A television producer is a person who oversees one or more aspects of video production on a television program . Some producers take more of an executive role, in that they conceive new programs and pitch them to the television networks , but upon acceptance they focus on business matters, such as budgets and contracts. Other producers are more involved with the day-to-day workings, participating in activities such as screenwriting , set design , casting , and directing.
41-476: Richard Anthony Wolf (born December 20, 1946) is an American film and television producer , best known for his Law & Order franchise . Since 1990, the franchise has included six police/courtroom dramas and four international spinoffs. He is also co-creator and executive producer of the Chicago franchise , which since 2012, has included four Chicago -based dramas, and the co-creator and executive producer of
82-519: A district attorney . Community , a sitcom on NBC from 2009 to 2014 had an episode which parodied Dick Wolf's Law & Order , with the title " Basic Lupine Urology " being a play on his name. Wolf is given a special thanks credit at the end of the episode. Television producer There are a variety of different producers on a television show, including showrunners , executive producers , supervising producers, coordinating producers, field producers, line producers , among other roles on
123-479: A television crew . Because of the restrictions the Writers Guild of America screenwriting credit system places on writing credits, many script writers in television are credited as "producers" instead, even though they may not engage in the responsibilities generally associated with that title. On-screen, a "producer" credit for a TV series will generally be given to each member of the writing staff who made
164-576: A childhood-friend turned organized-crime boss. At the beginning of the third season, a new detective, Tommy McNamara ( Jonathan LaPaglia ), was introduced as a principal character. In the third-season finale in May 1997, Torres and Moreno are married. However, in that same episode, Torres and McNamara are both killed by a gang of bank robbers. The series returned with a new cast for its fourth and final season in January 1998. Williams and Moreno were assigned to
205-575: A criminal in Season 3's "No Place Like Hell". Joe Lisi appeared in the second-season episode "Bad Blood" before assuming a recurring role as the Chief of Detectives in Season 4. Both Jesse L. Martin and Ice-T portrayed criminals on this series before ultimately landing their iconic roles as detectives on Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , respectively. The following actors also appeared in multiple roles: On July 23, 1996,
246-663: A demonstrable contribution to the final script. The actual producer of the show (in the traditional sense) is listed under the credit "produced by". Bill Lawrence , a television screenwriter , producer, director and series creator ( Scrubs , Cougar Town and Spin City ) explained during an interview on Off Camera that: ... the end credits of a TV show, it will say Staff Writer, Story Editor, Executive Story Editor, Co-Producer, Producer, Supervising Producer, Co-Executive Producer, Executive Producer. (While) (s)omeone else will (also) be Executive Producer because they help to run
287-435: A few episodes. They wanted a gym, trailers for the stars and better food to be provided on set. After receiving their demands, Dick Wolf declined, and said that New York Undercover was not Friends (during this time the stars of Friends wanted their salary to be increased to $ 1 million per episode and had presented a united front to get their demands). Wolf was irate, calling the demands of actors joining together to hold
328-412: A film career. It was at this time that he briefly collaborated on a screenplay with Oliver Stone , who was a struggling screenwriter at the time. He moved to Los Angeles after a few years and had three screenplays produced; one of these films, Masquerade (1988) , featuring Rob Lowe and Meg Tilly, gained notable acclaim. He started his television career as a staff writer on Hill Street Blues and
369-428: A new installment of the franchise. On March 4, 2019, NBC announced that the series would be redeveloped to flesh out the concept and would not be spun out of SVU as announced. On June 5, 2020, the series of Hate Crimes was moved to NBC's streaming service, Peacock , at least partly due to language concerns. On May 3, 2021, Wolf announced that NBC ordered yet another installment of the franchise, Law & Order: For
410-472: A new unit, resulting in Cooper being dropped from the cast. Joining the detectives were Lt. Malcolm Barker (played by Tommy Ford ), Det. Nell Delaney ( Marisa Ryan ), and Det. Alec Stone ( Josh Hopkins ). The new unit eventually captured the last bank robber responsible for the deaths of Torres and McNamara. Numerous actors made appearances in two or more episodes portraying different characters. Before joining
