Peter Steven Fischer (August 10, 1935 – October 30, 2023) was an American television writer, producer, and novelist. He was best known for the series Murder, She Wrote, which he co-created with Richard Levinson and William Link.
Early life Fischer was born in Queens on August 10, 1935, and took an interest in writing as a child. He graduated from Hofstra University in 1956. Fischer held a series of jobs for the next several years, including editing trade publications and working in direct mail. During this time, he was a resident of Smithtown, New York. However, he sold the script The Last Child when he was 35 years old, and it was produced as a made-for-TV film. He decided to pursue screenwriting as a career, and relocated to Los Angeles.
Writing career Television Fischer wrote for the television series BarettaThe New York Times and Kojak. He created, produced and wrote for the NBC series The Eddie Capra Mysteries. He was also a story editor on Columbo.
Fischer was the executive producer of Murder, She Wrote for the first seven seasons from, 1984 to 1991. He wrote 8 of the 22 episodes the first season, and wrote or co-wrote nearly three dozen episodes of the show during its run. He said the series was conceived with the idea to create a character that combined the fictional detective Miss Marple with her creator, Agatha Christie. He later wrote the television films Stranger at My Door (1991) and Dead Man's Island (1996), which was his last credit in television.
Novels After more than a decade in retirement, Fischer began a new career in his seventies as a novelist. He wrote more than 20 novels in the Hollywood Murder Mysteries series, set during the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Personal life and death In 1957, Fischer married Lucille Warnock. They had three children and were married until her death in 2017.
Fischer lived in Pacific Grove, California, in his later years, and died at a care home there on October 30, 2023, at the age of 88.
Filmography Films Year Film Credit Notes 1971The Last ChildWritten By 1975A Cry for HelpWritten By 1977Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a HangingStory By, Screenplay By, Produced ByCo-Wrote Story with "Richard Levinson" and "William Link" 1979Donovan's KidStory By 1981Hellinger's LawStory By, Screenplay ByCo-Wrote screenplay with "Ted Leighton" and "Jack Laird"1991TaggetScreenplay ByCo-Wrote screenplay with "Janis Diamond" and "Richard T. Heffron"Stranger at My DoorWritten By 1992CoopersmithWritten By 1995Cops n RobertsWritten By, Executive Producer 1996Dead Man's IslandScreenplay ByBased on the novel of the same name by "Carolyn Hart"
Television Year TV Series Credit Notes1972–1973Marcus Welby, M.D.Writer3 EpisodesOwen Marshall, Counselor at LawWriter2 Episodes 1973–1974GriffWriter3 Episodes 1974–1975McMillan & WifeWriter3 Episodes 1974–1995ColumboWriter, Executive Producer, Executive Story ConsultantMultiple Episodes1975BarettaWriter1 EpisodeKojakWriter1 Episode 1975–1976Ellery QueenWriter, Producer22 Episodes1976DelvecchioWriter1 EpisodeOnce an EagleWriter, Producer4 Episodes 1977–1978What Really Happened to the Class of '65?Writer2 Episodes1978Black BeautyWriter, Executive ProducerRichie Brockelman, Private EyeWriter, Producer5 Episodes 1978–1979The Eddie Capra MysteriesWriter, Creator, Producer, Executive Producer12 Episodes 1979The Magical World of DisneyWriter2 Episodes 1981–1982DarkroomWriter, Executive Producer 1984–1996Murder, She WroteWriter, Creator, Executive ProducerMultiple Episodes 1986Blacke's MagicWriter, Executive Producer14 Episodes 1987–1988The Law & Harry McGrawWriter, Creator, Executive Producer
Novels The Hollywood Murder Mysteries Source: Jezebel in Blue Satin (2010) We Don't Need no Stinking Badges (2011) Love Has Nothing to Do with It (2011) Everybody Wants an Oscar (2012) The Unkindness of Strangers (2012) Nice Guys Finish Dead (2013) Pray for Us Sinners (2013) Has Anybody Here Seen Wyckham? (2013) Eyewitness to Murder (2014) A Deadly Shoot in Texas (2016) Everybody Let's Rock (2016) A Touch of Homicide (2016) Some Like Em Dead (2016) Dead Men Pay No Debts (2016) Apple Annie and the Dude (2017) Till Death Us Do Part (2017) Cue the Crows (2017) Murder Aboard the Highland Rose (2018) Ashes to Ashes (2018) The Case of the Shaggy Stalker (2018) Warner's Last Stand (2018) The Man in the Raincoat (2019)
Other novels The Blood of Tyrants (2009) The Terror of Tyrants (2010) Expendable: A Tale of Love and War (2015)
References
External links
Profile at Hollywood.com