Stephen J. Cannell, R.I.P.

It was announced this afternoon that Mister Pop-Action TV, the master of the TV action series, the best of which were  21 Jump Street, The A-Team and The Rockford Files, -- producer and writer Stephen J. Cannell, died last night, Thursday. He was 69.. The cause of death is listed as cancer.

Mr Cannell is responsible for hours, and hours, and hours of entertainment. I was a fan of The A-Team -- Back then: guilty pleasure number one. I watched the show every week. I still am a fan of The Rockford Files, and its star James Garner. I seek out the Rockford reruns. For some reason I never got into 21 Jump Street. I have friends who did.

Mr Cannell shows also included The Greatest American Hero, another of my favorites. I think it was an under appreciated.series.

From the Associated Press --"'During three decades as an independent producer, he distinguished himself as a rangy, outgoing chap with a trim beard who was generally identified with action dramas full of squealing tires and tough guys trading punches.

"But his range was greater than for which he was given credit. Tenspeed and Brown Shoe was a clever detective drama starring Ben Vereen and a then-unknown Jeff Goldblum in 1980. Profit was a shocking saga of a psycho businessman that was unforgettable to the few viewers who saw it: Fox pulled the plug after just four episodes in 1996. With Wiseguy (1987-90), Cannell chilled viewers with a film-noir descent into the underworld that predated The Sopranos by more than a decade".

Mr Cannell said said in the AP interview. "I'm a populist. With Rockford, we were never trying to be important. And as thoroughly hated as it was by critics, I loved The A-Team. I thought it was really cool."

So did I. I thought the A-Team was pretty cool and good fun entertainment. I thought Rockford Files was one of the best com-drama detective shows.

Stephen J. Cannell, R.I.P.