Michael B. Wagner
Encyclopedia
Michael Wagner was a television writer and producer who worked on several television shows between 1975 and 1992, and won an Emmy Award
in 1982 for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for his work on the television show Hill Street Blues
. He co-created, produced and wrote several episodes for the one-season ABC series Probe.
at Randolph Air Force Base
, Texas. He attended the University of Missouri
and moved to California, holding various jobs in Los Angeles
, while writing scripts and selling some of his paintings.
In 1975 he sold his first television script to CBS for the series The Blue Knight
, a crime drama based on the Joseph Wambaugh
novel of the same name. He quickly became an established television writer, scripting episodes of Jigsaw John, The Six Million Dollar Man
, Kojak
, Man from Atlantis, Starsky and Hutch
and The Rockford Files
, among others.
In 1982 a script he wrote for the TV crime drama series Hill Street Blues
, "The World According to Freedom," was aired and he was quickly hired as a regular staff writer for the series. His story introduced the character "Captain Freedom," a street vigilante dressed absurdly as a superhero. His followup episode, "Freedom's Last Stand," won him the 1982 Emmy Award
as co-writer for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. In fact, three of the scripts he co-wrote for that season were nominated in the same category. Wagner went on to co-write 35 episodes of Hill Street Blues for the next two years, and began a long association with Steven Bochco
and several of his projects.
Wagner was asked by ABC in 1987 to help develop a new science fiction series, Probe, a light-hearted series about a scientific crime fighter named Austin James. Isaac Asimov
, the renowned science fiction writer, had created the basic idea of a young man who solved mysteries using scientific concepts, somewhat in the vein of Tom Swift
or Rick Brant
. Wagner wrote the two hour pilot TV movie, "Computer Logic," and became Executive Producer for the series, which lasted one season. Parker Stevenson
, who played the lead character, stated in a later interview that he patterned his character after Wagner's mannerisms and physical behavior. The series ran on Thursday nights in the Spring of 1988 during the same time slot as NBC's The Cosby Show
, and with that competition could not attract a sufficient audience to get renewed for the following season.
The following TV season, Wagner wrote three scripts for the Gene Roddenberry
series Star Trek: The Next Generation
, and served briefly as Executive Producer for the series. He worked with Steven Bochco
on Bochco's Hooperman
, starring John Ritter
. Wagner helped develop and write the Bochco animated series Capitol Critters
, he also wrote and served as supervising producer for the NBC series Mann & Machine
in 1992.
In 1992, Wagner died from brain cancer in Agoura Hills, California. He was survived by his wife Terry Wagner and daughter Rishon.
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1982 for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for his work on the television show Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
. He co-created, produced and wrote several episodes for the one-season ABC series Probe.
Career
Wagner was a military brat. He was born in Ohio, but grew up on Air Force bases in New York, Illinois, Japan, Germany, Nebraska and Texas. He graduated in 1965 from Randolph High SchoolRandolph High School (Texas)
Randolph High School, part of the Randolph Field Independent School District, is located on Randolph Air Force Base in Universal City, Texas. It serves approximately 300 high school students and employs approximately 29 high school teachers and other support staff...
at Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base
Randolph Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located east-northeast of San Antonio, Texas. The base is under the jurisdiction of the 902d Mission Support Group, Air Education and Training Command ....
, Texas. He attended the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
and moved to California, holding various jobs in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, while writing scripts and selling some of his paintings.
In 1975 he sold his first television script to CBS for the series The Blue Knight
The Blue Knight (TV series)
The Blue Knight was a CBS Crime TV series, running in 1975 and 1976, starring George Kennedy as Officer Bumper Morgan. The show was a based on a novel by author Joseph Wambaugh and produced by Lorimar Productions.- Plot :...
, a crime drama based on the Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Wambaugh
Joseph Aloysius Wambaugh, Jr. is a bestselling American writer known for his fictional and non-fictional accounts of police work in the United States...
novel of the same name. He quickly became an established television writer, scripting episodes of Jigsaw John, The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man
The Six Million Dollar Man is an American television series about a former astronaut with bionic implants working for the OSI...
