Past Deadline
blog by Ray Richmond of the Hollywood Reporter
reports on the end of "ER." The all-time Emmy
Awards nominations champ — two more nods this
year brought its total tally to 122 — is
checking out at the end of its upcoming 15th
season. Once a ratings powerhouse, the medical
drama has seen declining numbers and rising
costs in recent years.
"Of the original
cast, Noah Wyle stayed on the show the longest —
11 seasons," notes the report. "Fittingly, he
will return to 'ER' for the final episode." In
this wide-ranging interview, exec producer John
Wells also revealed that the show's finale is
unlikely to end with the closing of the
hospital. "I think we will probably — we haven't
written it yet — but certainly my inclination
will be to feel as if we've simply walked away
from the hospital with the cameras."
"ER" garnered
seven consecutive Emmy nods for best drama
series beginning with its first year, winning
only in its second season (1996). The only
regular cast member to win an Emmy so far is
Julianna Margulies, who picked up the supporting
actress trophy for the first season (1995) and
was nominated for each of her following five
years on the medical drama. While she moved up
to lead actress in the third season she never
won any of her four bids in that category. Her
on-screen love interest, George Clooney, lost
lead actor bids for the first two seasons (1995,
1996) while Anthony Edwards went 0 for four in
that same race (1995-1998). Sherry Stringfield
got lead actress nods for three seasons
(1995-1997) before leaving the show and went
without recognition when she returned in 2001
for four more seasons. The other supporting
actress nominees — Laura Innes and Gloria Reuben
(1997, 1998), CCH Pounder (1997), and Maura
Tierney (2001) all lost as well. Supporting
actor contender Wyle made five successive
unsuccessful bids (1995-1999) while Eriq La
Salle lost three noms (1995, 1997, 1998).
Over the first 14
seasons, 13 actors, including this year's
nominee Stanley Tucci, have competed for
guesting on the show. Ray Liotta was the only
winner among the group for his stunning 2005
portrayal of the last hours of the life of an
alcoholic. Among the seven actresses to compete
for their guest shots, only Sally Field won in
2001 for the first of her two nods as the
bipolar mother of Maura Tierney.
