Created by author and filmmaker Michael Crichton, best known for penning Jurassic Park, the smash-hit medical drama ER was one of the longest-running prime-time TV shows in history.
It aired for 15 seasons and 331 episodes between 1994 and 2009, scooping up a stunning 23 Emmys throughout its mammoth run. The show also launched many of its cast to fame and fortune.
As ER celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024, read on to discover what the stars of the show did next and who's the wealthiest today.
All dollar amounts in US dollars.
Motherly nurse Haleh Adams was one of the few characters to appear in every season of ER. She was played by actress Yvette Freeman.
Before ER, Freeman made brief appearances on a range of TV shows, including the sitcom Doctor Doctor and the horror anthology Tales from the Crypt, but it was ER that gave Freeman her big break.
Freeman went on to have a successful small-screen career with recurring roles on soap operas Days of Our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful.
Most notably, she played prison inmate Irma in Netflix's popular comedy-drama Orange is the New Black, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series along with the rest of the cast.
While information about Freeman’s net worth is scarce, online reports have suggested she has a total fortune estimated between $1 million (£776k) and $5 million (£3.9m).
Goran Višnjić played handsome physician Luka Kovač in ER. A latecomer to the show, Višnjić joined the cast in 1999 as a replacement for George Clooney's character Doug Ross. And the mysterious doctor certainly had audiences swooning...
ER signalled a big break for the Croatian-born actor, who moved to America in the 1990s. Before that, he had minor roles in films including The Peacemaker and Practical Magic, and he played Madonna’s love interest in the 1998 The Power of Good-Bye music video.
While still starring in ER, Višnjić was a serious contender for the renowned role of James Bond in 2005. Although the coveted part eventually went to Daniel Craig, Višnjić has still enjoyed a thriving career.
Since ER, he's featured in the Hollywood blockbuster The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as well as several successful TV shows. This includes the Netflix comedy Santa Clarita Diet, the British sci-fi series Doctor Who, and most recently the historical drama Vikings: Valhalla.
The actor reportedly has a cool $2 million (£1.6m) net worth.
Another County General Hospital staple, Nurse Ethel 'Chuny' Márquez also appeared in every season of ER. She was portrayed by Mexican-American actress Laura Cerón.
Cerón's first silver screen appearance was in the 1992 crime-thriller The Public Eye starring Joe Pesci. She also had a recurring role in the ABC drama Missing Persons before landing her breakthrough ER part.
Cerón has continued to work steadily as an actress. In 2009, she appeared in the direct-to-DVD movie Bring It On: Fight To The Finish, and she also landed a small role in the comedy-drama Shameless between 2016 and 2018.
Most recently, Cerón appeared in the 2023 Christmas movie Letters to Santa.
Her reported net worth varies and is estimated at between $3 million (£2.3m) and $6 million (£4.6m).
Laura Innes joined the ER cast in season two, playing condescending chief of staff Dr. Kerry Weaver. Though she officially left the show during season 13 in 2007, Innes briefly reprised her role in the final season.
Innes was already an established actress before landing her ER role. She started out in theatre in Chicago, playing Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire. In 1986, she swapped the stage for the small screen, co-starring in the sitcom The Stiller and Meara Show. She also appeared in numerous other sitcoms, including Party of Five and My So-Called Life, before landing her first big TV role on Wings.
As well as starring in ER, Innes got behind the camera and directed episodes of the show. And her directing credits don't end there. She's also directed episodes of other popular shows, including House, Brothers & Sisters, and The West Wing.
Circling back to acting, other notable work for Innes includes starring in the short-lived NBC thriller The Event between 2010 and 2011, and a recurring role in the crime-drama How to Get Away with Murder between 2018 and 2020.
Again, information about her net worth is scarce, though most sources agree the star is worth around $3 million (£2.3m).
Canadian-American actress Gloria Reuben played physician assistant Jeanie Boulet. A fan favourite, she was promoted from a guest star in season one to a main cast member in season two. Her riveting performance as the HIV-positive medical professional earned her two Emmy nominations. Reuben departed ER in season six in 2000, although she reprised her character briefly in 2008.
Before landing her breakout role in ER, Reuben worked as a model and had appeared in TV commercials.
