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Julie London had to work with her ex-husband on Emergency! — and you'll never guess who it was!
She was working for her ex-husband while co-starring with her current husband!
Julie London, who portrayed R.N. Dixie McCall on Emergency!, was no stranger to dire situations on the series, serving as one of the fastest-acting nurses around.
Offscreen, however, she found herself in an even more bizarre situation — one that rivaled the drama unfolding on camera.
According to a 1972 interview with the Peninsula Times Tribune, London worked for her ex-husband, Jack Webb, the creator of the series, who also employed her then-current husband, Bobby Troup.
If there is anything worse than having to deal with an ex-husband — it was working with him.
"I was genuinely surprised when Jack asked me to do the show with Bobby," London said. "It came out of the blue. I certainly didn't expect it. Bobby had worked with Jack on Adam-12 and Dragnet, but this was something new for us. As a producer, Jack is very demanding. He's a perfectionist."
Webb and London divorced in 1954 mainly because of the strains in their marriage caused by Webb’s intense work ethic. He was famously a workaholic.
According to the interview, his hiring of London and her husband was even more surprising considering the divorce settlement cost Webb around $500,000.
"Jack Webb is a tough boss," London said. "But he was that way as a husband, too, so I wasn't surprised that he wants the very best on his show."
Before she was an actress, she was a singer. In fact, Emergency! was one of her first big shots at the big time.
Her character was known for being sharp, calm under pressure, and a constant source of strength for the rescue team — the kind of nurse you'd hope to find if you were in trouble.
"It was frightening the day I reported to work on the show," London said. "Bobby practically had to hold me up. My knees were shaking. I don't feel self-conscious playing scenes with Bobby. We appeared in Rawhide together years ago. Anyway, we don't play a married couple in the series."
Being in a series together with your current husband and ex-husband is the ultimate test — and maybe the ultimate form of couples counseling. London eventually got used to the cameras, and Emergency! went on to be a life-saver for her, while also saving the lives of many viewers.
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