Randolph Mantooth, Johnny Gage on Emergency!, dies at 80

tvJul 11, 2026353,412

Randolph Mantooth, who played paramedic Johnny Gage on the 1970s NBC series Emergency!, died July 9 in Ventura at age 80. He broke out in 1972 when he was cast in Emergency!, a six-season show that he co-starred in with Kevin Tighe and that helped introduce the paramedic profession to the public; he performed most of his own stunts. His brother said Mantooth died in a hospice facility after a long illness, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Mantooth continued to portray Johnny Gage on crossover appearances such as Adam-12 and remained an outspoken advocate for firefighters, paramedics and EMTs. After guest roles on shows including Dallas, Charlie's Angels and The Love Boat, he had a second act on soap operas, joining Loving in 1987 as Clay Alden, spending two years on General Hospital as Richard Halifax, and later appearing on The City, As the World Turns and One Life to Live. Born in Sacramento, he studied at Santa Barbara City College and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and is survived by his wife Kristen and siblings Donald and Tonya.

LA Dork

@ladork.bsky.social

RIP Randolph Mantooth. I was a HUGE fan of "Emergency!" Then in 2002, our neighbor at our 1st house, in Hollywoodland, was... Randy! I dogsat his dog Dodger, he helped me landscape, and we hosted him & his wife Kristen on BBQ nights. A true mensch, even kinder than "John Gage."

28655h ago

Elizabeth Pearce71

I absolutely loved this show as a kid and I had a big crush on Randolph Mantooth. That was must-see TV for sure

aarondcomedy.bsky.social60

My childhood was watching him on “Emergency” every day after school…wonderful memory…godspeed! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rob (Big Timber)49

My dad was an LA County fireman that actually drove the fire truck for their exterior shots. Never had a bad thing to say about them. RIP Randy

Steely Done35

Rampart this is squad 51.

Smigman34

I know what I'll be watching this weekend.

Libby Justice32

Randolph Mantooth/John Gage was my Barbie doll’s invisible husband.

Quoting this

Mo Collins12

One of my first tv crushes. RIP 💔🌸

Jackie Seidel3

The responses here are lovely 🥰. I kind of thought that I was the only person who loved this show. Or remembered it. So now I wonder who didn’t have a crush on John Gage?!?

Tananarive Due - The Reformatory

@tananarivedue.bsky.social

Randolph (Randy) Mantooth - Johnny Gage on the series "Emergency!" - has died. I am sad. So grateful that Steve bought me a Vouch video greeting from him just a few years ago, and he'd told Randy that I was a horror writer who wrote "Emergency!" fan fiction as a child to nurture my writing skills.

1477h ago

Tananarive Due - The Reformatory24

"I don't know what 'Emergency!' has to do with horror, and I don't think I want to know," Randy said in the video. :) Johnny went through hell in my fan fiction. I think the connection was putting a character I loved through horrific situations, testing horror skills I would return to often.

Rio Dylan Hernandez5

Oh man I had such a crush on him as a kid

Shantell Powell2

I loved this show as a little kid.

Here are my Emergency toys (they look like they need some Ringer’s lactate!) or what’s left of them from the 70s…and the board game…RIP Randolph Mantooth (and another part of my childhood)

Bill Barney1

Oh no! He was such a big part of my childhood. He will be missed.😔

Carl Dershem1

Well, fooey! I got to meet him and Martin Milner once when I was at the Old Globe, and they were really nice guys.

Los Angeles County Fire Department

@lacofd.bsky.social

The #LACoFD is saddened to hear that our dear friend, Randy Mantooth passed away yesterday. Known as FFPM Johnny Gage in the iconic 1970s TV series #Emergency, his character was an integral part of #Squad51, popularizing the PM & EMS system across the U.S. Randy was a great friend & will be missed.

484h ago

Quoting this

🧿kika🧿61

Awww man I had the biggest crush on Mantooth, and loved that show 😢

Stop Casting Porosity 𓅨2

RIP Randy Mantooth 😪 The Tubes will always remind me of you. www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-Bc...

Elizabeth Pearce

@elizabethpearce.bsky.social

I absolutely loved this show as a kid and I had a big crush on Randolph Mantooth. That was must-see TV for sure

715h ago

Andy Hall

@maritimetexas.bsky.social

The idea of trained paramedics coordinating care in real time with hospital ERs in the field was new in the early 1970s, and pioneered in California. “Emergency!” showed the future of emergency trauma care that most people had never seen. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/r...

