L.A. Law is an American legal drama television series created by Steven Bochco and Terry Louise Fisher for NBC. It ran for eight seasons and 172 episodes from September 15, 1986, to May 19, 1994.
The series centers on the partners, associates and staff of a Los Angeles law firm. The show contains many of Bochco's trademark features, including an ensemble cast, large number of parallel story lines, social drama, and off-the-wall humor. It reflects the social and cultural conflicts that were occurring when the show was produced in the 1980s and early 1990s, and many of the cases featured on the show dealt with hot-button issues such as capital punishment, abortion, racism, homophobia, sexual harassment, HIV/AIDS, and domestic violence. The series often also reflects social tensions between the wealthy senior lawyer protagonists and their less well-paid junior staff.
In addition to its main cast, L.A. Law was also well known for featuring then-relatively unknown actors and actresses in guest starring roles, who went on to greater success in film and television, including Don Cheadle, Jeffrey Tambor, Kathy Bates, David Schwimmer, Shelley Hack, Jay O. Sanders, James Avery, Gates McFadden, Bryan Cranston, CCH Pounder, Kevin Spacey, Richard Schiff, Carrie-Anne Moss, William H. Macy, Stephen Root, Christian Slater, Steve Buscemi, and Lucy Liu. Several episodes of the show also included celebrities such as Vanna White, Buddy Hackett, and Mamie Van Doren appearing as themselves in cameo roles.
The show was a success with critics and audiences, ranking in the Nielsen Top 30 for its first six seasons and winning 15 Emmy Awards throughout its run, four of which were for Outstanding Drama Series.
Synopsis The series is set in and around the fictional Los Angeles–based law firm McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak (later McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney, Kuzak and Becker, later McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney, and Becker) and featured attorneys at the firm and various members of the support staff. The exteriors for the law firm were shot at the FourFortyFour South Flower building in downtown Los Angeles, which was known as the 444 Flower Building at the time. The opening credits sequence of every episode began with a close-up of a car trunk being slammed shut revealing a personalized license plate reading "LA LAW". For the first seven seasons, the model car used was a Jaguar XJ Series III; for the 8th and final season, the Jaguar was replaced with a 1993 Bentley Continental R. Both cars carried registration stickers indicating the year in which each season began. Two different musical openings for the show's theme were used: a saxophone riff for episodes that were lighter in tone; and an ominous synthesizer chord, for more serious story lines.
Cast and characters Cast timeline Character Actor Seasons1 23 4 5 6 7 8 Reunion Michael KuzakHarry Hamlin colspan="5" colspan="3" Arnie Becker Corbin Bernsen colspan="9" Ann Kelsey Jill Eikenberry colspan="9" Douglas Brackman Jr. Alan Rachins colspan="9" Abby Perkins Michele Greene colspan="5" colspan="3" Victor Sifuentes Jimmy Smits colspan="5" colspan="3" Stuart Markowitz Michael Tucker colspan="9" Roxanne Melman Susan Ruttan colspan="7" Leland McKenzie Richard Dysart colspan="9" Grace Van Owen Susan Dey colspan="6" colspan="2" Jonathan Rollins Blair Underwood colspan = "7" Benny Stulwicz Larry Drake colspan = "7" C.J. Lamb Amanda Donohoe colspan = "4" colspan = "2" colspan = "3" Tommy Mullaney John Spencer colspan = "4" colspan = "4" Zoey Clemmons Cecil Hoffman colspan = "4" colspan = "2" colspan = "2" Gwen Taylor Sheila Kelley colspan = "3" colspan = "1" colspan = "1" colspan = "2" colspan = "2" Frank Kittredge Michael Cumpsty colspan = "5" colspan = "1" colspan = "3" Susan Bloom Conchata Ferrell colspan = "5" colspan = "1" colspan = "3" Daniel Morales A Martinez colspan = "6" colspan = "2" Melina Paros Lisa Zane colspan = "6" colspan = "2" Eli Levinson Alan Rosenberg colspan = "7" Denise Iannello Debi Mazar colspan = "7" Jane Halliday Alexandra Powers colspan = "7"
