Emergency 50th Anniversary

[rwt1405]

Today is the 50th Anniversary of the first episode of Emergency!

Emergency may have had a major impact on my life

The picture of Randolph and me, is from one of the JEMS National EMS conferences in Baltimore

I was judging the EMS competition wham Randolph came over and asked if we (judges) would like to have our pictures taken with him

He was a great guy, very friendly, and stayed to talk with us until the competition started again

 

[quikdraw67]

I loved that show! Mom was careful about what I could watch on TV (think about what's on today vs. the early 70's and it's kind of quaint in retrospect), but Emergency! passed the sniff test.

 

[Puller]

Watching Emergency on TV was a regular family gathering in my home when I was a kid.

 

[whitestang]

Watched it as a kid and it took about 6 years after the show ended before there were paramedics in my area. I did enjoy it.

 

[Skeet 028]

I was already doing the job about the time it started and learning more all the time. All of our first PMs were firefighter/paramedics. I quit the paramedic game(after 12 years) as I was a Lt. in the department. So the powers that be...put me in charge of the PM program. Didn't really mind too much cause I didn't have to do too much of the medic work. The medics that came after our first PMs sure were prissy about getting messed up, though! It could be a bit messy at times. And of course, we watched the show all the time. LOL

 

[Gunhacker]

A great classic of it's time, along with the other Jack Webb productions, like ADAM-12.

Lots of interesting back stories about Emergency!

If you're fan like me, you'll find the Randolph Mantooth TV Academy Foundation interview really interesting.

Like this segment where he talks about being offered the opportunity to be become an actual LA County firefighter when the series ended:

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmUiQwkJmSw&list=PLJP_M59vk2Fo85L6JyzHHJZOl18KoRFmS&index=17[/ame]

This is the link to all of the interview segments, where you can just select the ones about Emergency!

Randolph Mantooth Interview Selections - EMMYTVLEGENDS.ORG - YouTube

 

[hsguy]

Great thread! I went to Paramedic school in 1972 in the first class of our EMS system and spent 35 years performing my duty full time in addition to being a Firefighter and fire service officer. I also had corresponded with a Chief Officer with the Los Angeles County FD and he graciously afforded me the opportunity to ride with the actual Squad 51 for two days also in 1972 if memory serves correctly. The area was quite different than that portrayed in the TV scenes but otherwise quite realistic. A bit of a funny story, after dinner they played a card game of some sort to determine who did the dishes and cleanup. I am not a card player and mentioned that so I just threw out cards and won each game and was exempt from cleanup but did it anyway to help out. They probably thought I was some sort of Chi Town hustler.

I also had the opportunity to meet Randolph Mantooth at the 25th anniversary of the EMS I was in when he attended the celebration. Great memories, a wonderful career and retired as the senior Paramedic in the state.

 

[Rudi]

That was a great show. Strong cast and good stories. Julie London was a doll.

 

[Gunhacker]

That was a great show. Strong cast and good stories. Julie London was a doll.

And in real life, Julie London was married to Bobby Troup, who played Dr. Early. Before Bobby Troup, she was married to Jack Webb.

Julie and Bobby had ties back to the "Big Band' swing era. She was quite the singer, and he was a jazz pianist, singer, songwriter and producer.

Troup wrote the now a classic song "(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66".

The cast of Emergency! had a wealth and depth of talent that permeated into that shows success.

 

[kmyers]

Like many I enjoyed it as a kid and fine memories. That and Adam-12. By that time Dragnet was off the air but viewed many times in reruns. I always had good laughs at Chet Kelly, the joker character on the team. The actor who portrayed him, Tim Donnelly, appeared in a fair number of Dragnet episodes as well as in some of Adam-12. He died a number of months ago.

 

[Jon651]

I worked on the volunteer ambulance at college in 1983-84, came home and became a Florida EMT in late-84 then a Paramedic in 1986. I volunteered as a firefighter from 1984-1989 but was also a career firefighter/paramedic starting in 1986.

I worked in a total of four departments, but I stayed 25 years at my final one and retired as a Captain with them in 2014. Best job ever. Best career ever.

Growing up I can remember Emergency but it had no impact on me. In high school I was wanting to be a marine engineer. I can even recall in Health class the local FD sent over their rescue squad to give us a demonstration but my only thought at that time was "Not for me!". But after 29 years in the profession, I would do it all over again if I could!

 

[Llance]

1972 just before I was transferred from Long Beach, CA to Annette, AK the wife and I were living in an apartment building behind a house in Long Beach out toward the east end. It was a walk across the road (4 lane) and down a set of stairs to the beach. The house caught fire one night and there was some concern the owner might have been caught in the fire. Luck was in his favor, and he'd gone home but had not gotten there yet. For about 5 months the house sat vacant, then the stage crew from EMERGENCY came to set the house up for an episode. Propane bottles set well away from the house, but gas hoses, lights, and wiring were all over the place running to burners, generators, lights, etc., placed in windows and doors. It took them about a week to set it all up then a week later they did the show. If I had not seen the setup, I would have thought the house really was on fire. The Long Beach Fire Department was on hand just in case, but everything went smooth as they had planned. I never did get to see the episode as we transferred out before it came on screen. Supposedly I am in the background as an extra without pay. If we met the stars I don't remember.