Michael Piller
Encyclopedia
Michael Piller was an American television scriptwriter
and producer
, who was most famous for his contributions to the Star Trek
franchise.
, New York
. With parents who were both involved in writing, his father as a Hollywood screenwriter and his mother as a songwriter, he planned to be a scriptwriter from an early age. However a college lecturer discouraged him, and Piller started out in television working as an Emmy Award
-winning journalist for CBS News
in New York, WBTV
in Charlotte, North Carolina
, and WBBM-TV
in Chicago, Illinois. However he then moved to Los Angeles, California
and the entertainment side of television in the late 1970s, working as a censor and then a programming executive for CBS
. He began writing scripts for television, and after selling a script to Cagney & Lacey
and another to Simon & Simon
, he was offered a staff writing position on Simon & Simon, where he stayed for three years, becoming a producer.
Piller attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi
fraternity.
, a friend who had led the writing staff of Star Trek: The Next Generation
through its second year, led to Piller co-writing an episode with Michael Wagner
called "Evolution"
. After Wagner dropped out of leading the writing staff for the show's third year, Piller was invited to assume the lead position from the fifth episode of the third season, "The Bonding". During the first two years of the series, the writing staff had been plagued with conflicts, with the staff continually changing as different writers came and went; within a year, Piller had managed to form a strong writing team, something that had eluded previous executives. He also moved the direction of stories away from "alien of the week" or "situation of the week" to stories about the characters, which many point to as the turning point for the series. Piller also implemented an open door policy for scripts, that let anyone submit their story ideas and led to some of the most popular episodes, including "Yesterday's Enterprise"
. The Next Generation ran for seven years, receiving a number of awards including an Emmy Award nomination in its final year for Outstanding Drama Series
. He received credit for a number of popular episodes, including "The Best of Both Worlds", Part 1 & 2
, which are frequently identified as the best episodes of The Next Generation, and the two-part fifth season "Unification"
, which saw the appearance of Spock.
In late 1991, when The Next Generation executive producer
Rick Berman
was asked by Paramount Pictures
to create a new Star Trek series, he turned to Piller to help him create the new show. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
debuted in January 1993 with a pilot script written by Piller, "Emissary"
, to the highest-ever ratings for a syndicated series premiere, and like The Next Generation ran for seven years. Again in 1994, Berman was asked to create another new Star Trek series for Paramount's new UPN
television network
and approached Piller to work with him in developing Star Trek: Voyager
along with Jeri Taylor
.
At the same time, Piller developed another series for UPN called Legend
. However the series was cancelled after only 12 episodes. Meanwhile, Piller continued as a creative consultant on Deep Space Nine and Voyager, 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 first Next Generation feature film, with the other written by The Next Generation staff writers Ronald D. Moore
and Brannon Braga
. He declined. In 1997, he was approached again to write a Next Generation feature film, collaborating with Rick Berman to write Star Trek: Insurrection
.
, who had contributed scripts to The Next Generation and Voyager. the script has yet to be produced.
Piller formed a production company with his son Shawn in 1999 called Piller². Together they developed a pilot in 2000 for the WB Television Network called Day One. However the series was not picked up.
In 2001, he was approached by producer Lloyd Segan
to develop a television series from Stephen King
's novel The Dead Zone
. The series The Dead Zone
, co-developed with his son Shawn and starring Anthony Michael Hall
, debuted June 16, 2002 on the USA Network
. As of late 2007, USA Network canceled The Dead Zone series due to a lack of ratings.
In 2005, Wildfire, another series that Piller developed with his son, debuted on the ABC Family
channel. It starred Deep Space Nine' s Nana Visitor
. Its fourth and final season ended on May 26, 2008.
and died at his home.
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
and producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
, who was most famous for his contributions to the Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
franchise.
Early life and career
Piller was born in Port ChesterPort Chester, New York
Port Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. With parents who were both involved in writing, his father as a Hollywood screenwriter and his mother as a songwriter, he planned to be a scriptwriter from an early age. However a college lecturer discouraged him, and Piller started out in television working as an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning journalist for CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
in New York, WBTV
WBTV
WBTV, channel 3 , is the CBS affiliate in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is one of two flagship stations of Raycom Media. WBTV's studios are located off Morehead Street just west of Uptown Charlotte, and its transmitter is located in north-central Gaston County, North Carolina...
