Peter S. Fischer, the prolific television writer behind “Murder, She Wrote” and “Columbo,” passed away on Monday, his grandson Jake McElrath told TheWrap. He was 88.
“We are very lucky to have so much of his work still accessible, like pieces of him left behind,” McElrath said in a statement to TheWrap. “He was an amazing presence to have in our lives, our Pa. We are all going to miss him.”
Fischer, who was nominated for three Emmy Awards across the duration of his career, is also known for his work on “Ellery Queen” and “The Eddie Capra Mysteries.” No further details about Fischer’s death are known at this time.
Born in 1935, Fischer’s longstanding career in Hollywood stretches back to writing 1971 TV movie “The Last Child,” before writing several TV episodes on “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law,” “Griff,” “Kojak” and “Baretta.”
The TV writer went...
“We are very lucky to have so much of his work still accessible, like pieces of him left behind,” McElrath said in a statement to TheWrap. “He was an amazing presence to have in our lives, our Pa. We are all going to miss him.”
Fischer, who was nominated for three Emmy Awards across the duration of his career, is also known for his work on “Ellery Queen” and “The Eddie Capra Mysteries.” No further details about Fischer’s death are known at this time.
Born in 1935, Fischer’s longstanding career in Hollywood stretches back to writing 1971 TV movie “The Last Child,” before writing several TV episodes on “Marcus Welby, M.D.,” “Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law,” “Griff,” “Kojak” and “Baretta.”
The TV writer went...
- 11/2/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Peter S. Fischer, the late-blooming TV writer and producer who co-created Murder, She Wrote after serving on such other crime-solving series as Columbo, Baretta and Ellery Queen, has died. He was 88.
Fischer died Monday at a care facility in Pacific Grove, California, his grandson Jake McElrath announced.
He became a prolific novelist after he exited Hollywood, writing murder mysteries, of course.
Fischer, who had worked with Columbo co-creators Richard Levinson and William Link on the iconic Peter Falk series as well as on the Jim Hutton-starring Ellery Queen, accompanied the pair to a meeting with CBS executives in 1984, he recalled in a 2011 interview.
“CBS wanted to do a murder mystery and they called Dick, who was our ringleader. He said, ‘Ok, I’ll bring the boys,'” Fischer said. “We went over there and pitched a premise called Blacke’s Magic, about a retired magician who solves mysteries. It became...
Fischer died Monday at a care facility in Pacific Grove, California, his grandson Jake McElrath announced.
He became a prolific novelist after he exited Hollywood, writing murder mysteries, of course.
Fischer, who had worked with Columbo co-creators Richard Levinson and William Link on the iconic Peter Falk series as well as on the Jim Hutton-starring Ellery Queen, accompanied the pair to a meeting with CBS executives in 1984, he recalled in a 2011 interview.
“CBS wanted to do a murder mystery and they called Dick, who was our ringleader. He said, ‘Ok, I’ll bring the boys,'” Fischer said. “We went over there and pitched a premise called Blacke’s Magic, about a retired magician who solves mysteries. It became...
- 11/2/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
1985: Santa Barbara's Mason interrupted C.C. and Gina's wedding.
1993: All My Children's Kendall Hart arrived in Pine Valley.
1994: All My Children's Maria and Edmund were married.
2013: Dallas' Ewing family mourned at J.R.'s funeral."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Another World, at the dance, Dr. Joe Bernardi (Joe Bennett) encouraged...
1993: All My Children's Kendall Hart arrived in Pine Valley.
1994: All My Children's Maria and Edmund were married.
2013: Dallas' Ewing family mourned at J.R.'s funeral."Whoever wishes to foresee the future must consult the past; for human events ever resemble those of preceding times. This arises from the fact that they are produced by men who ever have been, and ever shall be, animated by the same passions, and thus they necessarily have the same results."
― Machiavelli
"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.
On this date in...
1966: On Another World, at the dance, Dr. Joe Bernardi (Joe Bennett) encouraged...
- 3/13/2018
- by Roger Newcomb
- We Love Soaps
I can't believe I used to like Rafe.
I thought he was a smart, empathetic, intuitive cop and that he and Daniel were natural friends since they both shared an interest in making the world a better place.
But after all the tantrums he threw this week, I've had enough of him. The Rafe who is disgracing our screens lately doesn't seem like he'd ever have passed the FBI psych evaluation, never mind worked for them for years.
The Rafe I knew would have been a great fit for Nicole, but this one throws his weight around to get his way and calls it "love", while Nicole mostly cries about her unfortunate situation.
I'm starting to think Andre is holding these characters on Melaswen. Can we please have the characters we recognize back?
The premise behind everyone's trip to Prague was bad enough, but the latest developments are beyond ridiculous.
I thought he was a smart, empathetic, intuitive cop and that he and Daniel were natural friends since they both shared an interest in making the world a better place.
But after all the tantrums he threw this week, I've had enough of him. The Rafe who is disgracing our screens lately doesn't seem like he'd ever have passed the FBI psych evaluation, never mind worked for them for years.
The Rafe I knew would have been a great fit for Nicole, but this one throws his weight around to get his way and calls it "love", while Nicole mostly cries about her unfortunate situation.
I'm starting to think Andre is holding these characters on Melaswen. Can we please have the characters we recognize back?
The premise behind everyone's trip to Prague was bad enough, but the latest developments are beyond ridiculous.
- 1/28/2017
- by Jack Ori
- TVfanatic
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