I got a bone density test and the bottom of my spine is starting to curve on one side from ten years of raising my hip.. He started out pompous and his skills were put to the test more than once. Edward Matthew Lauter Jr., known professionally as Ed Lauter, has one of those faces that most television fans will recognize. Headly appeared in several episodes of the third season as pediatric surgeon Keaton, but the writers decided not to write her pregnancy into the show because they felt her affair with Dr Carter would be hard to buy if the character were heavily pregnant. Michael Michele's Dr. Cleo Finch only appeared from seasons six through eight. Sharif Atkins left the series twice. Although several doctors died on the show, ER featured a great number of memorable actors who live on in TV fandom forever. Captain Michael Emory Gallant (Sharif Atkins from White Collar) was a member of the US Army Reserve on active duty. In a twist of irony, it was revealed that Pratt was to be offered the role of Chief of the ER, which the doctor would have accepted if he had survived. The show was created by a number of creative directors who had come together. With five decades of acting experience under his belt, Scott Wilson is the best-known actor and also the oldest on this list. An episode in which a baby has a coat hanger stuck in its throat was inspired by a real incident, but in the show the baby was much more severely injured and needed a tracheotomyin real life, the doctors were able to simply remove the coat hanger. Over her four-decade career, Richards starred in many acclaimed films, including "Beloved" and "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" As bad boy Dr. Doug Ross, George Clooney spent five years on ER before the movies came calling. and had a role in 2017's Logan. Before long, Carla became pregnant (and told Peter he was the father of the child). However, his Dr. Peter Benton returned as a special guest in the final season. The characters were complex, the medical cases were fascinating, and the writing was sharp. That pursuit lands him at a nursing home, where he meets Walter Perkins, a resident with terminal cancer who provides him with kindly but firm advice and perspective. Benjamin died in Los Angeles on June 29, 2019, of undisclosed causes. Scott Wilson. By the time season 8 had arrived in 2002, ER had reached new dramatic heights. Thats because Clooney developed a technique for "remembering" all of his complex medical dialogue, which involved writing his lines on props so that he could consult them during scenes. Here are all the doctors who died on ER. According to New York State Police, Mara drowned Sunday, June 26, in the St . There were no clues leading up to her passing, and the senseless violence that caused it made shockwaves that reverberated for the rest of the series. He took a job with a set schedule at another hospital in order to spend more time with his son, Reese, and his girlfriend, former fellow ER doctor Cleo Finch. Though there are many contenders for saddest death in ER, Dr. Greene definitely wins the prize. As super fanatic of The Simpsons, plus Batman and TMNT, Max looks forward to writing on superheroes topics of the '20s. Famous directors aside, the actor made a mark of his own, with 144 credits to his name. Medoff won the Tony Award for the film in 1980 and later earned an Emmy nomination for the 1985 TV movie, "Love is Never Silent," which featured fellow deaf actors, Ed Waterstreet and Lou Fant. In 2001, Stringfield returned to the series, reprising her role of Dr. Lewis, in the Season 8 episode "Never Say Never." According to Crichton's website, "ER" was originally written in 1974, with the intent of making a documentary-style movie about the inner workings of an emergency room. Goran Vinji departed in the third episode of season 15 in an episode entitled "Book of Abby" with his TV wife Abby Lockhart. Croatian actor Goran Visnjic had big shoes to fill when he joined the cast of ER at the start of season six, as George Clooney had just left the show to . George got his hands on the material and was like a dog with a bone.". Ward reunited with Kaufman to play American writer Henry Miller in "Henry & June" and he soon settled into character turns in such critical and box office hits as Robert Altman's "The Player" and "Short Cuts" before dividing his time between TV and features throughout the 2000s. Buttons came to prominence as a burlesque comedy star, which led to early comedic roles in television and film. Bill Paxton John Garrett. The medical drama, which lasted for an impressive 15 seasons, helped launch the careers of numerous stars, like George Clooney and Julianna Margulies, and redefine the careers of others, like Maura Tierney and John Stamos. Gallant's truck convoy is hit by a roadside bomb, competing for one of ER's best episodes. Smart data for smart city He stayed