Why George Clooney is hardly in the emergency room
Actor George Clooney shot to fame playing post-doctoral Doug Ross on five seasons of "ER." However, he was almost not on the hit show at all.
George Clooney's name is synonymous with the long-running hit medical drama ER -- but he's barely there. Novelist, doctor and filmmaker Michael Crichton is primarily known for creating Jurassic Park, but he is also the creator of the hit show ER, which ran for 15 seasons, first airing on NBC in 1994, and Ended in 2009. , which also included Top Gun's Anthony Edwards, became a hit when the series explored the ins and outs of the emergency room and staff at a county general hospital located somewhere in Chicago.
A fan favorite is George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross, the resident bad boy who specializes in pediatrics and has a softer side. Audiences fell in love with Ross thanks to his rugged good looks, charisma and concern for his patients. When George Clooney left the ER in Season 5, his absence was deeply saddened, and producers listened to fans, bringing him back for the Season 6 episode "Sweet Sadness" and Season 15 Episode "Old Times". George Clooney, however, barely made an appearance on ER as he was also given the script for another lawyer show set in San Francisco at the same time.
Why ER Needed George Clooney To Be Doug Ross
Thankfully, George Clooney fell in love with the ER pilot script, and the rest is ancient history. The script for the medical drama was picked up late in the competition, and the casting department had just five short weeks to flesh out the ensemble drama. Clooney, who was not yet a big star at the time, was hooked up almost immediately and met with the entertainer to perform a scene from the upcoming 15-season series. While he auditioned for the aforementioned lawyer show, Clooney was impressed with the concept of an emergency room, and the production team was equally impressed with his portrayal of Dr. Doug Ross. According to the story behind "ER," the show for the race disappeared, and Clooney was the first person to appear on the show.
Dr. Doug Ross' part on ER was actually written for George Clooney - the proof is in the pudding, considering this was the show that launched his illustrious career. Few people can play a womanizer that audiences can sympathize with, and he's very good in this bad boy with a dichotomy of gold. Ross also has a rather tragic story, which, like Dr. Mark Green, leads him to become Pediatrician, Clooney deftly downplays that without revealing much. All in all, it's clear that ER needed George Clooney to play Doug Ross because he was just made for the role.
Why George Clooney Needed To Be Doug Ross
Even though The San Francisco Lawyer was technically a larger, better-known project, George Clooney decided to sign on to ER because he needed to play Dr. Doug Ross. The actor was still a new face at the time and had few opportunities to branch out in his career. ER offers Clooney a role where he can flex his dramatic muscles, something he hasn't had the chance to do yet. The TV star eventually wanted to expand his repertoire, and ER allowed him to do so. It's hard to imagine a world where actor/director George Clooney doesn't play Dr. Doug Ross on ER, and thankfully, no one has to.
