Posted by Ysabel on October 04, 2010 at 01:28:00:
"He'll be remembered for the unforgettable characters he created -- Jim Rockford, Hannibal Smith, the Greatest American Hero, the Commish -- but producer Stephen J. Cannell was just as colorful as his characters. Despite a struggle with severe dyslexia, he managed to become a staggeringly prolific novelist and writer. He had a hand in creating nearly 40 television shows, including "The Rockford Files," "The A-Team," "Wiseguy," "21 Jump Street" and even the flashy "Silk Stalkings." Mr. Cannell, 69, passed away Thursday night at his home in Pasadena, Calif., from complications associated with melanoma, his family said Friday."