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Steve Landesberg died yesterday of cancer at the age of 65. He wasn’t really all that famous and only those who were fans of the 70s cop sit-com, “Barney Miller” would’ve known who he & his character Sgt Dietrich were. Landesberg joined the show later to replace Abe Vigoda, whose character, Sgt Fish, retired from the police force.
I was first exposed to the show when I was too young to understand many of the episodes, except that I remember many of the visuals. It was one of my Dad’s regular viewing staples. I would only come to appreciate the show later on in life, in reruns on classic tv channels. The most ecclectic bunch of cops assembled in one precinct and probably had the strangest arrestees and complainants, even for New York City’s melting pot.
Sgt Dietrich was my dad’s favourite character on the show, probably because as a retired teacher who is well read, I think he appreciated the intellect of Sgt Dietrich, as well as his eccentricity. Of course, it was also fun watching him so calmly and so easily rattling the shallow Sgt Harris’ (Ron Glass) cage.
Steve Landesberg never again achieved the success he did on “Barney Miller”. He appeared in guest roles on shows like “Murder She Wrote”, “The Golden Girls” and “Law and Order” and he may have had minor roles in some films, if I’m not mistaken.
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I saw him once doing a commercial for some rather unknown furniture store. I’m glad that he got some better gigs than that. He was hilarious.
ck Reply:
December 21st, 2010 at 1:44 PM
I must have missed the furniture store commercial. That memorable.
Shame too, Landesberg as well as the others, all had talent that should’ve been put to better use. Perhaps it was that old type casting curse?
Barney Miller , hilarious,socially relevant and thought provoking, is one of the all time great shows. It is a mystery to me, why it’s cast members enjoyed so little success after it’s demise. While all the shows characters were immensely entertaining,Jack Soo’s Sgt Yemana only needed to look at the camera to have me laughing uproariously.
RIP Steve Landesberg
ck Reply:
December 21st, 2010 at 1:40 PM
So true about Jack Soo! He really didn’t have to make too much of an effort. He was taken away from us much too soon. He died while Barney Miller was still on the air.
All those cops in that precinct were quite colourful; from the shallow, aspiring writer, Sgt Harris to Wojo, the Vietnam Vet in his bowl haircuts, who often took himself too seriously; the short uniformed constable who always wanted to be a detective. And of course, the intellectual Sgt Dietrich who managed to confuse and often irritate everybody.
After Barney Miller, you’re right, it seems that none of them achieved the same success; most got guest roles on tv shows and some minor roles in movies like Landesberg did. Hal Linden was most recently seen on “Law and Order” Criminal INtent when it first came out. Ron Glass, it’s been awhile.