Latest news with #MichaelSloan
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Michael Sloan, Co-Creator Of ‘The Equalizer,' Dies At 78
Michael Sloan, a television writer, producer, and novelist best known as the co-creator of The Equalizer, died in New York City on August 13. He was 78. Born on October 14, 1946, in New York City, Sloan built an impressive resume with early assignments as a writer and producer on a wide range of TV dramas. His credits included Switch, Quincy, M.E., The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Battlestar Galactica, and three series under NBC's "Mystery Movie" umbrella: Columbo, McCloud, and McCoy. In 1978, he shared an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series for his work on Quincy, M.E., starring Jack Klugman. But it was The Equalizer, which Sloan created alongside Richard Lindheim in 1985, that became his signature achievement. The original CBS series, starring Edward Woodward as a former intelligence operative who helps people in danger, aired for four seasons. Sloan later returned to the franchise as an executive producer of the Equalizer film trilogy (2014, 2018, 2023) starring Denzel Washington. He also helped shepherd the 2021 reboot of The Equalizer TV series, starring Queen Latifah. In addition to his work in television and film, Sloan authored a series of Equalizer novels that expanded the universe of the franchise. His other TV credits included B.J. and the Bear, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, Baywatch, and multiple entries in the Mystery Woman TV movie franchise. Sloan is survived by his wife, Melissa Sue Anderson, best known for her role as Mary Ingalls on family drama Little House on the Prairie; their children, Piper and Griffin; and his sister, Judy.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dan Tana, Former Owner of Namesake Hollywood Restaurant, Dies at 90
Dan Tana, the sometime actor and former maitre d' who opened the namesake Dan Tana's Restaurant in West Hollywood in 1964, has died at the age of 90. The eatery, which became a Los Angeles institution, hosting actors and various industry figures, announced Tana's death in a Facebook post on Saturday, saying that he had 'passed on.' More from The Hollywood Reporter Michael Sloan, 'The Equalizer' Co-Creator, Dies at 78 Ronnie Rondell Jr., Hollywood Stuntman Set on Fire for a Pink Floyd Album, Dies at 88 Tristan Rogers, 'General Hospital' Star, Dies at 79 'We all know that he created a very magical place,' the statement, attributed to Dan Tana's staff, said of the restaurant's former owner. 'Our beloved little yellow house will forever feel his presence.' Tana took over the old Dominick's in West Hollywood in 1964, after working as a maitre d' at La Scala and Villa Capri, and saw a need for a place where stars could gather and dine late into the night (he kept the kitchen open until 12:30 a.m.). 'There was not a decent restaurant serving until 1 a.m. You had to go to a coffee shop,' Tana said of the L.A. dining scene at the time in a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter in which he looked back at his eponymous eatery as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. In the Saturday Facebook post, Dan Tana's staff said that working for La Scala and Villa Capri inspired Tana to open his own place. 'He was always proud of where he came from and what he accomplished,' the post continued, noting Tana's past as a former soccer star in Yugoslavia. The staff praised his 'wonderful stories' about Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, James Dean, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis. 'This man is a legend, and as you know a legend never dies,' the Facebook post concluded. Tana sold the restaurant to current owner Sonja Perencevic in 2009 and moved to Belgrade, Serbia. Hollywood figures who frequented the restaurant include Cameron Diaz, Harry Dean Stanton, Rick Yorn, Nick Styne, Jerry West, Johnny Carson, Jack Nicholson and Dabney Coleman. More to come. Best of The Hollywood Reporter MTV VMAs: 27 of the Awards Show's Wildest Moments of All Time From 'Party in the U.S.A.' to 'Born in the U.S.A.': 20 of America's Most Patriotic (and Un-Patriotic) Musical Offerings Most Anticipated Concert Tours of 2025: Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Sabrina Carpenter and More
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Michael Sloan Dies: Co-Creator Of ‘The Equalizer', Longtime Husband Of Melissa Sue Anderson Was 78
