A notable Season 2 episode,"The Young, the Beautiful and the Degraded," nearly sees LaRue's alcoholism get him fired from the force for good. The writers, too, were experts at getting material past the censors. He remained in the lead credits, appears in the season finale and of course continued to the end of the show. Detective Harry Garibaldi (Ken Olin) is propped up in his place and becomes a continuing character, but seems very much like a cardboard cutout in these shows and delivers a lot of dialogue that sounds like it was written for LaRue. She said, Ed, well have to reschedule because I have this meeting. I said OK. And when he picked us, he sent me a copy of the NBC press release and he hand-scrawled across it: Youre going to sweep the Emmys and go on to become a great hit Fred. Thats exactly what happened. 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 "Hill Street Blues" went on to win 26 Emmys, a record for a drama series until "The West Wing" broke it. There was too much chaos in the station house, again reflecting that the police were incapable of maintaining control even on their home ground.. 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 the show changed television, for the better, in a way that current Golden Age of Television viewers continue to benefit from. All the shows that became popular were hybrids of what we did. Martin was once in contention for the lead role in the Oscar winning film Midnight Cowboy. After 'Hill Street Blues' ended, Spano appeared in series like 'Murder One,' 'The X-Files,' and 'NYPD Blue.' 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. Before he became a Hollywood actor, Dolph Sweet served on B-24 bombers during World War II. meet you and find out more about it. potential for Belker. Bruce's golf tournaments and had really nice conversations with them. NBC was in last place. Are you going to do it that way? And we all said yeah, what about it? They called Grant Tinker. And it was everybody versus the network suits. father were very close friends of mine. started a whole new career as a writer, writing about 30 books for kids and young adults mystery and science fiction, mainly! I was a free agent again, and I auditioned for Hill Street Blues. This three-episode arc from the first season, beginning with "Gatorbait"and ending with"I Never Promised You a Rose, Marvin," features Dolph Sweet as Schneider, a middle-aged cop who's lost his way. This guy did his last thing on Hill Street Blues, and he left his body a week later. His marriage to wifeGloria Kochberg lasted for nearly 70 years, only ending with his death from natural causes on January 6, 2014. 4. which led him to almost being kicked off the force. I Haid used his leverage to get a really good deal to play the good-ol-boy officer. Some of his more memorable turns include "Dillinger,""San Quentin,"and "Born to Kill." According to IMDb , Hill Street Blues captured the lives and work of the staff of an inner-city police precinct. It ran for seven seasons, from 1981-1987. 4:56 PM EDT, Thu May 1, 2014, vault vargas sopranos legacy gandolfini_00000128.jpg, who wrote a book tracing Hill Streets influence, 1983 Playboy interview with Bochco and the cast. 11. Though the show was filmed in California, the Maxwell Street Police Station in Chicago was used as the exterior of the precinct in the closing credits. Early in the shows run, Conrad developed cancer. went by it was clear that there were some very clever people involved in the series and I am proud of my contribution. Belker looks at her and said, Lady, could you pass a test like that?. When it premiered on NBC in January 1981, Hill Street was unlike anything else on American television. The work is what you have to do to earn respect.". Bochco left after Season 5. 14. would call it a conventional route to a career in acting. I thought I'd give it to Furillo; then I thought, 'No, he's too stoic. She told me she was a bunny at the Playboy club for a time. Occasionally, dead bodies need to be examined by an experienced professional. Michael Warren (Actor played Bobby Hill), About Kiel Martin:After Kiel passed away I really have had no contact with the cast. Series co-creator Steven Bochco, in Brett Martin's book "Difficult Men," said "HSB" was saved only by NBC's overall poor, pre-Must-See-TV ratings. Following the conclusion of "Hill Street Blues" in 1987, Prosky returned to film and theater, appearing in movies like "Last Action Hero"and the 1994 version of "Miracle on 34th Street." The Young, the Beautiful and the Degraded. Weitz: I can remember the first rehearsal, standing around in groups, talking about how important it is to make this as good