Cast of ER
ER is an American drama series that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, until April 2, 2009. The series featured a large ensemble cast that changed dramatically over its long run. The main cast was augmented by a wealth of recurring characters and award-winning guest stars.
Main cast
The original starring cast consisted of Anthony Edwards as Dr. Mark Greene, George Clooney as Dr. Douglas "Doug" Ross, Sherry Stringfield as Dr. Susan Lewis, Noah Wyle as medical student (later Dr.) John Carter, and Eriq La Salle as Dr. Peter Benton. Julianna Margulies guest starred in the pilot as Nurse Carol Hathaway before becoming part of the regular cast.
The first additions to the main cast came in Season 2 with Gloria Reuben signing on as Physician Assistant Jeanie Boulet (recurring character in Season 1), and in Season 3 with Laura Innes as Dr. Kerry Weaver (recurring character in Season 2). In Season 4, Maria Bello signed on as Dr. Anna Del Amico (recurring character at the end of Season 3) and Alex Kingston joined the cast as Dr. Elizabeth Corday. Season 5 saw the addition of Kellie Martin as medical student Lucy Knight.
George Clooney's departure towards the end of Season 5 started a major cycle of main cast changes over the next few years. Season 6 opened with the addition of Paul McCrane as Dr. Robert "Rocket" Romano (recurring character in both Seasons 4 and 5), Croatian actor Goran Visnjic as Dr. Luka Kovač, and Michael Michele as Dr. Cleo Finch. A bit later in the season Erik Palladino joined as Dr. Dave Malucci, and Ming-Na returned to the series as Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen, reprising a recurring character she portrayed in Season 1. Soon after, Maura Tierney was added as Nurse (later Dr.) Abigail "Abby" Lockhart. Season 8 saw the arrival of Sharif Atkins as medical student (later Dr.) Michael Gallant, as well as the return of Dr. Susan Lewis when Sherry Stringfield reprised her role after having left the series in Season 3.
Mekhi Phifer joined the cast in Season 9 as Dr. Gregory "Greg" Pratt (recurring character at the end of Season 8). Season 10 saw the addition of Parminder Nagra as medical student (later Dr.) Neela Rasgotra and Linda Cardellini as Samantha "Sam" Taggart. Shane West joined the cast in Season 11 as Ray Barnett and Scott Grimes became part of the main cast in Season 12 as Dr. Archie Morris (recurring character in Seasons 10 and 11). Season 13 saw the addition of John Stamos as Dr. Tony Gates, reprising a role he had originated in Season 12 when he portrayed Gates the paramedic/medical student. Season 15 saw the final additions to the main cast, with David Lyons signing on as Dr. Simon Brenner (recurring character towards the end of Season 14) and Angela Bassett as Dr. Catherine "Cate" Banfield.
Notably, of the 26 main cast members that starred throughout ER's 15-season run, only seven were not featured in the final season: Gloria Reuben, Maria Bello, Kellie Martin, Michael Michele, Erik Palladino, Ming-Na, and Sharif Atkins. In addition, only four main cast members never made a return appearance of any type following their original stint: Maria Bello, Kellie Martin, Erik Palladino, and Mekhi Phifer.
Main characters
| Actor | Character | Seasons | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | ||
| Anthony Edwards | Mark Greene | M | S [a] | |||||||||||||
| George Clooney | Doug Ross | M | S.G | S [a] | ||||||||||||
| Sherry Stringfield | Susan Lewis | M | M | S [a] | ||||||||||||
| Noah Wyle | John Carter | M | R | S [a] | ||||||||||||
| Julianna Margulies | Carol Hathaway | M | S [a] | |||||||||||||
| Eriq La Salle | Peter Benton | M | S [a] | |||||||||||||
| Gloria Reuben | Jeanie Boulet | R | M | S.G | ||||||||||||
| Laura Innes | Kerry Weaver | R | M | S [a] | ||||||||||||
| Maria Bello | Anna Del Amico | R | M | |||||||||||||
| Alex Kingston | Elizabeth Corday | M | S [a] | |||||||||||||
| Kellie Martin | Lucy Knight | M | ||||||||||||||
| Paul McCrane | Robert Romano | R | M | S.G | ||||||||||||
| Goran Visnjic | Luka Kovač | M | R | S.G | ||||||||||||
| Michael Michele | Cleo Finch | M | ||||||||||||||
| Erik Palladino | Dave Malucci | M | ||||||||||||||
| Ming-Na Wen | Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen | R | M | |||||||||||||
| Maura Tierney | Abby Lockhart | M | ||||||||||||||
| Sharif Atkins | Michael Gallant | M | S.G | R | ||||||||||||
| Mekhi Phifer | Greg Pratt | R | M | S.G | ||||||||||||
| Parminder Nagra | Neela Rasgotra | M | ||||||||||||||
| Linda Cardellini | Sam Taggart | M | ||||||||||||||
| Shane West | Ray Barnett | M | R | |||||||||||||
| Scott Grimes | Archie Morris | R | M | |||||||||||||
| John Stamos | Tony Gates | G | M | |||||||||||||
| David Lyons | Simon Brenner | R | M | |||||||||||||
| Angela Bassett | Catherine Banfield | M | ||||||||||||||
Timeline of County General Staff
Departures from the main cast
Sherry Stringfield's first departure from the show was in 1996, when her character, Susan Lewis, moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in the Season 3 episode "Union Station." In 2001, Stringfield returned to the series, reprising her role of Dr. Lewis, in the Season 8 episode "Never Say Never." She departed again after the Season 12 premiere, "Canon City." This departure was not depicted, but was mentioned by character Kerry Weaver two episodes later, in "Man With No Name", as not coming in due to interviewing for a tenured position, having been denied tenure at County, and again later in "Wake Up," when Weaver explains that Susan accepted a tenure-track position at a hospital in Iowa City, Iowa. Stringfield returned once again for the series finale.
