Sad news last week with the death of the legendary Star Trek writer/ producer Michael Pillar. My thoughts and sympathies go out to all his family. For those who don’t know… Michael joined Next Generation as a writer and quickly became an executive producer on series. As Berman’s right hand man, Pillar helps reinvigorate The Next Generation and give it some of it’s best cliff-hangers ever. In addition, he also wrote some of the best Next Generation episodes (Best Of Both Worlds being the a prime example).
Pillar was also man responsible for (in my opinion) the best Star Trek series ever - Deep Space Nine.
As well as his abilities and skills and a writer, Pillar also created Star Treks groundbreaking open submission policy which was responsible for this wanna be writer getting invited to pitch to Star Trek producers at Paramount Pictures in LA. Truly one of the best days of my life. The same policy also aided in the discovery of some of Star Trek’s best TV writers.
If all that wasn’t enough, he also created The Dead Zone and worked on cult TV show Miami Vice. His death is a huge loss and a blow for quality programming & films.
Read more about Michael Pillars death on TrekToday:
<http://www.trektoday.com/news/011105_01.shtml>
And on Aintitcool.com:
<http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=21718>
He will be missed. Michael died of cancer at his home on the 1st November. Again our thoughts and sympathy go out to his family and friends.
Phil Hobden
-- Modern Life?--
RIP Michael Pilalr