"L.A. Law" (1986) TV series 1986-1994

User Rating:

6.9/10   

Creators:

Steven Bochco
Terry Louise Fisher
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

3 October 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The lives and work of the staff of a major Los Angeles law firm.

Plot Keywords:

Law | Courtroom | Los Angeles California | Bisexual | Human Relationship

Awards:

Won 5 Golden Globes. Another 36 wins & 113 nominations

Cast

Corbin Bernsen	...	Arnie Becker (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Jill Eikenberry	...	Ann Kelsey (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Alan Rachins	...	Douglas Brackman, Jr. (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Michael Tucker	...	Stuart Markowitz (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Richard Dysart	...	Leland McKenzie (171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Blair Underwood	...	Jonathan Rollins (149 episodes, 1987-1994)
Larry Drake	...	Benny Stulwicz / ... (139 episodes, 1987-1994)
Susan Ruttan	...	Roxanne Melman (138 episodes, 1986-1993)
Susan Dey	...	Grace Van Owen (126 episodes, 1986-1992)
Jimmy Smits	...	Victor Sifuentes (107 episodes, 1986-1992)
Harry Hamlin	...	Michael Kuzak (105 episodes, 1986-1991)
Michele Greene	...	Abby Perkins (105 episodes, 1986-1991)
John Spencer	...	Tommy Mullaney (83 episodes, 1990-1994)

(more)

Series Directed by
Win Phelps		(19 episodes, 1988-1994)
Elodie Keene		(18 episodes, 1990-1994)
Tom Moore		(13 episodes, 1988-1993)
Rick Wallace		(11 episodes, 1986-1993)
Mark Tinker		(6 episodes, 1993-1994)
John Pasquin		(4 episodes, 1987-1989)
Sam Weisman		(4 episodes, 1987-1989)
Gabrielle Beaumont		(4 episodes, 1988-1992)
David Carson		(4 episodes, 1989-1991)
Oz Scott		(4 episodes, 1992-1994)
Gregory Hoblit		(3 episodes, 1986-1987)
Sharron Miller		(3 episodes, 1986-1987)
Helaine Head		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Sandy Smolan		(3 episodes, 1989)
Rob Thompson		(3 episodes, 1989)
Steven Robman		(3 episodes, 1990-1993)
Menachem Binetski		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Miles Watkins		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Edwin Sherin		(3 episodes, 1990)
Mervin B. Dayan		(3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Paul Lazarus		(3 episodes, 1991-1992)
Jan Eliasberg		(2 episodes, 1986-1989)
Ben Bolt		(2 episodes, 1986-1988)
Janet Greek		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Donald Petrie		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Michael Zinberg		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mimi Leder		(2 episodes, 1987)
Richard Compton		(2 episodes, 1990-1992)
Michael Fresco		(2 episodes, 1991-1992)
Michael Katleman		(2 episodes, 1991)
Andre R. Guttfreund		(2 episodes, 1992-1993)
Dennis Dugan		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Randy Roberts		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)
James C. Hart		(2 episodes, 1993)