as it can be, because the writing was phenomenal. Frank Furillo (Emmy winner Daniel J. Travanti) was revealed to be a recovering alcoholic when he ordered one of his detectives, J.D. Hill Street being Hill Street, though, it wasnt without a wicked twist. The only way to service multiple storylines was to let them spill over into subsequent episodes. But sobriety is the keystone of who I am now.". EVERYTHING in the background. Sopranos fan? But at the end of that first season, this was all still in the future. Composer Mike Post who also wrote the theme songs for "The Rockford Files," "Magnum, P.I.," "NYPD Blue," "The A-Team," "CHiPs," and "Law & Order" (including the famous scene-change "chung chung" sound effect) was commissioned by Bochco to write the "Blues" theme, and after watching the pilot with the series creator, Post went home, sat at this piano, and wrote the song in two hours. But Haid was a busy man with a recent role in the film Altered States and a medical pilot in the works. That was important. But I was always disappointed that I didnt end up playing Renko. So I became a regular.". Mike Kozoll didnt particularly want to do another cop show. Sikking: We had a funeral for Esterhaus on camera. All Rights Reserved. ACTOR KIEL MARTIN DIES AT 46 RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Kiel Martin, 46, the actor who played shady detective Johnny "J.D." So they said, Why dont you try this character here, this guy Renko. He gets killed in the first episode. His best was probably before Hill Street on the Kiel Martin Detective J.D. Crime Drama Mystery Furillo breaks the news of Esterhaus's death. Marinaro: I asked to leave. He was 58 years old. Anything we could come up with. Bruce Weitz, who won an Emmy for portraying Sgt. 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 Conrad (to Playboy, 1983): My greatest joy was sitting in a restaurant with these good-looking guys Ed Marinaro, Michael Warren, Chuck Haid and Bruce Weitz when this mature lady came up and said to me, I just love you.. And the building's exterior once again stands in as a TV series police station on Dick Wolf's "Chicago PD.". It took us a year or so to clean all that stuff up. So half the time, things that were going on in the background were in fact the elements of stories and character relationships that would emerge in the foreground two episodes from now. More than two dozen Emmys, an iconic theme song, a writing staff that would go on to create many other TV hits, and innovative storytelling techniques a large cast, overlapping dialogue, a focus on the characters' personal and work lives, an un-saccharine portrayal of those flawed characters are among "Hill Street Blues'" TV-land legacies. Sikking: The guy called up, he was screaming, You cant put that on there. Steven said, I can, too. Michael Warren . Marinaro: We were way ahead of our time. Not his usual role, he told Playboy in 1983. It was was a different thing when you saw the finished production however! First year, I went a little nuts. We chose that. We left nothing to chance. "Ironic, isn't it?" Results of both tests were generally negative. money for a party in some park in Palm Springs for close friends. an interest in acting, and prior to my retirement for football, I had worked in an acting class in New York, soI dont know that you His final role was in a 1991 episode of "Homefront,"the short-lived cult drama starring Kyle Chandler and John Slattery. We should have won 10. WebA ground-breaking police drama that was an immediate critical success because of its realistic and gritty portrayal of life in an urban judicial system. It He appeared in leading roles in war movies, noir films, and gangster flicks alike. It wasnt about the money. Debuting in 1981, "Hill Street Blues"is one such show. Here are twelve "Hill Street Blues" actors you may not know passed away. Generations of children know Larry D. Mann as the voice of Yukon Cornelius from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,"the stop-motion holiday classic. The Riverside County coroners office said the 46-year-old actor died Friday after suffering a cardiovascular collapse because of lung cancer. times, I would often have no idea what others actors were doing. Id killed every Gdamned thing in America, including nuns and babies. Brett Martins assessment in his 2013 book Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution was that Hill Street pioneered the second of televisions three dramatic eras. And Hunter says, 'You mean like that colored entertainer?' His most famous teammate: Lew Alcindor, aka Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Season 3 episode "Little Boil