Joel Steiger obit

Joel Steiger, TV Writer-Producer on ‘Matlock,’ ‘Perry Mason,’ Dies At 79

 

He was not on the list.

Joel Steiger, who served as a writer, producer and consultant on some of the most successful television mystery series of the ’80s and ’90s including “Matlock,” “Jake and the Fatman” and “Diagnosis: Murder,” died Sunday in Los Angeles after a long illness. He was 79.

After moving to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of becoming a screenwriter, Steiger went on to write and produce hundreds of the most successful mystery and drama series of the ’80s and ’90s, including “Dynasty,” “Max Monroe,” the “Perry Mason” TV movies, and “Father Dowling Mysteries.”

He received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1983 for writing an episode of “Remington Steele” titled “In the Steele Of The Night.”

Steiger was born in New York City on March 11, 1942. Even though he had lived in Los Angeles since his 30s, Steiger remained a quintessential New Yorker all of his life. As a young man, he worked as a lifeguard while spending his summers on Fire Island, where he made some of his closest lifelong friends.

Steiger graduated from the Bronx High School of Science, Colgate University and Columbia University. In his 20s, he was a bartender at Elaine’s, a renowned literary haunt, and later became the head copywriter at CBS Records.

His family said that Steiger “loved to travel, read trashy mysteries and argue about a wide range of topics. He loved summers at the beach, the Sixties, and hoodies. Joel had more friends than anyone has the right to have, and every one of them thought of him as their best friend, because he was.”

He is survived by his wife Diane, his sister Susan and his children Vanessa, Matthew and Emma.

 

Producer

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder (1993)

Diagnosis Murder

6.8

TV Series

executive producer

1997

2 episodes

 

Gramps (1995)

Gramps

5.5

TV Movie

executive producer

1995

 

Andy Griffith in Matlock (1986)

Matlock

7.1

TV Series

executive producer

co-executive producer

supervising producer ...

1986–1995

181 episodes

 

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Grimacing Governor (1994)

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Grimacing Governor

6.8

TV Movie

co-executive producer

1994

 

Hal Holbrook in A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle (1994)

A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Lethal Lifestyle

6.9

TV Movie

co-executive producer

1994

 

Paul Sorvino, Kathy Ireland, Kim Alexis, Shelley Hack, and Beverly Johnson in A Perry Mason Mystery: The Case of the Wicked Wives (1993)

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1993

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Skin-Deep Scandal (1993)

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co-executive producer

1993

 

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1992

 

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6.4

TV Series

executive producer

supervising producer

1987–1992

46 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo (1992)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Reckless Romeo

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1992

 

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1992

 

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co-executive producer

1991

 

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co-executive producer

1991

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Maligned Mobster (1991)

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TV Movie

co-executive producer

1991

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Ruthless Reporter (1991)

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1991

 

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1990

 

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1990

 

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1990

 

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TV Movie

supervising producer

1990

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)

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6.7

TV Movie

executive supervising producer

1989

 

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TV Movie

executive supervising producer

1989

 

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TV Movie

executive supervising producer

1989

 

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TV Movie

supervising producer

1988

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Avenging Ace (1988)

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7.0

TV Movie

supervising producer

1988

 

Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987)

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7.6

TV Movie

supervising producer

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Scandalous Scoundrel (1987)

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supervising producer

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Murdered Madam (1987)

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7.0

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supervising producer

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit (1987)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit

7.1

TV Movie

supervising producer

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love (1987)

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7.1

TV Movie

supervising producer

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star (1986)

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6.8

TV Movie

supervising producer

1986

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986)

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7.1

TV Movie

supervising producer

1986

 

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2.6

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producer

1985

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Writer

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder: Diagnosis of Murder (1992)

Diagnosis Murder: Town Without Pity

6.8

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Writer

2002

 

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6.8

TV Series

written by

1997–2001

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Thrill (1996)

Thrill

4.5

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television story

1996

 

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Matlock

7.1

TV Series

story by

written by

teleplay by ...

1986–1995

55 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Killer Kiss (1993)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Telltale Talk Show Host

6.9

TV Movie

story

1993

 

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6.4

TV Series

created by

story by (creator)

1987–1992

103 episodes

 

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Father Dowling Mysteries

6.9

TV Series

developed for television by (creator)

1989–1991

43 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Defiant Daughter (1990)

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7.0

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story

1990

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Silenced Singer (1990)

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7.0

TV Movie

story

1990

 

Max Monroe (1990)

Max Monroe

6.1

TV Series

creator

1990

6 episodes

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the All-Star Assassin

6.7

TV Movie

story

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson (1989)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lethal Lesson

7.2

TV Movie

story

1989

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit (1987)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Sinister Spirit

7.1

TV Movie

story

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love (1987)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Lost Love

7.1

TV Movie

story

1987

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star (1986)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Shooting Star

6.8

TV Movie

story

1986

 

Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun (1986)

Perry Mason: The Case of the Notorious Nun

7.1

TV Movie

written by

1986

 

Dynasty (1981)

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1984

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7.0

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teleplay by

1983

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6.6

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teleplay

1983

1 episode

 

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6.9

TV Series

story by

teleplay by

1983

1 episode

 

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6.9

TV Series

written by

1983

1 episode

 

Pierce Brosnan and Stephanie Zimbalist in Remington Steele (1982)

Remington Steele

7.3

TV Series

written by

1982

1 episode

 

Nurse (1981)

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7.9

TV Series

written by

1982

1 episode

 

Flamingo Road (1980)

Flamingo Road

6.5

TV Series

story

1981

1 episode

 

The Yeagers

TV Series

Writer

1980

1 episode

 

Emma Elizabeth Steiger and Jessie Gill in Runaways

Runaways

Short

Writer

 

Additional Crew

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder: Diagnosis of Murder (1992)

Diagnosis Murder: Without Warning

7.3

TV Movie

creative consultant

2002

 

Dick Van Dyke and Barry Van Dyke in Diagnosis Murder (1993)

Diagnosis Murder

6.8

TV Series

creative consultant

1999–2001

46 episodes

 

Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson in Fatal Confession: A Father Dowling Mystery (1987)

Father Dowling Mysteries

6.9

TV Series

creative consultant

1989–1991

42 episodes

 

William Conrad and Joe Penny in Jake and the Fatman (1987)

Jake and the Fatman

6.4

TV Series

creative consultant

1987–1990

57 episodes

 

Max Monroe (1990)

Max Monroe

6.1

TV Series

creative consultant

1990

1 episode

 

Bruce Boxleitner and Kate Jackson in Scarecrow and Mrs. King (1983)

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

TV Series

executive story consultant

1987

1 episode