451-449: A show in limbo "a virus" to the entertainment industry and he threatened to write both Yoba and DeLorenzo out of the show altogether. A day after the holdout, Universal Television , which was the production company of the show, filed a $ 1.2 million lawsuit against DeLorenzo and Yoba, claiming that the two had breached their contract and claimed that they were costing the show $ 60,000 each day they didn't show up to work. After three days,
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#1732791417363492-558: A spin-off of Chicago Fire revolving around the Chicago Police Department. When that series Chicago P.D. premiered, Derek Haas , Michael W. Brandt , and Matt Olmstead became executive producers, under Wolf. Two subsequent shows, Chicago Med which premiered in 2015, and Chicago Justice whose one season began and ended in 2017, followed in Chicago P.D.'s wake. In 2018, Wolf became executive producer of
533-599: Is the longest-running scripted primetime drama, having aired 551 episodes, breaking the original Law & Order count of 456 (now 501 through the twenty-third season), and beating both the original Law & Order and Gunsmoke in number of seasons). Wolf also was creator and executive producer for the four spinoff shows in the franchise that have been canceled – Law & Order: Criminal Intent , Law & Order: Trial by Jury , Law & Order: UK , and Law & Order: LA . Along with Kevin Arkadie, he co-created
574-593: The FBI franchise , which since 2018, has also become a franchise after spinning off two additional series. Wolf has also written four books. The first, the non-fiction volume Law & Order: Crime Scenes , is a companion to the Law & Order television series. The Intercept, The Execution, and The Ultimatum are works of fiction in a thriller series featuring an NYPD detective named Jeremy Fisk. Wolf has won numerous awards, including an Emmy Award , being inducted into
615-504: The Law & Order franchise in some fashion, and the Law & Order series have been adapted into several foreign versions. Wolf's company also produced Twin Towers , the 2003 Academy Award –winning Short Documentary about two brothers, one a policeman and the other a fireman, who were killed in the line of duty on September 11, 2001 . Wolf was also involved with When You're Strange ,
656-648: The CBS drama FBI , starring Law & Order cast members Jeremy Sisto and Alana de la Garza and also Sela Ward . FBI has since had two spinoffs ( FBI: Most Wanted , and FBI: International ), giving Wolf his third franchise. Beginning in the 2021-2022 TV season , all three of Wolf's franchises have their own night of programming: FBI Tuesdays on CBS (original series, Most Wanted , International ), Chicago Wednesdays on NBC ( Med , Fire , P.D. ), and Law & Order Thursdays on NBC (original series revival, SVU and Organized Crime ). In 2012, Wolf developed
697-828: The Los Angeles County Fire Department and will be executive produced by Wolf. This series was cancelled by NBC after one season. Wolf's future projects for NBC are an American adaption of the United Kingdom psychological legal drama series Injustice as well as a drama series revolving around a satanic cult , tentatively titled The Church . Wolf is writing the latter project with Howard Franklin . Wolf also has an untitled pilot about an insurance investigator on USA Network . With Wolf pursuing projects other than Law & Order , he and current Law & Order: Special Victims Unit showrunner/executive producer Warren Leight sometimes discuss
738-892: The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences , the 1997 achievement award from the Caucus for Producers, Writers, and Directors, the 1998 Television Showman of the Year Award from the Publicists Guild of America, the 2002 Tribute from the Museum of Television and Radio , and a 2003 Special Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America . On March 29, 2007, Wolf received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 7040 Hollywood Boulevard. In 2013, Wolf
779-603: The Television Academy Hall of Fame , and receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . Wolf was born in Manhattan to a Jewish father and a Catholic mother of Irish descent . As a boy, he was an altar server at the local Catholic parish. Wolf attended Saint David's School , The Gunnery , and Phillips Academy . He subsequently attended the University of Pennsylvania (class of 1969), where he
820-645: The Defense , and that its showrunner would be Carol Mendelsohn . It was later announced that the show would not move forward. Wolf developed Chicago Fire , a drama about a group of men and women working at the Chicago Fire Department . The series was picked up by NBC in May 2012, and premiered on October 10, 2012, with meek numbers in the ratings and minimal reviews in the first few weeks before spiking to NBC's #2 scripted drama series, under Revolution . In March 2013, NBC announced intentions for
