Jean Pierre Carl Buron, known professionally as Jean Hersholt, was a Danish-American actor. He is best known for starring on the CBS radio series Dr. Christian (1937–1954) and inspiring later subsequent TV series (1956-1957), along with co-starring in the Shirley Temple film Heidi (1937). Asked how to pronounce his name, he told to The Literary Digest, "In English, her'sholt; in Danish, hairs'hult." Of his total motion picture credits during 1924 to 1955, 75 were silent film and 65 were "talkies" - 140 total; he directed four.

Dr. Christian is a radio medical drama series with Jean Hersholt in the title role. It aired on the Columbia Broadcasting System from November 7, 1937 to January 6, 1954. Two years after the conclusion of the long-running radio program, the series was adapted for television on 1956 where it aired in syndication also through CBS on the Ziv Television production company until 1957, with a younger "Dr. Mark Christian" portrayed by Macdonald Carey as Dr. Paul's nephew.