After playing Anna Del Amico for one season, Maria Bello was not part of the ensemble cast when Season 5 began. 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 previously belonged to Anna Del Amico, who is working in a pediatric ER in Philadelphia, where she has family and a boyfriend.
George Clooney left the show in the Season 5 episode "The Storm, Part 2," when his character, Doug Ross, quit before being fired for his involvement in a patient's death. Clooney made a cameo appearance in the Season 6 episode "Such Sweet Sorrow" when his character reunited with Carol Hathaway and appeared in the Season 15 episode "Old Times" where his character was the attending physician caring for a terminal organ donor.
Gloria Reuben departed early in Season 6, in the episode "The Peace of Wild Things," when her character, Jeanie Boulet, decided to become a stay-at-home mom and care for her newly adopted HIV-positive baby. Reuben returned with her child in the Season 14 episode "Status Quo".
Kellie Martin, who played medical student Lucy Knight, left the series midway through Season 6 in the episode "All In The Family," when her character was killed by a patient with undiagnosed schizophrenia; his psychotic break occurred before a backed-up psychiatry department could arrive in the ER for a consult.
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. Margulies returned in the Season 15 episode "Old Times," with her character coordinating transplant efforts from a single organ donor.
Erik Palladino departed early in Season 8, in the episode "Never Say Never," after his character, Dave Malucci, was fired for inappropriate conduct.
Eriq La Salle's character, Peter Benton, departed in the Season 8 episode "I'll Be Home For Christmas." 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. La Salle returned for two more episodes in Season 8 and then again for two episodes in Season 15, including the series finale.
Michael Michele's character, Cleo Finch, departed in the Season 8 episode "I'll Be Home For Christmas" with her boyfriend, and fellow doctor, Peter Benton, after having previously taken a job at the same hospital (in fact it was she who arranged the interview which resulted in Benton's job offer). Michele made a cameo appearance in the Season 8 episode "On the Beach" at Mark Greene's funeral.
Anthony Edwards's character, Mark Greene, died of a brain tumor in Season 8's penultimate episode, "On the Beach." Unusually, Anthony Edwards was credited in the following episode "Lockdown." Edwards returned in the Season 15 episode "Heal Thyself" where he appeared in multiple flashback scenes to give insight into the past of Angela Bassett's character.[1]
Paul McCrane's character, Robert Romano, whose arm had been severed just above the elbow by a helicopter's tail rotor in the Season 9 premiere "Chaos Theory, died in the Season 10 episode "Freefall." A helicopter that was taking off from the hospital roof was buffeted by strong winds, causing it to crash on the roof and plummet over the side of the building; it fell into a crowded ambulance bay and landed squarely on Romano. McCrane returned in the Season 15 episode "Heal Thyself" in a cameo during flashbacks.
Sharif Atkins left the series in the Season 10 episode "Where There's Smoke," when his character, Michael Gallant, revealed that the Army was sending him to Iraq. Atkins returned for two episodes during Season 11 where he is seen serving duty in Iraq and then for four episodes during Season 12 when he marries Neela Rasgotra and then returns to Iraq where he is killed by an improvised explosive device while serving a second tour.
Alex Kingston's character, Elizabeth Corday, departed early in Season 11 in the episode "Fear" after getting in trouble for performing an illegal organ donation procedure; rather than being summarily fired, County offered her a demotion to a non-tenured position, but she turned it down and opted to return to England instead. In an interview with Britain's Radio Times magazine, Kingston spoke of being written off the show due to her age, a statement that sparked some controversy. She later withdrew that claim.[2] Kingston returned for two episodes in Season 15, including the series finale.[3]
Ming-Na departed midway through Season 11 in the episode "Twas The Night" when her character, Jing-Mei Chen, resigned in order to take care of her ailing father, whom she later euthanized. This was the second time her character left County General: in Season 1, medical student "Deb" Chen appeared in an eight episode story arc which concluded with her leaving medical school after accidentally leaving a guide wire in a patient's chest, deciding she was better suited to research than to applied medicine.
Noah Wyle left in the Season 11 finale, "The Show Must Go On." His character, John Carter, having received tenure at County, decided to reunite with his girlfriend Kem Likasu (portrayed by Thandie Newton). Wyle returned for four episodes during Season 12 where he is seen practicing medicine in Darfur and then for five episodes during Season 15 when he needs a kidney transplant.