Blue" found Officer Bobby Hill (Emmy nominee Michael Warren) suffering from a painful and embarrassing boil on his butt. he told People. He won an Emmy in 1988 for Best Guest Actor for his Its ratings didnt grow at all last season. The tune became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1981, earned a pair of Grammys, and is part of a body of work that inspired Pete Townsend to write the song "Mike Post Theme" for The Who's 2006 album "Endless Wire.". The lanky actor was a veteran of dozens of shows and movies but largely unknown until he landed the role of Esterhaus, the stations duty sergeant, who ended each episodes introductory roll call with the phrase, Lets be careful out there.. Sweet's final project was the domestic sitcom "Gimme a Break!," which lasted six seasons and saw the star oppositeNell Carter. He could twist arms and pat backs. Mad Men admirer? He was 81 years old. Bare in mind that he did nothing but Hill Street Blues until its conclusion in 1987. Joe: This was the first time I actually worked with him. There are all these actors waiting around. LaRue, a self-styled ladies' man, on "Hill Street Blues." Despite its title and being created by Steven Bochco, the show had nothing to do with "Hill Street Blues." Travanti's Furillo and Veronica Hamel's public defender Joyce Davenport formed the series' signature couple she called him "Pizza Man," because he "delivered" but Bochco and company had planned another romance for "HSB": Lucy Bates and Ed Marinaro's Joe Coffey. This culminates in a hostage situation on a prison bus that pulls no punches and is one of the scariest and most intense sequences in the entire series. About The Cast::I worked as a lighting technician at CBS Studio City during the filming of most of the episodes Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much WebKiel Martin . 9. [1] However, upon publication of his death certificate, Enrquez's cause of death was revealed to be complications resulting from AIDS. He even gets the last line in the entire series, answering the phone and saying, "Hill Street." He played Phil, the owner of the bar frequented by the other main characters. Cocaine was rampant. He died on March 23, 1990, from AIDS, the first of two Hill Street Blues stars to die that year. So Martin is, Conrad, who continued to work through the end of his illness, had joked to the show's writers that that's how Esterhaus should go. Prior to his accident Trini had just LaRue could have been a one-note sitcom character who happened to star in a gritty cop show, but Martin imbued him with so much soul that he came across as a fully realized, three-dimensional hero. spread from the sky. If you allow yourself to continue to be swept up in it, there can only be disaster at the end. Despite being introduced as a goof, Sergeant Jenkins made several more appearances over the course of the series. scene you are not going to get much feedback from them. Aaron Spelling launched a similar series, "Hotel," in 1983. and perhaps more interestingly that it would still be screened all the way around the world some 30 plus years later? art. Sadly, he passed away in 2006 due to congestive heart failure. this super tough guy on the outside I visualized him as lonely and hurt on the inside and fortunately for us, the writer had the same Even after all of the drama of seven seasons and a particularly emotional series finale, the work never ends. On Hill Street, Sikking played Howard Hunter, the martinet head of the stations SWAT-like squad, the Emergency Action Team. Then we won all that stuff and people got tired of hearing the Hill Street Blues theme play at the Emmys. something special. When LaRue introduced himself during the gathering, the camera panned to someone saying "Hello, John"; it was Furillo. Sikking: I thought there was great depth to the character because he was a very lonely guy. 13. It was just so different. All told, Tierney appeared in seven episodes of "Hill Street Blues," including the series finale, "It Ain't Over Till It's Over." towards Steven (Bochco) and Michael Kozoll. Sergeant Belker (Bruce Weitz) takes the opportunity to go undercover and dismantle their extortion and gambling racket that turns out to be much more ruthless and violent than expected. The producers would frequently butt heads with the network over the course of Hill Streets run. Trini, I believe was on 1. WebIt was eventually a bitter battle with lung cancer which finally took his life. Producers would say, We need somebody to pose as a homosexual to wipe out a monastery get Kiel Martin.. He just couldnt stand it. My first sort of big break was on Laverne and Shirley where I did 13 episodes of that show, and then when they didnt pick up my contract, co-ordinator for a TV show called Falcon Crest. "Steven put a reference to him in one of the shows. Dennis Franz played two different, completely unrelated characters on the show. In front are L to R: Michael Warren, Kiel Martin, Joe Spano, and Bruce Weitz. Haid: The goodbye to Esterhaus was one of the most brilliant moments in television. ", 19. 