Summary
FormerERactor Noah Wyle reveals the reason why he knew that the series would be successful early on in its run. Wyle is known forplaying John Carter on the seriesER, which originally ran for 15 seasons from 1994 to 2009. In addition to Wyle, theERcastincluded Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Marguiles, Eriq La Salle, Laura Innes, and Maura Tierney.
Speaking on theStill Here Hollywoodpodcast (viaEntertainment Weekly), Wyle explains how he knew thatERwas going to be a hit. Wyle described him and several otherERcast members sitting in Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. After theERteam showed some clips for the series, the crowd at first went quiet. Afterward, “the place went crazy” as the crowd erupted in cheers. Check out the full quote from Wyle below:
They had George [Clooney], Sherry [Stringfield], Tony [Anthony Edwards], Eriq [La Salle], and I — Julianna [Margulies] hadn’t been cast as a main character yet because she died in the pilot originally — and we’re in the wings of [New York City’s] Avery Fisher Hall. And then [they] just started showing these clips from the pilot. Just boom. And then the place went crazy, like clapping, cheering, stomping, we all got this rush. And I just remember Tony turned all of us into going, ‘Here we go.’
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Wyle ended up being right in his initial impressions of theERpilot. The show became widely successful, becoming one of the longest-running medical procedurals at the time of its release. Theseries went on to be nominated for 23 Emmys, and was nominated for numerous other awards. Wyle himself accounted for five of these Emmy nods, as he was up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999. Wyle never won the award.
Though hisERdays are far behind him now, Wyle is not done acting in medical procedurals. Back in March, the production of a new series calledThe Pittwas announced, starring Wyle in the lead role. The show’s plot will focus on the state of the hospital system and conditions of healthcare workers in America through the lens of frontline workers in a Pittsburgh hospital. It will be produced by one of the producers ofERand has been ordered for a 15-episode, full first season.
The Pittwill be Wyle’s chance to be a protagonist in a medical procedural after spending years being a strong supporting actor inER. For now, the medical series niche has been largely filled by thecurrently-runningGrey’s Anatomy, and while a similar show, the high drama ofERhas not quite been reached since the series went off-air in 2009.The Pittwill be a chance to rejuvenate the medical procedural, this time with a producer and actor fromERattached.