Series Writing credits
Steven Bochco		(171 episodes, 1986-1994)
Terry Louise Fisher		(171 episodes, 1986-1994)
David E. Kelley		(67 episodes, 1986-1992)
William M. Finkelstein		(60 episodes, 1986-1994)
Jacob Epstein		(20 episodes, 1986-1988)
Paul Manning		(20 episodes, 1992-1994)
Anne Kenney		(19 episodes, 1991-1994)
Julie Martin		(14 episodes, 1992-1994)
Alan Brennert		(13 episodes, 1991-1992)
Patricia Green		(11 episodes, 1990-1991)
Michele Gallery		(9 episodes, 1988-1989)
Judith Feldman		(7 episodes, 1990-1992)
Sarah Woodside Gallagher		(7 episodes, 1990-1992)
Judith Parker		(6 episodes, 1989)
Roger Lowenstein		(6 episodes, 1991-1994)
Carol Flint		(6 episodes, 1991-1992)
Peter Schneider		(5 episodes, 1993-1994)
Cynthia Saunders		(4 episodes, 1989-1990)
John Masius		(4 episodes, 1992)
John Tinker		(4 episodes, 1992)
Paul Haggis		(4 episodes, 1994)
Marshall Goldberg		(3 episodes, 1986)
John Hill		(3 episodes, 1990-1991)
Robert Cochran		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Christopher Keyser		(2 episodes, 1989-1990)
Barry M. Schkolnick		(2 episodes, 1990-1991)
Stephen Katz		(2 episodes, 1990)
Bryce Zabel		(2 episodes, 1990)
Theresa Rebeck		(2 episodes, 1992-1994)
Charles H. Eglee		(2 episodes, 1992)
Channing Gibson		(2 episodes, 1992)
Jennifer Flackett		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)
Josef Anderson		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Robert Breech	....	producer / supervising associate producer / ... (127 episodes, 1986-1992)
Rick Wallace	....	executive producer / co-executive producer (113 episodes, 1988-1993)
Elodie Keene	....	producer / supervising producer / ... (110 episodes, 1989-1994)
William M. Finkelstein	....	executive producer / supervising producer / ... (71 episodes, 1988-1994)
David E. Kelley	....	executive producer / supervising producer / ... (70 episodes, 1988-1991)
Steven Bochco	....	executive producer (68 episodes, 1986-1992)
James C. Hart	....	senior producer / producer (66 episodes, 1990-1993)
Christina Musrey	....	associate producer (66 episodes, 1991-1994)
Michael M. Robin	....	associate producer / producer (61 episodes, 1987-1990)
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	coordinating producer (54 episodes, 1986-1989)
Alice West	....	coordinating producer (50 episodes, 1989-1991)
Scott Goldstein	....	producer (49 episodes, 1987-1989)
Monica Wyatt	....	associate producer (44 episodes, 1989-1991)
Denny Salvaryn	....	coordinating producer (39 episodes, 1992-1994)
Gregory Hoblit	....	co-executive producer / producer (36 episodes, 1986-1988)
Patricia Green	....	supervising producer / executive producer (36 episodes, 1990-1992)
Terry Louise Fisher	....	supervising producer (35 episodes, 1986-1988)
Alan Brennert	....	supervising producer / producer (30 episodes, 1991-1992)
Don Behrns	....	coordinating producer (27 episodes, 1991-1992)
Carol Flint	....	supervising producer (22 episodes, 1991-1992)
Pamela J. Wisne	....	co-producer (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Anne Kenney	....	co-producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Mark Tinker	....	co-executive producer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Michele Gallery	....	producer (19 episodes, 1988-1989)
Judith Parker	....	co-producer (15 episodes, 1988-1989)
Jonathan Pontell	....	supervising associate producer (14 episodes, 1991-1992)
John Masius	....	co-executive producer (14 episodes, 1992-1993)
John Tinker	....	co-executive producer (14 episodes, 1992-1993)
John Hill	....	producer (13 episodes, 1990-1991)
Ellen S. Pressman	....	producer (11 episodes, 1986)

Series Original Music by
Mike Post		(170 episodes, 1986-1994)

Series Cinematography by
Robert Seaman		(41 episodes, 1986-1988)
David Plenn		(27 episodes, 1988-1991)
Timothy E. Wade		(6 episodes, 1991-1993)
Kent L. Wakeford		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
Richard M. Rawlings Jr.		(2 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Film Editing by
Paul Dixon		(14 episodes, 1988-1990)
Elodie Keene		(13 episodes, 1986-1989)
Mervin B. Dayan		(13 episodes, 1988-1990)
Wayne Wahrman		(12 episodes, 1986-1988)
Jonathan Pontell		(8 episodes, 1989-1991)
Bonnie Koehler		(7 episodes, 1986-1987)
Peter Amundson		(4 episodes, 1990)
Chuck Weiss		(4 episodes, 1991-1994)
Susan Heick		(2 episodes, 1989)
Alec Smight		(2 episodes, 1991-1994)
Michael John Bateman		(unknown episodes, 1989)
Randy Roberts		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Robert Harbin		(29 episodes, 1987-1990)
Beth Hymson		(23 episodes, 1989-1994)
Ronnie Yeskel		(9 episodes, 1990-1993)

