Played by David Robb, Dr Richard Clarkson is the family doctor to the Crawleys in "Downton Abbey." In this capacity, he is responsible for caring for the various family members and advises them on medical matters. When World War I began, he became an army surgeon, working at Downton Abbey as it was transformed into a convalescent hospital. Respected by everyone in the area and a veteran of the Boer War, the doctor also treats patients from the surrounding area.
Despite being counted among the main cast, Dr Clarkson was not as involved in the overall story of the series as many of the other characters. Of course, he still played a major part in several key plotlines. Unfortunately, he was responsible for misdiagnosing Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), telling everyone that he would be paralyzed for life after a spinal injury. The young man was only suffering from spinal shock and recovered from its effects. This led to Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) not believing him when he said that Sybil Crawley (Jessica Brown Findlay) had eclampsia, leading to her eventual death and giving the character a mixed reception.
