Marco Lopez had spent quite some time working behind the scenes in Hollywood, taking on roles as a stand-in, extra, and bit-part actor before landing a job with Jack Webb’s production company, Mark VII. While there, Marco Lopez became Jack Webb’s personal stand-in during the filming of the popular series Dragnet. Prior to that, he’d appeared—often in uncredited roles—in several notable films, including the Western Broken Lance, the tense submarine drama The Enemy Below, and classic musicals like The King and I and South Pacific.

Still, things really started looking up for Marco Lopez once he stepped into that stand-in role. It opened doors. He began playing small parts as a police officer on Dragnet episodes and eventually worked on other studio projects, appearing in episodes of shows like Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, McCloud, and even Mission: Impossible. Then, in 1969, Jack Webb handed Marco Lopez a more meaningful opportunity—a recurring role on his new show Adam-12 as Officer Sanchez. It wasn’t a lead, but it was definitely a step forward from just being a double.

But the real turning point came when Marco Lopez landed his most iconic role yet: Fireman Marco Lopez on the hit series Emergency!. Yes, the character actually shared his real name, which made it all the more memorable. Marco Lopez starred in the show for its entire seven-year run, becoming a familiar face in households across America. To this day, when people think of Marco Lopez, it’s that role—as the dependable, hardworking firefighter—that stands out the most. And honestly, it’s no surprise. That performance truly defined his career.