Actor Randolph Mantooth, star of Emergency!, dies at age 80 in Ventura, California

Actor Randolph Mantooth, famous for his role as Johnny Gage in the action series “Emergency!” from the 1970s, passed away on Thursday, July 9, 2026, at the age of 80.

Recent information indicated that Mantooth died as a result of complications related to cancer.

His brother, Donald Mantooth, revealed that the death occurred in a palliative care unit located in Ventura, California.

Donald also mentioned that the actor had been ill for a few years and had “become thinner and thinner.”

Additionally, Mantooth has made his mark on numerous daytime television dramas, appearing on soap operas such as ABC’s “Loving,” “General Hospital,” “One Life to Live” and CBS’ “As the World Turns.”

However, the actor was most recognized for playing Gage alongside Kevin Tighe, who played his partner Roy DeSoto, in the series “Emergency!”, shown from January 1972 to May 1977.

According to reports, when told he would be playing a paramedic, Mantooth questioned, “What the hell is a paramedic? At that time, there were only [a handful] in all of California.” This line, spoken to Amy Harrington in a 2013 interview, highlights how the series was a pioneer in presenting and popularizing the profession on television.

After the success of “Emergency!”, Mantooth continued his career with appearances in other notable productions, including “Dallas”, “Charlie’s Angels”, “The Love Boat”, “L.A. Law”, “Fantasy Island” and “Battlestar Galactica”.