Series Production Design by
Michael L. Mayer		(33 episodes, 1989-1994)
Jeffrey L. Goldstein		(8 episodes, 1986-1989)

Series Set Decoration by
Bruce A. Gibeson		(1 episode, 1986)
Richard D. Kent		(1 episode, 1986)
Ira Bates		(1 episode, 1987)
Leslie McCarthy-Frankenheimer		(1 episode, 1988)
David Smith		(1 episode, 1994)
John Told		(unknown episodes, 1986-1987)
Gregory Garrison		(unknown episodes, 1987)
Bill Harp		(unknown episodes)
Cheryal Kearney		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Brad R. Loman		(1 episode, 1994)
Pat Welch		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Kathryn Fenton	....	makeup department head / makeup artist (44 episodes, 1992-1994)
Susan Schuler-Page	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1986-1989)
Susan A. Cabral	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Candida Conery	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Darrell McIntyre	....	makeup artist (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Kim Santantonio	....	hair stylist (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Jane Aull	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Frankie Bergman	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Don Lynch	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Lucia Mace	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Leigh Mitchell	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)
Rick Provenzano	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Claudia Thompson	....	makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Alice West	....	unit production manager (23 episodes, 1989-1991)
Phillip M. Goldfarb	....	unit production manager (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
Skip Lusk	....	post-production supervisor (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
Don Behrns	....	unit production manager (2 episodes, 1991)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michael DeMeritt	....	second second assistant director (36 episodes, 1993-1994)
Maggie Parker	....	second assistant director (25 episodes, 1989-1990)
Allen DiGioia	....	first assistant director (12 episodes, 1989-1991)
Mark Hansson	....	dga trainee / second second assistant director (12 episodes, 1989-1990)
Ricardo Méndez Matta	....	second assistant director (9 episodes, 1988-1989)
Robert J. Doherty	....	first assistant director (8 episodes, 1986-1990)
Richard E. Gershman	....	second assistant director (8 episodes, 1990-1991)
Robert Yannetti	....	first assistant director (6 episodes, 1990-1991)
Gary M. Strangis	....	first assistant director / second assistant director (5 episodes, 1987-1988)
Hilary Leach	....	second assistant director (4 episodes, 1988)
Sharon Mann	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1989)
Keri L. McIntyre	....	dga trainee / second second assistant director (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Barbara Bruno	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1988)
Mark S. Glick	....	second second assistant director (2 episodes, 1989)
Charles H. Siegel	....	second assistant director (2 episodes, 1989)
Alice West	....	first assistant director (1 episode, 1987)
Edward Crocitto	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Carey Dietrich	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
W. Alexander Ellis	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Mitchell Factor	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Evan Gilner	....	dga trainee (unknown episodes)
Todd Grodnick	....	second second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Danny Irom	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Vince Matsudaira	....	second assistant director / second second assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Douglas M. Keenan	....	property master (105 episodes, 1987-1992)
Craig Binkley	....	property master (66 episodes, 1991-1994)
Mark Poll	....	set designer (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
Dave Shauger	....	construction coordinator (3 episodes, 1987-1994)
Robert M. Anderson	....	property master (unknown episodes, 1986-1987)
Brenda Meyers-Ballard	....	lead person (unknown episodes)
Gary Oseransky	....	lead person (unknown episodes)
Manny Seyssel	....	construction supervisor (unknown episodes)
Jason Weil	....	set designer (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Bill Dannevik	....	supervising sound editor (66 episodes, 1989-1992)
Terrance Emerson	....	boom operator (44 episodes, 1991-1993)
Kenneth R. Burton	....	sound re-recording mixer (22 episodes, 1992-1993)
Bill Henderson	....	sound re-recording engineer (3 episodes, 1986-1990)
Sam Horta	....	sound editor (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
David Schneiderman	....	production sound mixer (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
Rick Hinson	....	sound effects editor (3 episodes, 1993-1994)
