RIP Stephen J. Cannell - Greatest Producer In TV History

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Sad, sad news indeed...



The A-Team. The Rockford Files. 21 Jump Street.

Stephen J. Cannell, who produced and wrote those hits and many, many more of the shows you grew up on, died Thursday night at his Los Angeles-area home. He was 69, and had been battling melanoma.

The über-prolific Cannell's other credits included Wiseguy, Hunter, The Commish and The Greatest American Hero, one of the few caped-crusader shows to take successfully flight in the 1980s.

Cannell, who got his start in the 1960s, selling a script to Mission: Impossible, pounded out page after page on a typewriter—as anyone who remembers the production-company logo that closed out his numerous TV series could attest.

"I like hearing that ball hit the page, so I stayed on it," Cannell told PBS last year.

On a personal note, I knew Stephen well, and considered him not only a friend and mentor, but a *******ed hero, to boot. The man knew the stories he wanted to tell, and each time a network told him he was wrong, the magnificent S.O.B. went ahead and did it anyway. The man was so successful, it wasn't very long before the networks learned to just shut the hell up and let the man work.

I'll miss ya, boss.

[NHSparky]

Thank goodness there were people growing up who knew how to ENTERTAIN on television without getting preachy.

Steven Cannell was truly one of the good guys.

RIP, sir.

[Duke Nukum]

RIP.

I remember him as the bad guy in Renegade and introducing some show he wrote, possibly when CBS was trying to compete against The Tonight Show with a racier (and often times lame) late night line up.

[Ballygrl]

God Bless Him! I loved the TV show he did called Wiseguy.

OK, now HollywoodNeoCon knew him, so is HollywoodNeoCon Kelsey Grammer? Robert Davi? inquiring minds.

[Chris_]

He wrote a few books too. I liked them. His work in entertainment was exactly what it was supposed to be: ENTERTAINING.

[Chris_]

Back when TV was TV.  RIP.

[IassaFTots]

God Bless Him! I loved the TV show he did called Wiseguy.

OK, now HollywoodNeoCon knew him, so is HollywoodNeoCon Kelsey Grammer? Robert Davi? inquiring minds.

If you check out his welcome thread, you could probably figure it out.   

There are so many shows he was a part of, it is hard to pick a favorite, Rockford Files jumps to the head of the pack, but how can you discount the campy A-Team?  That's what makes the man a classic.  RIP.  Prayers up for the family, and his friends.  HWC, I am sorry for your loss. 

[littlelamb]

Another great one RIP sir

[Ballygrl]

If you check out his welcome thread, you could probably figure it out.   

Oh, I always forget about that forum, heading over there now.

[Ballygrl]

Oh my, I don't get that Channel but I have heard of the show, very cool!

[IassaFTots]

Oh, I always forget about that forum, heading over there now.

If  you stick to one or few forums you miss a lot.  That is why I filter on Unread posts.  That way I don't miss anything.  I hate missing stuff.   

[Chris_]

If  you stick to one or few forums you miss a lot.  That is why I filter on Unread posts.  That way I don't miss anything.  I hate missing stuff.   

Definitely.  That's the first thing I do when I get here.

[JakeStyle]

RIP Stephen.  Boy he had a lot of talent and did outstanding work when he was quite young.  He'll definitely be missed.

[Ballygrl]

If  you stick to one or few forums you miss a lot.  That is why I filter on Unread posts.  That way I don't miss anything.  I hate missing stuff.   

OK, now what do you mean "filter on unread posts"?

[Chris_]

http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php?action=unread

At the top of the page next to your profile when you log in.  You might want to switch themes if you can't find it.

[IassaFTots]

http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php?action=unread

At the top of the page next to your profile when you log in.  You might want to switch themes if you can't find it.

And under that is "show replies to your posts" So you can see all of the threads you participated in.

[cavegal]

Hunter , Mom loved that show.. "It works for me!" isn't that what Hunter used to say?  Rockford files just loved him till he spoke politics.

Cannell used to store a jet of his in a hanger at the local airport my hubby worked at, it was all black. I told my neighbor yesterday that Cannell had died, he was about to read a book by him.

[Rainbow Rising]

I was a big fan of Wiseguy and The A-Team.  The man knew how to put together an entertaining show, that's for sure.  RIP Mr. Cannell.

[Airwolf]

Unlike alot of writers today he could write a good show. You don't just happen to have one of the most prolific careers for nothing. RIP and thank you for all the great shows.

[PatriotGame]

I fracking loved Mission:Impossible (from the second Mission:Impossible, dialog between Tom (fag) Cruise and Anthony Hopkins: "This is Mission Impossible, not Mission Difficult!!!111"). Obviously the original series was far better, as was LA Law, Cheers, Cannon, TJ Hooker, and Blues Street.

[Wineslob]

God Bless Him! I loved the TV show he did called Wiseguy.

OK, now HollywoodNeoCon knew him, so is HollywoodNeoCon Kelsey Grammer? Robert Davi? inquiring minds.

Probably Alec Baldwin.





















 

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Probably Alec Baldwin.

Neither...just some hack writer. I met him about 15 years ago when I was hired to do some re-writes on some projects that his staff was having problems with. 

[NHSparky]

Neither...just some hack writer. I met him about 15 years ago when I was hired to do some re-writes on some projects that his staff was having problems with. 

She doesn't pay very close attention, does she?  LOL.

[IassaFTots]

Probably Alec Baldwin.

heh.

Naw, Alec believes the world can become a better place, that handles dangerous people with talk, and reasoning....by following the rules of the Film Actor's Guild..