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, and WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in Chicago, Illinois. However he then moved to Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
and the entertainment side of television in the late 1970s, working as a censor and then a programming executive for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
. He began writing scripts for television, and after selling a script to Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from October 8, 1981 to May 16, 1988...
and another to Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon
Simon & Simon is an American detective television series starring Gerald McRaney and Jameson Parker.-History:The original 1978 pilot called Pirate's Key was set in Florida...
, he was offered a staff writing position on Simon & Simon, where he stayed for three years, becoming a producer.
Piller attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
where he was a member of the Pi Lambda Phi
Pi Lambda Phi
Pi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....
fraternity.
Star Trek
In 1989 a call to Maurice HurleyMaurice Hurley
*Maurice Hurley *Maurice Hurly of the Hurly Baronets...
, a friend who had led the writing staff of Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
through its second year, led to Piller co-writing an episode with Michael Wagner
Michael B. Wagner
Michael Wagner was a television writer and producer who worked on several television shows between 1975 and 1992, and won an Emmy Award in 1982 for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for his work on the television show Hill Street Blues...
called "Evolution"
Evolution (TNG episode)
"Evolution" is the 49th episode of the science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Overview:In this episode, escaped nanites threaten the Federation Starfleet starship USS Enterprise as well as its critical research mission....
. After Wagner dropped out of leading the writing staff for the show's third year, Piller was invited to assume the lead position from the fifth episode of the third season, "The Bonding". During the first two years of the series, the writing staff had been plagued with conflicts, with the staff continually changing as different writers came and went; within a year, Piller had managed to form a strong writing team, something that had eluded previous executives. He also moved the direction of stories away from "alien of the week" or "situation of the week" to stories about the characters, which many point to as the turning point for the series. Piller also implemented an open door policy for scripts, that let anyone submit their story ideas and led to some of the most popular episodes, including "Yesterday's Enterprise"
Yesterday's Enterprise (TNG episode)
"Yesterday's Enterprise" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the science fiction television show Star Trek: The Next Generation. The episode first aired in syndication the week of February 19, 1990...
. The Next Generation ran for seven years, receiving a number of awards including an Emmy Award nomination in its final year for Outstanding Drama Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series
This page lists the winners and nominees for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, since its institution in 1951. The award is often cited as one of the "main awards" at the Emmys ceremonies, and has changed names many times in its history. It was first called Best Dramatic Show...
. He received credit for a number of popular episodes, including "The Best of Both Worlds", Part 1 & 2
The Best of Both Worlds (TNG episode)
"The Best of Both Worlds" is a two-part storyline from the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation.-Part 1:...
, which are frequently identified as the best episodes of The Next Generation, and the two-part fifth season "Unification"
Unification (TNG episode)
"Unification" is the title of a two-part Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, from the fifth season, which features Leonard Nimoy as Spock. It earned a 15.4 household Nielsen rating, drawing over 25 million viewers, making it one of the most watched episodes in all seven seasons of The Next...
, which saw the appearance of Spock.
In late 1991, when The Next Generation executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
Rick Berman
Rick Berman
Richard Keith “Rick” Berman is an American television producer. He is most famous for his work as the executive producer of several of the Star Trek series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: Voyager; and, several of the Star Trek theatrical productions, and...
was asked by Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
to create a new Star Trek series, he turned to Piller to help him create the new show. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
debuted in January 1993 with a pilot script written by Piller, "Emissary"
Emissary (DS9 episode)
"Emissary" is the 1st and 2nd episodes, comprising the pilot, of the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.-Overview:...
, to the highest-ever ratings for a syndicated series premiere, and like The Next Generation ran for seven years. Again in 1994, Berman was asked to create another new Star Trek series for Paramount's new UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
television network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
and approached Piller to work with him in developing Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
along with Jeri Taylor
Jeri Taylor
Jeri Taylor is a television scriptwriter and producer who is known for her contributions to the Star Trek series. She is an alumna of Indiana University, where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta.-Star Trek screenwriting:...
.