The critically-acclaimed star has continued to land major TV roles, including Canadian crime drama 1-800-Missing between 2003 and 2004 and legal drama Raising the Bar between 2008 and 2009. She also received widespread praise for her role as Elizabeth Keckley in Steven Spielberg's 2012 Academy Award-winning historical drama Lincoln.
Despite finding success on the silver screen, Reuben has mostly stuck to the small screen, most recently appearing in the 2024 comedy series Elsbeth.
Her estimated net worth is a neat $5 million (£3.9m).
British actress Alex Kingston played Dr. Elizabeth Corday, joining the cast in 1997. When her contract wasn't renewed in 2004, the then-41-year-old Kingston cited ageism as the reason her character was axed, though she did briefly reprise her role in the final season.
Before landing her ER role, Kingston was already an established actress in the UK, having appeared in popular British TV shows including Grange Hill, The Bill, and The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders.
Arguably her most famous role besides ER is that of time traveller River Song in the British science-fiction series Doctor Who between 2008 and 2015.
Other small screen credits include the superhero show Arrow and fantasy series A Discovery of Witches. Most recently, she appeared in the 2024 movie The Killer's Game.
Kingston’s varied acting career has earned her a $6 million (£4.6m) fortune.
Sherry Stringfield had a rocky run as Dr. Susan Lewis in ER. She starred as a main cast member between seasons one and three but, to the shock of showrunners, she abruptly left in 1996 to focus on her family. After a six-year hiatus, she returned in season eight, though she left again in 2005. Stringfield then returned one last time for the final episode of ER. The role bagged her three Emmy nods.
Before rising to fame and acclaim with ER, Stringfield acted in the soap opera Guiding Light between 1989 and 1992. She also had a fleeting stint in crime drama NYPD Blue.
After her time on ER, Stringfield had smaller roles in a slew of other popular TV shows, including Law & Order, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Springfield hasn't acted in some time, and her latest role was in the TV show Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders between 2016 and 2017.
The small-screen starlet is reportedly worth $7 million (£5.4m).
Maura Tierney joined the ER cast in 1999 as Dr. Abby Lockhart and quickly became a fan favourite. She remained on the popular medical drama until the final season and bagged an Emmy nod for her work.
Tierney had already racked up an impressive filmography before landing her ER part. Her breakout role was in the 1987 Disney TV movie Student Exchange, and she acted in a number of 90s flicks, including Primal Fear and Liar Liar. She also had a recurring role in the NBC sitcom NewsRadio.
Following ER, Tierney appeared in various other TV shows and movies. These include sitcom The Office, drama series The Good Wife, and the 2024 disaster movie Twisters.
Her most notable work was in the critically acclaimed TV drama The Affair between 2014 and 2019, which won her a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Some sources estimate her net worth at a cool $8 million (£6.2m), with others claiming it’s $10 million (£7.8m).
She may have only starred in the third and fourth seasons of ER between 1997 and 1998, but paediatrics doctor Anna Del Amico, played by Maria Bello, left a lasting impression on fans. Her swift exit was reportedly over feeling frustrated with the writing on the show.
Before ER, Bello had acted in episodes of The Commish, Due South, and Misery Loves Company, to name a few. She also landed the starring role of Mrs. Smith in the spy series Mr. & Mrs. Smith in 1996, though it was axed shortly after airing.
Though her ER stint was short-lived, Bello went on to build a successful film and TV career. She’s been nominated for two Golden Globes: Best Supporting Actress in the 2003 romantic drama The Cooler, and Best Actress in the 2005 action-thriller A History of Violence. She also replaced Rachel Weisz as Evelyn O’Connell in the blockbuster Mummy franchise, starring in The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008.
More recently, she starred in the Netflix series Beef.
Her fortune is estimated at $12 million (£9.3m).
Julianna Margulies played nurse Carol Hathaway on ER. Hathaway was supposed to die in the first season, but the test audiences loved her so much that Margulies was brought on as a main cast member. She remained on ER for six seasons and was the only series regular to bag an Emmy for her stint on the show.
Though the actress made her screen debut in Steven Seagal's 1991 film Out for Justice, it was ER that launched her career.
When her six-year ER contract expired, Margulies turned down an eye-watering $27 million (£21m) payday to reprise her role. She instead opted to return home to New York and pursue her passion for acting on the stage.