Laura Innes left midway through Season 13 in the episode "A House Divided," when a reluctant Luka Kovač was forced by budget cuts to fire her character, Kerry Weaver. After bracing for a battle to keep her position, and in spite of the fact that Kovač realized he must find a way to keep her on staff, Weaver ultimately decided to resign from County and accept a job offer from a television station in Miami, Florida. Innes returned for two episodes in Season 15, including the series finale.
Shane West left in the Season 13 finale, "The Honeymoon is Over," after his character, Ray Barnett got hit by a truck, lost both his legs and returned to Baton Rouge with his mother to recuperate. West returned for three episodes during Season 15 when his character reunited with Neela Rasgotra.
Goran Visnjic, who played the character of Luka Kovač, departed in the season finale of Season 13 when he left for Croatia to care for his ailing father. He returned for seven episodes in Season 14 to wrap up his medical storyline and then made a brief appearance in Season 15's "Book of Abby" where he, Abby, and their son Joe embark on their new life together.
Mekhi Phifer departed in the Season 15 premiere when his character, Gregory Pratt, died in the ER as the result of blast injuries suffered in an ambulance explosion in the Season 14 finale.
Maura Tierney, who played the character of Abby Lockhart, departed early in Season 15 in the episode "Book of Abby" with her TV husband Luka Kovač. Along with their son Joe, they presumably headed to Boston, where Abby had accepted a new job. She attempted to leave the ER quietly, however the rest of the staff made it known how much they would miss her. Nurse Haleh Adams showed Abby a hidden wall with the locker labels of all the past staff members since season one, with the exceptions of Carter (who refused to deface government property) and Boulet (who took hers as a memento when she departed in Season 6). Other names on the wall include departed former characters as well as some prominent writers and producers. Abby then left the ER and met Luka and her son Joe outside to embark on their new life together. Tierney returned in the Season 15 episode "Shifting Equilibrium" in a cameo during a phone conversation with Neela Rasgotra.
Supporting cast
Desk clerks and other non-medical hospital staff
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reiko Aylesworth | Julia Dupree | Hospital Chaplain | 2007–2008 |
| Abraham Benrubi | Jerry Markovic | Desk Clerk | 1994–1999; 2002–2006; 2008–2009 |
| Jesse Borrego | Javier | Desk Clerk | 2007–2008 |
| Andrew Bowen | Andrew "Andy" | Desk Clerk Temp | 1999–2000 |
| Akosua Busia | Kobe "Kubby" Ekabo | Hospital cafeteria worker and wife of Mobalage | 1999 |
| Jordan Calloway | K.J. Thibeaux | Volunteer | 2005–2006 |
| Julie Delpy | Nicole | Runner for Central Supplies and Luka's girlfriend | 2001 |
| Troy Evans | Frank Martin | Desk Clerk | 1994; 2000-2009 |
| Małgorzata Gebel | Bogdana "Bob" Liwecki | ER Aide/Desk Clerk; Former Vascular Surgeon in Poland | 1994–1995 |
| Robert Gossett | Dr Everett Daniels | Hospital Board Member | 2008 |
| Mariska Hargitay | Cynthia Hooper | Desk Clerk, also Mark Greene's lover | 1997–1998 |
| Djimon Hounsou | Mobalage Ekabo | Custodian | 1999 |
| Brent Jennings | Nat | Custodian | 1997-2000 |
| David Joyner | Dialysis Technician | 2004–2006 | |
| Kellie Martin | Lucy Knight | 3rd year Medical Student | 1998-2000 |
| Kristin Minter | Miranda "Randi" Fronczak | Desk Clerk | 1995–2003 |
| Rolando Molina | Rolando | Desk Clerk | 1995–1996 |
| Charles Noland | E Ray Bozman | Desk Clerk/Trainee Nurse | 1995–1997 |
| Glenn Plummer | Timmy Rawlins | Desk Clerk | 1994–1995, 2006–2007 |
| Moira Price | Liza | Surgical Night Clerk | 2005 |
| Pamela Sinha | Amira | Desk Clerk | 1999–2001, 2003–2005 |
| Lisa Zane | Diane Leeds | Risk Management Administrator & Doug Ross's girlfriend | 1995 |
Family members and friends
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Another actor subsequently took over the role | |
| Another actor previously held the role |
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Khandi Alexander | Jackie Robbins | Sister to Peter Benton | 1995–2001 |
