Hill Street Blues Star Taurean Blacque Dies Aged 82 Following Short Illness

Taurean Blacque died at the age of 82. He was best known for his role as Detective Neal Washington in the 1980s cop drama Hill Street Blues. The actor, who was born in New Jersey, died in Atlanta after a brief illness.

He was born Herbert Middleton Jr. in 1940 and has appeared in shows such as Savannah, Charlie’s Angels, and the animated film Oliver & Company throughout his career. He trained and performed at New York City’s New Federal Theatre before making his television debut.

After joining the Negro Ensemble Company in New York, Blacque was cast in TV shows such as Sanford and Son, Good Times, Taxi, and The Bob Newhart Show at the start of his career.

From 1981 to 1987, he starred in Hill Street Blues, for which he received a Primetime Emmy nomination in 1982 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.