Michael Piller Dead at 57

[Takara_Soong 4]

MICHAEL PILLER

 

MAY 30, 1948 - NOVEMBER 1, 2005

 

 

REST IN PEACE

 

Michael Piller Succumbs to Cancer

 

 

Michael Piller, best known to television viewers around the world as the executive producer/co-creator of more than 500 hours of Star Trek, lost his long battle with an aggressive form of head & neck cancer on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at 4:51 AM at his home in Los Angeles. He was 57. He is survived by his wife Sandra, daughter Brent and son Shawn.

 

Michael served as creative consultant for Star Trek: Voyager, which he co-created, until the series concluded in May 2001. He also co-created Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and served as executive producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1989-1994), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1992-1995) and Star Trek: Voyager (1994-1996). During the 1994-95 television season, Michael also co-created and executive produced the UPN network series Legend.

 

In 1998, he wrote and co-produced "Star Trek: Insurrection," the ninth installment in the enormously successful Star Trek feature film franchise for Paramount Pictures.

 

In 1999, Michael partnered with his son Shawn Piller to form Piller2, Inc., a Hollywood-based production company where they developed and produced new television and motion picture properties. The father/son duo are also the co-creators of USA Network's top-rated cable drama series The Dead Zone, and the ABC Family Channel's Wildfire.

 

Michael, in addition to serving on the Advisory Board for the Department of Communications Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, gave a major grant to his alma mater to help launch a nationally distinctive screenwriting program.

 

With Michael Piller at the helm of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the show became the first syndicated series in the 90's to receive an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine continued the success of the franchise during its seven seasons on the air. Star Trek: Voyager also ran for seven seasons.

 

An Emmy Award-winning journalist, Michael began his broadcasting career with CBS News in New York. He subsequently served as managing editor of the WBTV-TV News in Charlotte, North Carolina, and assistant news director at WBBM-TV, the CBS affiliate in Chicago.

 

His first position in entertainment television was as a censor in the CBS docudrama unit. Piller then spent two years as a programming executive before leaving CBS to write full-time.

 

Michael's credits as a writer-producer include the series Simon & Simon, Cagney & Lacey, Miami Vice, Probe, and Hard Time on Planet Earth. In addition, he co-created and executive produced the syndicated series Group One Medical.

 

From st.com.

[Yillara Skye 1]

[sea trooper 0]

 

That's some sad news. These haven't been a good few years.

[Kor37 9]

Wow!.. thats a shocker!

 

I didn't even know he was sick!

 

This is really sad.

[Takara_Soong 4]

TrekToday has included an address for sending condolences to his family in the below article. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to a charity which will be named shortly.

 

From TrekToday:

Michael Piller, a longtime executive producer of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager, lost his battle with cancer today. The co-creator of Deep Space Nine and Voyager and writer of Star Trek: Insurrection, whose most recent production was the ABC Family series Wildfire, died at age 57.

 

Piller, who produced more than 500 hours of Star Trek, had struggled with an aggressive form of head and neck cancer but kept his condition private from many of his associates. StarTrek.com notes that in addition to his writing and producing credits on the Star Trek shows, Piller co-created UPN's Legend and more recently USA's The Dead Zone, along with his son, Shawn Piller.

 

Born in Portchester, New York, Piller worked at one time as a television censor. Before he became a full-time writer, he was an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist with CBS News in New York. Stints as an editor and news director in Charlotte and Chicago preceded a job as a programming executive. Piller's credits included police dramas such as Cagney & Lacey and Miami Vice; in addition to The Dead Zone and Wildfire, he co-created and executive produced Group One Medical.

 

After joining the writing staff of The Next Generation, Piller created Deep Space Nine together with Rick Berman - the first show to bear the name of Star Trek in which Gene Roddenberry was not directly involved. Later Berman and Piller co-created Voyager with Jeri Taylor. After leaving his production job with the Star Trek franchise to work with Shawn at Piller Squared, Michael Piller remained a creative consultant on Star Trek: Voyager.

 

"Michael Piller was a class act, a generous soul, and a genuinely nice guy to work for," said graphic designer and scenic art supervisor Michael Okuda, who has been involved with the Star Trek franchise since the original series feature films. "We're all indebted to his talent and his hard work. He left us far too soon, and we will miss him greatly."

 

Although StarTrek.com reports that he was ill for a long time, Piller remained active in television work until very recently. The Dead Zone will begin its fifth season on USA in 2006, while Wildfire has been picked up for a second season by ABC Family (the series stars Nana Visitor, who played Kira on Deep Space Nine).

 

Piller served on the advisory board for the Department of Communications Studies at his alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was also supportive of students. Piller also started the internship program for would-be television writers at Star Trek and the spec script submissions that allowed several unagented writers to be discovered by the franchise.

