Wikipedia

Michael Piller

Michael Piller(May 30, 1948 – November 1, 2005) was an American televisionscriptwriterandproducer,who was best known for his contributions to theStar Trekfranchise.

Michael Piller
Piller in 1998
Born(1948-05-30)May 30, 1948
Port Chester, New York,US
DiedNovember 1, 2005(2005-11-01)(aged 57)
Los Angeles, California, US
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Occupation(s)Television producer,writer
Spouse
Sandra Piller[1]
​
​
(m.1981)​
Children3

Early life and career

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Piller was born to aJewishfamily[2]inPort Chester, New York.With parents who were both involved in writing; Gene Piller, his father, was aHollywoodscreenwriter and his mother,Ruth Roberts,was a songwriter. He planned to be a scriptwriter from an early age, but a college lecturer discouraged him, and Piller started out in television working as anEmmy Award-winning journalist forCBS Newsin New York,WBTVinCharlotte, North Carolina,andWBBM-TVinChicago, Illinois.However, he then moved toLos Angeles, Californiaand the entertainment side of television in the late 1970s, working as a censor and then a programming executive forCBS.While at the network, he became director of dramas based on fact and program practices.[3]He began writing scripts for television, and after selling a script toCagney & Laceyand another toSimon & Simon,[4]he was offered a staff writing position onSimon & Simon,where he stayed for three years, becoming a producer.

Piller attended theUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,where he was a member of thePi Lambda Phifraternity.[5]He married Sandra in 1981; they had three children.

In 1987, together withVan Gordon Sauter,he developed areality/medical series forMGM/UA TelevisioncalledThe Doctor's Office.[6]He later teamed with him again in the following year onHotline,a game-show designed to have interactive elements with the home audience.[7]

Star Trek

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In 1989, a call toMaurice Hurley,a friend who had led the writing staff ofStar Trek: The Next Generationthrough its second year, led to Piller co-writing an episode withMichael Wagnercalled"Evolution".When Wagner dropped out of leading the writing staff for the show's third year, Piller was invited to assume theshowrunnerposition, reporting to executive producerRick Berman,as of the fifth episode of the third season, "The Bonding".During the first two years of the series, the writing staff had been plagued by conflicts, with the staff continually changing as different writers came and went. Within a year, Piller had formed a strong writing team, something that had eludedprevious executives.He also moved the focus away from "alien-of-the-week" or "situation-of-the-week" stories to ones that developed the main characters and their relationships, which many point to as the turning point for the series. Another key innovation was Piller’s open-door policy for scripts, allowing anyone to submit story ideas. This policy yielded some of the series’ most popular episodes, including"Yesterday's Enterprise".

The Next Generationran for seven years and garnered increasing critical recognition, culminating in an Emmy Award nomination in its final year forOutstanding Drama Series.Piller was personally responsible for many popular episodes, including"The Best of Both Worlds", Parts 1 & 2,which are frequently identified as the best episodes ofThe Next Generation,and the two-part fifth season"Unification",which saw the appearance ofSpock,portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, who originated the role on the originalStar Trekseries.

In late 1991, whenThe Next Generationexecutive producerRick Bermanwas asked byParamount Picturesto create a newStar Trekseries, he turned to Piller to help him create the new show.Star Trek: Deep Space Ninedebuted in January 1993 with"Emissary",the pilot episode written by Piller, to the highest-ever ratings for a syndicated series premiere. LikeThe Next Generation,the series ran for seven years, with Piller serving as showrunner for its first two seasons.

He was succeeded as showrunner onThe Next GenerationbyJeri Taylorafter the series’ fifth season. In 1994, Berman was again asked to create another newStar Trekseries for Paramount's newUPNtelevision network.As before, Berman teamed with Piller, developingStar Trek: Voyageralong with Taylor. WhenVoyagerbegan its first season, Piller transferred fully toVoyagerand was replaced as showrunner onDeep Space NinebyIra Steven Behr,who served as showrunner for that series' remaining years. Piller served as showrunner and head of the writing staff forVoyager's first two seasons, with Taylor serving as his deputy. Piller leftVoyagerand retired from the franchise after its second season with Taylor succeeding him for the third season.[8][9]At the same time, Piller developed another series for UPN calledLegend.the series was cancelled after only 12 episodes. Piller continued as a creative consultant onDeep Space NineandVoyager,sending in notes on scripts as they were being prepared for production.

In 1993, Piller had been approached to write one of two prospective scripts for the firstNext Generationfeature film, with the other written byThe Next Generationstaff writersRonald D. MooreandBrannon Bragabut he declined. In 1997, he was approached again to write aNext Generationfeature film, collaborating with Rick Berman to writeStar Trek: Insurrection.[10]While writing the treatment for this film, he documented the entire process in the bookFade In,though it remained unpublished. Following Piller's death in 2005, the book was published on the internet.[11]His wife, Sandra, has subsequently sought to have the work published in bound form.[12]She described in an interview in 2013 that the studio was surprised by his honesty about the writing process and production ofInsurrectionand paraphrased the response of the executives atParamount Pictures,saying, "We can't let the public know what we do here; what goes on behind the scenes!"[13]

Post-Star Trek

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In 1996, he sold his first feature film script, calledOversight.The script, set in a Congressional sub-committee, is about "the passing of control from one generation to the next", and was inspired by his relationship with his sonShawn,who had contributed scripts toThe Next GenerationandVoyager.As of 2022the script has yet to be produced.

Piller formed a production company with Shawn in 1999 called Piller². They signed a two-year deal with theWB Television Networkwhich covered one guaranteed production, along with three orders for pilots. The WB ordered scripts for all four productions,[14]and looked to be moving ahead withDay One,apost-apocalypticserial based on the UK television mini-seriesThe Last Train.[15]However, the series never went into production.

