Actor Randolph Mantooth dies at age 80

Randolph Mantooth, the actor best known for playing paramedic John Gage on the TV series "Emergency!", died on July 9 at the age of 80 after a long illness.

Mantooth joined the show in 1972, when he was cast alongside Kevin Tighe. The series ran on NBC until 1977. It was one of the first shows to show paramedics at work, and it helped many Americans understand what the job involved. Mantooth did most of his own stunts during filming.

After "Emergency!", he appeared in many other television programmes, including "General Hospital" and "Criminal Minds". He also worked as a spokesperson for firefighter and paramedic organisations for most of his life. His career in television and theatre lasted more than 50 years.