The Early Show with Bryant Gumble on
Thursday March 2

TV Land Flash Back

Host: "Before medical dramas like ER or Third Watch, there WAS Emergency!, the focus today on our TV Land falshbac series. The popular '70s show focused on two hero paramedics."

Shot of Gage and DeSoto in the squad. Dispatcher: "Squad 51. Injury at the college. 1-0-6-0 Barnham. Cross street 10th. Time out 11:40" Gage: "Squad 51 10-4."

Host: "Actor Kevin Tighe played paramedic Roy DeSoto on the series alonside Randy Mantooth, who was his partner John Cage (she pronounced it Cage!) Gentlemen good morning.

Kevin & Randy: "Good morning."

Host: "So fun to see that. When I watched part of that last night, it brought back such great memories. What was it like for you guys to watch that?"

RM: "It's pretty much like...watching someone else. It was a long time ago."

Host: "Doesn't even feel like you anymore?"

RM: "No it doesn't. It's a totally different person right now. It brings back a lot of memories because for seven years we rode in the same car. Never let me drive -- but ah..."

Host: "You never let him drive? Didn't trust him huh?"

KT: "It wasn't that. It was all the stock footage had me driving so we kind of had to stick to the program."

RM: "That' was the excuse they gave us."

Host: "Now your uniforms are gonna be displayed at the Smithsonian. Is that right?

RM: "Yes, come this May 16, they're accepting all the accouretrement that we had -- the helmets, our turnouts, the biophone, the drug box. Everything. Everything is going to be at the Smithsonian and I think they're also going to use the squad, for a little while anyway."

Cut to clip of Gage treating man lying on a couch. Cut to DeSoto, then back to Gage.

Host: "That's quite an honour. How did it come to be Randy?"

KT: "I just wanted to add that the display will be in the public service sector too, as opposed to the entertainment section."

RM: "Or the American history section."

Host: "Right, Right."

RM: "It came actually by a lady by the name of Cynthia Hawkins in Atlanta. She was just a big fan of the show. She was just relentless and called the Smithsonian and got them interested and now, a year later, here we are about to be accepted."

Host: "Well, Emergency brought a whole new profession into American's homes -- paramedics. We hadn't really heard much about them before your show, right? What was it about that that was so impressive?"

RM: The fact that we didn't have it. I think aboiut 25 years ago we never would have imagined that we could fall down in the street, and we would have somebody treat us on the street. They'd have to go to the hospital and if they didn't die on the way there, their lives would be saved. Now it's unthinkable that if we do fall down in the street, someone isn't there to treat us in the field."

Host: "Well originally this was a hospital show, but because of you two and the viewer response, they really changed it to a paramedic show."

RM: "Yes. That's because of Bob Cinader. It was supposed to be a hospital show. Kevin and I were supposed to bring the victims in and they were supposed to have scenes."

Host: "How were you received by actual paramedics? How have you been over the years?"

KT: "The show began...there were two pilot programs, one in Seattle and one in Los Angeles and so when we started that was it. When we had the show we had paramedic advisors to advise us on every aspect we were doing and when we were in the hospital, doctors were there to advise us so it was due to their attentive skills, watching our performance and discerning where they could help that provided an actuality to the show. Now you have ER and shows like that that are maravellous. That was something that hadn't hit the air waves in the same way was the true situatio of a rescue. Literally wewhen we got there we didn't know where we were going with it. We just followed the procedure and worked it out."

Host: "It must be gratifying. I know lots of people went into the profession after they saw what you two did on that show.
It's good to see you again. Thanks for coming Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe. Nice you see you again."

-end-

Thanks Connie for the transcribt.