Toby Freedman

Toby Freedman MD (July 2, 1924 – April 15, 2011) was an American physician, who worked with the American Manned Space Flight Program for North American Aviation, as their corporate medical director, later served as a team physician for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Lakers; and finally physician for Korean Airlines, before returning and retiring from North American Rockwell in 1988.

Freedman was born in New York City on July 2, 1924. His father, David Freedman, was a comedy writer for Eddie Cantor. Cantor moved to Beverly Hills. In 1936, after David died, Beatrice Freedman, Toby's mother, moved Toby and his three siblings: Ben, Noel, and Laurie to Beverly Hills. Toby graduated from Beverly Hills High School at age 16 in 1940, and was an all-conference football guard. He met Tom Fears, and they became lifelong friends. He received a football scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley. After three years, he transferred to Stanford University, receiving a B.A. in biology in 1945, and an M.D. degree from Stanford Medical School in 1948 along with Dr. Bob Kerlan. He completed his residency in 1951 in Internal Medicine at the USC Medical Center, under the direction of Dr. Max Gaspar. Freedman then entered the U.S. Air Force.