As The Good Doctor started Season 7, its last season on the air, the hit medical drama offered an emotional tribute to Paul Lukaitis.
The Good Doctor's Tribute to Paul Lukaitis
ABC ended The Good Doctor's Season 7 premiere with an unexpected tribute to crew member Paul Lukaitis, who tragically passed away on October 26, 2023.
Lukaitis worked as a production manager on The Good Doctor during most of the series' first six seasons, totaling credits on over 100 episodes before his passing according to his IMDb page.
Lukaitis also served in the same role on many other series that were filmed in Vancouver, Canada, including Charmed, Timeless, and Wayward Pines.
The longtime member of The Good Doctor's crew fought cancer for a year, as noted by his obituary on Today in BC, sadly losing that battle at age 64 with his family by his side.
In his younger years, Lukaitis worked as a logger on Vancouver Island and would move on to build high-rise projects in Vancouver, finding his purpose in life when he went to Vancouver Film School at 32 years old. He worked his way through the film industry by parking cars and working as a production assistant until he became The Good Doctor's Unit Manager.
He leaves behind his partner Margaret Yaworski and his daughter Eva Lukaitis. The film veteran also had a passion for boating, skiing, biking, and traveling when he was not on a TV or movie set.
Lukaitis was described in his obituary as loyal, tenacious, gritty, kind, and determined, always making sure he was punctual and dedicated while also being open to asking and answering questions.
Before the tribute to Lukaitis' memory in The Good Doctor, a memorial was held for him on November 11, 2023.
The ABC show gave Lukaitis an extra special tribute in Season 7, introducing a new character named Charlene "Charlie" Lukaitis as a dedication to the show's late production manager (per Deadline).
In January, Kayla Cromer was cast in the role, playing a third-year medical student excited for her new rotation along with the chance to work with Freddie Highmore's Dr. Shaun Murphy, her hero.
She shares a space with Dr. Murphy on the Autism Spectrum, and after seeing a viral video of him saving a boy's life at the San Jose airport, he became her idol.
Boasting a youthful energy and a sense of empowerment, she has a passion for her work as a surgeon along with a love of real-world pop megastar Taylor Swift.
The Direct sends our deepest condolences to Lukaitis' family, his friends, and the entire The Good Doctor community during this difficult and emotional time.
New episodes of The Good Doctor premiere on ABC on Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET.