Jerelyn J. Harding	....	sound editor (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Norval D. Crutcher III	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes, 1989-1992)
Skip Adams	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Robert Appere	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Dicken Berglund	....	adr mixer / foley mixer (unknown episodes)
Marty Church	....	adr mixer (unknown episodes)
Mark R. Crookston	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Paul J. Diller	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Michael Gollom	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
William Griggs	....	supervising adr editor (unknown episodes)
Dan Hyland	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Gary Krivacek	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Mark L. Mangino	....	sound effects editor (unknown episodes)
James M. McCann	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Christopher B. Reeves	....	adr editor / dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Sergio Reyes	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
Gary D. Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (unknown episodes)
John B. Schuyler	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Kevin Spears	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Les Wolf	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Brian Q. Kelley	....	effects editorial (1 episode, 1988)
Ted Allen	....	special effects technician (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Terry Jackson	....	stunt double: Corbin Bersen (8 episodes, 1990-1993)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt performer / stunt player (3 episodes, 1989-1992)
Mary Albee	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Lane Leavitt	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Buck McDancer	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Jeffrey Ray Strong	....	best boy / gaffer (149 episodes, 1986-1994)
Julius Metoyer	....	chief lighting technician / gaffer (60 episodes, 1986-1989)
Jeffrey Norvet	....	first assistant camera (44 episodes, 1989-1991)
Randall Robinson	....	camera operator (43 episodes, 1986-1988)
Jeff Greene	....	first assistant camera (41 episodes, 1986-1988)
William Mayer	....	dolly grip (41 episodes, 1986-1988)
Lee Nakahara	....	camera operator (41 episodes, 1986-1988)
Joseph Staton	....	second assistant camera (41 episodes, 1986-1988)
Bob West	....	key grip (41 episodes, 1986-1988)
Jim Marquette	....	assistant camera (19 episodes, 1988-1989)
John C. Moulds	....	first assistant camera (13 episodes, 1986-1987)
David Plenn	....	camera operator (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
John Burnett	....	second assistant camera: second unit (unknown episodes)
Richard N. Hannah	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Peter Hapke	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Ronald E. High	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Chris Hood	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Tommy Klines	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Norman G. Langley	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Richard J. Lee Jr.	....	rigging set lighting technician (unknown episodes)
Lee Phillips	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Paul Garnica	....	background casting (22 episodes, 1986-1987)
Peggy Kennedy	....	casting associate (5 episodes, 1991-1994)
Geraldine Leder	....	casting assistant / casting associate (2 episodes, 1987-1988)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Shelly Levine	....	costume supervisor: men (105 episodes, 1986-1991)
Laurel Frushour	....	set costumer (22 episodes, 1993-1994)
Loree Parral	....	costume supervisor: women (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Elinor Bardach	....	costume supervisor: women (unknown episodes)
Hugo Boss	....	some men's wardrobe furnished by (unknown episodes)
Molly Harris Campbell	....	costume supervisor (unknown episodes)
Eric Harrison	....	costume supervisor: men (unknown episodes)
Michelle Kurpaska	....	costumer (unknown episodes)
Robert Q. Mathews	....	costume supervisor: men (unknown episodes)
Jerry Ross	....	wardrobe (unknown episodes)
Deborah Squires	....	costumer (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Michael L. Sale	....	assistant editor (18 episodes, 1990-1992)
Brian Q. Kelley	....	electronic editorial (5 episodes, 1987-1989)
Monica Wyatt	....	post-production assistant / post-production coordinator (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Chuck Gordon	....	post-production assistant (unknown episodes)
Michael D. Most	....	colorist (unknown episodes)
Christina Musrey	....	post-production assistant (unknown episodes)
Steve Robin	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Mark Green	....	music editor (2 episodes, 1987-1988)

