Hailey Tran
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton. It aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with a total of 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. The show follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the critical issues faced by the room's physicians and staff. While the interiors of the show were filmed at the Warner Bros studio in Burbank, California, the exterior shots were filmed in Chicago. The pilot episode, however, was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, a facility that had ceased operating in 1990.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Locations | Burbank, California; Los Angeles, California; Chicago, Illinois |
| Studios | Warner Bros. Studios |
| Hospitals | Linda Vista Hospital, Los Angeles; Los Angeles County General Hospital; Cook County General Hospital; University of Illinois Medical Center |
| Other Chicago locations | Chicago Fire Academy; Chicago Hilton and Towers; Michigan Avenue Bridge; "L" rapid transit system |
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What You'll Learn
The pilot episode was filmed in a real hospital
The pilot episode of ER was filmed in a real hospital. The show's creators chose to film in an actual hospital due to a lack of time and money necessary to build an entirely new set. The former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, which had ceased operating in 1990, was used as the filming location.
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist and medical doctor Michael Crichton. The show aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with a total of 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. It is considered one of the best medical dramas of all time, pioneering the field of medical fiction and setting a model for other contemporary medical dramas.
The series follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of the fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the various critical professional, ethical, and personal issues faced by the room's physicians, nurses, and staff. While the interior scenes of the hospital were primarily filmed on a set at the Warner Bros. studio backlot in Burbank, California, exterior shots were often filmed in Chicago to give the show a sense of realism and to showcase the city's iconic landmarks.
The pilot episode of ER introduced viewers to the fast-paced and intense world of the emergency room, with Carol Hathaway's suicide attempt serving as a shocking and abrupt twist. Test audiences responded positively to the character, leading to her becoming one of the show's most beloved and pivotal regular characters. The success of the pilot set the tone for the rest of the series, with ER going on to win numerous industry awards and becoming the second-longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history.
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Exterior shots were filmed in Chicago
Exterior shots for ER were filmed in Chicago. The show, which is set in the fictional Cook County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, filmed in the city four times a year. The Chicago Film Office lists 2003 as the only year that ER didn't shoot in the Windy City.
ER's exterior scenes were filmed in Chicago a couple of times each season. These included famous Chicago landmarks like the "L" rapid transit system and the Michigan Avenue Bridge. The ambulance bay shots used for two episodes were located at the University of Illinois Medical Center on Taylor Street. The show also features the city's famous L train platforms.
The cast and crew of ER expressed their appreciation for the city of Chicago, with part of the team getting together to thank the mayor's chief of staff for the hospitality shown during their time filming in the city. In turn, the mayor declared January 30, 2009, as ER Day in Chicago.
ER is an American medical drama series that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994, to April 2, 2009, with 331 episodes spanning 15 seasons. It follows the inner life of the emergency room (ER) of Cook County General Hospital, a fictionalised version of the real Cook County Hospital in Chicago.
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Interior scenes were filmed at Warner Bros. studio
The long-running American medical drama ER was filmed in both California and Chicago. The pilot episode was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, a hospital that had ceased operating in 1990. A set modelled after Los Angeles County General Hospital's emergency room was built at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California, and this is where most of the interior scenes were filmed.
ER is set in the fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and the show's writers visited a number of hospitals in the Los Angeles area to gain inspiration for new medical storylines. They would often adapt real events with a dramatic twist. For example, an episode in which a baby has a coat hanger stuck in its throat was inspired by a real incident, but in the show, the baby was much more severely injured and needed a tracheotomy.
Although ER only filmed exterior shots in Chicago, the cast and crew would visit the city a few times a year to film these scenes. They would make the most of their trips by filming several episodes' worth of exterior shots, often featuring Chicago landmarks like the "L" rapid transit system and the Michigan Avenue Bridge. These location shoots added a sense of realism to the series.
The show's association with Chicago lasted 15 years, and the city declared January 30, 2009, as ER Day to express its gratitude for the show's impact on the city.
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The show's premise was inspired by Michael Crichton's experiences
The long-running medical drama ER was created by novelist and filmmaker Michael Crichton, a Harvard medical school graduate. The show's premise was inspired by Crichton's experiences as a medical student in a busy hospital emergency room.
In 1974, Crichton wrote a screenplay titled "EW" (for Emergency Ward) based on his time in the emergency room. However, producers were not interested in the screenplay at the time, and Crichton moved on to other projects, including the novel "Jurassic Park."
A decade later, after the success of the "Jurassic Park" film adaptation, Crichton and director Steven Spielberg collaborated on what was now known as "ER." Spielberg initially envisioned it as a feature film but eventually decided to film it as a television series pilot, recognizing the potential for multiple stories within the emergency room setting.
The pilot episode of "ER" was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, a facility that had ceased operating in 1990. This was due to a lack of time and resources to build a set. Subsequently, a set modeled after Los Angeles County General Hospital's emergency room was constructed at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.
While the interiors were primarily filmed at Warner Bros. Studios, the show's producers recognized the importance of incorporating exterior shots of Chicago to add a sense of realism. The show's association with Chicago lasted for 15 years, and the city became integral to the show's identity. Chicago landmarks like the "'L' rapid transit system" and the Michigan Avenue Bridge were featured prominently in the series.
ER's writers also visited hospitals in the Los Angeles area to gather inspiration for medical storylines, often adapting real events with added dramatic elements. For example, an episode featuring a baby with a coat hanger stuck in its throat was inspired by a real incident, but the show's version heightened the drama by having the baby require a tracheotomy.
Thus, while ER was not entirely filmed in a real hospital, its premise, storylines, and locations were heavily influenced by Crichton's experiences and the desire to bring authenticity and realism to the medical situations portrayed in the show.
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Real-life Chicago landmarks were featured
ER is an American medical drama television series that aired from 1994 to 2009. The show is set in the fictional Cook County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois, and revolves around the inner life of the emergency room and the critical professional, ethical, and personal issues faced by its physicians, nurses, and staff.
While the interior scenes were filmed at the Warner Bros studio backlot in Burbank, California, and in various Los Angeles locales, the exterior shots were filmed in Chicago. The show's partnership with Chicago lasted for 15 years, with the cast and crew visiting the city a couple of times each season to film exterior scenes for several episodes.
The show's creators deemed it creatively necessary to film in Chicago, despite the added expenses, as it brought a sense of realism to the series. This partnership with the city of Chicago ended in 2009, with part of the cast and crew expressing their appreciation for the city's hospitality during their time filming over the drama's 15-year run.
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Frequently asked questions
No, ER was not filmed in a real hospital. The show is set in the fictional Cook County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Interior scenes were filmed at the Warner Bros. studio backlot in Burbank, California, and in various Los Angeles locales.
Yes, the show filmed exterior shots in Chicago. The Chicago Film Office lists 2003 as the only year ER didn't shoot in the Windy City. Some of the notable Chicago landmarks featured in the show include the "L" rapid transit system and the Michigan Avenue Bridge.
The pilot episode of ER was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles, a facility that had ceased operating in 1990.
