Emergency!: The Wedsworth-Townsend Act

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Seeing a dire need in the community for on-the spot medical assistance, Roy and John attempt to convince their staunchest opponent, Dr. Brackett, to support paramedic legislation that means getting help to where it's needed most. Martin Miller and Kent McCord of Adam-12 guest star in this thrilling 2-hour pilot movie Read full recap »

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Writers:: Harold Jack Bloom, Robert A. Cinader

Director:: Jack Webb

Stars:: Randolph Mantooth (Firefighter John Gage); Kevin Tighe (Firefighter Roy DeSoto); Robert Fuller (Kelly Brackett, M.D., F.A.C.S.); Bobby Troup (Joe Early, M.D., F.A.C.S.); Julie London (Dixie McCall, R.N.)

Recurring Role:: Lew Brown (II) (Man With Ulcer); Art Balinger (Battalion Chief Conrad); Ann Morgan Guilbert (Woman In Trouble)

Guest Star:: Virginia Gregg (Wilma Jacobs R.N.); Herb Vigran (Committee Chairman); Colby Chester (Fireman Tony Freeman); Kathryn Kelly Wiget (Joanne DeSoto); Bert Holland (Convention Center Manger); Don Ross (Man at Boatyard); Martin Milner (Officer Pete Malloy); Jack Kruschen (State Assemblyman Micheal Wolski); Kent McCord (Officer Jim Reed)

Prior to Julie London's marriage to Bobby Troup, she was married from July, 1947 to November, 1953, to this show's creator, Jack Webb. edit »
Although their relationship was platonic on the show, Julie London (Dixie McCall) and Bobby Troup (Dr. Joe Early) were married in real life. Their marriage lasted from December, 1959 until Troup's death in February, 1999. edit »

Station 10's alarm tones are identical to the ones Station 51 used from the second episode on. Station 51's tones are also different. edit »
Engineer Mike Stoker was a real Los Angeles County Firefighter. He was assigned to Station 21 in Lawndale, CA. He retired from the department in 1996 with the rank of Captain. edit »
GOOF: As Gage and DeSoto are rescuing the man caught under the trencher, the tunnel wall to their left gives way, causing water and rocks to rush down towards them. As the camera pans back to their continued rescue efforts, you can see several of the rocks floating on top of the water, rather than sinking like they should. This indicates the rocks were made of some other substance (foam, for example). edit »
"Station 10" is LA County FD Station 8 in reality. Later episodes refer to it as such and stock footage of "10" from the pilot is used to show Station 8, which is also a part of Battalion 14 in the "Emergency!" universe.

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Dr. Kelly Brackett: Get outta here, you hosejockey!
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5.2
00
davecgs9
member since: Apr 3, 2007
The Wedsworth-Townsend Act
The Bottom Line: "Pivotal"
This was a groundbreaking pilot and had a great "wow" effect but... ...Continue »
Jack Web can't direct. He proved that in the pace, character, and structure of the episode. Nevertheless, Kevin and Randolph have enough acting chops to make it work. They are the best parts of the pilot. he Dr. Brackett character is about as likable as a wet tshirt in a snowstorm. He has an uncanny ability to be insulting without any effort. This of course was the dramatic tension between paramedics and doctors in the field; nevertheless, this was about as exciting as washing dishes. Pace is groaning nevertheless this was the setup for a great tv series that was always innocent and charming requiring not too much effort. Some will say this is too simplistic and foolish but considering how scary the world is today, sometimes dropping our tensions into the world of simplicity and charm seems like a pretty good recipe for a night off.
04/03/07 07:37pm | report abuse
10
00
BravesFan2005
member since: Jul 24, 2005
The Wedsworth-Townsend Act
The Bottom Line: "Pilot episode"
Great episode all the way ...Continue »
The first time I saw the pilot was in syndication and it was a 4th season episode in which Roy and Johnny flashback to the first day they met. It was thrilling to see the whole pilot episode in its unedited entirety when I got it on video through Columbia House and now I have on DVD via the 1st season of Emergency season set.

It is a great episode all the way around especially when Johnny decides he wants to give up being a fireman because he didn't get the man to the hospital in time to save him and Roy talks him out of it. Also was when Dr. Brackett at first is very adament on his stand about the paramedic program.

There is also some instancies in this episode that Dr. Brackett and Nurse McCall were more than doctor and nurse and that both had romantic feelings for each other. There is another episode(Boutilsm) where briefly they fight in the coffee
room at the hospital where Brackett argues with McCall about the school nurse program and then when he goes to her apartment and finds out that she burns the dinner. Unforunately after this, no other time were their romance even mentioned or touched upon.

Emergency is a super drama all the way and hopefully the rest of the seasons plus the TV movies come out on DVD.
02/18/06 08:11pm | report abuse
10
20
VMF-214
member since: Jun 3, 2005
The Wedsworth-Townsend Act
The Bottom Line: "Pilot episode"
The start of It all. Emergency ...Continue »
The start of it all. Roy and John are new to the paramedics there waiting for the legislation to pass so they can use there training. Dr. Brackett is against the program. Mean while Roy and John go on emergency calls but they half to have a Nurse along who can administer Drugs. When Dixie McCall is Injured they go against Dr. Brackett call to wait for another Nurse. Dr. Brackett finely changes his mind a goes to the legislation committee to testify that the Program is needed. Later when there's a cave in and a man is having a heat attack Dr. Brackett tells Roy and John to shock the man even though the bill has not pass. They do saving the man's life.

09/01/05 09:08pm | report abuse