Discover how Michael Crichton and John Wells shaped revolutionary medical procedures

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the premiere of ERone of the most influential and revolutionary series in television history. The series aired on NBC for 15 seasons and 331 episodes from 1994 to 2009, and the series was nominated for 124 Emmy Awards, winning 23 of them, including Outstanding Drama Series in 1996.

To commemorate the anniversary, Sherri Crichton, the widow of ER Creator and executive producer Michael Crichton provided Deadline with exclusive photos of Crichton and his personal, typed creative notes to John Wells on early episodes of the landmark series.

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As you’ll read, these series helped set the pattern for other dramas that mixed a medical procedure with the lives of overworked, tired emergency room doctors and young residents. Crichton was one of them, and the first ER was based on Crichton’s experiences as a medical intern in the emergency room of an urban hospital while enrolled in Harvard Medical School.

ER would launch the fortunes of the talented original cast of Anthony Edwards, George Clooney, Julianna Margulies, Eriq La Salle, Noah Wyle and Sherry Stringfield.

Appreciate.

(LR) Noah Wyle, Sherry Stringfield, Anthony Edwards, Julianna Margulies, George Clooney and Eriq LaSalle in season 1 of “ER”

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