with the show for its full run - from pilot to finale - and only three cast members were in more episodes over the years. Even though we tried, several character deaths in the movie still hurt so you can imagine the pain when these characters died, in real life. Tony Award-winning deaf actressPhyllis Frelichappeared in two episodes of "ER" as Dr. Lisa Parks, who provides perspective for Dr. Peter Benton about his own deaf son in Season 5's "Stuck on You." In some poetic justice against the late doctor and his homophobic feelings on the LGBTQ+ community, Dr. Kerry Weaver (Laura Innes) used Dr. Romano's money that he left to the hospital to set up a gay and lesbian medical program for County General in his memory. And it was a fantastic example of what excellence and collaboration and community can produce. In 2018, he appeared on You and since 2016 has served as an executive producer and recurring guest star on Fuller House, the Full House sequel series. According to a statement given to the BBC by his . A year before her death, she discussed her bone cancer diagnosis and her zest for life: "I love life. Her tenure as Johnson ran from 2006 to 2022 and included a foray into the soap's spin-off, "General Hospital: Night Shift" from 2007 and 2008. However, the reunion ends on a sour note father and daughter part more distant than before. Amongst his notable turns was his stint as Fire Captain Dannaker on "ER." She and Clooney returned for the final season. Vlahos died after a long illness on September 3, 2011, at the age of 76. Frequently cast in Latino or Native American roles, Vlahos made his first appearance as Pablo in Season 4's "Good Touch, Bad Touch." Eddy began her screen career with guest roles in "The Drew Carey Show" in 1995, and quickly added more series to her resume, including "Murphy Brown," "Seinfeld," and "Gilmore Girls." Headly is also known for her film work, with memorable appearances in movies like "Dick Tracy," "Mr. Holland's Opus," and "Sgt. So far, NBC has aired 155 episodes in 8 seasons of Blacklist and unfortunately they have lost two notable actors in real life. His final screen appearance came with a recurring role in the short-lived Rosario Dawson series, "Briarpatch," in 2019; Aylward died at his home in Seattle at the age of 75 on May 16, 2022. My real back was getting screwed up, she said. The statement continued, "He was extremely proud of his . That late-inning success led to more film work, including Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln." Among Plimpton's screen credits were episodes of "The Simpsons" and "Wings" and turns in features like "Good Will Hunting," "Nixon," and "Reds." ER holds the title of one of NBC's most popular television series. Character actorSam Vlahos played Pedro, a homeless man who sought care from Cook County's medical staff in eight episodes of "ER" between Seasons 4 and 9. The character of Pedro was one of the dozens of minor roles on television and in films that Vlahos played between 1960 and 2003, though Pablo was perhaps the longest-running of his many TV assignments. Mary McDonnell was also in E/R, and would go on to be cast in ER as Eleanor Carter. The role of Walter, which appeared in two episodes of "ER" in Season 14, was played by Oscar nominee and ten-time Emmy nominee, Hal Holbrook. Anspaugh was cast on "ER" after co-producer Caroly Flynt saw him in an award-winning turn in "Psychopathia Sexualis" in Los Angeles. The 61-year-old Mara's death was attributed to asphyxiation due to drowning and was ruled accidental. and the Bear") and in film ("The Artist," "Trouble With the Curve"), though he did also appear in theatre productions. In a tragic scene in Iraq during ER's opening sequence, Capt. However, she returned as a series regular in season eight and stayed for a few years before leaving once again, only to return in the final season as a special guest star. Sadly, she passed away on June 29, 2002, at the age of 74. His character, Gregory Pratt, died in the ER as the result of blast injuries suffered in an ambulance explosion in the final episode of Season 14. Another World: Both Douglass Watson and Constance Ford died in real life and then their characters died on screen. His acting credits post-ER are limitedstints on Harry's Law and Under the Domebut he's spent plenty of time directing. Steven Spielberg was set to direct the original big-screen version of ER, which Michael Crichton wrote as a documentary-style movie about what happened during 24 hours in an emergency room. Nobody would make the film, finding it too technical, too chaotic and too fast-moving, per Crichton, and so the script was shelved for two decades until NBC came along. Thanks to Hulu, ER is now available to binge in full for the first time this year, and a whole legion of new viewers are discovering the groundbreaking drama for the first time. He's now starring in a new Disney+ series, Big Shot. Now living in Manhattan for almost half a year, Max enjoys running, comic books and seeing films in IMAX cinemas. