Elizabeth Corday

Dr. Elizabeth Corday was a fictional medical doctor on the ER television series. She is portrayed by Alex Kingston. Dr. Corday was on ER from 1997 to 2004.

Background

Dr. Corday is from the United Kingdom, and was educated as a doctor there, following in her father's footsteps. Dr. Corday is a trauma surgeon.

Corday and fellow surgeon Dr. Peter Benton had a brief romantic relationship. However that relationship soon ended, and Benton eventually left. Dr. Robert Romano made advances towards her, and Corday found herself considering making a complaint against Romano.

Corday and Greene's Marriage

Corday soon became romantically involved with Dr. Mark Greene. She soon found that she was pregnant with his child. Corday and Greene soon married, and had a daughter named Ella.

However, Corday's marriage to Greene was difficult for both parties. Greene had to deal with the death of his father, and the settlement of his father's estate. Greene also soon found that he had a brain tumor. Corday accompanied him to New York so that surgeons could attempt a removal of the tumor. The removal was apparently successful, and they returned to Chicago.

Corday was furious when Weaver ordered a competency hearing on Greene following surgery. She also had a lawsuit over whether or not she rushed through an operation on a patient, who developed serious complications.

Mark's daughter Rachael from his marriage to Jenn moved in with the couple. Rachel and Corday did not get along. Matters soon came to a head when Ella accidentally took some Ecstasy that Rachael had brought home. Ingesting the drugs caused the baby to develop very serious medical problems. While Ella did recover, Corday demanded that Mark send Rachael away on the grounds that she needed to learn responsibility. When Mark refused, Corday moved out and took Ella with her.

At about the same time, Mark learned that the tumor had returned. Further, it was learned that it was inoperable. Mark eventually left Chicago to spend his final days with his daughter in Hawaii. Eventually, Dr. Corday left to join him in Hawaii to be with Mark during his last days. Mark died with his family at his side. Corday told Rachael after the funeral that it would be ok for her to visit her sister.

Aftermath

After her husband's death, Dr. Corday returned to England for several months. Corday found that she no longer fit in because of her being in the states for so long. Corday returned to her job at County General. She was able to console a man who had lost family members when a drunk driver crashed into them.

Dr. Corday became involved with another man, despite her being concerned that it was too soon following Greene's death.

Shortly before the beginning of the 11th season, the producers announced that Alex Kingston's contract was not being renewed. Kingston has said that it was because she was too old, and was being paid more than many of the other actors on the show. She later retracted those statements.

In the episode Try Carter Dr. Corday was convinced by Dr. Carter to perform an illegal donation procedure between two HIV positive patients. This resulted in her facing the possibility of her losing her license and being dismissed from the staff. Dr. Weaver offered her a clinical instructor position. But Dr. Corday felt that her time had come, quit her job at County General, and moved back to England. Dr. Corday's final appearance on the series was in the episode Fear.