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Emergency!, which aired from 1972 to 1979, was a popular American television series created by Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb. The drama featured notable actors like Robert Fuller, Julie London, and Bobby Troup, and the show followed the daily lives and high-pressure rescues of Squad 51 and Station 51 paramedics and firefighters, located in the city of Los Angeles.
The series is notable for being one of the earliest medical dramas on television — setting the stage for newer ones like Grey’s Anatomy and ER — to focus on emergency medical services (EMS) before the profession became widely recognized. Emergency! provided a realistic and often intense depiction of the challenges faced by first responders, drawing from the experiences of real-life paramedics and firefighters to ensure authenticity. It has been over 50 years since Emergency! made its debut on TV screens, and several of the actors who starred in the series have regrettably passed away. Here is a guide to Emergency!’ actors who are no longer with us.
Michael Norell was both an actor and TV writer, though he had just two notable acting roles to his credit. One was his appearance in the crime drama anthology series Police Story.
However, his portrayal of firefighter Captain Henry Stanley in Emergency! left a lasting impression on audiences, with 110 appearances from 1972 to 1978. During his time on the series, he discovered his writing talent and focused on that aspect of the entertainment industry after the show ended. He subsequently lent his writing skills to various projects, among them The Love Boat, Nash Bridges, The Magnificent Seven, and the television movie She Knows Too Much. Sadly, Norell passed away recently on May 12, 2023, at 85.
Tim Donnelly, like many of his Emergency! co-stars, is most notably remembered for his role on the show, in his case firefighter Chester B. Kelly. Prior to the show, he had gained some acting experience with parts in television series such as The Legend of Jesse James and The Virginian, as well as a part in the movie The Secret of Santa Vittoria.
He became a familiar face throughout the show, appearing in 122 episodes between 1972 and 1978. After his time on the medical drama ended, Donnelly continued his acting career with roles in The Death of Ocean View Park, CHiPs, and a 1984 episode of The A-Team, which became his final television appearance. Unfortunately, the actor’s life journey ended at 77 in September 2021. He died at his home in New Mexico. The Hollywood Reporter stated that his family disclosed his death resulted from complications following surgery.
Before Balinger joined the cast of Emergency!, he had an active career working on various TV series and movies. His screen debut was in a 1953 episode of Fireside Theatre. He also had a role as the ceremony announcer in The Towering Inferno. In the medical drama series, Balinger portrayed Battalion Chief Conrad, one of the leaders of the firefighting team who made occasional appearances.
Although his role in the show was not as prominent as others, he still left his mark, featuring in13 episodes between 1972 and 1975. A memorial post by the Television Academy revealed that Art Balinger passed away in 2011 at a nursing home in Oregon when he was 96.
Julie London played a significant role in Emergency! as Nurse Dixie McCall, with appearances in 126 episodes. Before her foray into acting, she was popular as a pop and jazz musician with over 30 albums to her credit. She began her film career in 1944 with her debut in Nabonga, where she landed one of the lead roles alongside Buster Crabbe. Following this, London became a familiar face in the Western genre, starring in notable films like Saddle the Wind and Man of the West.
In 2000, London passed away at the age of 74. At the time of her death, she was residing in Los Angeles, with reports indicating that the cause of her death was cardiac arrest, likely the aftermath of a stroke she had suffered several years prior.
Bobby Troup is best known for composing the classic jazz song “Route 66,” which became an iconic tune in American popular music. He also wrote other well-known songs such as “Daddy,” “The Girl Can’t Help It,” and “Meaning of the Blues.” In addition to his musical achievements, Troup had a successful acting career. Over the years, he appeared in various films and television shows, such as M*A*S*H and First to Fight. However, he is most famously remembered for his role as a skilled and caring physician Dr. Joe Early in Emergency!, with appearances in 126 episodes in total.
After the conclusion of the show in 1979, Troup continued to appear in various TV shows and films. He remained active in music and acting until his death on February 7, 1999, at 80, from a heart attack at his Sherman Oaks home in Los Angeles.
William Bryant began his acting career in the late ’40s with his debut role in the 1949 war film Twelve O’Clock High. He continued acting throughout the ’50s and ’60s and was featured in movies like Escape from San Quentin, How to Murder Your Wife, and What Did You Do in the War, Daddy?, and TV series such as Hondo, Combat, and Branded.
In Emergency!, Bryant played many firefighter characters and made 19 appearances. After the conclusion of the series, he kept up with his acting career and accumulated more than 200 credits to his name before he died in 2001.
