Posted on 07/10/2026 4:12:51 PM PDT by Round Earther
Randolph Mantooth, who starred as the goofy but gallant firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage on Emergency!, the 1970s NBC action show that changed life-saving services as we know it, has died. He was 80.
Mantooth died Thursday at a hospice facility in Ventura, California, his brother, Donald Mantooth, told The Hollywood Reporter. He had been “ill for a number of years and kept getting thinner and thinner,” he said.
Mantooth also had two stints (1987-90 and 1993-95) as Clay Alden/Alex Masters on the ABC soap opera Loving, and he appeared on other daytime serials including ABC’s General Hospital, CBS’ As the World Turns and ABC’s One Life to Live.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
I’ll raise a toast of ringers lactate to his memory.
Julie London was a hottie - and a chain smoker and alcoholic.
Don’t forget D5W.
I remember that show. Always had the big event at the end. You knew it was big by the numerous and differnt sounds of the alert.
Couple kids I grew up with both became Firefighters because of this show.
Got on in different Departments. Both Made Captain.
Both made BANK.
The show seemed longer than Gone With the Wind. It would seem like the show should be over and I’d look at my watch and it was 8:35. And I got so tired hearing KMG 365
Emergency on MeTV has become my afternoon must-watch show. Sooo much better than most modern programming.
Mother, Jugs & Speed is in my DVD collection. Love that movie!
KMG365 out
As a kid, it was a lot of fun to watch. How many calls this week? Will there be a big fire or other disaster? How many alarms?
Singer Julie London played Nurse Dixie McCall.
LOL! Zackly!
“ringers lactate” how many times did we hear that? Great show along with Adam 12.
I know a guy who became a firefighter because of Emergency.
If I’m flipping channels and it’s on, I always watch.
Some TV dramas I remember from the 1970s: Adam-12, The Rookies, SWAT, Marcus Welby MD, Medical Center, Mannix, The Streets of San Francisco, Kojak, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Bionic Woman, Barnaby Jones, Hawaii 5-0, Beretta.
Huge hits. But when I see one now, they look cheap and cheesy compared to modern TV shows like Game of Thrones or Lost. Even 1980s dramas are far more complex or slick, such as Hill Street Blues and Miami Vice.
Rockford Files, Barnaby Jones, Gunsmoke (the one Western to survive the “rural purge”) CHiPs, those crazy “Roasts”, Movie of the Week, McCloud, Columbo, Charlie’s Angels…
You’re right. It’s a long list and a generation or more is unaware of it!
You tagged Barnaby Jones. My mistake. I’ll replace it with Starsky & Hutch!
He was my favorite character...............
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.