Series Transportation Department
James Nordberg	....	driver (42 episodes, 1986-1988)
Gina August	....	driver (22 episodes, 1993-1994)

Series Other crew
Orin Kennedy	....	location manager (151 episodes, 1987-1994)
Briton W. Erwin	....	production assistant (40 episodes, 1991-1993)
Pat Bentley	....	assistant location manager (5 episodes, 1989)
Marilyn Fiebelkorn	....	assistant to executive producer / assistant to producers (3 episodes, 1986-1988)
Marinelle Guy	....	assistant to co-executive producer / assistant to producers / ... (3 episodes, 1987-1994)
Charles B. Rosenberg	....	technical legal advisor (3 episodes, 1987-1994)
Margaret Varian	....	script supervisor (3 episodes, 1987-1994)
Jacob Epstein	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
William M. Finkelstein	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
David E. Kelley	....	executive story editor (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Nancy E. Wilkerson	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Paul Haggis	....	creative consultant (1 episode, 1993-1994)
Tina Albanese	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Roseann M. Bonora-Keris	....	assistant to executive producer / assistant to supervising producer (unknown episodes)
Kirk G. Carter	....	researcher (unknown episodes)
Doris Chisholm	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Judith Feldman	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)
Sarah H. Fitzsimmons	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
John Michael Flynn	....	assistant: Patricia Green (unknown episodes)
Heidi Geisler	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
Marshall Goldberg	....	executive script consultant (unknown episodes)
John E. Hensel	....	reprise editor (unknown episodes)
Anne Kenney	....	executive story consultant / story editor (unknown episodes)
Joyce King	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Cindy Kunze	....	assistant to producer (unknown episodes)
M. Rutledge McCall	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Brenda Meyers-Ballard	....	production consultant (unknown episodes)
Ann Mundy	....	production assistant (unknown episodes)
H. Bud Otto	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Courtney Pakiz	....	photo double (unknown episodes)
Cynnie Troup	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Sarah Woodside Gallagher	....	executive story editor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television

Distributors

• Independent Television (ITV) (1987-1995) (2004-) (UK) (TV)
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1986-1994) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Bancroft-Whitney Co.  other props furnished by
• Baumler  men's wardrobe
• California Continuing Education of the Bar  law books furnished by
• Central Casting  extras casting
• Encore Video  telecine and electronic assembly
• ITT QUME  computer peripheral equipment furnished by
• Inter Video  24 frame video playback
• International Business Machines (IBM)  computers
• Wang Laboratories Inc.  other props furnished by
• West Publishing Company  law books furnished by

Runtime:

46 min (170 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (early episodes) | Stereo (later episodes)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

In the opening title sequence, the car's "L.A. Law" license plate expiration sticker always showed the ending year for a given season (for year one it showed "87" for the 1986-1987 season).

Quotes:

Michael Kuzak: [Kuzak walks in on Kelsey and Markowitz during a romantic encounter] Stuart? Ann?
Ann Kelsey: Yes, it's Stuart and Ann! We're fine. Now leave!
[Kuzak leaves and Sifuentes sticks his head in the door]
Victor Sifuentes: You guys okay? Need anything?
Ann Kelsey: We're fine, Victor! Now leave!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Danny Devito/The Bangles (#14.7)" (1988)

Great few seasons then downhill

This show concerning the lives of lawyers at an LA law firm was a breakout hit during its first season for its well written plots and great characters. This of course was because of some incredible writers and great actors. However as the show entered about it's sixth season the best writers and actors began to leave en masse the plotlines fell apart and the show became much more stale. Avoid this period if you can.