NOAH WYLE THE NATURAL

Age: 26 Why him? As ER's John Carter, Wyle the doctor treats patients the way Wyle the actor treats dialogue--with the skill and compassion of a veteran. How he does it: With a back story. "He creates a world around him rather than going on instincts," says Bart Freundlich, writer-director of The Myth of Fingerprints, Wyle's next film. On set, his goofiness put castmates at ease. "He made fun of the film's deep emotion," adds the director. "So people didn't feel like they had to tiptoe around." Creative crutch: An occasional cigarette. What's next: More ER and Myth, due in September.

Transmitted: 06/24/97 18:02 (it78385)