Howie Mandel Reflects on St. Elsewhere 's 40th Anniversary: 'I'm a Part of Television History'
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It's been 40 years since Howie Mandel first tossed on his stethoscope with the cast of St. Elsewhere, and now he's thinking back to the importance of the iconic, star-studded NBC drama series.
While at the Carousel of Hope Ball in Beverly Hills this weekend for emcee duty, Mandel, 66, spoke with PEOPLE about the '80s series turning 40 in October, and his mindset when he joined the show. At the time, Mandel was most known for his work in the 1981 comedy Gas, before St. Elsewhere launched him into a greater level of stardom.
"I have no idea what I was doing when I was doing it," Mandel told PEOPLE. "But when you think back and look at it from that perspective, the kids that I was playing with, Denzel Washington, Tim Robbins — I think it was his first job. Ray Liotta and all the great writers who went on and directors who went on to direct much bigger things and amazing things. I'm a part of television history, which makes me thrilled to be a small part."
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Mandel, who played the role of Dr. Wayne Fiscus, last showed up at the fictional St. Eligius Hospital in Boston's South End during the series finale in May 1988.
The show ran for six seasons, and as Mandel explained, initially featured David Paymer in the role during the unaired pilot. But the role then went to Mandel, who said it was "challenging to be doing comedy and that at the same time."
"They had done the pilot and a few other episodes and then they made a casting change. I replaced the guy by the name of David Paymer who went on to get nominated for an Academy Award for Mr. Saturday Night. So he did fine." Mandel explains. "But I'm lucky, and I came in at the last minute and auditioned. I don't think they knew me, knew what I did. I think had they, they probably wouldn't have cast me. But I'm glad about the breadth that I've been able to experience in my career."
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As for if Mandel still talks to his cast mates, Eric Laneuville and Ed Begley are still close friends of his. But when PEOPLE explained that Begley was at the Carousel of Hope Ball, Mandel jokingly responded with "I guess he's not a great friend. He could have given me a ride."
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In March of this year, actor David Birney, who played Dr. Ben Samuels during the first year of the show's run, died at age 83 of Alzheimer's disease. Birney's ex-wife Meredith Baxter remembered her former partner in an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, calling him "a dominant influence" in the lives of his children.
The show, nominated at the Emmy Awards for all six seasons, recently saw 10 cast members come together in honor of the anniversary during a virtual reunion for Gold Derby. The hour-long Zoom was attended by Mandel, but Begley, Washington and a handful of other cast members did not attend.
"We had a group, including everybody that's on here, of just wonderful people that enhanced our lives just by spending whatever time that we did with each other," Mandel said during the discussion. "I thank each and every one of you and all the people that aren't here for being part of my life and my career, my career, and my memory. Being here today is just a joy."