In 2001, Piller was approached by producerLloyd Seganto adaptStephen King's novelThe Dead Zonefor television.The series,co-developed with Shawn and starringAnthony Michael HallandDeep Space Nine'sNicole de Boer,debuted June 16, 2002 on USA Network with 6.4 million viewers, the biggest premiere ever on that channel. Viewership remained steady through four seasons, before a dip in ratings saw it canceled in its sixth season.[16]

In 2005,Wildfire,another series that Piller² developed, debuted on theABC Familychannel. The show ended in 2008 after four seasons.

Death and legacy

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There is an empty space in my heart today. The world without Michael Piller is a diminished one. Michael's courage, determination, and amazing sense of humor during his ordeal of the last three years was inspirational. He was teacher, mentor, and guide to so manyStar Trekwriters that it can truly be said that he imprintedSTstory telling in a way that will endure forever. He was a man of principle and character, a good and decent person who always tried to do what was right. I admired him; I respected him; I loved him. I will miss him.

Jeri Taylor, Executive Producer -Star Trek: The Next GenerationandStar Trek: Voyager,Co-Creator -Star Trek: Voyager[17]

On November 1, 2005, StarTrek announced that Piller had succumbed tohead and neck cancerand died at his home. Full page tributes to him were published inVarietyandThe Hollywood Reporter,whileLions Gate Televisionput out a press release describing him as, "an extraordinary storyteller and cherished friend, who inspired all of us who knew him."[17]Tributes to him from several members of the cast and crew ofStar Trek,as well as those fromThe Dead Zone,were published on the officialStar Trekwebsite.[17]

He has been subsequently credited with givingThe Next Generationits "soul" byStar Trekwriter Paula Block, while Terry J. Erdmann felt that the complex characters ofDeep Space Ninewere entirely formed from Piller's imagination.[17]Likewise,TNGcast memberWil Wheatonsaid that Piller was "more responsible than anyone else forNext Generationtransforming itself into the amazing show it became inseason four".[18]Eric Stillwell, who worked as Piller's executive assistant onInsurrectionand later became Vice President of Operations at Piller Squared, said that Piller's greatest gift was his ability to nurture new writers and help them develop their talent. He felt that this would be Piller's enduring legacy.[19]

Notes

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  1. ^"Sandra Piller Pays Tribute To Her Late Husband, Michael Piller".startrek.2023-07-25.Retrieved2024-10-10.
  2. ^"My Jewish Trek"Jewish Journalby Sheldon Teitelbaum. March 18, 2015
  3. ^"Fates and Fortunes".Broadcasting.New Bay Media LLC. November 13, 1978. p. 69.
  4. ^"TV Followup".Variety.Vol. 320, no. 12. Penske Business Media. October 16, 1985. p. 430.
  5. ^Pi Lambda Phi 2010 membership Directory
  6. ^Morrie, Gelma (October 28, 1987). "Sauter Unveils 'Doctor's Office,' A Reality-Based Medical St".Variety.Vol. 329. Penske Business Media. p. 44.
  7. ^"Sauter has a 'Hotline'".Broadcasting.Vol. 115, no. 26. New Bay Media LLC. December 26, 1988. pp. 43–44.
  8. ^"Star Trek: Voyager Rewatch:" Basics, Part II "| Tor".22 June 2020.
  9. ^According to Piller, his departure fromVoyagerfollowed the breakdown of his relationship with the writers on the show.Piller, Michael (28 January 2011).FADE IN: From Idea to Final Draft; The Writing of Star Trek: Insurrection(PDF).TrekCore. p. 2.Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 March 2014.Michael Piller considered this book his last great gift to the fans and to aspiring writers everywhere
  10. ^Nemecek (2003):p. 334
  11. ^Piller, Michael (28 January 2011).FADE IN: From Idea to Final Draft; The Writing of Star Trek: Insurrection(PDF).TrekCore. p. 2.Archived(PDF)from the original on 26 March 2014.Michael Piller considered this book his last great gift to the fans and to aspiring writers everywhere
  12. ^Walker, Adam (2013-06-04)."EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Sandra Piller – The Best of Both Worlds Screening".TrekCore.Retrieved2020-11-09.Sandra Piller: Well, I'm working on getting it published now, so… I know it's out there on the Internet, but I was hoping to make some bound copies and make them sort of special.
  13. ^Walker, Adam; Bateman, Tom; Bateman, Dennis (June 4, 2013)."Exclusive: Interview with Sandra Piller – The Best of Both Worlds Screening".Trekcore.RetrievedNovember 15,2014.
  14. ^Adalian, Josef (December 13, 1999). "Piller pair in prod'n pact at the WB".Variety.Vol. 377, no. 5. Penske Business Media. p. 64.
  15. ^Adalian, Josef; Schneider, Michael (February 7, 2000). "Vets Ride to Fox's Rescue".Variety.Vol. 377, no. 12. Penske Business Media. pp. 27–28.
  16. ^USA Network Pulls Plug on The Dead Zone, The 4400,Broadcasting & Cable
  17. ^abcd"Michael Piller Succumbs to Cancer, Age 57 (UPDATE)".Star Trek. November 1, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon November 25, 2005.RetrievedNovember 15,2014.
  18. ^Wheaton, Wil (November 4, 2005)."no goodbyes -- just good memories".WWdn: In Exile.RetrievedNovember 15,2014.
  19. ^Stillwell, Eric A. (November 2, 2005)."A Tribute to Michael Piller".TrekNation.RetrievedNovember 15,2014.

References

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