Overview
- Mantooth died Thursday, July 9, 2026, at a hospice in Ventura, California, his brother Donald confirmed to reporters.
- He rose to fame as Johnny Gage on NBC’s Emergency!, a 1970s drama that put paramedics on television and helped drive wider public acceptance of pre-hospital emergency medicine.
- After Emergency! he worked steadily on primetime shows and built a second act in daytime television with long runs on Loving and other soaps.
- Mantooth disclosed a cancer diagnosis in 2015 and had suffered years of declining health; he is survived by his wife, Kristen Connors, and siblings Donald and Tonya.
- He remained a vocal advocate for firefighters and EMTs, was named an honorary Los Angeles County Fire Chief in 2012, and is remembered for inspiring many to pursue careers in emergency services.