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! TV Show Dramas. Buttons was also nominated for two other Golden Globes, for the films "Harlow" and "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" As witness reports were conflicting, the outcome leaned towards the latter. Women who dont play the game lose career. Farentino died on January 24, 2012, of a heart ailment. The groundbreaking hit show ER contained countless fan-favorite characters, but not every doctor who stepped through the doors of Chicago's County General made it through the long-running series alive. But La Salle asked producers to end the relationship because he was uneasy with the fact that Bentons romance with Corday, a white woman, was depicted so much more positively than his previous relationships with two black women in the show (Gloria Reubens Jeanie and Lisa Nicole Carsons Carla). Some of the time, that is. Sharif Atkins' medical student Michael Gallant stuck around for a limited amount of time, but had a romance with Parminder Nagra's Dr. Neela Rasgotra. In a June 2014 interview with People , Dane opened up about the fallout that happened in 2009, after an inappropriate video featuring himself, another woman, and wife Rebecca Gayheart surfaced, as well as his 2011 rehab stint for a painkiller addiction . Though its not a real crossoverER is set in Chicago while Friends is in New Yorkit was a nice tidbit for fans of both shows. When she was first introduced on ER, Dr. Doug Ross called her a "by the book" medical student. Rae received two Tony nominations in the 1960s - one for Best Featured actress in "Pickwick" and one for Best Actress in "Morning, Noon and Night." That episode partnered her with actress Marlee Matlin, who won the Oscar for her performance in the film version of "Children of a Lesser God." Several seasons later, Maura Tierneys character Abby did become a doctor after being a nurse. NBC, Greg Doherty/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images) Post-ER, he appeared on Pan Am, Red Widow, Extant and Timeless. When the actor Clark Middleton passed away in real life from West Nile Virus, his death was written into the show, with Glen dying the same way. Tragically, Marquez is also notable for the way that she died. If you're an ER fan you know all about the tragic fate of Kellie Martin's medical student Lucy Knight. Vascular disease was listed as the cause of death. Revered actor Miguel Ferrer, known for his roles in movies like Robocop and series like Twin Peaks, died in 2017. Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images. Frelich was perhaps best known for the original Broadway run of "Children of a Lesser God," which playwright Mark Medoff wrote for her. Julianna Margulies left the show at the end of Season 6, in the episode "Such Sweet Sorrow," when her character, Carol Hathaway, decided on the spur of the moment to go to Seattle, Washington, and reunite with Doug Ross, her true love and the father of her twin daughters. Angela Bassett made her ER debut for the 15th and final season as Dr. Catherine Banfield, the hospital's chief of emergency medicine. Marquez, who appeared in the films Stand and Deliver and Twenty Bucks, was in the news last year after claiming on Twitter that ER co-star George Clooney played a part in blacklisting her from the industry after she and other ER cast members complained of sexism and racism on the set of the show. She also made many guest appearances on television, usually in unnamed bit roles. When South Pasadena police arrived around noon, Mendoza said Marquez was undergoing some medical problems, some seizures. Mara, who began her career on stage with the New York Shakespeare Festival and in films like "Blue Steel" and "Mr. Saturday Night" (as Billy Crystal's daughter), followed her "ER" stint with two seasons as a series regular in "Nash Bridges" as Inspector Bryn Carson, and episodes of "NYPD Blue," "Ally McBeal," and "Farscape." In addition to "ER" and "Not Another Teen Movie," Polcyn's other acting credits include minor parts in "Date Movie" and "All About Steve." Robert Romano's death was highly divisive, as he was easily one of the show's most hated characters. Unusually, Anthony Edwards was credited in the following episode "Lockdown". Played by David Krumholtz, a man with schizophrenia checked into the ER, resulting in an unnerving, bloody affair broadcast in primetime. Heath Freeman as serial killer Howard Epps in "Bones.". Laura Innes left midway through Season 13, in the episode "A House Divided," when a reluctant Luka Kova was forced by budget cuts to fire her character, Kerry Weaver. Bassett has been busy since ER ended, both on the big screen and TV. A unique figure in the annals of journalism and popular culture, Plimpton