| Bonnie Bartlett | Ruth Greene | Mother of Mark Greene. Died early in Season 6. | 1997–1998 |
| Michael Beach | Al Boulet | Husband of Jeanie Boulet. Contracted HIV from adulterous sex, unwittingly passed it on to Jeanie. Died offscreen of AIDS in 2008. | 1995–1997 |
| Wolfgang Bodison | Al Boulet | Husband of Jeanie Boulet | 1995 |
| Julie Bowen | Roxanne Please | Girlfriend of John Carter | 1998–1999 |
| Lisa Nicole Carson | Carla Reece | Girlfriend of Peter Benton and mother of his child. Died in a car accident in 2001. | 1996–2001 |
| Kieu Chinh | Lin Chen | Mother of Jing-Mei Chen. Died in a car crash in China. | 2003 |
| George Kee Cheung | Dr. Chen. | Father of Jing-Mei Chen | 2003–2004 |
| John Cullum | David Greene | Father of Mark Greene | 1997–2000 |
| Steven Culp | Dave Spencer | Boyfriend of Elizabeth Corday | 2004 |
| Vondie Curtis-Hall | Roger McGrath | Husband of Carla Reece | 2001 |
| Oliver Davis | Alex Taggart | Son of Samantha Taggart | 2003–2005 |
| Rebecca De Mornay | Elaine Nichols | Ex-wife of John Carter's cousin | 1999 |
| Garret Dillahunt | Steve Curtis | Ex-boyfriend of Samantha Taggart, father of Alex Taggert | 2005–2006 |
| Paul Dooley | Henry Lewis | Father of Susan Lewis. Supported Susan with her custody of her niece, unlike his wife. | 1995–1996; 2004 |
| James Farentino | Ray Ross | Father of Doug Ross | 1996 |
| Sally Field | Maggie Wyczenski | Mother of Abby Lockhart. Her uncontrolled bipolar disorder had a negative impact on her ability to parent Abby and her younger brother, Eric. | 2000–2006 |
| Frances Fisher | Helen Kingsley | Biological mother of Kerry Weaver. Could not accept Kerry's lesbian orientation. | 2005 |
| Paul Freeman | Dr Charles Corday | Father of Elizabeth Corday | 1998, 2001–2002 |
| Danny Glover | Charlie Pratt | Father of Greg Pratt. Long-lost presence, Pratt ultimately decides against a father-son relationship. | 2005 |
| Rose Gregorio | Helen Hathaway | Mother of Carol Hathaway | 1996–1999 |
| Michael Gross | John "Jack" Carter Jr. | Father of John Carter. Cowardly and not respected by his son or his mother. | 2001–2004 |
| Estelle Harris | Mrs. Markovic | Mother of Jerry Markovic | 2006 |
| Christine Harnos | Jennifer "Jenn" Greene | Wife of Mark Greene. Divorced in 1996 and remarried, becoming Jennifer Simon. | 1994–1998, 2001–2002 |
| Cole Hauser | Steve Curtis | Ex-boyfriend of Samantha Taggart, father of Alex Taggert | 2004 |
| Rebecca Jane Hazlewood | Jaspreet | Cousin of Neela Rasgotra | 2008 |
| Marg Helgenberger | Karen Hines | Girlfriend of Doug Ross and his father's boss. Prescription drug addict. | 1996 |
| Hallee Hirsh | Rachel Greene | Daughter of Mark Greene | 2001–2002; 2004; 2009 |
| Ernie Hudson | Colonel James Gallant | Father of Michael Gallant | 2006 |
| Michelle Hurd | Courtney Brown | Girlfriend of Kerry Weaver | 2006–2007 |
| Dominic Janes | Alex Taggart | Son of Samantha Taggart | 2005–2009 |
| Stacy Keach | Mike Gates | Father of Tony Gates. Alcoholic who caused a young trainee's death while working as a firefighter. | 2007 |
| Chloe Greenfield | Sarah Riley | Adoptive daughter of Tony Gates | 2006–2009 |
| Anupam Kher | Ajay Rasgotra | Father of Neela Rasgotra | 2004 |
| Kiron Kher | Mrs. Rasgotra | Mother of Neela Rasgotra | 2004 |
| Nancy Kwan | Lin Chen | Mother of Jing-Mei Chen | 2000 |
| Piper Laurie | Sarah Ross | Mother of Doug Ross | 1995–1996 |
| Amy Madigan | Mary Taggart | Mother of Samantha Taggart | 2009 |
| Rosalee Mayeux | Jacey Barnett | Mother of Ray Barnett | 2007 |
| Mary McDonnell | Eleanor Carter (née Ferguson) | Mother of John Carter | 2001 |
| Andrew McFarlane | Jesse Robbins | Nephew of Peter Benton | 2000 |
| Trevor Morgan | Scott Anspaugh | Son of Donald Anspaugh | 1998 |
| Thandie Newton | Makemba "Kem" Likasu-Carter | Girlfriend and later wife of John Carter. Met Carter on a medical relief mission in the Congo. Their relationship never recovered after their son died in utero. | 2003–2005; 2009 |
| Bruce Nozick | Craig Simon | Second husband of Jennifer Greene | 1995–1996 |
| Henry O | Dr. Chen | Father of Jing-Mei Chen. Euthanized by Chen in 2004. | 2004 |
