Mike Stoker is an American firefighter and actor who appeared on the 1970s NBC/Universal series Emergency! He worked for the Los Angeles County Fire Department and was cast on the show specifically because he knew how to handle a fire engine. More than 50 years later, fans are still asking about Mike Stoker’s whereabouts. He chose a quiet life after retirement, staying mostly out of the public eye.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Mike Stoker was a genuine Los Angeles County firefighter who played a version of himself on Emergency! from 1972 to 1978.
- He kept working as an active firefighter throughout the show’s run, arranging shift swaps with colleagues to make it to set.
- After retiring from the LACoFD in 1996 as a Captain, he split his time between Montana and Mexico rather than staying in the spotlight.
- As of July 2026, Mike Stoker is alive, 85 years old, and still occasionally appears at fan conventions to share stories from the show.
Profile summary
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Full name |
Charles Michael Stoker |
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Gender |
Male |
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Date of birth |
25 June 1941 |
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Age |
85 years (as of 2026) |
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Zodiac sign |
Cancer |
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Place of birth |
Los Angeles, California, United States |
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Current residence |
Mexico/ Montana |
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Nationality |
American |
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Ethnicity |
White |
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Religion |
Christianity |
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Sexuality |
Straight |
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Hair colour |
Dark brown |
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Eye colour |
Brown |
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Relationship status |
Married |
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Children |
3 |
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Profession |
Retired firefighter and actor |
Who is Mike Stoker?
Mike Stoker is a retired Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter and engineer who is best known for playing Fireman Mike Stoker on Emergency!, a role he landed largely because he already held a Screen Actors Guild card and knew how to operate a fire engine.
Unlike most of his castmates, Stoker wasn’t primarily an actor. Instead, he was a real firefighter first, and the show used his actual name, job, and skills.
What is Mike Stoker’s age?
Mike Stoker from Emergency! is 85 years old as of 2026. He was born on 25 June 1941, and his Zodiac sign is Cancer.
Source: Original
Is Mike Stoker still alive?
Yes, he is. As of August 2026, Mike Stoker is alive and well at 85 years old. He has continued to make occasional public appearances at nostalgia and TV memorabilia events, including a scheduled appearance in mid-July 2026 at the Flashback Film & TV Festival in Olive Branch, Mississippi, where he shared stories from Emergency! and signed autographs for fans.
Is Mike Stoker from Santa Barbara?
No, it is worth clearing up a common mix-up. Searches for Mike Stoker from Santa Barbara usually refer to a completely different person.
The said person with the same name is a Santa Barbara County attorney and Republican politician who served two terms as county supervisor, later headed the EPA’s Region 9 office under the Trump administration, and ran for California State Assembly in 2022. That Mike Stoker is unrelated to Charles Michael Stoker, the retired firefighter and Emergency! actor.
Who is Mike Stoker’s older brother?
Stoker’s older brother, Patrick, was already a Los Angeles County firefighter. Patrick inspired Mike to join the department. Before that, Mike enlisted in the Navy two days after graduating high school in 1959, training as an electronics technician at the Naval Air Station in Millington, Tennessee. He officially joined the LACoFD on 1 July 1966.
Career
Mike Stoker was a real firefighter with the Los Angeles County Fire Department before becoming a television star. He worked as a fire truck engineer, driving and operating heavy equipment, and later featured in Emergency! , which ran from 1972 to 1977.
The television show centred on the lives of early first responders and ER doctors at the fictional Fire Station 51 and Rampart General Hospital in Los Angeles County. After Emergency!, Stoker never acted again, but he remained with the L.A. Fire Department for more than 30 years, until 1996, when he retired with the rank of Captain from Station 106 in Rolling Hills Estates, California.
Was Mike Stoker a real fireman on Emergency!?
Yes. Mike Stoker was a genuine, on-duty Los Angeles County firefighter throughout Emergency!’s entire run. Because NBC did not pay his firefighting salary, he had to personally arrange shift trades with other firefighters to cover the days he was needed on set, and he paid them back double the hours he owed.
Source: Getty Images
It was not uncommon for him to be in uniform on duty almost every day of the year, splitting time between the firehouse and the studio. In a 2009 interview with Geocities, Mike Stoker reflected on his career both in front of the camera and in the fire service, stating:
I spent 30 years as a fireman, and it was very important in the progress. That’s very rewarding. Seeing the great turnout (in DC and Hyattsville, MD) and all the firemen coming up to me telling me we had such an impact on them — to be a part of that is so rewarding and fun.
How long has Mike Stoker been a firefighter?
Mike Stoker spent roughly 30 years with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, from 1966 until his retirement in 1996. During filming of Emergency!, he worked out of LACoFD Station 69 in Topanga Canyon
His final assignment before retiring was Station 106 in Rolling Hills Estates, where he had risen to the rank of Captain, a position he held for the last 18 years of his career.
Is Mike Stoker married?
The retired American firefighter is married, and his wife was one of the original paramedic instructors in Los Angeles, whom he met during the filming of Emergency!. In the 2009 interview, Mike Stoker shared a glimpse into his personal life, recalling how he met his wife while working on Emergency! He said:
My wife was a paramedic instructor – one of the original paramedic instructors for the city of Los Angeles. I met her on the set.
He added:
So I was always working. I was single the first five years of the show – only in the last one was I married.
Who are Mike Stoker’s children?
Mike Stoker has three children, two sons and one daughter. His daughter, Maggie Stoker, was crowned Miss Teen Montana in the late 1990s and competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant, reflecting the family’s ties to Montana.
Stoker has also said one of his grandsons went on to become a Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighter, continuing something of a family tradition.
FAQs
- Who is the real fireman on Emergency!? Mike Stoker is the cast member most accurately described as the real fireman on Emergency! Because he held an active LACoFD position throughout filming. Castmate Marco Lopez shared his real name with his character too, but was not a real-life firefighter.
- Is Mike Stoker married? Yes, he is married. He met his wife, one of the original paramedic instructors for the City of Los Angeles, on the set of Emergency!
- Who is Mike Stoker? He is a retired Los Angeles County firefighter best known for playing a version of himself on the 1970s NBC series Emergency!
- How long has Mike Stoker been a firefighter? Mike served with the Los Angeles County Fire Department for about 30 years, from 1966 until his retirement in 1996, reaching the rank of Captain.
- How old is Mike Stoker? The Emergency! actor is 85 years old as of 2026.
- What happened to Mike Stoker from Emergency!? After Emergency!, Mike Stoker returned to firefighting, retired as a captain, and now lives a quiet life with his family away from the spotlight.
Mike Stoker may not have been a major Hollywood name, but his role on Emergency! made a lasting impact. During his time on Emergency!, Stoker played the role of Firefighter Engineer Mike Stoker. After the show, he returned to his real-life firefighting career with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, eventually retiring after decades of service.
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Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng