Randolph Mantooth, Star of ‘Emergency!,’ Dies at 80

Randolph Mantooth, the actor who spent six seasons as firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage on the NBC drama Emergency!, died Thursday at a hospice facility in Ventura, California. He was 80 years old.
His brother Donald confirmed the news to TMZ. Mantooth had been battling several forms of cancer for years, beginning with throat cancer after his diagnosis in 2015. The illness gradually took its toll. His sister Tonya told JEMS that even though he had been sick, his passing “took us by surprise a bit.”
He died surrounded by friends and family. He is survived by his wife Kristen, his brother Donald, his sister Tonya, and his nieces and nephews.

The Show That Changed Emergency Medicine

Mantooth had no idea what a paramedic was when he auditioned for Emergency! in 1972. He said so himself in a 2013 interview. At the time, there were only a handful of paramedic units in all of California.
The show changed that. Emergency! ran on NBC for six seasons and introduced millions of Americans to the work of firefighters and paramedics. When it debuted, there were 12 paramedic squads in the entire country. Within years of the show’s run, that number had grown dramatically. Mantooth performed most of his own stunts and later voiced the character in the animated spinoff Emergency+4.

A Career That Lasted Five Decades

After Emergency! ended, Mantooth kept working. He guest-starred on Charlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Battlestar Galactica, Baywatch, L.A. Law, Sons of Anarchy, and dozens of other shows. He spent years in daytime television, appearing in more than 380 episodes of the ABC soap opera Loving and nearly 200 episodes of its spinoff The City. He also had stints on General Hospital, One Life to Live, and As the World Turns.

The Real Work Off Screen

Mantooth never stopped showing up for firefighters and paramedics after Emergency! ended. He spoke at fire and EMS conferences across the country for decades and served as a spokesperson for both the International Association of Firefighters and the International Association of Fire Chiefs.
EMS Attorney Doug Wolfberg posted on Facebook after the news broke. “It was a privilege and an honor to have known Randy for over 25 years. He was a true ambassador for EMS.”
His family said he will be remembered for his sense of humor and his love of storytelling. “He especially loved gathering friends and family for backyard barbecues around the firepit, where stories, laughter, and memories were shared late into the evening.”
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Source: TMZ, Variety, Deadline, Hollywood Reporter, JEMS