| Judy Parfitt | Isabelle Corday | Mother of Elizabeth Corday | 2000–2002 |
| Andrea Parker | Linda Farrell | Girlfriend of Doug Ross | 1994–1995 |
| Valerie Perrine | Cookie Lewis | Mother of Susan Lewis | 1995 |
| Zoran Radanovich | Niko Kovač | Brother of Luka Kovač | 2007 |
| Sheryl Lee Ralph | Gloria Gallant | Mother of Michael Gallant | 2006 |
| Beah Richards | Mae Benton | Mother of Peter Benton | 1994–1995 |
| Ving Rhames | Walter Robbins | Brother-in-law to Peter Benton | 1994–1996 |
| Jonathan Scarfe | Chase Carter | Cousin of John Carter | 1997–1998, 2001 |
| Tom Everett Scott | Eric Wyczenski | Brother of Abby Lockhart | 2002–2003 |
| Lois Smith | Gracie | Grandmother of Samantha Taggart | 2007 |
| Frances Sternhagen | Millicent "Gamma" Carter | Grandmother of John Carter | 1997–2003 |
| Georgiana Tarjan | Helen Hathaway | Mother of Carol Hathaway | 1994–1995 |
| Marcello Thedford | Leon Pratt | Brother of Greg Pratt | 2002–2003 |
| Mark Valley | Richard Lockhart | Ex-husband of Abby Lockhart | 2000–2003 |
| Renée Victor | Florina Lopez | Mother-in-law of Kerry Weaver | 2004 |
| Gwynyth Walsh | Barbara Knight | Mother of Lucy Knight | 2000 |
| Fred Ward | Eddie Wyczenski | Father of Abby Lockhart | 2006–2007 |
| Matthew Watkins | Reese Benton | Son of Peter Benton | 1999–2001; 2009 |
| Kathleen Wilhoite | Chloe Lewis | Sister of Susan Lewis | 1994–1996; 2002 |
| Victor Williams | Roger McGrath | Husband of Carla Reece | 1998–2001 |
| Shannon Woodward | Kelly Taggart | Sister of Samantha Taggart | 2009 |
| Yvonne Zima | Rachel Greene | Daughter of Mark Greene | 1994–2000 |
| Actress uncredited | Victoria Dubenko | Sister of Lucien Dubenko | 2006 |
Fire fighters, paramedics, police officers, and social workers
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mädchen Amick | Wendall Meade | Social Worker | 2004–2005 |
| Christopher Amitrano | Officer Hollis | Police Officer | 2006–2009 |
| Michelle Bonilla | Christine Harms | Paramedic | 1999—2009 |
| Scott Michael Campbell | Reilly Brown | EMT | 1996 |
| Claudine Claudio | Silva | Paramedic | 2000–2001 |
| Brendan Patrick Connor | Reidy | Paramedic | 2006–2008 |
| Elliot Durant III | Anders | Paramedic | 2004, 2009 |
| George Eads | Greg Powell | Paramedic | 1997–1998 |
| Ron Eldard | Ray "Shep" Shepard | Paramedic and Carol's boyfriend in Season 2. | 1995–1996 |
| Julie Ann Emery | Nikki | Paramedic | 2001–2003 |
| Mike Genovese | Al Grabarsky | Police Officer | 1995–1996, 1998–2000 |
| Erica Gimpel | Adele Newman | Social Services Liaison | 1997–2003 |
| Carlos Gómez | Raul Melendez | Paramedic | 1995–1996 |
| Lynn A. Henderson | Pamela Olbes | Paramedic | 1995–2009 |
| Tara Karsian | Liz Dade | Social Worker | 2005–2006, 2007, 2008–2009 |
| Daniel Dae Kim | Ken Sung | Social Worker | 2003–2004 |
| Ed Lauter | Dannaker | Fire Captain | 1998–2002 |
| Brian Lester | Brian Dumar | Paramedic | 1996—2009 |
| Louie Liberti | Tony Bardelli | Paramedic | 2003—2009 |
| Joe Manganiello | Officer Litchman | Police Officer | 2007 |
| Chad McKnight | Officer Wilson | Police Officer | 1995, 1996, 1999–2000, 2001–2004, 2006 |
| Michele Morgan | Allison Beaumont | Paramedic and Dr. Corday's patient | 1997—1998 |
| Demetrius Navarro | Morales | Paramedic | 1998—2009 |
| Bobby Nish | Danny Yau | Police officer | 2005–2006 |
| Vyto Ruginis | Wright | Paramedic | 2006—2007 |
| Monté Russell | Dwight Zadro | Paramedic | 1995—2009 |
| Lisa Vidal | CFD Lt. Sandy Lopez | Firefighter, later married Kerry Weaver and had their child through AI. Died in an on duty accident | 2001–2004 |
| Emily Wagner | Doris Pickman | Paramedic | 1994—2009 |
| Cress Williams | Reggie Moore | Police officer and boyfriend/husband of Jeanie Boulet | 1998–2000; 2008 |
| "Faceman" Lowe | Chris Lowe | Paramedic | 1999? |
Notable patients
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Benjamin | Al Irving | Junk Dealer, Greene's patient | 1994, 2002 |
| Red Buttons | Jules "Ruby" Rubadoux. | Carter's patient. | 1995, 2005 |
| Rosemary Clooney | Mary Cavanaugh a.k.a. "Madam X" | Alzheimer's disease patient | 1994 |
| Joanna Gleason | Iris | Allergy patient, Infomercial Director, and briefly Mark Greene's romance interest | 1996 |
