly respected actors not only in the regular cast (Hector Elizondo, E G Marshall, Christine Lahti, Mark Harmon, Peter MacNicol, Mandy Patinkin, Peter Berg, Barbara Hershey etc.) but in its guest stars; Alan Arkin, John Ritter, Rip Torn, Lauren Bacall, Isabella Rosellini, Ricardo Montalban, Rene Auberjonois, James Garner etc.). Dr Shutt was an endearing character; an intelligent, caring doctor who had his fair share of personal dramas during the 6 seasons on air. Aaron's problems - to name but a few - included...his wife Camille, a nurse in the hospital, divorcing him in season 2; Dr Shutt contracting a virus which swept through the hospital (but thankfully recovering); and in the 4th season suffering an aneurysm which temporarily ended his career as a neurosurgeon and forced him to switch to psychiatry. He suffered loss, heartache and fell in love a few times. In Season 3 he had a romantic interlude with a kooky nurse half his age and was also asked by the husband (and former rival for her affections) to 'take back' a former love when said husband died of a terminal illness. This was perhaps the strangest request a man ever made to a friend, and it didn't sit comfortably with Aaron, so in his typically sensitive way, he rejected the offer. In Season 4, he enjoyed a platonic relationship with a much older, terminally-ill woman (played by veteran Oscar-winning actress Lauren Bacall) who persuaded Shutt to loosen up a little and try to get more pleasure out of life (he could be a little 'anally-retentive' at times but it was all part of his appeal!). She was a painter, a free spirit was determined to age disgracefully and stubbornly refused to give in to her illness. As her doctor, Aaron spent a good deal of time with her in the hospital, and when he was unable to prevent her discharging herself to enjoy whatever time she had left, he decided to go with her. It was an uncharaceristically spontaneous gesture for him, and viewers got the impression that he fell a little bit in love with her despite the age gap.
It wasn't, however, until the final season, that he looked set to find the happiness he so deserved in his personal life, with Dr Gina Simon.
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