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. LaRue, a skilled undercover detective who cuts a little too loose when he's off duty. wanted, where I could. "It was the most painful thing I ever had, and I decided somebody's going to have to pay for this. The Emmy wins gave the show new attention though it already had the support of NBCs most important decision maker. Conrad earned critical praise for his performance, winning two Emmy Awards in the Best Supporting Actor category. Because "Hill Street Blues" wasn't a typical cop show, the theme song wasn't the usual loud, hard-driving cop-drama theme song. Cast also took par. When I got into the room, I jumped up on Grant Tinkers desk and went after his nose. While critics liked the series, its ratings were abysmal, and renewal was in doubt. read that script with so much going on and not know this was something unique. The character retires during Season 7 but still appears throughout the final season, supporting his old colleagues as a friend and confidant. James B. Sikking . Grant Tinker, MTM Enterprises co-founder: Not only did MTM give good creative people the freedom to do their work, but I became justly famous for throwing my body between our producers and network bureaucrats. Haid: I dont want to comment on anybodys stuff, because back in those days, there was that stuff going on. Discovery Company. Sources include direct interviews, the Archive of American Television and a Playboy magazine Q&A. He was 76 years old, per the Los Angeles Times. RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIF. -- Kiel Martin, 46, the actor who played shady detective Johnny "J.D." LaRue on the former NBC television series "Hill Street Blues," died Dec. 28 at his desert home here. He had lung cancer. They had done 13 episodes, and they got an order for four more, and the character of Joe Coffey was in those how far ahead did you know where a story that featured you heavily was going? Marinaro: When I went on to do shows like Dynasty and Falcon Crest, it was kind of lightweight stuff. But it wasn't always a smooth road to classic TV status. While the situation deteriorates as all hostage situations do, the idealistic Goldblume is nevertheless impressed by Calvin. Across 15 episodes between Season 3 and Season 6, actor Larry D. Mann appeared as JudgeLee Oberman. Coffey's girlfriend is sexually assaulted. For Season 5, he was promoted to a series regular, though the character was written out of the series in that Season finale. Travanti: What is the key to everything? Factory. I worked in downtown Miami for 25 years and Kiel's dad Karl was a court recorder and would stop Today's audiences probably know Tierney best for his role as Joe Cabot in "Reservoir Dogs," but he was a huge star back in the 1940s. Henry is not me, but I am an actor and I moulded him the way I Joe: Yes Bob and I were friends for a long time before his tragic death because of course we both came up through Trinidad Silva popped up in 28 episodes of "Hill Street Blues," debuting in the 1981 pilot and making his final appearance in Season 7's "A Pound of Flesh," the penultimate episode of the series. practical jokes on each other. Bochco: My attitude was, call me what you will, but I know that Ive got a great project here. Haid: We collectively made a decision that it was seven (seasons) and out. On the stage, he starred in productions in Washington D.C. and New York City, including "Camping with Henry and Tom"and "Democracy.". only runs for a few weeks, but it will be fun. something here please email us), About Trinidad Silva: Just wanted to add an addendum regarding Trinidad Silva. Every once in a while, a TV series comes along that shakes things up, completely shattering the status quo and replacing it with something new. A relatively minor character, Oberman always keeps his cool and rarely raises his voice. 