861-532: The cast in Season 2 as Nina Moreno, Lauren Vélez appeared in the first-season episode "Olde Tyme Religion" as a believer in Santería . Additionally, J. K. Simmons guest starred as Sgt. Treadway in the Season 2 episode "Unis," returning in Season 4's "Mob Street" as Law & Order police psychiatrist Emil Skoda . Michelle Hurd played a recurring role in Seasons 1 and 2 as A.D.A. Reynolds, but returned as
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#1732791417363902-472: The cast in the second season as Nina Moreno, fellow detective and love interest to Torres. New York Undercover was co-created and produced by Dick Wolf , and its storyline takes place in the same fictional universe as Wolf's NBC series Law & Order , its spin-offs, the Chicago and FBI series, and Homicide: Life on the Street . New York Undercover (whose working title during development
943-441: The day shooting was supposed to begin on the third season, lead actors Malik Yoba and Michael DeLorenzo didn't show up, having joined together and presenting a list of demands to creator/producer Dick Wolf. Both actors wanted their pay increased, DeLorenzo stated that the duo were making $ 40,000 each per episode and they wanted $ 100,000 each per episode. They also wanted more creative input with DeLorenzo in particular wanting to direct
984-435: The executive producer of the series, and it was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album . A second soundtrack album for the series containing contemporary R&B music, New York Undercover: A Night At Natalie's, was released on January 13, 1998 by MCA Records . The album features R&B songs performed by some of the various musical acts at Natalie's, the nightclub which appears in virtually every episode of
1025-602: The future of the Law & Order franchise and revitalizing it; Leight commenting "(Dick Wolf and I) sometimes talk in general terms of where (the franchise) could go. I'm curious to see if there's another iteration somewhere down the line." In December 2023, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the promised gift of over 200 works of art from Wolf, including Old Master paintings, sculptures and drawings, as well as funds to endow two galleries with his name. Wolf reported that his appreciation for art started when he
1066-446: The holdout ended and the two actors returned back to set, with their demands unmet, and continued under the terms of their original contract. However, tensions lingered between DeLorenzo and executive producer Wolf, and towards the end of season three, DeLorenzo's character, Detective Eddie Torres, was killed in a car explosion. Yoba was retained on the show for its fourth and final season. A soundtrack containing hip hop and R&B music
1107-417: The main storylines in each episode, subplots explored the private lives of the show's characters. For example, Det. Williams struggled to raise his young son, Gregory ( George O. Gore II ), while Torres was shown to be fighting family and other related problems, including having to cope with his father (Mike Torres, played by Jose Perez ), whose drug addiction and HIV-positive status causes recurring issues, and
1148-431: The overseeing officer of the new young detectives, and Moreno being retired, but retaining ties to her old unit. On March 12, 2019, ABC cast Toby Sandeman and Otmara Marrero as the revival's two lead detectives Nat Gilmore and Melissa Ortiz, as well as Anna Enger and Octavio Pisano as supporting detectives Lisa Kim and Moses Hernandez, and MC Lyte as Lieutenant April Freeman, the unit's new boss. On May 10, 2019, it
1189-570: The police drama New York Undercover , which ran on the Fox Broadcasting Company Network from 1994 to 1999. He also served as executive producer of the series. He was the creator and executive producer of NBC's courtroom reality series Crime & Punishment , which chronicled real-life cases prosecuted by the San Diego District Attorney's office. Many of Wolf's series have intersected with
1230-580: The production of a theatrical documentary about the rock band The Doors . On March 31, 2020, Wolf announced that a spin-off series was ordered by NBC to launch in the 2020–21 season, with Christopher Meloni reprising his role as Elliot Stabler from SVU after a nine-year absence. The initial series order was for 13 episodes. On June 2, 2020, it was announced that the series would be called Law & Order: Organized Crime and that showrunner Craig Gore had been fired. Wolf announced that NBC placed an order of 13 episodes for Law & Order: Hate Crimes ,
