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David Milch
David Milch
David Milch
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David Sanford Milch (born March 23, 1945) is an American writer and producer of television series. He has created several television shows, including ABC's NYPD Blue (1993–2005), co-created with Steven Bochco, and HBO's Deadwood (2004–2006, 2019).[1]

Key Information

Early life and education

[edit]

Milch graduated with a B.A. summa cum laude from Yale University, where he won the Tinker Prize in English, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and was a member of the Delta Kappa Epsilon chapter,[2][3] along with future US President George W. Bush. Milch earned a Master of Fine Arts with distinction from the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa.[4]

To avoid the draft during the Vietnam War, Milch enrolled in Yale Law School, but he was expelled for allegedly shooting out a police car siren with a shotgun.[5]

Career

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Milch worked as a writing teacher and lecturer in English literature at Yale. During his teaching career, he assisted Robert Penn Warren and Cleanth Brooks in the writing of several college textbooks on literature. Milch's poetry and fiction have been published in The Atlantic Monthly and the Southern Review.[6]

In 1982, Milch wrote a script for Hill Street Blues, which became the episode "Trial by Fury". This began his career in television. He worked five seasons on Hill Street Blues as executive story editor and then as executive producer. Milch earned two Writers Guild Awards, a Humanitas prize, and a Primetime Emmy Award while working on that show.[7]

Milch created NYPD Blue with Steven Bochco and served as executive producer of that series for seven seasons. He received three Primetime Emmy Awards during his time with the series.[8] In a 1994 seminar on "Human Values in Entertainment Writing: The Challenges and the Pitfalls," Milch described his affinity for the show's character Detective Andy Sipowicz by noting, "I'm racist."[9] He also recalled a writing workshop he led some years earlier, noting that "None of the Black writing was any good," adding: "Jews tend to do very well in this business . . . because Jews experience a typical emotional doubleness in relation to the dominant culture, which is that they are both inside and outside it . . . A Black person has to experience more anger and self-division in order to achieve the kind of emotional neutrality that you need to write about the culture."[9] Milch explained in a later statement that "The seminar I gave was an attempt to describe the process of writing and not a statement of political or social values."[9] In response to Milch's comments, David Mills (an American journalist, writer and TV producer) wrote a letter in which he challenged Milch's assumptions concerning Black writers. As a result, Milch hired Mills as a writer for NYPD Blue.[10]

Milch co-created the patrol police drama Brooklyn South with Bochco, Bill Clark, and William M. Finkelstein in 1997 while still working on NYPD Blue. After NYPD Blue, Milch created a CBS series called Big Apple.[11]

From 2004 to 2006, Milch produced Deadwood, a dramatic series for HBO. Milch served as creator, writer, and executive producer. The series received critical acclaim and garnered Milch two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for writing and producing. The series ended in 2006 after three seasons. There were plans for two feature-length movies to conclude the series, ultimately resulting in a single film released by HBO in 2019. Actor Ian McShane presented David Milch with the 2006 Outstanding Television Writer Award at the Austin Film Festival.[12]

Milch began production in 2006 on John from Cincinnati, another dramatic series for HBO. The series was canceled after its first season. Initial ratings had been lower than expected but increased steadily. Ratings for the final episode were more than 3 million.[13] In October 2007, HBO renewed its contract with Milch. A pilot was commissioned for Last of the Ninth, "a drama set in the New York Police Department during the 1970s, when the Knapp Commission was formed to ferret out corruption in the force." Collaborating with Milch on Last of the Ninth was former NYPD Blue writer and friend Bill Clark.[14] In December 2008, The Hollywood Reporter stated that Last of the Ninth would not be picked up by the network.[15]

In January 2010, Milch announced that he was developing a new drama for HBO entitled Luck, based around the culture of horse racing. Michael Mann directed the pilot[16] and Dustin Hoffman was cast in the lead role.[17] HBO picked up the series on July 14, 2010.[18] The series ceased production after three horse deaths on set, having aired one season. Other unrealized projects of Milch's during the early 2010s included a film adaptation of Quantic Dream's 2010 video game Heavy Rain,[19] a reunion with NYPD Blue collaborator Steven Bochco on an NBC legal drama,[20] and a series of films and television series for HBO based on the literary works of William Faulkner.[21][22] In July 2013 HBO announced[23] at the Television Critics Association Press Tour that Milch was developing a new series for the cable network tentatively titled The Money. The show would depict a dynastic New York media family. Irish actor Brendan Gleeson was cast in the lead role as a family patriarch and media mogul.[24] It was announced on March 4, 2014, that HBO had passed on the project.[25]

On April 20, 2017, Ian McShane announced that Milch had submitted a script for a two-hour Deadwood movie to HBO. "[A] two-hour movie script has been delivered to HBO. If they don't deliver [a finished product], blame them." McShane said he had spoken to Milch about the script and hoped to soon discuss beginning the film. He also said of the original cast returning that "we'd all love to do it ... It would be nice to see all of the old gang again."[26] Deadwood: The Movie began production in October 2018[27] and premiered in May 2019. The film received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.