While growing up, Vince Howard had little or no interest in acting as he was passionate about music and performed with several groups. During one of his performances in 1963 at a bar, he was discovered and cast as the history teacher Mr. Peter Butler in the James Franciscus-led series Mr. Novak, a role that propelled an acting career that spanned over a hundred movies and TV series, including Lethal Weapon 3 and the original Star Trek.
During his time on Emergency!, he made a considerable contribution as Police Deputy Vince in 51 episodes, with his final appearance in 1978. In July 2002, just days before his 73rd birthday, Howard passed away after being diagnosed with leukemia.
Sam Lanier was the only actor never seen, even though he had a recurring role in Emergency! This was because Lanier only provided his vocal talents as the radio dispatcher in 56 episodes over seven years. Interestingly, he was a real-life radio dispatcher employed by the Los Angeles County Fire Department, and not a professional actor. His calm and soothing voice caught the attention of the show’s producers, who quickly recommended him for the role in the series. After its conclusion, Lanier transitioned to an advisory position within the fire department due to a heart condition.
Unfortunately, he passed away at 65 in May 1997 from a heart attack he suffered while attempting to help victims of an accident outside his home.
William Boyett’s acting journey began in the early ’50s after his service in the Navy during World War II. He made his debut in the television series Stars Over Hollywood and quickly earned a reputation as a dependable actor. Boyett found himself somewhat typecast throughout his career, often portraying police officers or military personnel. One of his notable roles was as Chief McConnikee in the Los Angeles Fire Department on Emergency!, where he appeared in nine episodes over three years from 1976 to 1978.
Boyett died on December 29, 2004, at 77, from pneumonia and kidney failure, both of which he was undergoing treatment for. The Los Angeles Times reported that he was living in Mission Hills, Los Angeles at the time of his death.
Before joining the cast of Emergency! as Barney McMillan, Ted Gehring was already a prominent face on TV screens. He made a total of nine appearances on the series, after which his acting career continued with roles in television series like 1st & Ten, Alice, and Days of Our Lives.
At the time of his death in 2001 at 71, he had an impressive record of over 170 screen credits to his name.
Dick Hammer’s casting in the medical drama series reflected his real-life profession as a seasoned firefighter. His time on Emergency! was shortlived as he decided to leave during the first season, resulting in his appearing in only nine episodes, where he portrayed a fire captain in the Los Angeles Fire Department. In addition to his role on the show, Hammer was widely recognized as the Marlboro Man in advertisements for the cigarette company, both in print and on billboards.
However, there is some discrepancy among sources about his death. While some suggest he died of prostate cancer, a People article indicated that his passing resulted from lung cancer. Regardless of the speculations, it is evident that Hammer passed away at 69 and was one of several individuals who had portrayed the Marlboro Man and succumbed to cancer-related complications.
Gary Crosby, the son of famous musician Bing Crosby, followed in his dad’s footsteps as a singer and actor, gaining fame from performing alongside his siblings from a young age. By the ’50s, he had established himself as a solo performer and even hosted his own musical variety show on the radio; while also venturing into acting, making appearances in television shows like Shower of Stars, The Milton Berle Show, and Ben Casey.
Crosby became a part of Emergency! in 1972 during the first season, making several appearances as different characters in five episodes of the show. He passed away in 1995 at 62, and his death was attributed to lung cancer.
Steven Marlo made his screen debut in 1956 on the show Studio One and had a prolific career with appearances in over 80 television series and movies. During the late ’50s and early ’60s, he had guest roles in various shows such as Highway Patrol and Stagecoach West.
His career continued to flourish with recurring roles in series like Ben Casey and The Rifleman before he got the significant role of the Battalion Chief of Station 14 in Emergency! Marlo appeared in six episodes of the medical drama between 1973 and 1978. It was reported that the actor died in November 2019 when he was 92 years old.
Gregg, who started her career as a musician, transitioned to acting in 1937, showcasing her talent in various radio shows like The Zero Hour and The Adventures of Sam Spade before becoming a regular presence on television and film. She was also featured in six episodes of Emergency! between 1972 and 1975, leaving her mark on the popular medical drama. Many people don’t realize that she was also the voice of “Mother” in the first three Psycho films starring Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates.
In the later days of her life, Gregg faced a difficult battle with lung cancer, and The New York Times reported that she passed away in September 1986 at the age of 70 at Encino Hospital in Los Angeles,
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