, Kojak
Kojak
Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier...
, Man from Atlantis, Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch is a 1970s American cop thriller television series that consisted of a 90-minute pilot movie and 92 episodes of 60 minutes each; created by William Blinn, produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and broadcast between April 30, 1975 and May 15, 1979 on the ABC...
and The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files
The Rockford Files is an American television drama series which aired on the NBC network between September 13, 1974 and January 10, 1980. It has remained in regular syndication to the present day. The show stars James Garner as Los Angeles-based private investigator Jim Rockford and features Noah...
, among others.
In 1982 a script he wrote for the TV crime drama series Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
, "The World According to Freedom," was aired and he was quickly hired as a regular staff writer for the series. His story introduced the character "Captain Freedom," a street vigilante dressed absurdly as a superhero. His followup episode, "Freedom's Last Stand," won him the 1982 Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
as co-writer for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series. In fact, three of the scripts he co-wrote for that season were nominated in the same category. Wagner went on to co-write 35 episodes of Hill Street Blues for the next two years, and began a long association with Steven Bochco
Steven Bochco
Steven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
and several of his projects.
Wagner was asked by ABC in 1987 to help develop a new science fiction series, Probe, a light-hearted series about a scientific crime fighter named Austin James. Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
, the renowned science fiction writer, had created the basic idea of a young man who solved mysteries using scientific concepts, somewhat in the vein of Tom Swift
Tom Swift
Tom Swift is the name of the central character in five series of books, first appearing in 1910, totaling over 100 volumes, of American juvenile science fiction and adventure novels that emphasize science, invention and technology. The character was created by Edward Stratemeyer, the founder of...
or Rick Brant
Rick Brant
Rick Brant is the central character in a series of 24 adventure and mystery novels by John Blaine, a pseudonym for authors Harold L. Goodwin and Peter J. Harkins...
. Wagner wrote the two hour pilot TV movie, "Computer Logic," and became Executive Producer for the series, which lasted one season. Parker Stevenson
Parker Stevenson
Parker Stevenson is an American television and film actor.-Career:His first notable screen appearance was a starring role in the 1972 movie A Separate Peace...
, who played the lead character, stated in a later interview that he patterned his character after Wagner's mannerisms and physical behavior. The series ran on Thursday nights in the Spring of 1988 during the same time slot as NBC's The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
, and with that competition could not attract a sufficient audience to get renewed for the following season.
The following TV season, Wagner wrote three scripts for the Gene Roddenberry
Gene Roddenberry
Eugene Wesley "Gene" Roddenberry was an American television screenwriter, producer and futurist, best known for creating the American science fiction series Star Trek. Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up in Los Angeles, California where his father worked as a police officer...
series Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
, and served briefly as Executive Producer for the series. He worked with Steven Bochco
Steven Bochco
Steven Ronald Bochco is a US television producer and writer. He has developed a number of popular television hits including Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and NYPD Blue, as well as some notable flops such as Cop Rock....
on Bochco's Hooperman
Hooperman
Hooperman is a U.S. television series starring John Ritter. It ran for two seasons on ABC, from 1987 to 1989. A comedy-drama, the series was created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher who were the team responsible for creating L.A. Law....
, starring John Ritter
John Ritter
Jonathan Southworth "John" Ritter was an American actor, voice over artist and comedian perhaps best known for having played Jack Tripper and Paul Hennessy in the ABC sitcoms Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules, respectively...
. Wagner helped develop and write the Bochco animated series Capitol Critters
Capitol Critters
Capitol Critters is an animated television series about the lives of mice, rats, and roaches who reside in the basement and walls of the White House in Washington, D.C...
, he also wrote and served as supervising producer for the NBC series Mann & Machine
Mann & Machine
Mann & Machine is an American science fiction/police drama series that aired for nine episodes on NBC from April 5, 1992 to July 14, 1992.-Synopsis:...
in 1992.
In 1992, Wagner died from brain cancer in Agoura Hills, California. He was survived by his wife Terry Wagner and daughter Rishon.