About
"This is a business of very strange left turns and incredible timing. The difference between total success and total failure in Hollywood is a knife's edge."
In his three-hour interview, Dick Wolf talks about his parents, who worked at NBC publicity in the 1950's, and the fact that, as a child, he was often in the Peanut Gallery of The Howdy Doody Show. Wolf also speaks extensively about his early career in advertising and his original ad campaigns and slogans. He then chronicles his transition into writing, starting with a feature film and then progressing into writing and producing the NBC series Hill Street Blues. Wolf speaks at length about working on Hill Street Blues; about writing in general; about Grant Tinker and the production company MTM Enterprises as well as his MTM colleagues Steven Bochco, Tom Fontana, and David Milch. He also details his rationale for segueing into writing and producing Miami Vice. He then goes into detail about creating Law & Order, as well as its various spin-offs. Michael Rosen conducted the interview in two sessions on March 25 and April 21, 2003 at Wolf's Universal Studios-based office in Los Angeles, CA.
Highlights
Dick Wolf on being in the "Peanut Gallery" of The Howdy Doody Show when he was a child
Dick Wolf on the legacy of Hill Street Blues, and on what he learned from working on the show
Dick Wolf on basing Law & Order scripts on real-life events
Dick Wolf on James Gandolfini's contract negotiations with the producers of The Sopranos
Dick Wolf on the controversial Law & Order episode "Life Choice" and on other controversies during the show's run
Dick Wolf on the feedback he's gotten from law enforcement for his shows like Law & Order
Full Interview
Chapter 1
On his early years; on being in the "Peanut Gallery" of The Howdy Doody Show when he was a child;
On his early career in advertising; on the basic duties of a copy writer, and on various campaigns he worked for
On the then-future of advertising on television; on his decision to leave advertising; on writing and producing the feature film "Skateboard"
Chapter 2
On being hired as a staff writer for Hill Street Blues; on describing Hill Street Blues and why the networks renew or cancel shows; on the production schedule of Hill Street Blues
On what made Hill Street Blues a success; on how the writers room at Hill Street Blues worked; on the cast of Hill Street Blues
On casting Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and on dealing with actors leaving the shows; on dealing with Standards and Practices on Hill Street Blues and his other shows; on the legacy of Hill Street Blues, and on what he learned from working on the show
Chapter 3
On how he came to produce Miami Vice; on James Gandolfini's contract negotiations with the producers of The Sopranos; on the popularity of Miami Vice starring Don Johnson
On his duties as executive producer of Miami Vice; on favorite Miami Vice episodes he worked on, including episodes featuring Julia Roberts and James Brown; on leaving Miami Vice to work on Gideon Oliver
On producing Christine Cromwell; on his process of creating a show
Chapter 4
On now Law & Order came about with development by Brandon Tartikoff; on the pilot process
On how Law & Order changed from its initial pitch to when it aired; on the bi-coastal production of Law & Order
Chapter 5
On the pilot for Law & Order; on casting Law & Order; on basing Law & Order scripts on real-life events
On the controversial Law & Order episode "Life Choice" and on other controversies during the show's run; on how 9/11 impacted Law & Order; on trademark elements of Law & Order including the theme song by Mike Post
On the pacing on Law & Order and audience attention spans; on crossover episodes between Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order; on the dialogue of Law & Order
Chapter 6
On the role of a producer; on producing Mann & Machine and The Human Factor; on producing Crime & Punishment; on producing New York Undercover and the salary dispute he had with actors
On negotiating with actors over their salaries; on producing Swift Justice, Feds, and Players; on the cost of shooting in New York as opposed to Los Angeles
On creating and producing Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; on the popularity of procedural shows like Law & Order; on the feedback he's gotten from law enforcement for his shows like Law & Order
Chapter 7
On the Oscar winning documentary "Twin Towers"; on producing Deadline with Oliver Platt; on producing Arrest and Trial, and Crime and Punishment