was best known in literary circles as the editor of the acclaimed journal, The Paris Review, a position he held from 1953 to 2003. Frank Sinatra once referred to her as "a symbol of modern American music." Personal issues with drugs and alcohol derailed her career, but Clooney came back strong. Edwards returned for the final season in a flashback episode. Rae appeared as Roxanne Gaines in multiple episodes of the medical drama in 2008, toward the end of its run. Sherry Stringfield's first departure on the show was in 1996, when her character, Susan Lewis, moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in the Season 3 episode "Union Station." Sweet is a sex worker who visits the Cook County General Hospital's emergency room for a variety of reasons; the single mother of two children (one played by "Star Wars" actor Jake Lloyd), Loretta attempts to turn her life around but is thwarted by a diagnosis of terminal cervical cancer. That project led to stabs at leading man status, most notably in the title role for "Remo Williams: The Adventure Continues." Born Sonteron Vhalos to Greek and Mexican parents in San Diego, California, Vhalos became an actor after serving in the U.S. Air Force during the 1950s. Character actor Mary Mara, known for her appearances on ER, Nash Bridges, and Law & Order: SVU, has died. In a heartfelt Instagram post, Wyle wrote, "I lost a dear friend yesterday. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Madame X, a retired singer suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. 16. Bill Paxton's death led to the cancellation of "Training Day." Will Lee's "Sesame Street" character, Mr. Hooper, died, too. But Margulies objected, on the grounds that Carol had always been so proud of being a nurse that the change felt out of character for her. Vlahos also closed his career playing Pablo; his final appearance in Season 9's "The Advocate" was also his last screen role prior to his death in 2011. Clooney won two Oscars, one for Syriana and one as a producer for Argo. Her best-known role is most likely Epiphany Johnson, the head nurse in "General Hospital," but she also held down nurse roles in films like "Seven Pounds" and in shows like "Arli$$" and "Beverly Hills 90210." This season had an event that NBC planned on purpose, as the network gave in to Anthony Edwards' desire to step away from his role. In season 11, Dr Weaver undergoes a surgery for her congenital hip dysplasia to eliminate her limp. Anthony Edwards's character, Mark Greene, died of a brain tumor in Season 8's penultimate episode, "On the Beach." Singing led to acting, and Clooney made her movie debut in 1953's "The Stars are Singing." Eriq La Salle stuck around Cook County General for eight seasons before exiting. Along with their son Joe, they presumably headed to Boston, where Abby got a new job. The actress was shot and killed by police during a welfare check at her home in South Pasadena on August 20, 2018, at age 49. He returned to the United States in the 1970s and worked steadily as blue-collar types in films like "Escape from Alcatraz" before earning his breakout role as doomed astronaut Gus Grissom in Philip Kaufman's "The Right Stuff." The cast of ER took the doctor drama genre to the next level when the show premiered in September 1994. Marquez, 49, played nurse Wendy Goldman on the hit series from 1994 to 1997. He remained active on other series during his "ER" tenure, including appearances in "JAG" and "Touched By an Angel," before retiring from the entertainment industry. This isn't the first time that an actor has died while starring in a TV show. Sept. 28, 2022, 7:52 AM PDT. Eriq La Salle and Alex Kingston had insane chemistry, and a lot of fans were disappointed when their characters romance was cut short. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. ", Thompson died on January 7, 2021, at age 55. Lucy Knight is a fictional character In the NBC television series ER, portrayed by actress Kellie Martin.The character was part of the show for the fifth and sixth seasons. Wyle fell sick with mono during the filming of season 1s memorably devastating "Loves Labor Lost," and was so unwell that the on-set medical technician put him on an IV, and he shot his scenes with a bag of saline in his pocket. On this day, September 19, in 1994, ER premiered on NBC. Frelich alternated between the stage and television from the 1980s to the 2000s; among the latter credits was a recurring role on "Santa Barbara" as Sister Sarah and guest turns in "LA Law" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" as the mother of William Petersen's Gil Grissom. "It's really just an incredible confluence of good luck and wonderful collaborative efforts," casting director John Levey told The Hollywood Reporter. Beulah Richardson - better known by her stage name Beah Richards- played Dr. Peter Benton's mother Mae in the first season of "ER." Other notable roles include Randy Sherman in "The Big Circus" and James Martin in "The Poseidon Adventure." 