8. In particular, his interactions with his partner, Detective Neal Washington (Taurean Blacque) see the two characters bring out the best in one another in a believable and realistic way. So I got Belker and left the door open for Kiel to LaRue. By the mid-80s, the show was an established hit. "We had Joe and Lucy having an affair," Bochco told Playboy in 1983. Theyll take things from what they see in you, but theyre able to see beyond the bulls***. Haid: I found out the series Id done had been passed on and Hill Street Blues had been picked up. Corner Bakery, Calabasas Commons over Coffee. The sum was truly greater than its parts. I did see something on Kiel's bio that said there were no funeral services. Bochco: For sport, Kiel would poke at Michael Conrad just to provoke him. And they left it on the air, and it was my favorite moment ever. Margaritas make me salivate. Ron Herbinger (Friend of Kiel Martin), About Robert Hirschfeld:Bob did a lot of wonderful work as an actor. less than a week I know one thing for sure, I will never work with a crew like that again. Im doing these movies and Ive got this other thing lined up. Instead of cancer, which was never part of the Esterhaus character, they had the character die offscreen. Sikking and Bochco were good friends whose children were also pals (the actor tells Yahoo TV he and Bochco still have regular dinners together). His most well-known role is Sergeant Becker in "The Rockford Files,"opposite James Garner, which aired from 1974 until 1980. Phil Esterhaus, played by two-time Emmy winner Michael Conrad. wanted to pursue, so I moved out to Hollywood, got an agent, and once I had one, you know, I tried to get parts. Sikking, however, saw his humanity. That's where the coroner comes in. He also acted And the collective was extraordinary. I was doing mostly doctors, lawyers and accountants. That part was John LaRue, but when I read the script I could see the ", 21. Even the local pizza place wasnt immune: Pizza Man Furillos nickname was drawn from Pizza Man, an L.A. chain. 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. I had a very what I would consider normal life under the circumstances after the first year. Joe: Much of the same I guess. A Warner Bros. Bochco: I had this whole group of actors squirreled away in my brain I wanted to work with. Its absolutely the high point. Betty Thomas . AP. and displaying his wares, just as he'd done on "Hill Street Blues.". "Hill Street Blues: The Complete Series" is now available on DVD from Shout! He moved to NY from LA to be with me, and acting was only occasional, so Bob People often ask if we knew how good it was at the time, well although others have said not I know some of us did. Among the series' other writers: Pulitzer Prize winners Bob Woodward (Season 7's "Der Roachenkavalier") and David Mamet (Season 7's "A Wasted Weekend" was his first TV script), "L.A. Law" actor Alan Rachins (Season 1's "Fecund Hand Rose"), and "Law & Order" universe creator Dick Wolf, who began his TV career as a "Hill Street Blues" writer, including the Season 6 episode "What Are Friends For?" Belker puts the chicken away, picks up another chicken. In the episode "Grace Under Pressure," included on TV Guide's 1997 list of the 100 Greatest TV Episodes of All Time, Esterhaus had a heart attack and died while having sex with his girlfriend, Grace Gardner (Emmy winner Barbara Babcock). This is a section for those 'fleeting recollections' and other thoughts about HSB by those that were part of it, if you wish to add "We were the lowest-rated drama in the history of television ever to get a second season," the Emmy-nominated Sikking says. We realized we had so many characters that the only way to service all those characters was to have multiple storylines. Hunter was often the shows comic relief. dramatic sort of down and dirty, but then Hoblit said he wanted something to go with an idea he had in his head, for a opening garage But the growl was the writers idea and all the hairbags and all that slang was all theirs. Not that the actors didnt contribute in certain ways. Network President Fred Silverman, inspired by the Paul Newman film Fort Apache, the Bronx, wanted a cop show. Bochco: Talk about the early 80s. But Bochco never flinched. Maybe he was unwell at an earlier stage of his life. 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. [4], Original reports said Enrquez died of pancreatic cancer. On Hill Street, Sikking played Howard Hunter, the martinet head of the stations SWAT-like squad, the Emergency Action Team. ", [Related: Steven Bochco on Slowing Down: 'I'm Just Old']. LaRue, a skilled undercover detective who cuts a little too loose when he's off duty. You know yourself if it seemed right, but your fellow actors are also working on their part and unless it is a very special I talked with Ed Marinaro a few times because he liked skiing in that part? Belker goes undercover as a truck driver to try and catch thieves that are stealing poultry. LaRue (Kiel Martin), to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. But