Taurean Blacque, the Emmy-nominated actor best known for his role as the perennially behatted Detective Neal Washington on NBC’s influential 1980s hit police series Hill Street Blues, died today in Atlanta following a brief illness. He was 82.
His death was announced to Deadline by his family.
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A native of Newark, New Jersey, Blacque was born Herbert Middleton Jr. and began his show business career at New York’s famed and influential Negro Ensemble Company, and soon landed guest roles on such TV series as Sanford and Son, What’s Happening, Good Times, The Bob Newhart Show and Taxi, to name a few.
In 1981 he joined the cast of NBC’s new Hill Street Blues, earning an Emmy nomination the following year for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series. He remained with the popular police procedural series during its entire run, through 1987.
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Although the series, created by Steven Bochco-Michael Kozoll, was not a big hit — ranking only 27th among primetime series in its first season and never breaking the Top 20 in a three-network universe — the show would go on to become a major success. Its influence was undeniable as critics swooned and the series racked up eight Emmys and 98 nominations during its run.
Blacque’s character, Detective Neal Washington, was a respected, streetwise, no-nonsense veteran cop known from his ever-present toothpick and cap. He was partnered with boozy Detective J.D. LaRue (Kiel Martin), who had a unique take on police work that sometimes straddled the lines of police policy – or crossed over them. LaRue’s antics, including his myriad investment schemes, often tested Washington’s patience, but he remained loyal to a fault to his faulty partner.
While never a big hit with viewers — never breaking the Top 20 in a three-network universe – the series’ influence was undeniable, as critics swooned and Hill Street Blues racked eight up 26 Emmys and dozens more nominations during its run. Turning older cop dramas on their head, its hybrid procedural/serial format focused more on the characters and their interactions – and police department politics — than the crimes they investigated. It influenced such acclaimed ensuing series as Homicide: Life on the Street and NYPD Blue and continues to resonate today.
Blacque was one of the 10 Hill Street Blues regulars who remained on the series for all seven seasons.
After the series ended, Blacque, In addition to maintaining a presence on the stage- he was active in the Atlanta Black Theater Company and North Carolina’s Black Theater Festival – was an original cast member (opposite Viveca Fox) of the groundbreaking 1989-91 TV soap opera Generations, the first daytime serial to focus on an African American family as part of its main story line.
In 1996, he was cast as Detective Wheeler on The WB’s short-lived primetime soap Savannah.
In addition to raising his two biological sons, Blacque adopted 11 children. He was named spokesman for the County of Los Angeles Adoption Services, and in 1989 was asked by President George H.W. Bush to become national spokesperson for adoption. One of Blacque’s sons pre-deceased him.
He is survived by 12 children, 18 grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. Information concerning funeral services was not immediately available.