Randolph Mantooth

A well-traveled leading man and support player in 1970s television, Randolph Mantooth was elevated to heartthrob status with his turn as action-oriented EMT Johnny Gage on "Emergency!" (NBC, 1972-77). Mantooth's dark looks and easy-going nature made him a favorite with the show's youthful audience. When the series came to an end in 1977, Mantooth's celebrity did not translate into more primetime series work, so he made the leap to daytime soaps in the 1980s, most notably on "Loving" (ABC, 1983-1995) as the duplicitous Alex Masters. With the passage of time, Mantooth took on more mature roles, frequently as authority figures as far right to Johnny Gage as possible, yet the specter of his firefighting role remained strong, ensuring him steady work on the small screen and an iconic status, particularly within Generation-X who still revered "Emergency!" as a memorable childhood touchstone.