| Dan Hedaya | Herb Spivak. | Lawyer and patient. Helped Mark fend off a civil lawsuit, later returned having lost all his money in a dot-com bust. | 1997, 2005 |
| David Krumholtz | Paul Sobricki | Schizophrenic patient who in a psychotic break stabbed both John Carter and Lucy Knight, the wounds leaving Carter injured and with life-long kidney problems and eventually resulted in Lucy's death. | 2000, 2002 |
| Mary Mara | Loretta Sweet | Originally a prostitute; later Secretary/Cancer patient | 1995–1996 |
| Sam Vlahos | Pablo | Homeless man and frequent patient in ER | 1997–1998; 2000–2003 |
| James Woods | Dr. Nate Lennox | ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) patient, Abby Lockheart's teacher in medical school | 2006 |
| Josh Radnor | Keith. | Alderman Bright's lover who contracted Syphilis and was treated under the table by Kerry Weaver. | 2003 |
| Kevin Michael Richardson | Patrick | 1994 | |
| Bruce Weitz | Alderman John Bright | Alderman for City of Chicago and patient of Kerry Weaver for Syphilis | 2003 |
Others
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Lloyd | Jimmy Sweet | Son of the patient Loretta Sweet | 1996 |
| Joe Torry | Chris Law | Sues Mark Greene after his brother dies; a suspect in Greene's beating but is not responsible. He and Mark have a heated conversation in which both men admit they're not the reason for the other's misery. | 1997 |
| Bradley Whitford | Sean O'Brien | Husband of a pregnant patient in Mark Greene's care | 1995 |
| James Belushi | Dan Harris | Father who was brought in after a car accident with his son | 2001 |
| Jared Padalecki | Paul Harris | Son who was brought in after a car accident with his father | 2001 |
| Shiri Appleby | Ms. Murphy | Teen with ectopic pregnancy | 1994 |
Secondary doctors and medical students
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Alda | Dr. Gabriel Lawrence | ER Attending Physician | 1999 |
| Sam Anderson | Dr. Jack Kayson | Chief of Cardiology and member of the board. | 1994–1999, 2001–2005, 2007 |
| Perry Anzilotti | Perry | Anesthesiologist | 1994–2004, 2006, 2008 |
| Shiri Appleby | Dr. Daria Wade | Intern | 2008–2009 |
| Amy Aquino | Dr. Janet Coburn | Chief of Obstetrics & Gynecology. | 1994–2009 |
| John Aylward | Dr. Donald Anspaugh | Chief of Staff (1996–1999), General surgeon and member of the board (1999–2006), Chief of Staff (2006–2009) | 1996–2008 |
| Jillian Bach | Penny Nicholson | Medical Student | 2004–2006 |
| Eion Bailey | Jake Scanlon | Medical Student | 2004–2005 |
| Lourdes Benedicto | Rena Trujillo | Pediatrics Intern. Briefly dated Carter in Season 7. | 2001 |
| Leslie Bibb | Erin Harkins | Medical Student. | 2002–2003 |
| Paul Blackthorne | Dr. Jeremy Lawson | Invasive Radiologist, had a fling with Dr. Corday. | 2004 |
| Alexis Bledel | Dr. Julia Wise | Intern who was a key figure in the series finale. | 2009 |
| Dennis Boutsikaris | Dr. David Kotlowitz | Surgeon | 1999 |
| Joseph Bua | Boo Bradley | Special Education Student | 2001 |
| David Brisbin | Dr. Alexander Babcock | Anesthesiologist who hated Dr. Corday and vice versa. | 1998–2002 |
| Clancy Brown | Dr. Ellis West | SPG Doctor and Kerry Weaver's boyfriend | 1997–1998 |
| L. Scott Caldwell | Dr. Megan Rabb | Director of Neo-Natology | 2004, 2006 |
| Don Cheadle | Paul Nathan | Medical Student. Turned from a successful business path after being diagnosed with Parkinson's. | 2002 |
| Megan Cole | Dr. Alice Upton | Pathologist | 1996, 1998, 2000–2001, 2003 |
| Bruno Campos | Dr. Eddie Dorset | Vascular Surgeon | 2003 |
| Joel de la Fuente | Ivan Fu | Medical student | 1997 |
| John Doman | Dr. Carl DeRaad | Chief of Psychiatry | 1999–2001, 2003 |
| Malaya Rivera Drew | Katy Alvaro | Medical Student | 2006–2007 |
| Christine Elise | Harper Tracy | Medical Student and love interest of Carter in Season 2. | 1995–1996 |
| Omar Epps | Dr. Dennis Gant | Surgical Intern. | 1996–1997 |
| Charles Esten | Dr. Barry Grossman | Orthopedic Surgeon | 2007–2008 |
| Jorja Fox | Dr. Maggie Doyle | ER Intern, later resident | 1996–1999 |
| Jami Gertz | Dr. Nina Pomerantz | Psychiatrist | 1997 |
| Sara Gilbert | Dr. Jane Figler | ER Intern, later resident | 2004—2008 |
