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CNN Live Today

Trauma Drama

Aired May 08, 2003 - 11:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Another routine night in the "ER." Hardly. The NBC drama is marking its 200th episode tonight. Most members of the original cast have moved on, but "ER'"s vital signs are still strong after nine years on the air.
Cynthia Sanz is senior editor for "People" magazine, and she's joining us from New York this morning.

Cynthia, good morning.

Love this story, because I've heard, "ER" wasn't even supposed to make it past the pilot episode.

CYNTHIA SANZ, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: You know, it was so different when it premiered that no one was sure it could be a hit.

KAGAN: And meanwhile, not only has it been a hit, and a huge hit for NBC, it's made a lot of stars out of the people who appeared on it, who a lot of people hadn't heard of before. Noah Wyle is the one actor who has stayed with it through the entire nine years.

SANZ: He really is. He was there in the beginning, and he's a star now.

KAGAN: And he's making a lot of money for him.

But a lot of stars have decided that "ER" has been good, but time to move. Let's look and see how some of them have done.

George Clooney, of course, I think he has been the biggest star to emerge from this show.

SANZ: George Clooney did. You know, it's funny, because he had done a lot of TV series before "ER," and they had all turned out pretty badly.

KAGAN: Wasn't he even on "Facts of Life," I think? I've seen some old clips.

SANZ: He was on "Facts of Life." He was on like a different "ER" that was a sitcom that lasted like no time at all. So, but this one really made it. It was just the right chemistry, and it really clicked.

KAGAN: But I think it's fair to say that he's become a legitimate movie star since he's moved on. What about Anthony Edwards? SANZ: Anthony Edwards, people may have known him from "Top Gun." He was "Goose," he was a character actor. But this one really made him into a leading man.

KAGAN: And meanwhile, he's actually a very successful marriage. His wife is a big makeup artist with a big makeup line.

SANZ: She is. She does the Steela (ph) line.

KAGAN: And Julianna Margolis, we just saw her in a clip with George Clooney. They had fabulous chemistry when this came on. But she, too,, has left the show.

SANZ: She has left the show. When Julianna Margolis came on, was supposed to be sort of a temporary thing. She was going to commit suicide over George Clooney's Doug Ross, and that would be it. But the chemistry was good, people liked her, and she wound up being a star for many years on that.

KAGAN: And ended up having her boyfriend, Ron Elder, on that show as well. Did we know if they met on that show, or they both appeared on that show? He was one of the paramedics.

SANZ: I think they had met before, but certainly their romance heated up when they were on the show together.

KAGAN: And they have both since moved on. What's the feeling? How long can this keep going on for NBC?

SANZ: You know, there's not many shows that can last this long. I mean, since 1994, already it's a long time. But it's still in the top 10, and certainly NBC would like to keep it going a few more years.

KAGAN: I bet NBC would love to keep it going. Cynthia Sands from "People" magazine, thanks for stopping. Appreciate the house visit here on CNN LIVE TODAY.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 8, 2003 - 11:47   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: Another routine night in the "ER." Hardly. The NBC drama is marking its 200th episode tonight. Most members of the original cast have moved on, but "ER'"s vital signs are still strong after nine years on the air.
Cynthia Sanz is senior editor for "People" magazine, and she's joining us from New York this morning.

Cynthia, good morning.

Love this story, because I've heard, "ER" wasn't even supposed to make it past the pilot episode.

CYNTHIA SANZ, "PEOPLE" MAGAZINE: You know, it was so different when it premiered that no one was sure it could be a hit.

KAGAN: And meanwhile, not only has it been a hit, and a huge hit for NBC, it's made a lot of stars out of the people who appeared on it, who a lot of people hadn't heard of before. Noah Wyle is the one actor who has stayed with it through the entire nine years.

SANZ: He really is. He was there in the beginning, and he's a star now.

KAGAN: And he's making a lot of money for him.

But a lot of stars have decided that "ER" has been good, but time to move. Let's look and see how some of them have done.

George Clooney, of course, I think he has been the biggest star to emerge from this show.

SANZ: George Clooney did. You know, it's funny, because he had done a lot of TV series before "ER," and they had all turned out pretty badly.

KAGAN: Wasn't he even on "Facts of Life," I think? I've seen some old clips.

SANZ: He was on "Facts of Life." He was on like a different "ER" that was a sitcom that lasted like no time at all. So, but this one really made it. It was just the right chemistry, and it really clicked.

KAGAN: But I think it's fair to say that he's become a legitimate movie star since he's moved on. What about Anthony Edwards? SANZ: Anthony Edwards, people may have known him from "Top Gun." He was "Goose," he was a character actor. But this one really made him into a leading man.

KAGAN: And meanwhile, he's actually a very successful marriage. His wife is a big makeup artist with a big makeup line.

SANZ: She is. She does the Steela (ph) line.

KAGAN: And Julianna Margolis, we just saw her in a clip with George Clooney. They had fabulous chemistry when this came on. But she, too,, has left the show.

SANZ: She has left the show. When Julianna Margolis came on, was supposed to be sort of a temporary thing. She was going to commit suicide over George Clooney's Doug Ross, and that would be it. But the chemistry was good, people liked her, and she wound up being a star for many years on that.

KAGAN: And ended up having her boyfriend, Ron Elder, on that show as well. Did we know if they met on that show, or they both appeared on that show? He was one of the paramedics.

SANZ: I think they had met before, but certainly their romance heated up when they were on the show together.

KAGAN: And they have both since moved on. What's the feeling? How long can this keep going on for NBC?

SANZ: You know, there's not many shows that can last this long. I mean, since 1994, already it's a long time. But it's still in the top 10, and certainly NBC would like to keep it going a few more years.

KAGAN: I bet NBC would love to keep it going. Cynthia Sands from "People" magazine, thanks for stopping. Appreciate the house visit here on CNN LIVE TODAY.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com