Early work (1970s) Mantooth was discovered in
New York City by
Universal Studios' talent agent Eleanor Kilgallen (sister of
Dorothy Kilgallen) while playing the lead in the play
Philadelphia, Here I Come! and moving back to California, he slowly built up his resume with work on such dramatic series as
Adam-12 (1968),
Marcus Welby, M.D. (1969),
McCloud (1970) and
Alias Smith and Jones (1971). In an interview with Tom Blixa of
WTVN, Mantooth said that the producer wanted them to train so that they would at least know the fundamentals and look like they knew what they were doing on camera. Mantooth mentioned that unless you take the written course you are not a paramedic and that "if anyone has a heart attack, I'll call 911 with the best of them". According to authors Richard Yokley and Roxane Sutherland who wrote the book,
Emergency! Behind the Scenes, the show
Emergency! is an important chapter in television history. At the time of the series' world premiere in 1972, there were only 12 paramedical units in North America located in four municipalities. Ten years later, more than half of all Americans were within ten minutes of a paramedic rescue or ambulance unit, due to the influence of the show. The program introduced audiences from all over the world to the concept of pre-hospital care, along with fire prevention and CPR. He was offered an opportunity after
Emergency! went off the air to be an actual firefighter, but decided to continue with acting. Items inducted at the Smithsonian included their uniforms, scripts,
helmets,
turnouts,
biophone, and
defibrillator. In conjunction to the induction of the equipment from
Emergency! at the Smithsonian, Project 51 was created in an effort to raise funds for a children's burn charity, The honor was bestowed on the men for their contributions to the fire service and emergency medicine through educating and inspiring children and adults to be firefighters, EMTs, or paramedics. The series contributed to the revolution in emergency medicine and mobile emergency health care across the country. and four magazines, were issued by
Charlton Comics in 1976. While talking with Tom Blixa of
WTVN, Mantooth said that at first it was a little intimidating working with
Robert Fuller,
Bobby Troup and
Julie London, because they were all big stars, but after doing a series with them for seven years they all became like family. Having worked closely with the nation's first certified firefighter/paramedics, who served as technical advisors on the set of
Emergency!, Mantooth brings a perspective and insight into the startup and history of pre-hospital treatment in the field. He worked alongside influential men who made a difference ... men he greatly admired ... the late
Robert A. Cinader, creator and executive producer of
Emergency!, and the man known as the Father of Modern Emergency Medical Services, close friend and mentor, the late
James O. Page. Mantooth references his own life being saved from carbon monoxide poisoning at home during the run of
Emergency!, in addition to paramedics and a flight nurse saving his sister's life after she was involved in a car accident. In association with
Masimo Corporation, he speaks on carbon monoxide poisoning nationwide.
Masimo Corporation funded a video, narrated by Mantooth, regarding the dangers of carbon monoxide to educate firefighters. He "accepts the accolades with gracious deference to those he considers our true heroes". Mantooth serves as honorary chairman and spokesperson for the non-profit County of Los Angeles Fire Museum Association. Mantooth's work as an advocate for firefighters and EMTs also extended to Native American peoples. In May 2012, he filmed an Emergency Preparedness video with Monte Fronk in Minnesota at the Mille Lacs Ojibwe Reservation to be distributed to tribal leaders. The project was funded through a public health education grant through the University of Minnesota.
1980s to present Mantooth appeared in the miniseries adaptations of
Taylor Caldwell's 1968 novel
Testimony of Two Men (1977) and
John Jakes' novel
The Seekers (1979–80). The adaptation of
The Seekers featured Mantooth in the starring role as Abraham Kent. Through the 1980s, Mantooth made guest-star appearances on a number of televisions series including ''
Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, three appearances on The Fall Guy, Dallas, Murder, She Wrote and L.A. Law''. He moved back to New York where he explored a new direction in his career with daytime
soap operas, He appeared on
General Hospital,
One Life to Live and
As the World Turns, where he played both good guys and villains. His sister Tonya is the CEO and artistic director of the Festival.
Theatre Mantooth has frequently returned to his theatre roots in such productions as
Arsenic and Old Lace at the
Alhambra Dinner Theatre in 1983, and
The Man With The Dirty Mind with
Don Knotts and
Rue McClanahan. and Mark Kaufman's
Evil Little Thoughts Mantooth, along with
James Van Der Beek performed
Lanford Wilson's
Rain Dance off-Broadway at the
Signature Theatre. Mantooth has also performed in three works written by
William S. Yellow Robe, Jr.:
The Pendleton Blanket,
Wink-Dah and
The Independence of Eddie Rose. Mantooth performed with Donna Couteau in
Footprints in Blood for the American Indian Theatre Company (AITCO) at the Old Lady of Brady Theatre in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Mantooth portrayed Dr. Charles Western in Gary Leon Hill's
Back to the Blankets at the
Denver Center Theatre in 1991. Mantooth performed in two additional plays:
The Paper Crown and
The Inuit. Mantooth is an Associate Artist of The
Purple Rose Theatre Company in
Chelsea, Michigan, founded by
Jeff Daniels, since 2003. Mantooth completed a three-month run of
Tracy Letts'
Superior Donuts in 2012 at the theater. Mantooth performed in Carey Crim's
Morning after Grace at the
Purple Rose Theatre in the Fall 2016. == In popular culture ==