A-TEAM, ROCKFORD CREATOR STEPHEN J. CANNELL DIES

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STEPHEN J. CANNNELL who’s TV shows rocked the airwaves including The Rockford Files, 21 Jump Street and The A-Team is dead at 69.

The cause was complications from melanoma, skin cancer.

His official website issued a statement. "With profound sadness, we have to announce that our dear friend and colleague, Stephen Cannell, has lost a brave fight against cancer. He passed away at his home last night. He will be missed beyond measure by the Cannell Team and all of us who had the privilege and the plain good luck to know and work with him. Through the legacy of his body of work, with which he was able to entertain and enrich the lives of millions of viewers and thousands of readers, he will always be with us, living on in our hearts and minds, with fond memories."

Cannell honed his TV scribing skills on seminal cops show Ironside and Columbo before making an indelible mark on the pop kult landscape by creating and co-creating such hits The A-Team, The Rockford Files, 21 Jump Street (which introduced Johnny Depp to the world and The Greatest American Hero.

Cannel, who’s end title signature was of the himself yanking a page out of a typewriter that formed his corporate logo, was an true innovator.

Among his Emmy nods were a win for Rockford in 78, Tenspeed and Brownshoe and for writing the Greatest American Hero pilot and  producing the Ken Wahl crime skein Wiseguy.

On his Imdb page he is also credited with 16 novels and more unsold TV show pilots on scores of dozens of other shows that never saw a flicker on the cathode ray tube.

Adios, amigo.