20. The actress died in Santa Monica on June 8, 2017, from pulmonary emblem complications. John runs a fantastic ship. Dearon Thompson (also known as "Deezer D") appeared in 190 episodes of "ER" as nurse Malik McGrath. Since 2005 he's voiced Steve Smith on American Dad!, and done a number of Family Guy episodes. Adele Webber (Loretta Devine), who was Dr. Richard Webber's first wife, suffered from Alzheimer's towards the end of her journey on . Borgnine performed in the show's final season (including in the series finale) as Paul Manning, an elderly man whose wife dies in the hospital. She was 90 years old, and her cause of death was never made public. The "ER" roles came during a particularly busy time for Frelich, who also appeared in episodes of "Diagnosis: Murder" and "Pacific Blue" during this period. The 911 call was for medical purposes, but armed officers arrived and, believing that Marquez had a gun, fired shots. Post-ER roles include Mad Men, Bloodline, A Simple Favor, New Girl, Green Book and Netflix's acclaimed comedy Dead to Me. After surviving a brain tumor in season 7, Dr. Mark Greene succumbed to relapse in ER's season 8 episode 21, "On The Beach." debuted in 2013, it didn't have a lot of star power. Rosemary Clooney only appeared in two first-season episodes of "ER," playing Mary Cavanaugh a.k.a. The first additions to the cast came in Season Two with Jeannie Boulet (Gloria Ruben . Borgnine died of kidney failure at age 95 on July 8, 2012, in Los Angeles. Reaching the final year of ER's long television run, the show's last season started with a bang right out of the gate. The beloved actress continued to work in television until 2015, and her role on "ER" is one of the standouts on a long list of credits. However, the most memorable part of Dr. Greene is the blissful way he passed away. Michael Gallant's death was so tragic was the recorded apology he left behind for his wife. That moment gave the show one of its most monumental, heart-wrenching scenes that remains powerful to this day. NBC, Read what she had to say about the show's legacy here. Many of the show's cast paid tribute, most touchingly Noah Wyle. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. Dying peacefully in his sleep, viewers had a chance to witness Mark in Hawaii with his daughter Rachel in his last moments. Gloria Reuben's Jeanie Boulet first showed up in a guest role during season one and stuck around as a regular from seasons two-seven. The show earned a total of 124 Emmy nominations across its 15 season run, and won 22 of them, including the Outstanding Drama Series award for season 2, and a Best Supporting Actress award for Margulies in season 1. Showing no signs of his brain recovering, Dr. Pratt was sadly pronounced dead. By season 10, his amputation was later replaced with a robotic appendage. Any show that runs as long as ER did is likely to have a lot of before-they-were-famous guest stars, but the future A-list quotient was exceedingly high on this show. According to the South Pasadenan, the lieutenant said Marquez seemed gravely disabled. She returned as a guest in season 14, but not its final season. She had undergone surgery for lung cancer months before, and complications from the cancer were cited for her death. Spielberg was commonly misperceived to be a relative of Stephen Spielberg, though the two were of no relation in actuality. By the end of Season 8, only two members of the original cast, Noah Wyle & Sherry Stringfield, remained. Although many things led to the fall of ER's first doctor, Gant's demise was contested as to whether he tripped on Chicago's L train platform or committed suicide. Kellie Martin's image was removed from the main cast opening credits in the 15th episode of season 6. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Carol Hathaways suicide attempt in the pilot is a shocking and abrupt twist, but in the original version of the episode it was also supposed to be fatal. George Clooney left the show in 1999, in the Season 5 episode "The Storm, Part 2," when his character, Doug Ross, quit before being fired by County for his involvement in a patient's death. She returned in season 14 for one episode with her HIV positive child. Lucy Knight's demise was by far one of the most shocking and bloodiest affairs on ER, rivaling that of the Grey's Anatomy murder of Dr. Charles Percy. Died in Season 6 after being stabbed by Ivar, there are no records of how he died in real life. Innes Dr Weaver first appeared in season 2, and remained as a regular until midway through season 13, then returned for a handful of season 15 episodes. She was on the show until the end. Polcyn passed away in Winnetka, California, on August 18, 2018. He made a secret cameo in season six to help Julianna Margulies leave the series and the duo returned for the final season in a one-off episode. He recurred in season 14 and appeared as a guest in the final season. 