"Emergency!" Made its Debut 50 Years Ago

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by Bob Voldar, Jan 15, 2022.

  1. Bob Voldar

    Bob Voldar Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Yes, the TV medical drama/action series made its debut back on January 15, 1972. It was created by Jack Webb, Harold Jack Bloom, and Robert A. Cinader. The show would run till the end of the 1976-77 TV season. Six made for TV movies featuring Gage and Desoto would also come out over the next two years.

    "Emergency!" mainly centered around paramedics of Rescue Squad 51 Jonny Gage (Randolph Mantooth) and Roy Desoto (Kevin Tighe). They would work with Rampart General Hospital staff Dr. Kelly Brackett (Robert Fuller) , Dr. Joe Early (Bobby Troop), Nurse Dixie McCall (Julie London), and Dr. Mike Morton (Ron Pinkard). Gage and Desoto would also accompany their "parent" Station 51 on various rescues. Among the crew of Station 51 were Captain Hammer *(season one), Captain Stanley (seasons 2-6), Mike Stoker (an actual firefighter), Marco Lopez, and Chet Kelly**.

    I believe I stated watching "Emergency!" sometime in the middle of season two and it became my favorite prime time TV show. Every Saturday night the rest of the world had to stop so I could watch this!

    The show was credited for popularizing the concepts of EMS and paramedics. At the time of the show's creation firefighters trained as paramedics was often frowned upon by those in the firefighting profession as well as some in the medical community. This was seen in the 2 hour premier movie "The Wedsworth Townsend Act" as Dr. Brackett was at first opposed to having firefighters as first responders to rescues. Another episode saw Station 51 get a "substitute" captain who was old school and wasn't supportive of the paramedic program.

    * Captain Hammer was first played by a real life firefighter captain with the same name. A few later episodes saw actor John Smith play Captain Hammer.

    **Tim Donnelly, the actor who portrayed Chet, died last September.
     
  2. Cool hand luke

    Cool hand luke There you go man, keep as cool as you can

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    I can still here those alert buzzers/beeps going off, in the opening.
    It was on after my bedtime, but my older brother and sisters got to watch it. I can remember sneaking up and peeking around the corner to watch it. I think later on I was allowed to watch, because I can remember stuff about it.
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2022
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  3. Spaghettiows

    Spaghettiows Forum Resident

    Location:
    Silver Creek, NY
    Many times when I see an emergency vehicle rushing along with flashers and sirens, that urgent theme song by Nelson Riddle still goes through my head. I watched it all the time as a boy in the 70s. Little did I know back then who Julie London was and that she was actually married to that old doctor on the show in real life. Bobby Troup scored big time.

    [​IMG]
     
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  4. tonyc

    tonyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Great show. My father was a paramedic so it was always popular in my family. I still watch an occasional rerun on Cozi.
     
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  5. Raylinds

    Raylinds Resident Lake Surfer

    Great show!
     
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  6. Bob Voldar

    Bob Voldar Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Oh, Station 51 also had two dogs. Seasons one through five had "Boot", a mixed breed who just happened to wander into the station. The dog that played Boot died while season five was being filmed. Partway through season six another dog happened to wonder into the station. He would be taken in by the crew and be given the name "Henry". Henry was a Basset Hound and basically spent his time on the station's couch. After the show was axed Henry would gain new "employment" as Lt. Columbo's dog......simply named "Dog".
     
  7. tonyc

    tonyc Forum Resident

    Location:
    United States
    Wow! I did not know Henry was "Dog". Thank you.
     
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  8. gabbleratchet7

    gabbleratchet7 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    Fond memories of watching this and Adam-12 in syndication as a child in the late ‘70s. Catching an episode of Emergency! More recently, I was struck at how low budget it must have been; the hospital scenes were certainly not ER-level. “Rampart…”
     
  9. beccabear67

    beccabear67 Musical omnivore.

    Location:
    Victoria, Canada
    An auxiliary member of the Randolph Mantooth Appreciation Society here.
    [​IMG]

    I even bought the comic book...
     
  10. colinu

    colinu I'm not lazy, I'm energy saving!

    Affirmative Rampart!
     
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  11. rmath84

    rmath84 Forum Resident

    A fan of Julie London. Listening to her now.

    [​IMG]
     
  12. RhodyDave125

    RhodyDave125 Streetwalkin' Cheetah

    I still enjoy the show. My wife and I watch a few episodes a week on Cozi TV. I love the snazzy music too!
     
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  13. Jack Lord

    Jack Lord Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    Great show. An essential part of my childhood. Good clean fun and lots of action.
     
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  14. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I can still remember the debut of the first show...
     
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  15. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    like so many other decent shows from back then...
     
  16. Big Jimbo

    Big Jimbo Forum Resident

    Location:
    NY
    Noted jazz aficionado (honestly!) Jack Webb giving jobs to his ex-wife Julie London and her husband Bobby Troup
     
  17. SandAndGlass

    SandAndGlass Twilight Forum Resident

    So, for a half of a century now, I have never seen the show, not even once...
     
  18. JohnG

    JohnG PROG now in Dolby ATMOS!

    Location:
    Long Island NY
    I can credit this show and Adam-12 for my love of emergency services which includes law enforcement and paramedic work. Did both for a 30 year career, after 5 years on Wall Street.
     
  19. Makarova

    Makarova Active Member

    Location:
    US
    I watched the show solely because of Randy Mantooth. Loved him. I know, I know--I am shallow :D
     
  20. Tanx

    Tanx Forum Resident

    Location:
    Washington, DC
    I don't think I ever loved a show as much as this one. I thought I'd found my career, but that faded after the show was cancelled. My son and I watched it just last weekend. You have to marvel at the real time pacing and how often a scene has little dialogue. So much more authentic than the bombastic medical shows of today. Just a great show.
     
  21. JohnG

    JohnG PROG now in Dolby ATMOS!

    Location:
    Long Island NY
    For a person who was involved in emergency services for 3 decades in NY, shows like The Rookie and 9-1-1 (either one) are absolutely ridiculous. But are well produced.
     
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  22. ed carter

    ed carter Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    KMG 365

    Watched some shows streaming a few years ago, and the image quality and color were amazing! Looks like it was shot on 35mm
     
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  23. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    It was.
     
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  24. Cool hand luke

    Cool hand luke There you go man, keep as cool as you can

    Location:
    Massachusetts
    One-Adam 12, One-Adam 12, see the man
     
  25. Scooterpiety

    Scooterpiety Ars Gratia Artis

    Location:
    Oregon
    Before Bobby, Julie was married to Emergency! Creator/producer Jack Webb.

    I watched the show for most of its original run and syndicated repeats in the mid-late '70s where it was titled Emergency! One.
     
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