Police officer turned legendary Hollywood producer Stephen Downing has died. He was 87.
His family announced his death on his Substack page late last month, noting that he died from sepsis.
Downing began his life as a commanding officer in the Los Angeles Police Department, before witnessing how the U.S.’s War on Drugs was ruining the lives of millions of Americans, according to his family.
He then began a career as a television producer and a screenwriter while still employed as a police officer, often implementing anti-violent messaging in his TV work under a pseudonym before eventually retiring from the force.
Afterwards, he became a “passionate activist and investigative journalist” and “an outspoken critic of the war on drugs and the militarization of policing,” according to his family. Frequently, as a journalist, Downing acted as a whistleblower for the misdeeds of police departments in California.
He started his Hollywood career as a writer for shows like Dragnet, Kojak, Emergency and Walking Tall, then as showrunner for hits like Knight Rider, F/X, and RoboCop: The Series. But it was the classic action series MacGyver that made him truly famous, thanks to his insistence that government agent Angus “Mac” MacGyver would never carry a firearm.
Under his purview, the show spotlighted important issues, like the oppression of people of color, disability advocacy and the animal rights movement. (At one point, MacGyver even becomes a vegetarian—not exactly a common occurrence on TV at the time.)
Across his career, Downing was responsible for over 500 hours of television.
His family wrote that his life “was defined by service—service to family, community, colleagues and audiences. He combined courage and compassion, a fierce sense of justice with a gentle devotion to those he loved. He will be remembered for his integrity, mentorship, sense of humor, and unwavering commitment to doing what was right.”
“He used his reputation and talents not for preservation of the status quo but to protect others, mentor new generations, and push for systemic change,” the statement continues. “That combination; steadfast devotion to family, unwavering personal ethics, practical reform, and cultural influence, defines the legacy Stephen Downing leaves behind.”