She did, however, return to the screen, most notably starring in the legal drama The Good Wife from 2009 to 2016. Her performance earned her two more Emmys and a Golden Globe. She also featured in the Apple TV+ series The Morning Show and most recently starred in the drama movie Millers in Marriage.
Margulies might have walked away from a fortune from ER, but today, she has an estimated net worth of $24 million (£18.6m).
Actor Noah Wyle played Dr. John Carter in 254 episodes of ER – more than any other cast member. He left the show's main cast in season 11, though he continued to guest star after his exit. Wyle earned five Emmy nods for his portrayal of Carter, as fans watched his character grow from a hapless medical student to a confident doctor.
Wyle had bit parts in a handful of 90s films, including A Few Good Men and Swing Kids, but it was the medical drama that launched him to fame and fortune.
Upon leaving ER, Wyle continued to act on both the screen and the stage. His most notable work was playing the lead role in the science-fiction show Falling Skies between 2011 and 2015. The show's executive producer was Steven Spielberg, and Wyle also served as a producer and director.
His most recent role was the crime series Leverage: Redemption, which he starred in between 2021 and 2023.
Today, Wyle’s net worth is estimated at $25 million (£19.4m).
Eriq La Salle starred as Dr. Peter Benton in eight seasons of ER between 1994 and 2002. Like many other key cast members, he also briefly reprised his role in the final season. La Salle’s ER stint earned him a Golden Globe nomination and three Emmy nods.
La Salle got his big break starring as Darryl Jenks in the comedy Coming to America alongside Eddie Murphy in 1988.
La Salle left ER to focus on his directing career. He’s since got behind the camera for TV shows including The Twilight Zone, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and CSI: Cyber. He even directed an episode of ER in 2009.
The multi-talented La Salle hasn’t turned his back on acting though, appearing in everything from the TV action series 24 in 2010 to the superhero movie Logan in 2017.
His net worth is reportedly $25 million (£19.4m), with a large chunk coming from his ER days.
Anthony Edwards played Dr. Mark Greene between seasons one and eight of ER. Although the character was killed off, he did reprise his role in a flashback in the final season. Edwards received widespread acclaim for his role, bagging a Golden Globe Award as well as four Emmy nods.
Edwards was already an established actor before joining the ER cast. Notable work includes co-starring in the ABC sitcom It Takes Two and starring in the cult classic comedy Revenge of the Nerds in 1984. His most famous role before ER was as the pilot Goose in the Hollywood blockbuster Top Gun, which he starred in with Tom Cruise.
Edwards departed the show to pursue other acting and directing ventures, after discovering a love for the latter while working behind the camera on ER.
He's appeared in David Fincher's gripping thriller Zodiac, which was based on the real-life serial killer, and directed the 2016 comedy My Dead Boyfriend. He also voiced a character in the 2013 Pixar movie Planes and was most recently featured in TV series Tales of the Walking Dead.
His net worth is $40 million (£31m), mostly derived from ER.
Heartthrob Dr. Doug Ross certainly got pulses racing, and the character was played by none other than future Hollywood legend George Clooney. The megastar got his big break acting in the medical drama between 1994 and 1999. He was twice nominated for an Emmy for his work on ER.
Coincidentally, one of Clooney’s first ever roles was in a short-lived sitcom in 1984 called E/R – not to be confused with the drama that launched his career. Prior to ER, he also landed small parts in TV shows including The Facts of Life, The Golden Girls, and Roseanne, as well as playing a lead role in the comedy-horror Return of the Killer Tomatoes in 1988.
Today, Clooney is a bona fide movie star and filmmaker with a slew of awards to his name, including two prestigious Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for the 2005 thriller Syriana and Best Picture for producing the 2012 political thriller Argo. Other notable movie roles include the Ocean’s Eleven franchise, science fiction thriller Gravity, and Disney’s Tomorrowland.
Clooney has banked a fortune from business too. In 2013, the actor founded the tequila brand Casamigos with friends Rande Gerber and Mike Meldman. In 2018, liquor giant Diageo bought the company for an eye-watering $700 million ($878m/£682m in today's money).
The super-rich star is reportedly worth a staggering $500 million (£388m) today.
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