Michael Sloan, the writer-producer who co-created with Richard Lindheim the durable 1980s TV series The Equalizer, died August 13. He was 78. His death was announced by his family, which includes his wife of 35 years, the actor Melissa Sue Anderson, who starred in NBC's Little House on the Prairie in the 1970s and '80s. The family announcement did not name a place or cause of death but noted that he passed away peacefully. More from Deadline 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries Dan Ziskie Dies: 'House Of Cards', 'Treme', 'Adventures In Babysitting' Actor Was 80 Patricia White Dies: Longtime Champion Of New York's Black Theatre Who Worked With Amiri Baraka, Woody King Jr., Ntozake Shange Was 77 Michael Fred Sloan was born to a show business family on October 14, 1946, in New York City. His grandfather, Fred Stone, was a vaudeville performer who played the Scarecrow in the 1902 Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz, and his parents Paula Stone and Michael Sloane were Broadway stage producers. The family moved to London when Sloan was young, and it was there that he would later begin to write and produce feature films. He had returned to America where he wrote an acclaimed 1976 episode of Columbo titled 'Now You See Him,' effectively launching his career. Among the programs for which he subsequently wrote or produced were Quincy M.E. (for which he received an Emmy nomination), Harry O, McCloud, The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, Battlestar Galactica, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues, The Return of the Man From U.N.C.L.E. and numerous episodes of The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents. It was while working on a 1989 episode The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents that Sloan met Anderson, a guest star on that week's episode. The couple married in 1990. Sloan is perhaps best remembered for his co-creation of The Equalizer, the 1985-89 television series starring Edward Woodward as the mysterious justice-seeker Robert McCall. The series was rebooted in 2021, and has spawned a hit movie franchise starring Denzel Washington. Sloan was a producer of the films, and also wrote a series of Equalizer novels. For the stage, Sloan wrote the 1989 thriller Underground, which was produced in Toronto and on London's West End. In addition to his wife, Sloan is survived by their children Piper and Griffin; sister Judy. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the ASPCA in honor of Michael's deep love for animals. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far 2025-26 Awards Season Calendar: Dates For Emmys, Oscars, Grammys & More Everything We Know About Prime Video's 'Legally Blonde' Prequel Series 'Elle' Solve the daily Crossword
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
'Equalizer' co-creator Michael Sloan dies at 78 in New York City
Michael Sloan, the acclaimed television writer and producer who co-created the original The Equalizer series, died on Wednesday in New York City. He was 78. Born in New York City in 1946, Sloan was immersed in the entertainment world from a young age. His grandfather, Fred Stone, was a vaudeville actor best known for playing the Scarecrow in the 1902 Broadway production of The Wizard of Oz. His parents, Paula Stone and Michael Sloane, were also prominent Broadway producers during the mid-20th century. Sloan began his career in the U.K., where he wrote and produced his first three films: the 1972 short Hunted and the features Assassin and Moments in the early 1970s. He gained critical attention in 1976 after penning 'Now You See Him,' a widely praised fifth-season episode of Columbo—the only episode in the series' history written by a freelancer. Upon returning to the U.S., Sloan joined Universal Television, contributing to popular series such as McCloud, Quincy, M.E., Battlestar Galactica, and The Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries. His work on Quincy, M.E. earned him an Emmy nomination. In the 1980s, while working with MTM Studios, Sloan returned to Universal to co-create The Equalizer with Richard Lindheim. The original series, starring Edward Woodward, debuted on CBS in 1985 and ran for four seasons. Sloan later produced all three of Columbia Pictures' Equalizer films starring Denzel Washington (2014–2023), and served as an executive producer on CBS's 2021 reboot featuring Queen Latifah, which concluded after five seasons in May. Beyond television, Sloan wrote and produced several made-for-TV films, including adaptations of The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and The Six Million Dollar Man. He also authored The Equalizer novel series and a memoir, One More Thing, Sir…, chronicling his Hollywood career. Sloan is survived by his wife of 35 years, Melissa; their children, Piper and Griffin; and his sister, Judy. In his memory, donations can be made to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Mint
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Michael Sloan, creator of ‘The Equalizer', dies at 78
Michael Sloan, the acclaimed television writer and producer best known for co-creating the hit series 'The Equalizer', has died at the age of 78. He passed away on Wednesday in New York City, his birthplace and lifelong home. Sloan was a major figure in American television, having co-created 'The Equalizer' alongside Richard Lindheim. The original series, which aired in the 1980s, followed a former intelligence agent using his skills to help people in trouble and gained a dedicated following. The show later inspired multiple film adaptations starring Denzel Washington, as well as a successful reboot led by Queen Latifah.
