Actor Pat Corley only appeared in five episodes of "Hill Street Blues" in its third season, but he proved popular enough to make a final guest appearance in Season 6. Did you encounter any technical issues? I thought I'd give it to Furillo; then I thought, 'No, he's too stoic. instrumental in saving Kiel's job and getting him into Betty Ford for rehab. On "Hill Street Blues,"his death was written into the show, though his cause of death was changed. Without that it is hard to know a great deal about where it was Despite its many awards, critical successes, and watercooler-show status, the series never finished in the Nielsen Top 20 for any season. At least he got a happy ending, running away to New Zealand with a female officer, Natalie (Ellen Blake), and enjoying retirement with the love of his life. "We had Joe and Lucy having an affair," Bochco told Playboy in 1983. It took us a year or so to clean all that stuff up. Where does a Teamster make the kind of money to have a gold Rolex? And Hunter says, 'You mean like that colored entertainer?' spread from the sky. I went home (which was nearby) and within half hour I had written it. Hunter was often the shows comic relief. Then of course there is always television, a few more series of NCIS perhaps. 6. Haid: We collectively made a decision that it was seven (seasons) and out. I know you already got one thing going on, but maybe youd be interested in doing this part. The original part was a guy named Flannery who was going to be Furillo. LaRue (Kiel Martin), to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Cocaine was rampant. Charles Haid . It was a serialized mixture of drama and comedy featuring diverse, colorful and three-dimensional characters the policemen and policewomen of the rundown Hill Street Station. 4. Henry is not me, but I am an actor and I moulded him the way I RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Actor Kiel Martin, who played shady detective Johnny ``J.D.'' Buntz was fired from the PD and moved to Beverly Hills to become a private eye in the short-lived "Blues" spinoff "Beverly Hills Buntz," a comedy created by David Milch and Jeffrey Lewis. Every single thing. The actor kept his diagnosis private, likely due to the stigma associated with the disease, particularly in the 1980s, but he did confide to co-starCharles Haid that he was suffering from the disease. went by it was clear that there were some very clever people involved in the series and I am proud of my contribution. I called Bochco and he and Hoblit come Joe: You would have an idea when reading the script, but in reality because we were doing different bits at different Michael Warren was regular and I think Keil Martin, Taurean Blacque, Michael Conrad and James Sikking along with While the situation deteriorates as all hostage situations do, the idealistic Goldblume is nevertheless impressed by Calvin. It stayed on through a combination of key corporate support, determination and a little bit of luck. The only way to service multiple storylines was to let them spill over into subsequent episodes. there is instant gratification from the audience's response to your work. And when the writers made his exit permanent Coffey was shot and killed on duty in "Larry of Arabia" Marinaro hosted a "Watch Joe Coffey Die Party," attended by co-stars Sikking, Thomas, and Weitz, as well as his old NFL pal Joe Namath. She does the exact same thing. Joe Spano told Playboy he originally read for Renko but ended up as Goldblume, the community relations officer. HSB.net: When did you first meet Mr Bochco was it when you appeared on his TV Show Paris? money for a party in some park in Palm Springs for close friends. Haid: Thats why it said (in the credits), Charles Haid as Renko.. where the music came from, but I am grateful I get the chance to create wonderful art, that can be laid on someone else's The 1981-87 NBC cop drama (which just got the Complete Series DVD treatment) not only helped turn around a last-place network, but it's no hyperbole to say Joe Santos appeared in small roles in a handful of films in the late 1960s, but his first major film was 1971's "The Panic in Needle Park,"with Al Pacino and Kiel Martin. Granted, he uses forged documents to enroll in law school, but he still manages to become a successful paralegal, even if he continues to have a degree of influence over the Diablos gang. The Emmy wins gave the show new attention though it already had the support of NBCs most important decision maker. Margaritas make me salivate. Weitz: It gave me my career out here in Los Angeles. read that script with so much going on and not know this was something unique. And (the network) said OK. Now were stuck with it. Sikking, however, saw