Stephen Hattman obit

 

Stephen Michael Hattman

1945 - 2019

He was not on the list.

May 14, 1945 - February 11, 2019 Stephen Michael Hattman, a prolific screenwriter and television producer, was born May 14, 1945 in Mansfield, Ohio and escaped at the first opportunity to attend Harvard where he earned a bachelor's degree in History. His experience as a post-graduate student at Georgetown University convinced him he could avoid gainful employment by enlisting in the Peace Corp for two years and serving in India. While there he learned to speak Hindi, developed a taste for curry, filed stories for the Associated Press and realized his true ambition was to be a writer. Returning to the states, Steve moved to Los Angeles where he was soon steadily employed on hit shows like Diagnosis Murder, Spenser for Hire, A Man called Hawk, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Harper Valley PTA, The Love Boat and The Magnificent Seven. Steve was always the smartest person in the room, a skilled card player and a sweet swinging seven handicap at his second home, Lakeside Golf Club. Steve was funny. An understatement, indeed. He was one of the most talented and naturally funny humans you will have the delight to come across. Just ask the legions of humans he has come across. Brilliant, clever, ready witted, irreverent, he spoke comedy the way Miles Davis played notes. And he used his comedy for good. He loved to make people smile. And not just smile, but a full-on belly laugh was his real target. However his wit landed on you, he left you feeling good, happy. Through his eyes you saw life's absurdities. He not only changed your mood, but your perspective. And his one and only requirement was you had better be prepared to laugh at yourself. Retiring to Mount Jackson, Virginia, Steve, the life long Civil War historian was in his element. Surrounded by battlefields and historic architecture, he would happily recount for you what battle was waged here, what Lee and Grant were doing there as precisely and colorfully as if he was reporting from the battlefield himself. One house, where he lived, was occupied by a young surveyor, George Washington, who slept there for a fortnight. (Really) He is survived by his children, William Atkinson Hattman and Susan Turner of Portland, Oregon and the true love of his life, his own blessed angel and devoted companion, Suzanne Porter. Steve believed in the words of one of his favorite authors, Rudyard Kipling, when he said, "This is a brief life, but in its brevity it offers us some splendid moments, some meaningful adventures." In Steve's life, he gave us all a full measure of both. Celebration of Life for Stephen will be private.

Producer

Mortal Kombat: Conquest (1998)

Mortal Kombat: Conquest

6.2

TV Series

executive producer (as Steve Hattman)

1998–1999

22 episodes

 

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

Diagnosis Murder

6.9

TV Series

co-executive producer

supervising producer (as Steve Hattman)

1995–1997

44 episodes

 

Jack Scalia in Pointman (1995)

Pointman

7.2

TV Series

co-executive producer

1995

1 episode

 

Pointman (1994)

Pointman

5.6

TV Movie

supervising producer (as Steve Hattman)

1994

 

Dane Farwell and John Wesley Shipp in The Flash (1990)

The Flash

7.1

TV Series

supervising producer

1990

4 episodes

 

The Ladies on Sweet Street

executive producer (as Steve Hattman)

1990

 

A Man Called Hawk (1989)

A Man Called Hawk

7.3

TV Series

executive producer

1989

8 episodes

 

Avery Brooks and Robert Urich in Spenser: For Hire (1985)

Spenser: For Hire

7.3

TV Series

executive producer

supervising producer

1986–1988

35 episodes

 

I Had Three Wives (1985)

I Had Three Wives

3.2

TV Series

producer

1985

1 episode

 

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

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

TV Series

producer

1984–1985

19 episodes

 

Harper Valley P.T.A. (1981)

Harper Valley P.T.A.

6.6

TV Series

producer (as Steve Hattman)

1982

1 episode

 

Gridlock (1980)

Gridlock

5.9

TV Movie

producer (as Steve Hattman)

1980

 

Writer

Dennis Hopper, Phillip Rhys Chaudhary, Bumper Robinson, and Françoise Yip in Flatland (2002)

Flatland

5.1

TV Series

Writer (as Steve Hattman)

2002

1 episode

 

Mortal Kombat: Conquest (1998)

Mortal Kombat: Conquest

6.2

TV Series

written by

teleplay (as Steve Hattman)

1998–1999

7 episodes

 

The Magnificent Seven (1998)

The Magnificent Seven

7.4

TV Series

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1998–1999

2 episodes

 

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

Diagnosis Murder

6.9

TV Series

written by

story

teleplay (as Steve Hattman)

1996–1997

8 episodes

 

Jack Scalia in Pointman (1995)

Pointman

7.2

TV Series

writer

developed by

1995

8 episodes

 

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1993)

Kung Fu: The Legend Continues

6.5

TV Series

writer (as Steve Hattman)

1994

5 episodes

 

Pointman (1994)

Pointman

5.6

TV Movie

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1994

 

Human Target (1992)

Human Target

6.2

TV Series

Writer (as Steve Hattman)

1992

1 episode

 

Dane Farwell and John Wesley Shipp in The Flash (1990)

The Flash

7.1

TV Series

written by

story by

1990–1991

3 episodes

 

Ann Jillian (1989)

Ann Jillian

6.7

TV Series

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1990

1 episode

 

A Man Called Hawk (1989)

A Man Called Hawk

7.3

TV Series

developed by

written by (creator)

1989

13 episodes

 

Avery Brooks and Robert Urich in Spenser: For Hire (1985)

Spenser: For Hire

7.3

TV Series

Writer

1986–1988

4 episodes

 

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

Scarecrow and Mrs. King

7.0

TV Series

teleplay

written by

1984–1985

7 episodes

 

Harper Valley P.T.A. (1981)

Harper Valley P.T.A.

6.6

TV Series

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1981–1982

3 episodes

 

Fred Grandy, Bernie Kopell, Ted Lange, Gavin MacLeod, and Lauren Tewes in The Love Boat (1977)

The Love Boat

6.3

TV Series

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1978–1980

2 episodes

 

Gridlock (1980)

Gridlock

5.9

TV Movie

Writer (as Steve Hattman)

1980

 

Shirley (1979)

Shirley

5.5

TV Series

teleplay

writer (as Steve Hattman)

1979–1980

3 episodes

 

Abe Vigoda, Todd Bridges, Len Bari, John Cassisi, Barry Gordon, Denise Miller, Sarah Natoli, and Florence Stanley in Fish (1977)

Fish

6.4

TV Series

written by (as Steve Hattman)

1978

1 episode

 

Additional Crew

The Magnificent Seven (1998)

The Magnificent Seven

7.4

TV Series

creative consultant (as Steve Hattman)

1998

2 episodes

 

Harper Valley P.T.A. (1981)

Harper Valley P.T.A.

6.6

TV Series

executive story consultant (as Steve Hattman)

1981

1 episode

 

Shirley (1979)

Shirley

5.5

TV Series

story editor (as Steve Hattman)

1979

1 episode