One of the most fun Easter Eggs in a long-running television series is when a famous person appears on an episode before they were famous: Zac Efron on NCIS, Millie Bobby Brown on Grey's Anatomy for example. Before both of those series, there was the juggernaut that was ER. Due to the huge viewership around the series, many famous (or soon to be famous) faces appeared in the halls of County General.
While there were many guest stars on ER that portrayed doctors, other famous faces from Rosemary Clooney to a very young Anton Yelchin appeared as patients. While the medical drama knew how to break audiences' hearts, these actors brought another layer to the production with their performances.
One of the main characters on ER is Doctor Ross, played by George Clooney. Fans of the show may not have known that during the first season, his aunt, Rosemary Clooney, the acclaimed actress and singer known for White Christmas, played a patient on the show.
Before her death in 2002, one of her last roles was on the show as Madame X/Mary Cavanaugh, a woman with Alzheimer's. She is taken into County by the cops when she is seen wandering the streets alone. Throughout the two episodes that she appears in, Rosemary is seen singing which is a delight to hear. Despite being related, Rosemary and George do not share a scene together in her episodes.
Most of the time, ER takes place inside County General. Sometimes, fans get the special episodes outside the walls of the hospital. In the Emmy-winning episode, “The Long Way Around", Ewan McGregor, the Scottish actor known for roles in Trainspotting, Star Wars, and Moulin Rouge, guest stars as Duncan Stewart. Duncan is a would-be robber who attempts to rob a convenience store with his cousin.
When things go south, Duncan takes the customers hostage, including Nurse Carol Hathaway. In the episode, he tries to take control of the situation while his cousin is badly hurt, which doesn't go well. In the end, Duncan leaves his cousin and takes Hathaway with him when he is shot by a cop. He is taken to County where the doctors are unable to save him. McGregor’s performance earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
Every actor has to start somewhere. It is no surprise that most get their acting debuts in long-running series such as ER. Jessica Chastain, who was nominated twice for an Academy Award for her movies, Zero Dark Thirty and The Help, guest-starred on ER back in 2004.
In the episode titled “Forgive and Forget", Chastain plays a teenager named Dahlia Taslitz who brings in her ill father after he takes out his own pick line. At first, Dahlia is just trying to take care of her father. She nurses him all by herself and demands the doctors help him in any way possible despite his attempts to die in peace. Things aren’t always what they seem to be when fans realize that she’s been sexually abused. Chastain’s acting is mesmerizing as she breaks down in front of Sam Taggart.
Before he became Dean on Gilmore Girls and Sam Winchester on Supernatural, Jared Padalecki was a patient at County General. In the episode titled “Piece of Mind", the story centers around a father, played by Jim Belushi, and son, played by Padalecki, after they are in a car accident.
The two are having a typical fight between parent and child when the car quickly gets slammed by another truck. In a rare POV, audiences watch through the eyes of the father in the aftermath. Through his eyes, viewers see the interactions with the doctors after he gets separated from his son. Although Padalecki isn’t seen as much, he is taken into surgery and reunites with his father in a sweet moment.
Emile Hirsch’s acting credits include Into The Wild and Lords of Dogtown, but his memorable performance on ER is one not to miss. In a two-episode story arc, Hirsch plays Chad Kottmeier, a teenager on break during the holidays.
In the episode titled “Humpty Dumpty”, Chad’s mother brings him to the ER worried that her son is on drugs. He insists that he’s not. Along with a drug test, they take a blood alcohol test. One test is negative and the other is positive. Dr. Finch suggests a rehab program but his mother is dismissive of her son being a drunk. Chad returns in “How The Finch Stole Christmas” after falling down the stairs while drunk. At the end of the episode, Chad is put in a program on Christmas, leaving mother and son are separated.
Before becoming a Disney star and acting in films such as Transformers and Honey Boy, Shia LaBeouf entered County General as Darnell Smith, a young teenager suffering from muscular dystrophy. Darnell is a kid with deeper issues than just his physical ones.
In the episode titled “Abby Road", Darnell’s reason for being at the hospital is due to a forearm fracture because of a fight with another boy. The other boy pushed Darnell down the stairs in his wheelchair. Instead of treating him like a little kid, Dr. Carter tries to treat Darnell like an adult, who isn't interested. After Carter gives him a free pass to break stuff, he tries to get Darnell to write his name but he can't. Darnell breaks down and admits that he is tired of people wanting to help him. It’s heartbreaking to watch.
Patrick Fugit is most known for his boyish looks and his performance as William Miller in Almost Famous. Fans may not have known that after his breakout role, he had a small recurring role as Sean Simmons.
In a three-episode story arc in season 9, Sean is a teenager who comes to County with a clotted PICC line due to stage 3 testicular cancer. He is seen by Dr. Susan Lewis and their short interaction causes a sweet connection between doctor and patient. Sean returns again in respiratory distress due to pneumonia. Throughout his episodes, it is clear he is smitten with her. Sean is a young man who doesn’t want to die. Fugit plays the role quietly and his emotions are visible through his sweet conversations with Lewis.
For many actors, an appearance on ER proved to be their breakout role like in the case of Anton Yelchin. The young actor, who passed away in 2016, was known for his performances in the Star Trek movies, Green Room, and Fright Night. His breakout role was in the episode titled “Be Still My Heart".
The episode was a prelude to one of the show’s most powerful episodes which sees Carter and Knight attacked. Yelchin’s quiet performance as a boy named Robbie, who's taken to County after a car accident involving his family, is so subtle that you might miss it if you close your eyes. The doctors try desperately to save the parents but ultimately they die. Robbie asks Dr. Kovack to see them. He slowly makes his way to his dead mother and then collapses over her body is heartbreaking to watch.
In what is considered to be ER's best episode of season one, “Love's Labor Lost” is a heartbreaking episode featuring the future star of West Wing and Get Out. Bradley Whitford plays Sean O’Brien, a father-to-be who brings his pregnant wife Jodie to County General. Jodie is misdiagnosed with a bladder infection by Dr. Green and is sent home.
Soon after, Sean races through the doors asking for help as his wife passed out in the car. Time ticks away as doctors wait to deliver the baby. Without any help from obstetrics, Dr. Green and staff have to do an emergency C-Section. After the baby is delivered and Sean goes with him to the nursery, the doctors try to save Jodie but can’t. When Green delivers the bad news, fans watch from behind closed doors Whitford break down. Sean returns when he sues the hospital and Dr. Green in season 2's "A Miracle Happens Here".
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