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AN
INTERVIEW with RANDY MANTOOTH
DECEMBER 2005
By Nancy McFarland
Over the course of a professional acting career that has spanned more than
thirty years, Randolph Mantooth has built an extensive resume of achievements in
television, film, and theater. He is very proud of his performances, and of all
the characters he has portrayed -- but an entire generation of Americans who
grew up in the 1970s will remember him first and foremost for his seven-year
role as Los Angeles County Firefighter/Paramedic John Gage on "Emergency!"
The original paramedic program, the show, and all those involved, have been
widely recognized for making an indelible contribution to the rapid nationwide
establishment of modern emergency medical systems during that decade. Something
less publicly acknowledged, but just as important, was the profound impression
"Emergency!" made on the viewing public. Countless numbers of young men and women
ultimately joined the firefighting and emergency medical professions as a result
of watching the popular Saturday night series.
Even though he’s heard it a thousand times, Mantooth still has no idea how to
respond when people tell him he was the reason they became a firefighter,
paramedic, nurse, or EMT. When asked about being a role model, Randy is quick to
point out he only played a character on a television show, and readily admits it
is he who admires what those people do every day of their lives. “I believe
people who become firefighters… paramedics… people who save lives… would have
[joined] anyway because they have an innate calling to do that. I have mixed
feelings… I can’t really take the credit, but I understand why they want to tell
me… because it’s true… and because it comes from the heart.”
What was it about the show, and the characters of Johnny and Roy, that inspired
so many to answer the call? Randy believes it’s because viewers recognized that
"Emergency!" strived hard to be as real as it could possibly be within the
confines imposed by the broadcast standards of the time. “It hit on a personal
level. They were watching something new and exciting that only a few people had
ever heard of when we began. They were watching two guys -- not that much unlike
themselves -- who were making a difference in saving lives. People who have that
innate calling… watching it on TV… it speaks to you.”
While contemporary firefighter shows are more visually realistic, they haven’t
inspired long lines of men and women to join the profession. Randy shared his
views when asked to explain the difference. “Characters today always have an
edge for some reason… the shows are more into the angst of the character than
the heroic quest of the job. The characters in "Emergency!" were always secondary.
The emphasis was on the heroic action, and the fact viewers only knew a little
bit about the characters was intriguing. It allowed the audience to fill in the
blanks and say ‘that character is me.’ They made Johnny and Roy who they wanted
them to be… they knew if they worked hard enough, they could do what they were
watching on TV. It struck a special chord with people who have a natural
inclination to do that kind of job. Today’s characters are so well drawn, that
the viewer has become an observer, not an absorber. It’s entertaining to watch,
but it doesn’t draw them in and make them look at the job and think ‘I want to
do that.’” Along with his partner, Emmy-winning producer Hayma Washington, Randy
has developed a show being pitched to the networks entitled USAR-1, which he
hopes will be as true-to-life for search and rescue as "Emergency!" attempted to
be for paramedics, firefighters, and emergency rooms.
How is it, though, that a man in the acting profession has become a virtual icon
in the very real world of firefighting and emergency medical services? Perhaps
it’s because Randy has gone far beyond playing a character on TV, taking to
heart his role as the most recognized face and voice of an entire generation of
firefighters and emergency medical providers, and using that to turn the
spotlight on them -- “…people who run off to save somebody, run off to dangers
they don’t even know… I think we should all get down on our knees and thank God
there are people who are willing… who want to do this.”
In a speech made in April 2000 at the kickoff event for the national Project 51
tour, Randy paid tribute to the first LA County paramedics, five of whom who
were in the audience that day. “The original six paramedics, in my opinion, were
never really given due credit. To me, they’re like the original astronauts –
they had the ‘right stuff.’ They were trained to be paramedics, but… they had to
wait three or four years before they could actually do their job. Without them,
there would have been no 'Emergency!' and I wouldn’t be standing up here telling
you what a wonderful seven years I had. It was due to them.”
Those who know him, those who have heard him speak, and those who have had the
opportunity to tell him that they were inspired to follow their calling because
of "Emergency!" and Johnny Gage, are all in agreement that Randy Mantooth has
earned his place alongside our nation’s emergency responders -- our most
unassuming heroes -- because he has the ‘right stuff’ too.
Copyright 2005-2006
www.RandolphMantooth.com
This article may not be reprinted in whole or part without permission of the
author. Nancy McFarland currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors
of the County of Los Angeles Fire Museum Association, a public benefit
non-profit corporation. The beautifully restored Squad 51 used in “Emergency!”
is part of their extensive collection of apparatus and artifacts. Take an online
tour at: www.LACountyFireMuseum.com
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