Gene Starzenski

Freedom House Documentary Producer/Director Over the last forty years, Gene Starzenski has served as a Medical Advisor and Medic on hundreds of television shows as well as 50 films, including The Dark Knight Rises, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Pearl Harbor, Jaws 2, and many many more. He began his medical career in 1971 in Pittsburgh after serving as a decorated soldier and Military Police Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. Raised in Pittsburgh by a Japanese mother and Polish father, Gene had intimate knowledge of the problems of being Bi-racial in the 1960's. After his service ended in 1970, he returned to Pittsburgh to work in private ambulance service. It was here that he first became aware of Freedom House. In 1972, Gene was hired by Southside Hospital as an Emergency Room Orderly. Later, he became an ER Technician, and along with a doctor, RN, and a nursing aid, would treat approximately 70 patients each shift. Due to the heavy work load in the Emergency Room Gene was given the opportunity to perform medical procedures outside his job category. Gene discovered that he was well suited and capable of handling Emergency procedures and wanted to do more. Gene contacted Freedom House, as it was the only paramedic program in Pittsburgh. Freedom House had no positions opened. Having knowledge about a paramedic-training program in California, Gene moved to California and in 1975 graduated from Daniel Freedom Paramedic Training and became certified by Los Angeles County as the 972nd Paramedic. A year later, while working at the Inglewood Fire Station #3, he met Julius Lafore, who was a firefighter and stuntman. He encouraged Gene to become a Studio Medic. Gene did so in 1977, going on to work on hundreds of television shows and films. Retired 2012 , IATSE Local 80