237h ago

Quoting this

Colleen Mondor33

You should read this - it goes into how the tv show impacted the growth of paramedic units across the country & changed emergency medicine for the better.

David Avallone28

This is fascinating. I watched the show when I was a kid. Had no idea that paramedics were a new thing!

Colleen Mondor10

Must watch tv for me as a kid; I thought Julie London, who played Nurse Dixie McCall, was the absolute coolest.

Gina2

I loved that show when I was coming up.💝 RIP, Mr. Mantooth. 💔🙏

Rt. Hon. Rakesh2

A TV pioneer who inspired countless in EMS and firefighting. RIP

TK-S Is Here Now2

... and the whole pilot episode of 'Emergency!' was all about the establishment of the paramedic program.

Sam Bagenstos

@sbagen.bsky.social

RIP Randolph Mantooth. When I was a kid, watching Emergency in its first run, I wanted to grow up to be Johnny Gage.

376h ago

The Hollywood Reporter

@thr.com

Randolph Mantooth, who starred as the goofy but gallant firefighter-paramedic Johnny Gage on Emergency!, the 1970s NBC action show that changed life-saving services as we know it, has died. He was 80.

286h ago

Dave

@davetl.bsky.social

Just read Randolph Mantooth died yesterday at 80. I loved Emergency! as a kid. RIP Johnny Gage

226h ago

Prevailingwinz3

He was great! Loved that show, lol.

Tom2

I'd have all my Hot Wheels on the floor to watch that and CHiPs R.I.P.

Mike S2

I remember watching that show as a 70s teen, and my Dad bought out his Julie London & Bobby Troop albums from the 50s.....I was trippin 😯

Nikki

@varivergirl.bsky.social

Randolph Mantooth, who played medic in NBC’s ‘Emergency!’, dies at 80 www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news...

142h ago

Cait Brennan

@caitbrennan.bsky.social

RIP Randolph Mantooth--one of my favorite things about Randy (and his TV sidekick Kevin Tighe) is how these two stars of a mostly-adult focused medical drama somehow competed for dreamy teen idol pinup space alongside Donny Osmond, MJ, Jack Wild, David Cassidy, etc.

105h ago

Jeff B1

Still remember the episode where Gage gets bitten by a rattlesnake! I was about five and it shook me up. Glad he recovered😀

Andy Fix

@ajfixer.bsky.social

Firefighter John Gage was a hero of mine when I was a kid. He was a character on the TV show Emergency back in the 70s, and I absolutely loved that show. Randolph Mantooth, the actor who played John Gage, passed away yesterday at the age of 80, and that news kinda hit me harder than I expected.

126h ago

News 📰

@some-news.bsky.social

Randolph Mantooth, known for playing paramedic John Gage on the “Emergency!” TV series in the 1970s, died July 9 in Ventura. He was 80.

76h ago

Tom MacIntosh 🧿

@tom.ison.blue

When I was a firefighter in the 1970’s we actually watched Emergency in the station and picked on what was real and what wasn’t. We all enjoyed Johnny Gage. Did they try giving him D5W and Ringers Lactate?

134h ago

Lynne Perednia

@perednia.bsky.social

Both of my grandfathers were firefighters. Randolph Mantooth was a huge part of my childhood. Becoming a police/fire/courthouse reporter was a dream come true in part because of his Johnny Gage. Loved working with those guys. www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/r...

85h ago

Elle

@elle1968.bsky.social

Often, when I see people ask online "Who was your first celebrity crush?" I forget that I loved Randolph Mantooth so much. I would say he was definitely my first celebrity crush ♥️♥️♥️ Rest Peacefully, Sir ♥️♥️♥️

115h ago

3 sources

variety.comRandolph Mantooth, Who Played Johnny Gage on ‘Emergency!,’ Dies at 80 yahoo.comRandolph Mantooth, Who Played Johnny Gage on ‘Emergency!,’ Dies at 80 hollywoodreporter.comRandolph Mantooth, Firefighter-Paramedic Johnny Gage on ‘Emergency!,’ Dies at 80

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Randolph Mantooth, Johnny Gage on Emergency!, dies at 80

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