Former ER actor Noah Wyle reveals the reason why he knew that the series would be successful early on in its run. Wyle is known for playing John Carter on the series ER, which originally ran for 15 seasons from 1994 to 2009. In addition to Wyle, ER‘s cast included Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Marguiles, Eriq La Salle, Laura Innes, and Maura Tierney.

Speaking on the Still Here Hollywood podcast (via Entertainment Weekly), Wyle explains how he knew that ER was going to be a hit. Wyle described him and several other ER series actors sitting in Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. After the ER team showed some clips for the series, the crowd at first went quiet. Afterward, “the place went crazy” as the crowd erupted in cheers. At that moment, Wyle said that he “got this rush“ along with the other members of the show’s team. Check out the full quote from Wyle below:

“They had George [Clooney], Sherry [Stringfield], Tony [Anthony Edwards], Eriq [La Salle], and I — Julianna [Margulies] hadn’t been cast as a main character yet because she died in the pilot originally — and we’re in the wings of [New York City’s] Avery Fisher Hall. And then [they] just started showing these clips from the pilot. Just boom. And then the place went crazy, like clapping, cheering, stomping, we all got this rush. And I just remember Tony turned all of us into going, ‘Here we go.’

Noah Wyle’s Upcoming Medical Series Should Excite ER Fans

Wyle ended up being right in his initial impressions of the ER pilot. The show became widely successful, becoming one of the longest-running medical procedurals at the time of its release. The series went on to be nominated for 23 Emmys, and was nominated for numerous other awards. Wyle himself accounted for five of these Emmy nods, as he was up for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999. Wyle never won the award.

Though his ER days are far behind him now, Wyle is not done acting in medical procedurals. Back in March, the production of a new series called The Pitt was announced, starring Wyle in the lead role. The show’s plot will focus on the state of the hospital system and conditions of healthcare workers in America through the lense of frontline workers in a Pittsburgh hospital. It will be produced by one of the producers of ER and has been ordered for a 15-episode, full first season.

The Pitt will be Wyle’s chance to be a protagonist in a medical procedural, after spending years being a strong supporting actor in ER. For now, the medical series niche has been largely filled by the currently-running Grey’s Anatomy, and while a similar show, the high drama of ER has not quite been reached since the series went off-air in 2009. The Pitt will be a chance for the medical procedural to reclaim its ER fame, this time with a producer and actor from ER attached.

Source: EW