| Matthew Glave | Dr. Dale Edson | Surgeon. | 1996–1999, 2001–2002 |
| Jeremy Glazer | David | Medical Student | 2004 |
| Christopher Grove | Dr. Marty Kline | Orthopeadic Surgeon | 2002–2003, 2006 |
| Glenne Headly | Dr. Abby Keaton | Pediatric Surgeon | 1996–1997 |
| Justin Henry | James Sasser | Medical student | 1997 |
| Glenn Howerton | Dr. Nick "Coop" Cooper | ER Resident | 2003 |
| Michael Ironside | Dr. William "Wild Willy" Swift | Chief of Surgery and ER Chief | 1995, 1998, 2002 |
| Scott Jaeck | Dr. Steve Flint | Radiologist | 1994–1996, 1999–2000, 2002 |
| Julia Jones | Dr. Kaya Montoya | Intern (Prev. Medical Student) | 2008–2009 |
| James LeGros | Dr. Max Rocher | Pediatrician and ex-boyfriend of Anna Del Amico | 1998 |
| John Leguizamo | Dr. Victor Clemente | ER attending physician | 2005–2006 |
| Harry Lennix | Dr. Greg Fischer | Infectious disease specialist and briefly boyfriend of Jeanie Boulet | 1997 |
| Julia Ling | Mae Lee Park | Surgical Intern | 2006–2007 |
| Chad Lowe | Dr. George Henry | Medical student, assigned to Dr. Carter in Season 4 but had no interest in doing anything ER related with his focus on medical research. | 1997, 2005 |
| William H. Macy | Dr. David Morgenstern | Chief of Surgery and Head of the ER | 1994–1998; 2009 |
| J. P. Manoux | Dr. Dustin Crenshaw | Junior Surgical Attending, (Formerly Chief Resident) | 2006–2008 |
| Kari Matchett | Dr. Skye Wexler | Acting Chief Of Emergency Medicine | 2007–2008 |
| Mary McCormack | Debbie | Doctor in Africa | 2003–2006 |
| Gil McKinney | Dr. Paul Grady | Intern | 2007–2009 |
| Elizabeth Mitchell | Dr. Kim Legaspi | Psychiatrist who was in a relationship with Kerry Weaver for a short time before being forced out by Dr. Romano's homophobia. | 2000–2001 |
| Julian Morris | Dr. Andrew Wade | Surgical Intern | 2008–2009 |
| Leland Orser | Dr. Lucien Dubenko | Attending Trauma Surgeon; Chief of Surgery. | 2004–2009 |
| Steven Christopher Parker | Dr. Harold Zelinsky | Surgical Intern | 2007—2008 |
| Busy Philipps | Hope Bobeck | Medical Student. Devout Christian who inspired Archie Morris in various ways, and dated him for a little while. | 2006–2007 |
| Giovannie Pico | Ludlow | Medical Student | 2004–2005 |
| CCH Pounder | Dr. Angela Hicks | Surgical Attending | 1994–1997 |
| Victor Rasuk | Dr. Ryan Sanchez | Intern | 2008–2009 |
| Gina Ravera | Dr. Bettina DeJesus | Radiologist | 2006–2008 |
| Ron Rifkin | Dr. Carl Vucelich | Senior Vascular Surgeon. | 1995–1996 |
| Emily Rose | Dr. Tracy Martin | Intern | 2008–2009 |
| Rick Rossovich | Dr. John "Tag" Taglieri | Orthopedic Surgeon | 1994–1995 |
| Dahlia Salem | Dr. Jessica Albright | Surgical Chief Resident | 2005–2006 |
| Eddie Shin | Stanley Mao | Medical student | 2001 |
| Michael B. Silver | Dr. Paul Myers | Psychiatrist | 1995, 1997–2000, 2003, 2005, 2008 |
| Maury Sterling | Dr. Nelson | Psychiatrist | 2004, 2006 |
| Kim Strauss | Ari | Anesthesiologist | 2005–2007 |
| Rossif Sutherland | Lester Kertzenstein | Medical student. | 2003–2004 |
| John Terry | Dr. David "Div" Cvetic | Psychiatrist and boyfriend of Susan Lewis | 1994 |
| Iqbal Theba | Dr. Zagerby | Ophthalmologist | 1997, 2001 |
| Stanley Tucci | Dr. Kevin Moretti | Chief of Emergency Medicine | 2007–2008 |
| Vince Vieluf | Bernard Gamely | Medical Student | 1998 |
| Bresha Webb | Laverne St. John | Medical Student | 2008–2009 |
| Mare Winningham | Dr. Amanda Lee | Chief of Emergency Services | 1998–1999 |
Nurses and other medical staff
| Actor/Actress | Character Name | Character Position | Years of Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conni Marie Brazelton | Conni Oligario | ER Nurse | 1994–2003 |
| Laura Cerón | Chuny Marquez | ER Nurse | 1995–2009 |
| Cynthia Cervini | Anna Waldron | Nurse | 2002, 2004, 2005 |
| Morris Chestnut | Frank "Rambo" Bacon | ICU nurse & Deb's baby's father | 2000 |
| Ellen Crawford | Lydia Wright | ER Nurse | 1994–2003, 2009 |
| Deezer D | Malik McGrath | ER Nurse | 1994–2009 |
| Yvette Freeman | Haleh Adams | ER Nurse | 1994–2009 |
| Ren Hanami | NICU Nurse | 2006 | |
| Mary Heiss | Mary | ER Nurse | 2000–2008 |
| April Lee Hernandez | Inez | ER Nurse | 2005–2006 |