16K views, 545 likes, 471 loves, 3K comments, 251 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from EWTN: Starting at 8 a.m. However, despite the fact ER has seen a fair few doctors pass on under less-than-wholesome circumstances, Dr. Greene's death is by far the most memorable and the saddest. Following the end of ER, he starred in Zero Hero, directed My Dead Boyfriend and recurred on Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders. I did., Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Gleason's Mom costar Mimi Kennedy also spoke out in the wake of the actress' death. His other TV credits include Lie to Me, Torchwood, House of Lies, Frequency and Are You Sleeping. Like La Salle, she stepped behind the camera later in her career and has directed episodes of The Affair, HTGAWM and Sneaky Pete. Among his roles was that of Ray Ross, the estranged father of Dr. Doug Ross (played by George Clooney) in three episodes of "ER," Farentino was perhaps best known for starring on the shows "The Bold Ones: The Lawyers" and "Dynasty," and for his Emmy-nominated role in the miniseries "Jesus of Nazareth". In 2001, the Top Gun star Edwards confessed, "It's been eight years of my family working around my schedule." She returned as Dr. Kerry Weaver for the final season. On June 1, 2016, Spielberg passed away of a heart attack in Los Angeles. Nurse Haleh Adams showed Abby a hidden wall with the locker labels of all the past staff members since season one, with the exception of Carter who refused to deface government property (the other names on the wall were mostly departed former characters as well as some prominent writers and producers). Multiple of his performances have come out posthumously. Test audiences responded so positively to Carol that this idea was scrapped, and so although Margulies is credited as a guest star for the first episode, she went on to become one of the shows most beloved and pivotal regular characters. They will say, 'Oh, yeah! (the latter of which earned her both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations). The beginning of season 9 shocked the public with the outlandish event that saw Dr. Robert Romano sever his arm on a helicopter rotor. Seattle-based actorJohn Aylward, who played Dr. Anspaugh from Seasons 3 through 15 of "ER," was a television and stage veteran who began his on-screen career with the 1976 TV movie, "The Secret Life of John Chapman." After playing Anna Del Amico for one season, Maria Bello was not a part of the ensemble cast when Season 5 began. Maura Tierney departed in the third episode of season 15 in an episode entitled "Book of Abby" with her TV husband Luka Kovac. Then, Mendoza said, she brandished a gun at the officers. Marquez, who appeared on the series from 1994 to 1997, was killed during a welfare check at her home in California. The series' biggest star was ER vet Ming-Na Wen, and while Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson . Though the interiors of the show were filmed at the Warner Bros studio in Burbank, California, filming would move to Chicago a couple of times each season. The addition of the basketball hoop outside the ambulance bay at County General ended up creating a key new location for the show, but originally, George Clooney had the idea simply because he liked to shoot a few hoops to unwind between takes. Both appeared in 13 out of 15 seasons. Actor Eddie Hassell appeared in Season 6's grisly "The Daredevil in the Mold" as a BMX rider and friend of . However, according to the actor, his real life is much more centered around his family. Like Susan Lewis's second exit, her character's departure was mentioned but not depicted; in the season premiere, "Day for Knight," Carter explains to new medical student Lucy Knight that the locker she is inheriting used to belong to Anna Del Amico, who is working in a pediatric ER back in Philadelphia, where she has family and a boyfriend. In 1996 -- two years after appearing on "ER" -- the legend scored her first #1 album with "Rosemary Clooney's White Christmas." Sadly, she passed away on June 29, 2002, at the age of 74. He sparred with boxing legends Archie Moore and Sugar Ray Robinson, played exhibition games for the Detroit Lions and Baltimore Colts, served as goalie for the Boston Bruins, battled Arnold Palmer on the PGA tour, and pitched in a post-season game for the New York Yankees. George Clooney's method for memorizing medical jargon is inspired. [3] Luka had previously left the show in the season finale of season 13 when he left for Croatia to care for his ailing father. Presiding over Cook County General was Dr. Donald Anspaugh, who served as a surgeon, chief of staff, and board member at the hospital from 1996 to 2008.