"Cop Rock" (1990) TV series

Creators:

Steven Bochco
William M. Finkelstein
(more)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

26 September 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Plot:

In what must have been one of the shortest lived series on network television, "Cop Rock" was part "Real...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Television Flop

Awards:

Won 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 3 nominations

Cast

Tony A. Angelo	...	Cop (11 episodes, 1990)
Anne Bobby	...	Officer Vicki Quinn (11 episodes, 1990)
Ronny Cox	...	Chief Roger Kendrick (11 episodes, 1990)
David Gianopoulos	...	Officer Andy Campo (11 episodes, 1990)
Larry Joshua	...	Capt. John Hollander (11 episodes, 1990)
James McDaniel	...	Officer Franklin Rose (11 episodes, 1990)
Ron McLarty	...	Det. Lt. Ralph Ruskin (11 episodes, 1990)
Mick Murray	...	Det. Joseph Gaines (11 episodes, 1990)
Peter Onorati	...	Det. Vincent LaRusso (11 episodes, 1990)
Barbara Bosson	...	Mayor Louise Plank (10 episodes, 1990)

Series Directed by
Fred Gerber		(2 episodes, 1990)
Gregory Hoblit		(2 episodes, 1990)
Arlene Sanford		(2 episodes, 1990)

Series Writing credits
Steven Bochco		(11 episodes, 1990)
William M. Finkelstein		(11 episodes, 1990)
John Romano		(10 episodes, 1990)
Toni Graphia		(5 episodes, 1990)
Michael Graham		(2 episodes, 1990)
Michael A. Graham		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Craig Zisk	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1990)
Steven Bochco	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Gigi Coello-Bannon	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
John Romano	....	producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Greg Edmonson		(unknown episodes)
Alan Elliott		(unknown episodes)
Randy Newman		(unknown episodes)
Mike Post		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Stephen Mark		(unknown episodes)
David Ramirez		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Jeffrey L. Goldstein		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Nancy Nye		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Klexius Kolby	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Danny Irom	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Eugene Yelchin	....	storyboard artist (11 episodes, 1990)
Steven M. Levine	....	property master (10 episodes, 1990)
David Napoli	....	set dresser (4 episodes, 1990)
Daniel R. Bentley	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Hugh Conlon	....	construction coordinator (unknown episodes)
Kevin Shanks	....	set dresser (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Kenneth Estes	....	audio assist (1 episode, 1990)
Mark Server	....	production sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunts (2 episodes, 1990)
Mike Gunther	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bill Greenberg	....	electrician (11 episodes, 1990)
Jenna Abrahamson-Minardi	....	lighting technician (4 episodes, 1990)
Gregory Beard	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Curtis Foster	....	rigging gaffer (unknown episodes)
Tommy Klines	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
John A. Aiello	....	casting associate (11 episodes, 1990)
Sheryl Roberts	....	casting assistant (11 episodes, 1990)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Robert Iannaccone	....	wardrobe supervisor (11 episodes, 1990)

Series Editorial Department
Barbara Pokras	....	editor: musical sequences (5 episodes, 1990)

Series Music Department
Randy Newman	....	composer: songs (1 episode, 1990)
Steven DePaul	....	music supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Joyce Davis	....	production coordinator (11 episodes, 1990)
Jack E. Herman	....	extras set coordinator (11 episodes, 1990)
Maureen Milligan	....	assistant to writers (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• Steven Bochco Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (USA)

Other Companies

• Inter Video  24 frame playback
• Movie Movers  cast trailers
• Movie Movers  hair and make-up trailers

Also Known As:

Runtime:

60 min (11 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Grantsville, Utah, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

In one episode, 'James B. Sikking' reprises his character (Lt. Howard Hunter) from "Hill Street Blues" (1981). Another episode features cameos by Jimmy Smits and Michele Greene, as their characters from "L.A. Law" (1986).

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Ben Stiller Show: Pilot (#1.1)" (1992)

Busted for Being Criminally Ambitious

I remember Cop Rock fondly. It was an attempt to deliver the Broadway musical style to the popular police story genre. Now, I'm not one of those "Aren't we so cosmopolitan" self-congratulatory Broadway mavens, but I can appreciate a storyline interrupted by a soliloquy, even if it's musical - even if it's rock music! I distinctly remember an excellent opening scene of one episode, where the police are busting a crowd purchasing pot, loading the customers on a bus, as one detainee sings heartily about his civil rights being trampled. The cast was truly exceptional for a TV show, but the producers did not have proper respect for the amount of time and polishing necessary to deliver Broadway style entertainment. There was a lot of good stuff, but such material cannot be extruded at the rate needed for the voracious TV box. The general public could not forgive the uneven quality. I can't blame them, but there were payoffs for the patient. Live audiences collude with the performers, but TV viewers want to be entertained NOW, or they will click to the other 120 channels.

There was a clever end tacked on the final episode. It opens up with Ronny Cox and Curtis Vonde-Hall talking, and you quickly realize that they are not playing their characters. They are playing themselves discussing the impending cancellation. It's over when the fat lady sings, so the final pullaway has the entire cast onstage, with a Wagnerian Valkyrie, singing goodbye. Cool.