John Dixon M.D. is a fictional character on the American TV soap opera, As the World Turns. He was portrayed by Larry Bryggman from July 18, 1969 until December 14, 2004. Dixon is a cardiologist at Oakdale Memorial Hospital where he is also Chief and Acting Chief of Staff at Memorial Hospital. Though the character stopped appearing in 2004, when Bryggman left the show, no mention was made of his having left town. However, after Larry Bryggman returned to the show on August 27, 2010, Bob Hughes mentioned that Dixon had been at Johns Hopkins. The character remained on the show for its final month, appearing in the last episode in September 2010. Protégé of the late Dr. Michael Shea, Dixon was a constant thorn in the side of many Oakdale residents. John's main rivals through the years were Drs. Dan Stewart and Bob Hughes. The son of a working-class family, John was jealous of the affluent Stewarts and Hughes and felt that their lives were served to them on a silver platter. John’s romantic entanglements kept Oakdale on its toes for decades.