Other mistake: When Tommy's on the ledge, and Roy and John are on the aerial ladder, just as Tommy jumps off the ledge and Roy catches him, we can see the young actor happy and grinning as he's being caught by Kevin Tighe, but within the very serious storyline of a 7 year old boy jumping from a ledge, looking "empty, tired and giving up", this doesn't fit. Obviously the young actor thought it was great fun to do a stunt like that.
Other mistake: At the fire, while they're searching for the missing boy, Marco feels the partition for heat and shouts to Captain Stanley, "Hey, Cap! Cap!" but the subtitles read, "Hey, Chet! Chet!" Then after the boy's rescue, we hear the Battalion Chief say, "LA, this fire's contained. All copy. Out 1 hour," but subtitles read "Talk 1 hour." Subtitles from Universal Studios 2010 DVD.
Other mistake: At the start of this episode Squad 51 heads out to the construction site with the screaming woman, and Roy and John are in their full turnout gear, which means they've just spent the night at the station and it's early morning at the end of their 24-hr shift, yet back at the station Roy and John are getting into their uniform at the start of their shift, which is 8:00AM. Joanne Worley's screaming segment was filmed for an earlier episode, but was inserted into this episode.
Other mistake: On site with the boy on the ledge, when Truck 85 raises the aerial ladder Roy stands by and waits to go up with Johnny behind him. Both Roy and Johnny are the only ones not wearing their turnouts, and both of their watches are on their left wrists, but when 85's aerial apparatus operator says "Desoto, up the aerial," the bare arm we see beside him is wearing the watch on his right wrist. This is not a flipped shot.
Other mistake: When Roy and John are examining the boy who jumped from the ledge, they're standing at the back of Engine 85 while the boy's sitting on the tailboard, and we can see behind his head the vinyl material with the imprinted 85, covering the attached plate with the real company number.
Other mistake: When Tommy is in the treatment room drinking chocolate milk, the container of milk has tape wrapped around it, so the brand name would not be visible. Later at the station, when Chet is polishing the table in the kitchen, the spray can he's using has tape wrapped around it as well, for the same reason.
Answer: I believe you are speaking of the old man, Mr. Wilson. He's played by J. Pat O'Malley.
Bishop73
Correct, it was J. Pat O'Malley...he also played the grandfather with his grandson when their rocket exploded, and also played "Old Bill" in the episode with Ann Prentiss, where Gage saves the little girl from the burning tree house, and her mother falls in love with him.