At the same time, Piller developed another series for UPN called Legend
Legend (TV series)
Legend was a science fiction Western television show that ran on UPN from April 18, 1995 until August 22, 1995, with one final re-airing of the pilot on July 3, 1996. It was Richard Dean Anderson's first major role after the successful MacGyver series, and also starred John de Lancie, best known...
. However the series was cancelled after only 12 episodes. Meanwhile, Piller continued as a creative consultant on Deep Space Nine and Voyager, 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 first Next Generation feature film, with the other written by The Next Generation staff writers Ronald D. Moore
Ronald D. Moore
Ronald Dowl Moore is an American screenwriter and television producer best known for his work on Star Trek and the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries and television series, for which he won a Peabody Award for creative excellence in 2005 and an Emmy Award in 2008.-Early life and...
and Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga
Brannon Braga is an American television producer and screenwriter, currently working as showrunner and executive producer on Terra Nova...
. He declined. In 1997, he was approached again to write a Next Generation feature film, collaborating with Rick Berman to write Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection
Star Trek: Insurrection is a 1998 American science fiction film directed by Jonathan Frakes, written by Michael Piller , and with music composed by Jerry Goldsmith. It is the ninth film in the Star Trek franchise, and the third to feature the cast from the television series Star Trek: The Next...
.
Post-Star Trek
In 1996, he sold his first feature film script, called Oversight. The script, set in a Congressional sub-committee, is about "the passing of control … from one generation to the next set", inspired by his relationship with his son ShawnShawn Piller
Shawn Piller is a principal/executive producer at Piller/Segan/Shepherd, an independent content production company.- Piller/Segan/Shepherd :...
, who had contributed scripts to The Next Generation and Voyager. the script has yet to be produced.
Piller formed a production company with his son Shawn in 1999 called Piller². Together they developed a pilot in 2000 for the WB Television Network called Day One. However the series was not picked up.
In 2001, he was approached by producer Lloyd Segan
Lloyd Segan
Lloyd Segan is a principal in Piller/Segan/Shepherd, an independent content production company.- Television Production :Segan made his foray into television in 2001 with The Dead Zone based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Executive produced by Segan and Michael Piller, the series debuted...
to develop a television series from Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
's novel The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone (novel)
The Dead Zone is a horror novel by Stephen King published in 1979. It concerns Johnny Smith, who is injured in an accident and enters a coma for nearly five years. When he emerges, he can see horrifying secrets but cannot identify all the details in his "dead zone", an area of his brain that...
. The series The Dead Zone
The Dead Zone (TV series)
The Dead Zone, aka Stephen King's Dead Zone is an American-Canadian science fiction/suspense series starring Anthony Michael Hall as Johnny Smith, who discovers he has developed psychic abilities after a coma...
, co-developed with his son Shawn and starring Anthony Michael Hall
Anthony Michael Hall
Michael Anthony Hall , known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor, film producer and director who starred in several teen-oriented films of the 1980s. Hall began his career in commercials and on stage as a child, and made his screen debut in 1980...
, debuted June 16, 2002 on the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
. As of late 2007, USA Network canceled The Dead Zone series due to a lack of ratings.
In 2005, Wildfire, another series that Piller developed with his son, debuted on the ABC Family
ABC Family
ABC Family, stylized as abc family, is an American television network, owned by ABC Family Worldwide Inc., a subsidiary of the Disney-ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company...
channel. It starred Deep Space Nine
Nana Visitor
Nana Visitor , born Nana Tucker, is an American actress, best known for playing Kira Nerys in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Jean Ritter in the television series Wildfire.-Early life:...
. Its fourth and final season ended on May 26, 2008.
Death
On November 2, 2005, StarTrek.com announced that Piller had succumbed to head and neck cancerHead and neck cancer
Head and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
and died at his home.
External links
- Michael Piller bio at StarTrek.com
- Piller2 - website of Michael Piller's production company
- Star Trek writer/producer Ron Moore remembers Michael Piller
- Actor Wil Wheaton writing in November after Michael's death and again in March
- A Tribute to Michael Piller by writer/producer Eric A. StillwellEric A. StillwellEric A. Stillwell is a producer and writer who has worked on a number of television series, made-for-television movies, and motion pictures, including numerous Star Trek series and motion pictures....