Posted on 04/01/2018 7:22:33 PM PDT by Galactic Overlord-In-Chief
The unwavering TV writer-producer, winner of 10 Emmys, butted heads with networks and almost always won.
Steven Bochco, the strong-willed writer and producer who brought gritty realism and sprawling ensemble casts to the small screen with such iconic series as Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law and NYPD Blue, died Sunday morning, a family spokesman told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 74.
Suffering with leukemia, Bochco received a stem cell transplant from an anonymous 23-year-old in late 2014.
"Steven fought cancer with strength, courage, grace and his unsurpassed sense of humor," spokesman Phillip Arnold said. "He died peacefully in his sleep [at home] with his family close by."
In May 2016, he met the man that prolonged his life.
Bochco, a 10-time Primetime Emmy Award winner, also was behind the Neil Patrick Harris ABC comedy-drama Doogie Howser, M.D. and the TNT drama Murder in the First.
A New York City native who began at Universal Studios in the mid-1960s, Bochco time and time again refused to bend to network chiefs or standards and practices execs, thus earning rare creative control during his five decades of envelope-pushing work.
(Excerpt) Read more at hollywoodreporter.com ...
Oh well, in a chocolate and vanilla world I remain butter pecan. :)
I wonder if Police Story or Hill Street Blues had any influence on each other. I have the cd’s of Police Story and I know Joseph Wambaugh (ex homicide investigator) worked on those shows. But both shows were favorites of mine years ago. Each series reminded me of the 87th percinict novels by Ed McBain. Now it’s John Sanford and Micheal Connely. My greatest irritation is I read faster than they write. Long live Harry Bosch.
RIP Steven. Thanks for the memories.
He obce offered my former college roomate a job as a writer on the development of HSB. The offer was declined. 18 months later the show was a smash hit and I visited him in NYC. First thing he said was: “ don’t even f’n mention Hill Streer Blues to me.”
His brother used to come into a bar I worked in part time. He was a really nice guy too!
Rip Steven!
I’m a big fan of cop dramas. Favorites are Kojak in the ‘70s, Miami Vice and Crime Story in the ‘80s, and Homicide in the ‘90s. Although groundbreaking in many ways, Hill Street Blues was too much of a soap opera for my taste.
Agreed. For those who like cop shows, Bosch on Prime is hard to beat. The 3rd season starts this month. The shows, to me at least, are as good as the Connelly novels.
“Never enjoyed his stuff but it appears that I am in the minority.
Oh well, in a chocolate and vanilla world I remain butter pecan. :) “
Likewise...and eating some as we speak.
If you like Connely’s Books check out Robert Crais. Suspect and The Promise are good as well as his others. If you like true stories try “War Dogs”) then stay away from news stories of how they are treated when the come back form Iraq and Afghanistan. That and the treatment our veterans pisses me off.
I watched L.A. Law. I liked the actors in it. Didn’t think about the producer. I’d heard of Bochco. Knew some of his shows. Knew he was good at what he did. Thank you Steven.
“Let’s be careful out there”
Enjoyed his work. RIP.
Hey, I liked that cruel mix. I still watch soaps. :-P
:-)
Bochco was one of the three writers of the 1971 movie “Silent Running”: https://www.amazon.com/Silent-Running-Bruce-Dern/dp/B000063UR1
They won’t beat Hill Street. Especially the crappy Chicago show.
I liked Sledgehammer!
A little side story to “Hill Street Blues”. A former Boys Club member of mine, who was Right Guard on our football team (I was Left Tackle), was also a schoolmate of mine in Junior High and High School (the latter where he was a good actor in school plays).
He went to Carnegie Mellon Un. in drama and guess who turned out to be his classmates? Steven Bochco and Bruce Weitz (Hill Street Blues).
Then Mike (Tucker) and his wife, Jill Eikenberry, got guest roles on “HSB” and then later were featured characters in “LA Law”.
Somewhere down the line, his family is some kind of a distant cousin of mine.
Always liked him and he was a tough competitor on the football field.
Small world isn’t it?
Oh man.
I love NYPD Blue, great show. They play it now on the Hero’s and Icons network.
I’ve seen LA Law a few times, my mom used to watch it I think. I saw Hill Street Blues for the first time not long ago. He had a show on TNT till it was cancelled recently, “Murder in the First”, I didn’t know he was involved with it, haven’t seen it. I was just thinking I’d wish he’d do another cop show.
RIP, only 74.
Didn’t he do “Cop Rock?”
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