Michael Piller, Star Trek veteran and cocreator/executive producer of USA Network's hit series The Dead Zone, died early Tuesday at his Los Angeles home after a long battle with cancer. He was 57.
Before cocreating The Dead Zone with his son Shawn, Piller was head writer on Star Trek: The Next Generation, leading the show to a best drama Emmy nomination in 1994, the first for a syndicated series. He went on to cocreate the following two Star Trek installments, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Both series ran for seven seasons.
In 1998, Piller wrote and coproduced Star Trek: Insurrection, the ninth installment in Paramount Pictures' successful Star Trek feature franchise.
Piller began his career in broadcasting, working for TV stations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Chicago.
My deepest sympathies to Michael's family and friends on losing such a talented man to early...he has left behind a great memorial in the form of the great shows he has written and created over the years.
It's too bad that Piller is gone. He was a great writer. He will be sorely missed.
I never was a fan of Star Trek, but The Dead Zone is one of my favorite shows. It's too bad he died so early. Hopefully his son will continue to make The Dead Zone a great show.
Star Trek DS9 is my favorite Star Trek. It's always sad when someone dies at a young age of 57. Michael will be missed.
Thats too bad. He was an integral part of some of my favorite tv shows.