Cast notes
Main characters Harry Hamlin as Michael Kuzak, partner (1986–91; seasons 1–5, reunion) Corbin Bernsen as Arnold "Arnie" Becker, partner (1986–94; seasons 1–8, reunion) Jill Eikenberry as Ann Kelsey, associate, partner (1986–94; seasons 1–8, reunion) Alan Rachins as Douglas Brackman, Jr., managing partner, interim senior partner (1986–94; seasons 1–8, reunion) Michele Greene as Abby Perkins, associate (1986–91; seasons 1–5, reunion) Jimmy Smits as Victor Sifuentes, associate (1986–91, 1992; seasons 1–5, guest season 6) Michael Tucker as Stuart Markowitz, associate, partner (1986–94; seasons 1–8, reunion) Susan Ruttan as Roxanne Melman, secretary, office administrator (1986–93; seasons 1–7, reunion, guest season 8) Richard Dysart as Leland McKenzie, senior partner (1986–94; seasons 1–8, reunion) Susan Dey as Grace van Owen, deputy district attorney, superior court judge, partner (1986–92; seasons 1–6, reunion) Blair Underwood as Jonathan Rollins, associate, partner (1987–94; seasons 2–8) Larry Drake as Benny Stulwicz (1987–94; seasons 3–8, reunion, guest season 1, recurring season 2) Amanda Donohoe as Cara Jean "C.J." Lamb, associate (1990–92; seasons 5–6) John Spencer as Tommy Mullaney, associate, assistant district attorney (1990–94; seasons 5–8) Cecil Hoffman as Zoey Clemmons, assistant district attorney (1991–92; seasons 5–7) Sheila Kelley as Gwen Taylor, secretary, law intern (1990–93; seasons 6–7, guest season 4, recurring season 5) Michael Cumpsty as Frank Kittredge, tenant (1991–92; season 6) Conchata Ferrell as Susan Bloom, tenant (1991–92; season 6) A Martinez as Daniel Morales, partner (1992–94; seasons 7–8) Lisa Zane as Melina Paros, associate (1992–93; season 7) Alan Rosenberg as Eli Levinson, partner (1993–94; season 8, reunion) Debi Mazar as Denise Iannello, secretary (1993–94; season 8) Alexandra Powers as Jane Halliday, associate (1993–94; season 8)
Recurring characters Patricia Huston as Hilda Brunschwager, Brackman's secretary (1986–88; seasons 1 & 2; recurring) Bernie Hern as Judge Sidney Schroeder (1986–87; seasons 1 & 2; 1991; season 5; recurring) John Hancock as Judge Richard Armand (1986–87; season 1; 1989–1991; seasons 4–6; recurring) Anne Haney as Judge Marilyn Travelini (1986–94; seasons 1–8; recurring) Cynthia Harris as Iris Hubbard, McKenzie's secretary and law intern (1986–87; season 1; recurring) George Coe as Judge Wallace R. Vance (1986–91; seasons 1–6; recurring) Jerry Hardin as D.A. Malcolm Gold (1986–92; seasons 1–6; recurring) Carmen Argenziano as Neil Robertson, a lawyer (1986–92; seasons 1–6; recurring) Michael Fairman as Judge Douglas McGrath (1986–94; seasons 1–8; recurring) Bruce Kirby as D.A. Bruce Rogoff (1986–91; seasons 1–5; recurring) Michael Holden as D.A. George Handleman (1987; 1992; seasons 1 & 6; recurring) Joanna Frank as Sheila Brackman, Douglas Brackman's wife (1987–88; seasons 1–3; 1992–94; seasons 6–8; recurring) Annie Abbott as Judge Janice L. Neiman (1987–94; seasons 2–8; recurring) Diane Delano as Rhonda Vasek (1987; season 2; recurring) Ellen Blake as Elizabeth Brand, Kuzak's secretary (1987–90; seasons 2–4; recurring) Jeff Silverman as Erroll Farrell (1987–88; season 2; recurring) Daniel Benzali as Judge Donald Phillips (1988; 1991–1993; season 2; seasons 5–7; recurring) Paul Regina as Felix Echeverria, a lawyer (1988–92; seasons 2–6; recurring) Don Sparks as Russell Spitzer, a lawyer (1988–93; seasons 2–7; recurring) Earl Boen as Judge Walter L. Swanson (1988–93; seasons 2–8; recurring) Leonard Stone as Judge Paul Hansen (1988; 1991–94; season 2; seasons 5–8; recurring) James Avery as Judge Michael Conover (1988–92; seasons 2–6 recurring) Raye Birk as Judge Steven Lang (1988–93; seasons 