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.



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.


From st.com.