'Emergency!' Star Was 80
Variety • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Randolph Mantooth, best known for his role as paramedic Johnny Gage on the 1970s TV series “Emergency!,” died on July 9 in Ventura at age 80 after a long illness.
- “Emergency!” was a groundbreaking NBC series that ran for six seasons, introducing the paramedic profession to the public, with Mantooth performing many of his own stunts.
- Beyond “Emergency!,” Mantooth appeared in numerous TV shows including “Dallas,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and various soap operas like “Loving” and “General Hospital,” maintaining a lifelong advocacy for firefighters and EMTs.
- Born in Sacramento with Cherokee and Seminole heritage, Mantooth studied acting in Santa Barbara and New York, and began his TV career after being discovered onstage and signed by Universal.
- He was diagnosed with cancer in 2015 and is survived by his wife Kristen and siblings Donald and Tonya.
