Clooney Lauds 'ER' Creator at Hollywood Star

George Clooney paid tribute to veteran "ER" and "West Wing" writer-producer John Wells, who was honored Thursday with his own star on the storied Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Hollywood heartthrob Clooney, who spent five seasons on "ER" before becoming a big screen A-lister, said 55-year-old Wells had made the career of many actors and actresses, as well as TV crew.

"When 'ER' sold for a record-breaking fee, it was (Wells) that gave bonuses to every crew member. Every single crew member on our show got a check between $25,000 and $100,000," said Clooney.

"It's his character that kept a young A.D. (assistant director) on our show who was suffering from terminal cancer on the payroll, long past the time he was able to do his job," he added.

Wells, who is a six-time Emmy winner, four as a producer of "The West Wing," received the 2,457th star in a small ceremony on the Walk of Fame, which draws millions of tourists along the sidewalks of Hollywood Boulevard.

"West Wing" star Allison Janney said he had "a unique, almost savant-like ability to know where the story is, the heart of it, how to twist it and shape it and keep it pulsing over years and years and hundreds of episodes."

The producer himself added: "This is a star I'm proud to have my name on, but it represents the hundreds of us doing this work for over two and a half decades."