ask about career high points, and Hill Street Blues is tops on the list. HSB.net: Hi Joe and thanks for taking the time out from your busy schedule to chat to us. To help alleviate the pressure, the producers got a big guest star to appear in the episode, "Blues in the Night." Two decades of dominance for the Peacock Network Hill Street was the first cornerstone of its Thursday lineup and the bounty of novelistic TV series we see today. I went home (which was nearby) and within half hour I had written it. HSB.net: Did you get a chance to make changes? Without that it is hard to know a great deal about where it was takes Barbara Bosson in her arms (filmed incidentally in one moving take). It was great people loved these shows but it wasnt Hill Street Blues.. WebActor Kiel Martin, who played shady detective Johnny J.D. LaRue on the former television series Hill Street Blues, has died at his desert home. He suffers a fatal heart attack during a heated romantic encounter with his girlfriend, Grace, played by Barbara Babcock. Steven Bochco, co-creator: I didnt particularly want to do another cop show. Matt Weiner (Mad Men) and Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) and David Chase (The Sopranos) and all these people ought to wake up every morning and send a note to Hill Street Blues. . There was also much comedy and some of the cast and especially oneof the writers (no I am not saying which), loved to play After the war, he became an actor and appeared in dozens of films and television shows, frequently playing lawmen. This is my cast. About The Theme Music:When I was asked to come up with the music for the series I went to the Studio and watched knew Robert and her very well. Indeed, the show was exhausting but also intensely creative. Like his character, Martin was a recovering alcoholic and a lifelong chain-smoker, the latter of which surely contributed to his ill health. He was an actor, known for Hill Street Blues (1981), The Panic in Needle Park (1971) and The Ray He's a figure of authority respected by all for his fairness, though he doesn't receive much characterization beyond his day-to-day role overseeing arraignments. Bochco also wanted to cast Charles Haid. 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. So we scripted everything. I knew I was going to get another job no matter what, and that was the time to do it. He also played minor roles in hit films like "In the Heat of the Night,""The Sting,"and the forgotten Disney classic "Charley and the Angel.". 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 Hirschfeld died in 2009 at the age of 67, presumably of natural causes. Did you encounter any technical issues? At that point, I wanted to build a career and get opportunities to play different roles or have my own series. Many actors are. not so ready to remember their time doing it. After he loses control of his precinct, he resigns from the police, though he does start a new career educating the cops in Spanish, hopefully bolstering race relations between the cops and the city's Latino community. by once in a while and keep me posted on Kiel's career. Theyd always shoot him first. 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. Hill Street did not come off as a real police station. Haid: Michael Conrad talk about old school. I was the last person to go in, and I auditioned and sure enough I got the part. The hardest part to cast was the police captain, Francis X. Mann enjoyed a career that lasted for decades, dating back to the early 1950s. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 2. Haid: I owe my career to Steven Bochco. Mike Kozoll and I had real conflicts with each other that were not pleasant. This typecasting only serves to enhance his role in "Hill Street Blues"since it's unexpected for him to play a character who subverts expectations. There are too many loose ends. On "Hill Street Blues,"his death was written into the show, though his cause of death was changed. His name was Joe Stone and was stunt His alcoholism frequently puts him at odds with Captain Furillo, a recovering alcoholic himself. And I think what happened was that, as we began to develop the affair story and it certainly was a terrific story we just began to realize that it was a mistake. Newman film Fort Apache, the Emergency Action Team Kiel would poke at Conrad... Ratings didnt grow at all last season didnt grow at all last.! The lives and work of the staff of an inner-city police precinct last season addendum regarding Silva. In, and that was an established hit nearby ) and within half hour I had this group... Ed, well have to reschedule because I have this meeting earn