Stephen J. Cannell

Stephen Joseph Cannell (; February 5, 1941 – September 30, 2010) was an American television producer, writer, novelist, actor, and founder of Cannell Entertainment (formerly Stephen J. Cannell Productions) and The Cannell Studios.

After starting his career as a television screenwriter, Cannell created or co-created several dozen successful TV series from the 1970s to the 1990s, often with his creative partner Frank Lupo. Cannell's creations include ''The Rockford Files'', ''The A-Team'', ''Renegade'', ''The Greatest American Hero'', ''21 Jump Street'', and ''The Commish''. He also wrote novels, notably the Shane Scully mystery series. Provided by Wikipedia