On how the legal profession has reacted to his series like Law & Order; on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and its parallels to Sherlock Holmes; on producing the 2003-2004 series Dragnet and on balancing multiple series
On then-current and then upcoming projects; on his mentors in the industry; on his proudest career and life achievements
On b-roll memorabilia from his career- pilot script for Law & Order;
Shows
Arrest and Trial
Dick Wolf on producing Arrest and Trial, his first syndicated show
Christine Cromwell
Dick Wolf on producing Christine Cromwell
Crime & Punishment
Dick Wolf on producing Crime & Punishment
Dick Wolf on producing his second Crime and Punishment series
Deadline
Dick Wolf on producing Deadline with Oliver Platt
Dragnet
Dick Wolf on producing the 2003-2004 series Dragnet
Emmy Awards, The (Primetime and Daytime)
Dick Wolf on the many Emmy nominations and awards his shows have gotten
Feds
Dick Wolf on Feds, which was the first series filmed in letterbox
Gideon Oliver
Dick Wolf on leaving Miami Vice to work on Gideon Oliver
Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on being hired as a staff writer for Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on describing Hill Street Blues and why the networks renew or cancel shows
Dick Wolf on the production schedule of Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on what made Hill Street Blues a success
Dick Wolf on how the writers room at Hill Street Blues worked
Dick Wolf on working with Daniel J. Travanti as "Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on working with Veronica Hamel as "Joyce Davenport" on Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on the importance of casting on a show like Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on dealing with Standards and Practices on Hill Street Blues and his other shows
Dick Wolf on the legacy of Hill Street Blues, and on what he learned from working on the show
Homicide: Life on the Street
Dick Wolf on crossover episodes between Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order
Dick Wolf on crossover episodes between Homicide: Life on the Street and Law & Order
Howdy Doody
Dick Wolf on being in the "Peanut Gallery" of The Howdy Doody Show when he was a child
Human Factor, The
Dick Wolf on producing The Human Factor
Law & Order
Dick Wolf on casting Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and on dealing with actors leaving the shows
Dick Wolf on how Law & Order came about with development by Brandon Tartikoff
Dick Wolf on how Law & Order changed from it's initial pitch to when it aired
Dick Wolf on the bi-coastal production of Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the pilot for Law & Order directed by John Patterson
Dick Wolf on casting Law & Order
Dick Wolf on basing Law & Order scripts on real-life events
Dick Wolf on the controversial Law & Order episode "Life Choice" and on other controversies during the show's run
Dick Wolf on how 9/11 impacted Law & Order
Dick Wolf on trademark elements of Law & Order including the theme song by Mike Post
Dick Wolf on the pacing on Law & Order and audience attention spans
Dick Wolf on the dialogue of Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the popularity of procedural shows like Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the feedback he's gotten from law enforcement for his shows like Law & Order
Dick Wolf on how the legal profession has reacted to his series like Law & Order
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Dick Wolf on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and its parallels to Sherlock Holmes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Dick Wolf on casting Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and on dealing with actors leaving the shows
Dick Wolf on creating and producing Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Dick Wolf on doing research for shows like Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Mann & Machine
Dick Wolf on creating Mann & Machine
Miami Vice
Dick Wolf on how he came to produce Miami Vice
Dick Wolf on the popularity of Miami Vice starring Don Johnson
Dick Wolf on his duties as executive producer of Miami Vice
Dick Wolf on favorite Miami Vice episodes he worked on, including episodes featuring Julia Roberts and James Brown
Dick Wolf on leaving Miami Vice to work on Gideon Oliver
New York Undercover
