Actor Randy Mantooth, who starred as Johnny Gage on Emergency!, and later on General Hospital as Richard Halifax in 1993, has died. The actor was 80 years old. In MemoriamRandy Mantooth and ATWT co-stars Mark Collier and Jesse Lee Soffer | Image: JPIMantooth's brother, Donald Mantooth, told The Hollywood Reporter that his sibling died at a hospice facility in Ventura, Calif., on Thursday, July 9, sharing that he had been "ill for a number of years and kept getting thinner and thinner." In addition to GH, Mantooth also appeared on Loving as the characters of Clay Alden and Alex Masters from 1987 to 1990 and 1993 to 1995. He also subbed for Daytime Emmy winner Benjamin Hendrickson as Hal on As the World Turns. In 1984, Manthooth guested as Joe Don Ford on Dallas. Joe Don was a business associate of Pam Ewing's (Victoria Principal), who took a liking to her. Bobby (Patrick Duffy) didn't care for Joe Don picking up his son, Christopher (Eric Farlow), so he pushed Joe Don into Pam's pool! Mantooth joined the cast of Emergency! after becoming a contract player at Universal. He starred opposite Kevin Tighe, who played Roy DeSoto. The series was created by Dragnet's Jack Webb and Robert A. Cinader.Mantooth shared that he initially didn't want to take on the role of a paramedic as it meant he'd have to get a haircut! Emergency! ran from 1972 to 1977, and then returned for seven TV movies over the next few years. The TV show Emergency! lead to the growth of paramedics throughout the United States. "I could be remembered for driving a car that has a name like the General Lee," Mantooth told the Television Academy's The Interviews, referring to the car in The Dukes of Hazzard, hastening to add, " not that there’s anything wrong with that show. Instead, I’m remembered for something that changed emergency medicine forever. How lucky can any one person be?"Early Life View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMantooth was born on September 19, 1945, in Sacramento, Calif. His father's job as a pipeline construction engineer kept his family traveling. By the time Mantooth was 18, he'd lived in 24 states. After graduating from high school, Mantooth attended New York's prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. This was when he changed his first name to the more formal-sounding "Randolph." To appear as authentic as possible on Emergency!, Mantooth took paramedic classes, learning how to implement many of the procedures that real-life paramedics are trained to perform. After Emergency! ended, Mantooth joined the ABC sitcom Operation Petticoat in its second season in 1978. Other shows that followed included Detective School and The Seekers. The actor appeared in guest roles on Charlie’s Angels, The Fall Guy, and L.A. Law.Later credits included roles in He Was a Quiet Man and Sons of Anarchy. He and Tighe were given honorary titles of fire chiefs by the L.A. County Fire Department.In June 2024, Manthooth appeared at The Hollywood Show, an autograph/nostalgia show held in Burbank, California, where fans can meet their favorite stars. Mantooth is survived by his brother and a sister, Tonya. Soap Central sends condolences to Mantooth's family, friends, and fans at this difficult time.