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Women on Med TV: From Julia to Nurse Jackie

Their roles have changed, but the woman in the white coat has always known how to keep the ward in line (11 Photos)

Kimberly Potts on Jan 24, 2013 at 10:13PM

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Women on Med TV: From Julia to Nurse Jackie

The Kobal Collection

Diahann Carroll

Julia Baker on Julia

Nurse Julia helped Dr. Chegley take care of his patients at work, and was an equally wonderful caregiver to son Corey, whom she was raising as a single mom after her Army captain husband was killed in Vietnam. Okay, that may not sound like the perfect set-up for a comedy, but Julia was lighthearted and groundbreaking: the 1968-71 sitcom was one of the first to star an African American woman not playing a stereotypical role.