 

"Without him, lots of writers wouldn't have gotten their first break," said Lynda Foley, a Voyager intern during Piller's tenure there in the show's second season. "When I would get writer's block or have problems with rewrites, he always gave the same advice: 'It's always about the human condition. Go back to that and you'll find your story.'"

 

Foley said that even after she had left Paramount and sold several professional stories, Piller invited her over to advise her on a prospective movie pitch. "He was a tough boss, but fair. He was painfully honest, and his perfectionism led to unending rewrites, but he was the best boss I ever worked for," she added. "I learned more from him about writing than any class, workshop or seminar."

 

Thanks to Piller's onetime assistant Eric Stillwell for passing along Piller's credits.

 

In addition to son Shawn, Michael Piller is survived by his wife Sandra and daughter Brent. Our condolences go out to his family and friends. Condolence cards can be sent to:

 

The Piller Family

c/o Piller Squared, Inc.

7025 Santa Monica Blvd.

Hollywood, CA 90038

 

The family will designate a charity for memorial contributions in lieu of flowers, so please use this address for cards and notes only.

[Jack_Bauer 1]

500 hours of Star Trek, wow. We owe so much to this man, it's a shame he died so young, I too was not aware he was sick. A real shame to lose such a wonderfully creative man. My condolenses to his family.

[Mike 5]

And he was also quite involved in Nana's current show 'Wildfire'..He will be missed..

We lost a great one today..

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

R.I.P. Michael.

[gdog243 0]

I am shocked, emotional, and just really really sad. He was a great writer and really gave alot to the Trek franchise. I loved his interviews on the DVDs because they were always so candid and brought out his brillience as both a leader and an ordinary writer.

 

RIP Mike.

[VaBeachGuy 12]

That is very sad and shocking news, I hadn't heard of his illness until today either. The franchise owes a lor to him and his artistic vision.

 

Thanks to Takara for making our tribute banner. I will leave it up for at least a week in his honor.

[Odie 0]

I am very surprised to hear the news. He had done so much for Star Trek.

Edited November 2, 2005 by Odie

[Tina 0]

I am sorry to hear that

 

he was a creative mind that made the Star Trek universe better

[stvoyagerfan 1]

what a shock. what a loss for the trek universe. i found out by an email from creation entertainment. what a shock to find out he was sick. At least he's at peace now.

 

R.I.P. Michael

 

tm

[APW 0]

Well, that damned demon cancer rears its ugly head again.

I'm not sure what to say.

I know how awful his family feels, and I'm sorry to hear the news.

Back when my mother was going through chemo and radiation I'd read these articles or hear medical news about advancements in finding cures and treatments for cancer, and I'd get so excited.

Times like this I wonder if it isn't all bull.

I've been a little under the weather all day. This just made me feel all the worse. :angry:

[Chataeya 0]

This is very sad news. He will be missed greatly. :angry:

[gdog243 0]

I said yesterday that I didn't know Piller was ill, but I decided to watch some of the special features for Insurrection Collectors Edition and it was just unreal to see him like he was. He wasn't like the guy who did the candid interviews for TNG, DS9, and Voyager. It almost reminded me of when Jimmy Doohan did a feature on the third season set of Star Trek. It still doesn't take the shock away, and dying of cancer at such a young age too. I really wish we found a cure to cancer. I know they're working on Aids research, but it seems like Cancer is much more leathal than AID's is at this time.

[Data 0]

[Matt 0]

This quite surprised me. I hadn't heard about his illness.

 

Rest in Peace

[Takara_Soong 4]

From TrekWeb.com:

A memorial for STAR TREK writer/producer Michael Piller has been set for Sunday, November 13th in Hollywood. Piller died earlier this week after a long fight with cancer. The Piller family has announced that the memorial will be held at the Temple Israel of Hollywood, and it is open to the public.

 

Sunday, November 13th at 1:15 PM

 

Temple Israel of Hollywood

7300 Hollywood Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90046

 

There will be Valet parking and a reception to follow at the same location.

Anyone wishing to make a donation in Michael's honor can do so at his

cherished school, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill:

 

The Michael Piller Distinguished Professorship at Carolina

Writing for the Screen and Stage Program

Arts and Sciences Foundation, Inc.

134 East Franklin Street

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

919.843.5285 phone

 

Contact:

Emily Stevens, Associate Director, Arts and Sciences Foundation, Inc.

919.843.5285 phone

emily.stevens@unc.edu

[v_seven 0]

Wow! He was so young, this really shocked me, like most of you I didn't know he was sick, what a great loss to the creative world... I feel like I lost a friend, his family is in my prayers.