| Penny Johnson Jerald | Lynette Evans | Nurse Practitioner | 1998–1999 |
| Kristen Johnston | Eve Peyton | Chief ER Nurse | 2005 |
| Sam Jones III | Charlie "Chaz" Pratt, Jr. | Emergency Medical Technician, Brother of Greg Pratt | 2005–2009 |
| Dinah Lenney | Shirley | Surgical Charge Nurse | 1995–2004, 2006—2009 |
| Pat Lentz | Nursing Supervisor | 2005, 2008 | |
| Bellina Logan | Kit | ICU, Pediatrics and Surgical Nurse | 1996–2003; 2005; 2008 |
| Donal Logue | Chuck Martin | Flight Nurse and boyfriend/husband/ex-husband of Susan Lewis | 2003–2005 |
| Lily Mariye | Lily Jarvik | ER Nurse | 1994–2009 |
| Vanessa Marquez | Wendy Goldman | ER Nurse | 1994–1997 |
| Deborah May | Mary Cain | County Nursing Director | 1996–1997, 2002 |
| Sumalee Montano | Duvata Mahal | ER Nurse | 2002-2005 |
| Angel Laketa Moore | Dawn Archer | ER Nurse | 2006–2009 |
| Jenny O'Hara | Rhonda Sterling | ER Nurse | 1996 |
| Kip Pardue | Ben Parker | ER Nurse | 2006–2007 |
| Kyle Richards | Dori | Nurse | 2000—2006 |
| Lucy Rodriguez | Bjerke | Nurse | 1996; 2000–2003 |
| Nadia Shazana | Jacy | Nurse | 2001–2008 |
| Meg Thalken | Dee McManus | Flight Nurse | 1996, 1999–2001, 2005, 2008 |
| Gedde Watanabe | Yoshi Takata | ER Nurse | 1997–2003 |
Guest stars
Notable guest stars
- Ed Asner in 2003, as Dr. James McNulty, who runs a street clinic
- Kat Dennings in 2006, as Zoe Butler, a victim of parental battering
- Kirsten Dunst in 1996, as Charlie Chemingo, a child prostitute
- Zac Efron in 2003, as Bobby Neville, a gunshot victim
- Lucy Liu in 1995, as Mei-Sun Leow, the mother of a child dying of AIDS
- Chris Pine in 2003, as Levine, a drunk teen patient
- Charlotte Rae in 2008, as Roxanne Gaines
- Susan Sarandon in 2009, as Nora, a grandmother being asked to consent to the donation of her grandchild's organs
- Eric Stonestreet in 2000, as Willie, a man who tried to make his ears look Vulcan
- Charles Tyner in 1999, as Barry Connelly, whose wife hesitates to sign a DNR
- Wallace Shawn in 2009, as Teddy Lempell, whose love potion may have worked with Jerry
- Judy Greer in 2009, as Tildie Mulligan, who drove her car into the lake because the GPS told her to go straight
- Diego Klattenhoff in 2009, as Jay, the best friend of patient, Mr. Walter's, late son.
- Michael Reilly Burke in 2009, as Dick White, the father that provided vodka at his teenage daughter's slumber party
- Brian Haley in 2009, as Chris Salamunovich, the husband of the woman having twins
- Marilu Henner in 2009, as Linda, the obnoxious mother in law who fought with her son's bride at the wedding
- Eva Mendes in 1998, as Donna, a babysitter concerned with the well-being of the girl she's caring for
Emmy Award recognized guest stars
This section needs additional citations for verification. (April 2009) |
Guest stars whose performances won Emmys are:
- Sally Field in 2001, as Maggie Wyczenski, Abby Lockhart's mother.
- Ray Liotta in 2005, as Charlie Metcalf, a regret-ridden, dying alcoholic.
Guest stars whose performances earned Emmy nominations include:
- Rosemary Clooney in 1995, as "Madame X", an Alzheimer's patient.
- Penny Fuller in 1996, as Mrs. Constantine.
- William H. Macy in 1997, as Dr. David Morgenstern.
- Ewan McGregor in 1997, as Duncan Stewart, a convenience store gunman.
- Veronica Cartwright in 1997, as Norma.
- Swoosie Kurtz in 1998, as Tina-Marie Chambliss.
- Alan Alda in 2000, as Dr. Gabriel Lawrence, an Alzheimer's-stricken doctor and one-time teacher of Dr. Kerry Weaver.
- James Cromwell in 2001, as Bishop Stewart, an ailing Roman Catholic bishop who coaxes a confession from Dr. Luka Kovač, before dying from lupus.
- Mary McDonnell in 2002, as Eleanor Carter, the mother of Dr. John Carter.
- Don Cheadle in 2003, as Paul Nathan, a medical student with Parkinson's disease.
- Bob Newhart in 2004, as Ben Hollander, an architecture model maker losing his sight.
- Red Buttons in 1995, 1996, and 2005, as Mr. Jules "Ruby" Rubadoux.
- James Woods in 2006, as Dr. Nate Lennox a patient with ALS and former teacher of many of the ER doctors.
- Forest Whitaker in 2007, as Curtis Ames, a patient filing a lawsuit against Dr. Luka Kovač.
- Stanley Tucci in 2008, as Dr. Kevin Moretti.
- Ernest Borgnine in 2009, as Paul Manning