New roll-call boss makes his mark

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 17

New roll-call boss makes his mark

“Hill Street Blues” has a new roll-call sergeant in the latest series, which will begin screening on One tonight. The role was crafted during the programme’s first four series by Michael Conrad (Sergeant Phil Esterhaus), who died from cancer last year. As new roll-call sergeant Stan Jabonskli, Robert Prosky quickly established himself as a force within the show and won the respect of colleagues and American critics alike. Instead of Conrad’s famous dismissal, “Let’s be careful out there,” he signs off: “Let’s get out there and do it to them before they do it to us.”

Though a newcomer to television, Prosky has been a legend in the theatre for years. He has spent the last 26 years of his career as a member of the Arena stage in Washington, D.C., where he appeared in more than 130 roles. He has also had small parts in movies such as “Thief,” “The Lords of Discipline,” “Christine,” and Robert Redford’s, “The Natural.” When he was spotted by

"Hill Street Blues” producers after appearing in the Broadway play, "Glengarry Glen Ross,” for which he received a Tony nomination, there were strong doubts that Prosky would take the part, which was immediately offered to him by phone.

These doubts were based on the fact that Prosky had previously turned down another plum television role — as Coach on the popular series, “Cheers.” In a recent interview, Prosky explained his family commitments which have dictated his career till now.

“They wanted me to sign a seven-year contract,” he said. “I knew their show was going to succeed and that’s why I turned it down. “My three children (all boys) were in school and it would mean uprooting my family. I just wouldn’t do it to them.”

Now that Prosky’s children are at college and his wife, Ida, is pursuing a master’s degree in anthro-

pology, he was able to accept the lucrative offer which has won him critical acclaim. “Variety” magazine said of Prosky: “. . . seven minutes into the initial episode, the viewers knew a forceful new character was indeed on the scene. A dynamic presence from Prosky is a must on the series, which floundered badly last season as first Joe Spano and then Betty Thomas took over the rollcall after actor Michael Conrad died in real life.

"The ambience of the precinct set is a prime ingredient in ‘Blues,’ and it lost something when Conrad was missing. Prosky gave the impression that gap has been plugged, albeit by an entirely different type of individual from Conrad’s character.” As Mike Warren, who plays the black policeman, Bobby Hill, in the series, was quoted: “Conrad came across as a big teddy bear. Prosky is a little bulldog.”