1271-825: The room, every other title is just ... writer who's been here one year, writer who's been here two years, writer who's been here three years, ... and it's just a pay scale. New York Undercover New York Undercover is an American police drama that aired on the Fox television network from September 8, 1994, to February 11, 1999. The series starred Malik Yoba as Detective J.C. Williams and Michael DeLorenzo as Detective Eddie Torres, two undercover detectives in New York City's Fourth Precinct who were assigned to investigate various crimes and gang-related cases. The cast also included Patti D'Arbanville-Quinn as their superior, Lt. Virginia Cooper, and Lauren Vélez , who joined
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1312-449: The series' first three seasons, such as 112 , Mary J. Blige , Xscape , Chaka Khan , Teena Marie , K-Ci & JoJo , Brownstone , Gerald Levert , B. B. King , Tito Nieves , and The Barrio Boyzz . The album also contains a song performed by Michael DeLorenzo , who plays Detective Eddie Torres, titled "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight". On December 5, 2018, Deadline reported that series creator Dick Wolf and ABC were in talks to reboot
1353-426: The series. Six days later, ABC officially committed the reboot to a pilot. On January 31, 2019, ABC officially ordered the reboot to pilot, also revealing that it would officially be a revival of the original series, featuring both old characters and a new cast. In February 2019, both Malik Yoba and Lauren Veléz were confirmed to reprise their respective roles as J.C. Williams and Nina Moreno, with Williams now being
1394-403: The unscripted show Cold Justice , a documentary drama, for TNT . He also has written three novels whose central character is NYPD Detective Jeremy Fisk: The Intercept , The Execution , and The Ultimatum . In 2024, Wolf released a documentary miniseries with Netflix called Homicide: New York . In May 2021, NBC ordered a docuseries LA Fire and Rescue . The series followed the firefighters of
1435-522: Was Uptown Undercover , named after the record label, Uptown Records , whose founder and CEO, Andre Harrell , was also the executive producer of the series) is notable for being the first police drama on American television to feature two people of color in the starring roles. In contrast to the popularity of NBC 's " Must See TV " on Thursday nights in the 1990s, many African-American viewers flocked to Fox's Thursday-night line-up of Martin , Living Single , and New York Undercover . In addition to
1476-875: Was a child visiting Met on his way home from school. Wolf's personal honors include the Award of Excellence from the Banff Television Festival , the 2002 Creative Achievement Award from NATPE ; the Anti-Defamation League 's Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award, the Leadership and Inspiration Award from the Entertainment Industries Council, the Governor's Award by the New York Chapter of
1517-464: Was a member of the Zeta Psi fraternity. Wolf worked as an advertising copywriter at Benton & Bowles creating commercials for Crest toothpaste , including the slogan "You can't beat Crest for fighting cavities." He is also credited with the campaign "I'm Cheryl, fly me" for National Airlines . Yet despite his success in copywriting, all the while he was writing screenplays in the hopes of
1558-480: Was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame . Wolf is also an Honorary Consul general of Monaco and is actively involved in the principality's prestigious annual Television Festival. It was reported that Wolf contributed to Fred Thompson 's campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 2008 . The two had worked together since 2002, when Thompson joined the cast of Law & Order playing
1599-493: Was nominated for his first Emmy Award for the episode "What Are Friends For?", on which he was the only writer. While working on Hill Street Blues , Wolf became close friends with Tom Fontana , then writing for the series St. Elsewhere , produced in the same building, at the same time. Wolf moved from Hill Street Blues to Miami Vice , where he was a writer and co-producer for the third and fourth seasons. Wolf's original series Law & Order ran from 1990 to 2010, and
1640-428: Was released on September 19, 1995 by Uptown Records and MCA Records . It features songs from the series, such as a cover of " (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman " performed by Mary J. Blige , "I Miss You (Come Back Home)" by Monifah , " Jeeps, Lex Coups, Bimaz & Benz " by Lost Boyz , and the theme to New York Undercover, composed by James Mtume . The soundtrack album is executive produced by Andre Harrell ,
1681-544: Was revived in 2022. It has surpassed Gunsmoke as longest-running dramatic show in American television history, making it one of television's most successful franchises. It has been nominated for the most consecutive Emmy Awards of any primetime drama series. Wolf serves as creator and executive producer of the current Law & Order drama series from Wolf Entertainment and NBCUniversal Television – Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (which as of September 5, 2024