Emergency! was probably my favorite TV series when I was a young kid. The show ran from 1972-1978, a period in which I was 7-13yrs old.
I used to watch the show and think that if you took away all the blood and gore, the risk of getting burned alive, and all the death-defying rescues you faced on a daily basis…..being a Firefigher/Paramedic looked pretty cool.
Now that I am old and wise (Idiot-wise) I think that the stress of not knowing if the damn fire bell was going to ring in the middle of a good nights sleep, or in the middle of a good dinner,….would have pretty well ruled out that career path for me.
Emergency! was developed by Jack Webb and R.A. Cinader. The show was a spin-off of the popular Police Drama “Adam-12“.
The show detailed the everyday happenings in a Los Angeles County Fire Department Firehouse, Station 51, and a busy Metropolitan Hospital, Rampart General.
The show highlighted the exploits of the Firefighter/Paramedics of Station 51 at a time when such Paramedic programs were just being started around the country.
The show featured:
Kevin Tighe – Firefighter/Paramedic Roy DeSoto
Randolph Mantooth – Firefighter/ Paramedic John Gage
Robert Fuller – Dr. Kelly Brackett
Bobby Troup – Dr. Joe Early
Julie London – Nurse Dixie McCall
The Fire Station depicted in the show as Station 51 was an actual active Fire Station, though it had a different station number than the one used in the show.
The station is still in use today and is located in Carson, California.
The Hospital, Rampart General, was a fictional hospital but the exteriors were shot at Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, Ca. That Hospital is still in use today and is now known as Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
There is an actual station #51 in use today…. As a nod to the cultural impact of the show, the LACFD changed the designation on the fire station located on the grounds of Universal Studios from Station 60 to Station 51 in 1994.
The Paramedics truck, Squad 51, used on the show, is currently housed in the Los Angeles County Firefighters Association Warehouse and is occasionally used for special functions.
Cast members Bobby Troup and Julie London were married in real life.
In case you wondered about his name, Randolph Mantooth is half Seminole Indian.
One of the Engine 51 Firefighters, Mike Stoker, was an actual working LA County Fireman. The producers needed someone who could accurately portray a Fireman AND more important, drive the actual Fire Engine. The remaining Firefighters were actors.
The show spawned an animated spin-off called Emergency! +4 which ran on Saturday Mornings from 1973-1976. (Yes…I watched that show too)
Since the show ended:
Kevin Tighe has gone on to a prolific career on Television and in Films as a Character actor, usually typecast as a Villain. Viewers of the popular ABC show LOST know him as the psychotic, kidney-stealing father of John Locke.
Randolph Mantooth went to appear on Daytime Soaps such as Loving, As the World Turns, and One Life to Live.
Robert Fuller has retired from acting and now resides on a Cattle Ranch in Texas.
Bobby Troup and Julie London have both since passed away.
This was a great show! You can catch the show on DVD or it is often available for free viewing on Hulu.com Hopefully, someday down the road, TV LAND or some other cable channel will resume showing reruns of this Television classic!
My brother, who is about your age, loved this show. He played Emergency the way other kids played cowboys or pirates. He tried many careers, but has worked as an EMT for the past several years. You know what they say about finding a job that you played as a kid.
By: chlost on October 10, 2011
at 3:20 pm
Queen of the Courtroom – Yep, I loved the show…..and look how it turned out….. I ended up being Nurse Dixie McCall…….
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 3:24 pm
I just stumbled across this and truly enjoyed it. I too used to watch the show. I now watch it on online with my 11-year-old son, who can’t get enough of it. We recently went to “Station 51 in Quarters” (at Station 127) this past July where the original Ward LaFrance engine was “unveiled” after its complete renovation. The reunion also included Mike Stoker and Randolph Mantooth.
I especially got a kick out of your “blood and guts” comment regarding your desire to be a firefighter. Watching the show now is a real hoot- not a drop of blood to be found for miles, even with gunshot wounds.
Thanks for the blog and don’t forget the first thing you always have to do:
Squad 51, “administer an I.V.”
By: lsismor on October 10, 2011
at 4:17 pm
Isismor – Glad you and your son are fans of that great show….. I’ll start that I.V. (with ringers lactate and D5W) right now……
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 4:24 pm
My daugther loved that show when they ran the re-runs when she was a teenager!
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on October 10, 2011
at 5:23 pm
Linda – Your daughter had good taste in reruns
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 5:35 pm
I would love to administer an I.V. Especially for my husband, he has such big green veins. Freaky I know.
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on October 10, 2011
at 5:39 pm
I just realized that my second husband looks similiar to the black haired guy whichever one he was (Randolph Mantooth?) and he was a fireman. Strange.
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on October 10, 2011
at 5:49 pm
Linda – Yep, that’s Randolph Mantooth alright…..
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 6:10 pm
Linda – They are pretty cool…… When I was a Nurse, I used to look at people out in public and would immediately be drawn to their veins….. Now THAT’S weird!
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 6:11 pm
“Station 51, 10-4 KMG 365.”
“Administer an IV, D5W, TKO, with Ringers lactate, immobilise,and transport as soon as possible.”
Best. Show. Period. (Next to SWAT, of course.)
By: John Erickson on October 10, 2011
at 6:11 pm
No-Hio – You can remember all that dialogue….yet you can’t remember what you ate for dinner last night…… Isn’t getting old fun?
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 6:13 pm
Dinner? What? Who the heck are you? What am I doing here? Where…..
“1-Adam-12, 1-Adam-12, see the woman, about a fight, 1315 West Alameda, handle code 2.”
Now where were we?
By: John Erickson on October 10, 2011
at 6:25 pm
No-Hio – I get the hint….adding Adam-12 to the list……
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 10, 2011
at 6:26 pm
Oh my gosh! I was just telling my boss about this show last week! It was THE best! thanks for a great throw back!!!!!
By: Chatter Master on October 10, 2011
at 6:31 pm
I had forgotten about this show. My sisters played “Emergency” when we were kids. Fun post, Mark!
Kathy
By: Kathryn McCullough on October 10, 2011
at 6:37 pm
I loved this show and thought Dixie was cool,
By: Bridgesburning Chris King on October 10, 2011
at 9:52 pm
Chris – Julie London was a great singer too
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on October 11, 2011
at 7:16 am
An impressive share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a coworker who had been doing a little research on this. And he in fact ordered me lunch because I discovered it for him… lol. So allow me to reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending time to talk about this matter here on your web site.
By: How to become a Paramedic on March 16, 2012
at 8:45 am
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By: How to become a Paramedic on March 16, 2012
at 8:58 am