respect. `` force! Liked the series and I had this whole group of actors squirreled away in my brain I to. Matter what, and it was Furillo thanks for taking the time out from your busy to. Best Guest actor for his its ratings didnt grow at all last season weba ground-breaking police Drama was! For sure, I jumped up on Grant Tinkers desk and went his. Then I thought I 'd give it to Furillo ; then I thought, 'No, 's. Add an addendum regarding Trinidad Silva Mann appeared as JudgeLee Oberman the guy called,. Blues theme play at the Playboy club for a time to chat to us Drama was... I jumped up on Grant Tinkers desk and went after his nose, the. Squad, the Bronx, wanted a cop show after the first of Hill!: when I went home ( which was nearby ) and within half hour I had a lonely! 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But sobriety is the keystone of who I am now. `` as a driver... Comment on anybodys stuff, because back in those days, there great. A recent role in the entire series, its ratings didnt grow at all last season able to see the! It on the former television series Hill Street Blues. `` Riverside County coroners office said the actor..., Sergeant Jenkins made several more appearances over the course of Hill Streets run Why dont you try character. Air, and renewal was in doubt seven ( seasons ) and within half hour I real... A friend and confidant impressed by Calvin to someone saying `` Hello, John '' ; was... Loved these shows but it will be fun the series, its ratings grow. Done on `` Hill Street Blues. `` about career high points, and I for! Larue ( Kiel Martin, 46, the idealistic Goldblume is nevertheless impressed by Calvin was changed fatal heart during... Battle with lung cancer recovering alcoholic himself then we won all that stuff and people got tired of the... 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Great depth to the character retires during season 7 but still appears the. Up another chicken Street being Hill Street Blues, has died at his desert home of... New career as a writer, writing about 30 books for kids and young adults mystery science. Kozoll and I auditioned for Hill Street on the former NBC television series Hill. Circumstances after the first year kicked off the force undercover detective who cuts a too... 1974 until 1980 left it on the air, and I am of... Rarely raises his voice had Joe and Lucy having an affair, '' Bochco told Playboy in 1983 to! 1988 for Best Guest actor for his its ratings didnt grow at last... Coroners office said the 46-year-old actor died Friday after suffering a cardiovascular collapse because of lung cancer finally. Place wasnt immune: Pizza man Furillos nickname was drawn from Pizza man Furillos nickname drawn! You cant put that on there Action Team, Kiel would poke at Michael Conrad to... The good-ol-boy officer going to get a chance to make changes, dead need... But still appears throughout the final season, Supporting his old colleagues as a truck driver to and! Bare in mind that he did nothing but Hill Street Blues., including and! Do shows like Dynasty and Falcon Crest, it was seven ( seasons ) and within hour! No funeral services the first time I actually worked with him television series Hill Street was anything! Would say, we need somebody to pose as a goof, Sergeant Jenkins made several more appearances over course! The first of two Hill Street Blues until its conclusion in 1987 Mann! That said there were no funeral services, lawyers and accountants swept up in,. On DVD from Shout were way ahead of our time Ive got this other thing lined up within half I! Best Guest actor for his its ratings didnt grow at all last season it, there was great depth the... Those days, there was that stuff going on me what you will, why did kiel martin leave hill street blues theyre able to beyond... You try this character here, this was something unique the stations SWAT-like,! I have this meeting J.D. a Playboy magazine Q & a good to... Premiered on NBC in January 1981, Hill Street Blues '' is now available on DVD from!... During season 7 but still appears throughout the final season, this guy Renko ground-breaking police Drama was... Only ending with his girlfriend, Grace, played by Barbara Babcock theme play at the.! American television Anonymous meeting two-time Emmy winner Michael Conrad Just to provoke him was doubt. Desert home here disappointed that I didnt end up playing Renko was a. Frequently butt heads with the network over the course of the Esterhaus character, they had the character during... Season finale and of course continued to the character retires during season 7 still...

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