Michael Norell
Encyclopedia
Michael Alden Norell is an American
screenwriter
/actor
, and Executive Producer
that starred as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley in the Jack Webb
produced television series Emergency!
from 1973 to 1978.
Norell was born in Wallace, Idaho. His family moved to follow his father who was in the Army, and who ultimately retired with the rank of Brigadier General
. His father was sent to Korea
during the war
. The family lived in Tokyo
, Japan
. He returned to the States after the war, and attended Falls Church High School
in Virginia
, where he acted in several school plays. He attended college at Washington and Lee University
, where he majored in Journalism
.
After graduating college, he entered the Army, where he spent the next five years, leaving with the rank of Captain. After his stint in the Army, he went to work for the Richmond Times-Dispatch
in Richmond, Virginia
.
He went to New York City
not too long after returning to civilian life, and worked at acting full-time. Six months later, he arrived in Hollywood.
After six months in Hollywood he won the role of Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley, taking over the role of station Captain from John Smith, who had taken the role from real life LACoFD Captain Dick Hammer
.
Tall, and thin, Norell was not an impressive silhouette on camera, but his unmistakable deep, measured voice compensated for his profile.
After Emergency! ended, he turned to screenwriting, drawing from his experience writing scripts for Emergency!, he wrote for such shows as The Love Boat
, The Love Boat: The Next Wave
, Nash Bridges
, and The Magnificent Seven among others, his screenwriting credits also include several made-for-tv movies, such as, Doomsday Rock, Three on A Date, The Covergirl and the Cop, Pals, Barnum, Christmas Comes to Willow Creek, and The Incident
, for which he was nominated for, but lost an Emmy
, he also created, and was Executive Producer for the short-lived Love Boat clone Aloha Paradise.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
/actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and Executive Producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
that starred as Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley in the Jack Webb
Jack Webb
John Randolph "Jack" Webb , also known by the pseudonym John Randolph, was an American actor, television producer, director and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Sergeant Joe Friday in the radio and television series Dragnet...
produced television series Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
from 1973 to 1978.
Norell was born in Wallace, Idaho. His family moved to follow his father who was in the Army, and who ultimately retired with the rank of Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
. His father was sent to Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
during the war
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The family lived in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He returned to the States after the war, and attended Falls Church High School
Falls Church High School
Falls Church High School is a high school located in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia. While the school has a Falls Church, Virginia mailing address, the school is not located in the city of Falls Church and does not serve the City of Falls Church, which is served by...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where he acted in several school plays. He attended college at Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
, where he majored in Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
.
After graduating college, he entered the Army, where he spent the next five years, leaving with the rank of Captain. After his stint in the Army, he went to work for the Richmond Times-Dispatch
Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
.
He went to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
not too long after returning to civilian life, and worked at acting full-time. Six months later, he arrived in Hollywood.
After six months in Hollywood he won the role of Captain Henry "Hank" Stanley, taking over the role of station Captain from John Smith, who had taken the role from real life LACoFD Captain Dick Hammer
Dick Hammer
Richard B. Hammer was a retired Captain with the Los Angeles County Fire Department and played the role of Captain Hammer in the first season of the Jack Webb produced television show Emergency!...
.
Tall, and thin, Norell was not an impressive silhouette on camera, but his unmistakable deep, measured voice compensated for his profile.
After Emergency! ended, he turned to screenwriting, drawing from his experience writing scripts for Emergency!, he wrote for such shows as The Love Boat
The Love Boat
The Love Boat is an American television series set on a cruise ship, which aired on the ABC Television Network from September 24,1977, until May 24,1986.The show starred Gavin MacLeod as the ship's captain...
, The Love Boat: The Next Wave
The Love Boat: The Next Wave
The Love Boat: The Next Wave is an American television series which was based on the ABC sitcom The Love Boat. The series aired on UPN from 1998 to 1999.-Plot:...
, Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges
Nash Bridges is an American television police drama created by Carlton Cuse. The show starred Don Johnson and Cheech Marin as two Inspectors with the San Francisco Police Department's Special Investigations Unit. The show ran for six seasons on CBS from March 29, 1996 to May 4, 2001 with a total of...
, and The Magnificent Seven among others, his screenwriting credits also include several made-for-tv movies, such as, Doomsday Rock, Three on A Date, The Covergirl and the Cop, Pals, Barnum, Christmas Comes to Willow Creek, and The Incident
The Incident (TV movie)
The Incident is a TV movie starring Walter Matthau, originally broadcast on the CBS network on March 4, 1990. The film marked Matthau's return to television after over 20 years.-Plot:...
, for which he was nominated for, but lost an Emmy
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...
, he also created, and was Executive Producer for the short-lived Love Boat clone Aloha Paradise.