his humanity. Cast also took par. He just couldnt stand it. Also of course Michael Kozoll was the writer. Even after all of the drama of seven seasons and a particularly emotional series finale, the work never ends. His final onscreen appearance was in a 1990 episode of "Murder, She Wrote.". It was clearly something very different to other programs of the It His mother Eileen called me in Miami to see if I was coming to Palm Springs for the celebration and I told her it His most famous teammate: Lew Alcindor, aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I worked in downtown Miami for 25 years and Kiel's dad Karl was a court recorder and would stop time, although of course that by no means guaranties success. Belker looks at her and said, Lady, could you pass a test like that?. Joe: It has been a pleasure chatting to you guys and I promise I will put a good word in with those I am still in The husky tough-guy actor gives a tremendous performance in his scant few scenes; it's a testament to series lead Daniel J. Travanti that he is able to match Sweet during the more emotionally-charged moments. His character has a notable arc during the series, beginning as a glorified extra in the pilot and a minor character for the first two seasons before getting his own storylines in Season 3 and beyond. Can you imagine having the power to give a boil to anybody in this cast? Unusually there were no egos and La Rue on the 1980s television drama Hill Street Blues. Hill Street did not come off as a real police station. Haid: Michael Conrad talk about old school. He was a lonely guy with this pretentious uniform who wanted to fall in love and wanted to be a friend and didnt have the guts to go out and get it. Its temporary and it has nothing to do with basic reality as most of us know it. Network President Fred Silverman, inspired by the Paul Newman film Fort Apache, the Bronx, wanted a cop show. In comparison to Esterhaus, Jablonski is more bitter and cantankerous than his counterpart. idea. potential for Belker. attempts to steal another actors scene. The death-during-sex character refers to Sgt. He returned in Season 6 as Lt. Norman Buntz, who he played through the end of the series, and beyond. The cops were flawed; the story lines were not resolved in a single episode; characters you loved died while having sex. think most people can see this camaraderie in the finished program and remember that despite all this most, episodes were filmed in Hill Street Blues Kiel Martin Johnny "J.D." Co-star Daniel J. Travanti reminisced that, during his time on Hill Street Blues, Enrquez was "sad, unhappy because they were not thrilled with him, they kept saying that it was difficult to understand him. Sopranos fan? have to say things like "Goldblume would never do that" I think all of us contributed to expanding our characters to some degree and of Joe: When Nancy ( Robert Hirschfeld widow) told me of your efforts in creating the website, I felt it would be good to Joyce Davenport. Results of both tests were generally negative. That's one dangerously sexy redhead, indeed. 24. practical jokes on each other. Here, 25 things you didn't know about the arresting series, including its humble ratings beginnings. how far ahead did you know where a story that featured you heavily was going? HSB.net: What of the future. Maybe he was unwell at an earlier stage of his life. Michael Conrad was a guy who was going to do it a certain way, and our favorite thing would be to get to him. ", 21. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. at the end of the first season. But take my word for it it did not go onto the set. Marinaro: I asked to leave. Even the local pizza place wasnt immune: Pizza Man Furillos nickname was drawn from Pizza Man, an L.A. chain. Following the conclusion of "Hill Street Blues,"the world was Silva's oyster, and he appeared in four movies in 1988, including "Colors" and "The Night Before." Debuting in 1981, "Hill Street Blues"is one such show. Many episodes can be grouped together as self-contained story arcs that build out the characters and their relationships as they try to fight crime in the city. NBCs Standards and Practices department the network censor wasnt impressed, however, questioning every detail. But if you see the episodes, you see how much fun we were having. Of course what you are doing at the moment is the most important thing in 14. I Bochco: At the end of the meeting, I got up and said, We cant do this project. Kiel Martin Detective J.D. WebKiel Martin . The storyline was sparked by Travanti's own revelation that he was a recovering alcoholic who, he once told People magazine, used to drink nearly a bottle of vodka a day. Frank Furillo (Emmy winner Daniel J. Travanti) was revealed to be a recovering alcoholic when he ordered one of his detectives, J.D. Co-star Daniel J. Travanti reminisced that, during his time on Hill Street Blues, Enrquez was "sad, unhappy wanted to pursue, so I moved out to Hollywood, got an agent, and once I had one, you know, I tried to get parts. That was important. But when my NFL career was over, I kind of knew it was something I 25. Weitz had to convince a reluctant Grant Tinker he could play the snarling undercover cop. It just changed the rules of TV. Following "Hill Street Blues,"Hirschfeld made many television appearances across the 1990s and 2000s, including five episodes of "Law &Order," as five different characters. Weitz: He sent me a script and he told me they were interested in the role of LaRue the role that Kiel Martin played. She goes in the office and she comes out and she calls me over and says if Id be willing to audition for this part they were casting, (Officer) Joe Coffey. Haid: We would come up with every euphemism for masturbation we could come up with. 10. Kiel's return. Dennis Franz joined the cast. His wife and his son survived the automobile accident. Good. Hill Street Blues Actors You May Not Know Passed Away. At that point, I wanted to build a career and get opportunities to play different roles or have my own series. Director Rick Wallace Writers Michael Kozoll Steven Bochco (story by) Jeffrey Lewis (teleplay by) Its shows, such as the flop Supertrain, were the butt of jokes. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. You could not Hill Street Blues was a popular police drama that ran on NBC from 1981 until 1987. When Steven ran into Sammy, he told him about it, and there was a moment when we both thought he wasn't going to think it was funny. Mick Belker, was a college friend of Bochco's. the first episode. and displaying his wares, just as he'd done on "Hill Street Blues.". feedback. Take a moment to thank Hill Street Blues., There is no Sopranos without Hill Street Blues, says Syracuse University pop culture professor Robert Thompson, who wrote a book tracing Hill Streets influence. A couple times people would go at each other, but it wasnt about drugs and alcohol, but about creative stuff. pulled off by one of the number and on the odd occasion been moved to tears by story line, particularly the scene where Veronica Hamel He even gets the last line in the entire series, answering the phone and saying, "Hill Street." There was a feeling of responsibility many of us felt The supermarket tabloids have had a field day with Kiel Martin, the actor best known as hard-living Detective J.D. LaRue of Hill Street Blues. So Martin is, understandably, a bit reticent when it comes to doing interviews. He is not, however, reluctant to beat the drum for Second Chance, the Fox Broadcasting Co. sitcom in which he stars. We should have won 10. 1. Occasionally, dead bodies need to be examined by an experienced professional. Here are twelve "Hill Street Blues" actors you may not know passed away. He got his start in a 1968 episode of "N.Y.P.D.," and went on to star in dozens of films and TV shows, including "Bay City Blues." It was extraordinary in its time. Sources include direct interviews, the Archive of American Television and a Playboy magazine Q&A. things like your one-man show about Buckminster Fuller? Bochco: Fred (Silverman) was great. Haid: Steven said, Im doing a show over at MTM. It Steven Bochco on Slowing Down: 'I'm Just Old', the famous scene-change "chung chung" sound effect, 'Hill Street Blues' Made the Writers Guild's List of the Best-Written TV Shows Ever, famously told his co-workers after morning roll call, The 'Deadwood' Cast Chats for a 10th Anniversary Oral History of the HBO Drama, Amy Grant explains that she's struggling with memory loss 6 months after accident, Jeremy Renner's 'Mayor of Kingstown' poster altered after snowplow accident, Jinger Duggar Vuolo describes the awakening that changed her faith: 'Fear was a huge part of my childhood', Lisa Marie Presley's cause of death deferred amid ongoing investigation, Pamela Anderson says Tommy Lee divorce was 'most difficult' time in her life: 'I was crushed'. And the collective was extraordinary. The company's famous logo, which featured Mimsie the kitten meowing at the end of MTM shows, was tweaked for "Hill Street Blues": Mimsie sported a police hat. The portrayal of law enforcement people was so different," says Marinaro, who's in the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for a movie sequel to his Spike TV comedy "Blue Mountain State. HSB.net: What happened to your collection of bow ties? 2. He was, We won everything. You know yourself if it seemed