Barbara Bosson has died: The Emmy-nominated star of Hill Street Blues was 83

Barbara Bosson, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for her work on the acclaimed police drama Hill Street Blues, died Saturday. The Hollywood Reporter. His son, director and producer Jesse Bochco, confirmed the news to the Reporter. He was 83 years old.

Bosson married Hill Street Blues co-creator Steven Bochco in 1970 after meeting at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. During his career, Bosson appeared in several Bochco-produced series, including Hooperman, Cop Rock, and Murder One. They divorced in 1997, and Bochco died of leukemia in 2018 at the age of 74.

Born in 1939 in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, Bosson graduated from Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida in 1957. While studying at Carnegie Mellon, he made his first screen appearance in the classic action film “Bullitt.” Before “Hill Street Blues” premiered in 1981, he made guest appearances on various TV shows such as “Mannix,” “Longstreet,” “McMillan & Wife,” “Sunshine,” “Delvecchio” and “Richie Brockelman, Private Eye” .”

In “Hill Street Blues,” Bosson played Fay Furillo, the ex-wife of Hill Street Police Chief Frank Furillo (Daniel J. Travanti). During the show’s first five seasons, Fay was a constant presence on the station, evolving from a needy, hysterical ex to a strong-willed woman on the show. Bosson received five consecutive Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance.

After Bochco was fired from Hill Street Blues by MTM Productions, Bosson also left the show, leaving three episodes left in the sixth season. In 1987, the couple collaborated again on the two-season drama “Hooperman” on ABC, playing Celeste, the chief of the San Francisco Police Department (John Ritter). In 1990, she played the corrupt Los Angeles mayor Louise Plank in Bochco’s infamous musical police series Cop Rock. For her role as Deputy District Attorney Miriam Grasso in the 1995-1997 film “Murder One,” Bosson received another Emmy Award in 1996 for Best Supporting Actress.

In addition to his collaborations with Bochco, Bosson guest-starred on several popular series in the ’90s, including “LA Law,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” “NYPD Blue” and “Lois” series. & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. His films include Mame, Capricorn One and The Last Starfighter.

Bossont is survived by two children and two grandchildren.

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