2–7; recurring) Dann Florek as Dave Meyer, a direct-mail businessman and Roxanne's husband (1988–93; seasons 2–8; recurring plus reunion film) Wayne Northrop as Bill Ringstrom (1988–89; season 3; recurring) Nancy Vawter as Dorothy Wyler, an associate (1988–89; season 3; recurring) Gerald Anthony as Ross Burnett (1988–89; season 3; recurring) Joyce Hyser as Allison Gottlieb, a filmmaker and Sifuentes' girlfriend (1989–90; seasons 3 & 4; recurring) Stan Kamber as Judge Harlan Shubow (1989–91; seasons 3–6; recurring) Renée Jones as Diana Moses, a law intern and Rollins' girlfriend (1989–90; seasons 3–5; recurring) Bruce Fairbairn as Sheldon Ganz, a lawyer (1989–92; seasons 3–7; recurring) Amanda Plummer as Alice Hackett, Benny Stulwicz' girlfriend (1989–90; seasons 3 & 4; recurring) Wayne Tippit as Leo Hackett, Alice's father (1989–90; seasons 3 & 4; recurring) Keith Mills as Judge Walter Green (1989–93; seasons 3–8; recurring) Jennifer Hetrick as Corrinne Hammond, Becker's wife (1989–91; seasons 4 & 5; recurring) Carl Lumbly as Dr. Earl Williams, a murder trial suspect and Kuzak's client (1989–90; season 4; recurring) Lorinne Vozoff as Judge Roberta Harbin (1989–92; seasons 4 & 6; recurring) Vonetta McGee as Jackie Williams, Earl's wife (1989–90; season 4; recurring) Veronica Cartwright as Margaret Flanagan, the assistant district attorney who prosecutes Earl Williams (1989–92; seasons 4 & 6; recurring) Diana Muldaur as Rosalind Shays, a ruthless, greedy and manipulative partner and the series' main antagonist (1989–91; seasons 4 & 5; recurring) Lillian Lehman as Judge Mary Harcourt (1989–94; seasons 4–8; recurring) Courtney Thorne-Smith as Kimberly Dugan, a cheerleader whom Kuzak dates (1990; season 4; recurring) Lawrence Dobkin as U.S. District Judge Saul Edelstein (1990–94; seasons 4–8; recurring) Concetta Tomei as Susan Hauber, a lawyer (1990–93; seasons 4–8; recurring) Vincent Gardenia as Murray Melman, Roxanne's estranged father (1990; seasons 4 & 5; recurring) Stanley Grover as Judge Richard Lobel (1990–94; seasons 4–8; recurring) Denis Arndt as Jack Sollers, a lawyer (1990–91; season 5; recurring) Tom Verica as Billy Castroverti, an associate (1991; seasons 5 & 6; recurring) Brad Sherwood as Ned Barron (1991–92; season 6; recurring) Lauren Lane as Julie Rayburn (1991–92; season 6; recurring) Lynne Thigpen as D.A. Ruby Thomas (1991–92; seasons 6 & 7 recurring) Anthony DeSando as Alex DePalma, an associate (1992; season 6; recurring) Alison Tucker as Sarah Alder, Stuart Markowitz's illegitimate daughter (1992; season 6; recurring) David Schwimmer as Dana Romney, a troublesome city attorney and minor antagonist (1992–93; season 7; recurring) Shelley Berman as Ben Flicker, a film studio mogul whom Becker does business with (1992–93; season 7; recurring) Anne Twomey as Linda Salerno, Gwen's homicidal stalker (1993; season 7; recurring) Joe Grifasi as Dominic Nuzzi, a gambler friend of Benny's (1993–94; seasons 7 & 8; recurring) Kathleen Wilhoite as Rosalie Hendrickson Stulwicz, a woman whom Benny dates and later marries (1993–94; seasons 7 & 8; recurring) Steven Eckholdt as Patrick Flanagan, a charismatic, but unethical and manipulative associate and a minor antagonist for the final episodes (1994; season 8; recurring)
Series history
L.A. Law'''s two-hour pilot movie aired on Monday, September15, 1986. An encore aired in place of Saturday Night Live on September27, 1986, being a rare scripted rerun in that late-night slot.
The original time period was Friday, 10:00p.m., following Miami Vice, but after struggling there, it assumed NBC's prized Thursday, 10:00p.m. (9:00p.m. Central) time slot in the Must See TV primetime block from another Bochco-produced show, Hill Street Blues (from which Bochco had been dismissed at the end of that show's fifth season by then-MTM President Arthur Price). The show was itself eventually replaced by another hit ensemble drama, ER.