Dick Wolf on producing New York Undercover and the salary dispute he had with actors
Players
Dick Wolf on producing Players
Sopranos, The
Dick Wolf on James Gandolfini's contract negotiations with the producers of The Sopranos
Swift Justice
Dick Wolf on producing Swift Justice
Topics
9/11
Dick Wolf on how 9/11 impacted Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the feature documentary Twin Towers
Advertising and Sponsorship
Dick Wolf on the then-future of advertising on television
Censorship / Standards & Practices
Dick Wolf on dealing with Standards and Practices on Hill Street Blues and his other shows
Creative Influences and Inspiration
Dick Wolf on his mentors in the industry
Emmy Awards
Dick Wolf on the many Emmy nominations and awards his shows have gotten
George W. Bush
Dick Wolf on being a classmate of George W. Bush at Andover
Historic Events and Social Change
Dick Wolf on how 9/11 impacted Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the feature documentary Twin Towers
Industry Crossroads
Dick Wolf on the cost of shooting in New York as opposed to Los Angeles
Pivotal Career Moments
Dick Wolf on his mentors in the industry
Pop Culture
Dick Wolf on trademark elements of Law & Order including the theme song by Mike Post
Runaway Production
Dick Wolf on the cost of shooting in New York as opposed to Los Angeles
Technological Innovation
Dick Wolf on Feds, which was the first series filmed in letterbox
Television and the Presidency
Dick Wolf on being a classmate of George W. Bush at Andover
Television Industry
Dick Wolf on the then-future of advertising on television
Dick Wolf on dealing with Standards and Practices on Hill Street Blues and his other shows
Dick Wolf on James Gandolfini's contract negotiations with the producers of The Sopranos
Dick Wolf on the bi-coastal production of Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the cost of shooting in New York as opposed to Los Angeles
TV Theme Songs
Dick Wolf on trademark elements of Law & Order including the theme song by Mike Post
Professions
Producers
Dick Wolf on the role of a producer
Dick Wolf on negotiating with actors over their salaries, and on casting actors in multiple series across roles
Show Creators
Dick Wolf on his process of creating a show
Dick Wolf on the pilot process
Dick Wolf on negotiating with actors over their salaries, and on casting actors in multiple series across roles
Dick Wolf on how he is able to balance multiple series' on the air at the same time
Genres
Cop/Detective/Mystery Series
Dick Wolf on writing for Hill Street Blues
Dick Wolf on producing Miami Vice
Dick Wolf on producing Christine Cromwell
Dick Wolf on the creation and production of Law & Order
Dick Wolf on creating and producing Law & Order
Dick Wolf on the appeal of police and medical dramas
Dick Wolf on producing Crime & Punishment
Dick Wolf on producing New York Undercover and the salary dispute he had with actors
Dick Wolf on creating and producing Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Dick Wolf on producing Arrest and Trial, his first syndicated show
Dick Wolf on Law & Order: Criminal Intent and its parallels to Sherlock Holmes
Dick Wolf on producing the 2003-2004 series Dragnet
Drama Series
Dick Wolf on producing Deadline with Oliver Platt
Legal Dramas
Dick Wolf on producing Swift Justice
Dick Wolf on how the legal profession has reacted to his series like Law & Order
Dick Wolf on producing Arrest and Trial, his first syndicated show
Medical Dramas
Dick Wolf on producing The Human Factor
Sci-Fi/Supernatural Series
Dick Wolf on producing Mann and Machine
People
James Brown
Dick Wolf on favorite Miami Vice episodes he worked on, including episodes featuring Julia Roberts and James Brown
James Gandolfini
Dick Wolf on James Gandolfini's contract negotiations with the producers of The Sopranos
Louis Gossett, Jr.
Dick Wolf on leaving Miami Vice to work on Gideon Oliver starring Louis Gossett, Jr.
Veronica Hamel
Dick Wolf on working with Veronica Hamel as "Joyce Davenport" on Hill Street Blues
Don Johnson
Dick Wolf on the popularity of Miami Vice starring Don Johnson
Mike Post
Dick Wolf on trademark elements of Law & Order including the theme song by Mike Post
Julia Roberts
Dick Wolf on favorite Miami Vice episodes he worked on, including episodes featuring Julia Roberts and James Brown
Brandon Tartikoff
Dick Wolf on now Law & Order came about with development by Brandon Tartikoff
Daniel J. Travanti
Dick Wolf on working with Daniel J. Travanti as "Frank Furillo" on Hill Street Blues