right, but your fellow actors are also working on their part and unless it is a very special And they didnt know. was a different thing when you saw the finished production however! Sikking: The guy called up, he was screaming, You cant put that on there. Steven said, I can, too. We left nothing to chance. Furillo's marriage is in trouble and he spends a good deal of time with his new woman friend, a lawyer named Joyce Davenport (Veronica Hamel). The first three seasons of the series, including Milch's Emmy-winning episode, are available on Hulu.com. I know I'm prejudiced but I still think Hill Street Blues was one incredible show. If you allow yourself to continue to be swept up in it, there can only be disaster at the end. Before he became a Hollywood actor, Dolph Sweet served on B-24 bombers during World War II. Travanti: They said I was the first guy they called in. I spoke a few times with Barbra Bosson. Late in Season 4, LaRue (Kiel Martin) simply disappears for about four episodes, with one reference to him being sick and then it being "mono, so expect him to be out for a few weeks." less than a week I know one thing for sure, I will never work with a crew like that again. Michael Warren (Actor played Bobby Hill), About Kiel Martin:After Kiel passed away I really have had no contact with the cast. He remained in the lead credits, appears in the season finale and of course continued to the end of the show. I was young and dumb and took a shot there. Corner Bakery, Calabasas Commons over Coffee. something here please email us), About Trinidad Silva: Just wanted to add an addendum regarding Trinidad Silva. The hardest part to cast was the police captain, Francis X. something special. Unlike his character, Enrquez was born in Nicaragua, not Colombia. So if you get swept up by it in the beginning, thats one thing. He was 81 years old. "Hill Street Blues" paved the way for a generation of novelistic TV series, Show was no sure thing -- it was poorly rated and confused audiences, But series hung on and proved tremendously influential, Complete series is available on DVD Tuesday. But sobriety is the keystone of who I am now.". The Cast Of NBC-TV's Hill Street Blues. But they were insistent that thats what they wanted. Bochco: We created a euphemistic language that suggested the raunchiness of the cop world, and it worked. For Season 5, he was promoted to a series regular, though the character was written out of the series in that Season finale. Like with so many actors from that film, "Needle Park"led to Santos getting bigger and better roles in film and television. Abso-friggin-lutely. Bochco: Here we had, at an impetuous moment from a network floundering in last place, extracted the promise of creative autonomy. We portrayed them as real people. ", [Related: The 'Deadwood' Cast Chats for a 10th Anniversary Oral History of the HBO Drama], Marinaro, a former NFL player-turned-actor, was originally killed off in the Season 1 finale, but when the show was granted a second season, Joe Coffey miraculously survived what had appeared to be a fatal gunshot wound. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Guess I'm not the Hollywood type. WebKiel Martin was born on July 26, 1944 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The way he was described in the pilot, he couldnt defuse a roll of kosher toilet paper. He also acted Marinaro decided he was done in Season 6. Michael and I agreed that we would do it on one condition: Well do this pilot for you on the condition that youll leave us completely alone to do whatever we want. not so ready to remember their time doing it. Joe: Yes I think as the series went on our input was listened to, but because it was so well written you did not often Ed Marinaro, a former football player whod had a short run on Laverne & Shirley, wasnt planning on Hill Street at all. Many actors are. Haid: We went from a bunch of schmucks to be at the top of your class. Bochco: We did stuff in that show Id never seen before anywhere. He was sweet, sweet natured and grateful for what he had there but saddened by being let go. A Warner Bros. And everybody started crying. The former Yale writing teacher won an Emmy for his first "Blues" script the Season 3 premiere, "Trial by Fury" and went on to become an executive producer on the show, adding Writers Guild awards and a Humanitas Prize to his rsum. Thomas, who won an Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series statue in 1985, went on to direct the HBO comedy "Dream On" and the network's classic adaptation of "The Late Shift," the book about the David Letterman/Jay Leno "Tonight Show" battle, as well as "The Brady Bunch Movie" and Howard Stern's autobiographical "Private Parts.