A.E.S. Hudson Street

1 9 7 8 (USA)
5 x 30 minute episodes

This short-lived ABC tryout series centred around Dr Antonio ”Tony” Menzies (Gregory Sierra, who played Detective Chano Amenguale on Barney Miller), the busy chief resident of an overcrowded and poorly equipped inner-city emergency ward (“A.E.S.” stood for Adult Emergency Services).

The location was Hudson Street, Manhattan, an area of New York as run down as the hospital itself.

Always short of funds and surrounded by a staff of lunatics, Dr Menzies dealt with the various accident victims coming through the door as best he could – with good humour and an occasional yearning to be somewhere else in the medical profession.

Dr Glick (Allan Miller) was the resident psychiatrist and J. Powell Karbo (Stefan Gierasch) the bureaucratic hospital administrator.

Other regular characters included Rosa Santiago (Rosana Soto), a nurse pregnant with her eighth child; Foshko (Susan Peretz), a paramedic; Stanke (Ralph Manza), an ambulance driver; Newton (Ray Stewart), a gay nurse; and intern Dr Jerry Mackler (Bill Cort).

Critics said ABC had moved Barney Miller into a hospital emergency room, but the resemblance was no accident: Hudson Street was co-created by Danny Arnold, who gave birth to Barney Miller and Fish.

Unfortunately, the hyperactive 30-minute comedy had too many characters running in and out and too many one-liners. Although seven episodes were videotaped, only five of them aired.

Danny Arnold returned to the A.E.S Hudson Street concept for the ABC comedy series STAT in 1991, this time with Dennis Boutsikaris as Dr Tony Menzies. This updated and revised version ran for six episodes in April and May ’91.

Dr Antonio ‘Tony’ Menzies
Gregory Sierra
Nurse Rosa Santiago
Rosanna De Soto
J. Powell Karbo
Stefan Gierasch
Ambulance Driver Foshko
Susan Peretz
Ambulance Aide Stanke
Ralph Manza
Nurse Newton
Ray Stewart
Dr Jerry Mackler
Bill Cort
Dr Glick
Allan Miller
Coody
Jack Dodson
Dr Gloria Manners
Barrie Youngfellow

Episodes

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