Personal life

[edit]

Milch is Jewish.[28] He has been married to Rita Stern since 1982. They have three children.[citation needed]

Milch has stated he has bipolar disorder.[29][30] He developed a heart condition in the 1990s.[29] During the filming of NYPD Blue, he suffered a heart attack while arguing with actor David Caruso over the script.[30]

In the 2000s, he became addicted to gambling and lost much of his fortune.[31]

Milch was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2015 shortly before beginning work on the script for the Deadwood film.[32] As of 2019, he lives in an assisted-living facility.[33] On September 13, 2022, Milch published a memoir titled Life's Work.[34][35]

Thoroughbred horse racing

[edit]

Milch has been an owner of thoroughbred racehorses. As a co-owner with Mark and Jack Silverman, he won the 1992 Breeders' Cup Juvenile with the colt Gilded Time.[36] Milch owned outright Val Royal who captured the 2001 Breeders' Cup Mile.[citation needed]

Television credits

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Bibliography

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Awards and nominations

[edit]
Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1983 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Hill Street Blues, "Trial by Fury" Won
Hill Street Blues, "No Body's Perfect" Nominated
Hill Street Blues, "Eugene's Comedy Empire Strikes Back" Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Hill Street Blues, "Trial by Fury" Won
Hill Street Blues, "Gung Ho!" Nominated
Hill Street Blues, "Eugene's Comedy Empire Strikes Back" Nominated
1984 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Hill Street Blues, "Doris in Wonderland" Nominated
Hill Street Blues, "Grace Under Pressure" Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Won
Hill Street Blues, "Death by Kiki" Nominated
Hill Street Blues, "Parting is Such Sweep Sorrow" Nominated
1985 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series Hill Street Blues Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Hill Street Blues, "Watt a Way to Go" Nominated
1986 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series Hill Street Blues Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Hill Street Blues, "Remembrance of Hits Past" Nominated
1987 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Hill Street Blues, "It Ain't Over Till It's Over" Nominated
1994 Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series NYPD Blue, "Pilot" Nominated
NYPD Blue, "Personal Foul" Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Television NYPD Blue Won
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama NYPD Blue, "Pilot" Nominated
Edgar Awards Best Episode in a Television Series NYPD Blue, "4B or Not 4B" Won
1995 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Won
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series NYPD Blue, "Simone Says" Nominated
Edgar Awards Best Episode in a Television Series Won
1996 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Murder One, "Chapter One" Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Episodic Drama Nominated
1997 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series NYPD Blue, "Where's 'Swaldo" Won
1998 Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series NYPD Blue, "Lost Israel: Part 2" Won
NYPD Blue, "Lost Israel: Part 1" Nominated
1999 Outstanding Drama Series NYPD Blue Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series NYPD Blue, "Hearts and Souls" Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Laurel Award for TV Writing Achievement Won
Edgar Awards Best Episode in a Television Series Brooklyn South, "Fools Russian" Nominated
Brooklyn South, "Skel in a Cell" Nominated
2004 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Deadwood, "Deadwood" Nominated
2005 Outstanding Drama Series Deadwood Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Dramatic Series Nominated
2006 Nominated
Austin Film Festival Outstanding Television Writer Award Won
2019 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Television Movie Deadwood: The Movie Nominated
Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Producer of Streamed or Televised Movies Nominated
Writers Guild of America Awards Long Form – Original True Detective Nominated
TCA Awards TCA Career Achievement Award Won

References

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Further reading, audio interviews, and videos

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Notes

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

David Milch

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David Sanford Milch (born March 23, 1945) is an American television writer, director, and producer whose innovative contributions to serialized drama include co-developing and creating and Deadwood. After graduating summa cum laude from with a degree in English literature, where he received the Tinker Prize for highest achievement in the field, Milch transitioned from academia to television, joining as a story editor under and rising to executive producer. His work on , co-created with Bochco, earned him three for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series (1995, 1997, 1998) and helped the series secure 20 Emmys overall, revolutionizing police procedurals with character-driven narratives and moral ambiguity. Milch's HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006), a profane depiction of , garnered eight Emmys and a Golden Globe, cementing his reputation for linguistic richness and historical grit, later extended in the 2019 film Deadwood: The Movie. Other projects like and showcased his fascination with gambling and human frailty, though Luck was canceled after three horse deaths during production. Milch received the Career Achievement Award in 2019 and a star on the in 2006. A compulsive gambler since youth, Milch lost an estimated $100 million, including $25 million between 2000 and 2011, leading to $17 million in debt, IRS repayment plans, and lawsuits against his financial managers for failing to curb his habits. Diagnosed with around 2015 and publicly disclosing it in 2019, Milch now resides in a care facility, where he continues creative efforts including a and screenplays amid cognitive decline.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Upbringing

David Milch was born on March 23, 1945, in , into a Jewish family of precarious middle-class standing. He was the second son of Dr. Elmer Milch, a vascular and clinical professor who served as chief of at Buffalo Children's Hospital, and Mollie Milch, who headed the local . His older brother, Robert Milch, later became a physician as well. Dr. Elmer Milch, the eldest of 14 children whose own mother was the oldest of 10, rose to professional prominence through surgical innovations but maintained ties to Buffalo's elements, including performing procedures for mob figures during early 1950s Senate hearings on . A habitual gambler who frequented racetracks, he introduced Milch to betting from a young age and struggled with , contributing to a volatile home environment marked by abuse and dysfunction. Milch's childhood in Buffalo exposed him to these paternal influences, including early alcohol consumption amid family instability, though his mother's educational role provided some counterbalance in a otherwise dominated by his father's vices and underworld associations. This upbringing, characterized by a mix of professional respectability and personal recklessness, later informed Milch's thematic interests in redemption and human frailty.

Academic Pursuits and Early Influences

David Milch enrolled at in 1962, pledging the fraternity alongside future President . He pursued a in English, graduating summa cum laude in 1966, and was elected to for his scholarly excellence. During his undergraduate years, Milch demonstrated exceptional aptitude in literary studies, earning the Tinker Prize for the highest achievement in English. His coursework included advanced seminars and graduate-level explorations in and , reflecting an early interdisciplinary curiosity. Following his Yale graduation, Milch earned a from the in 1970, honing his skills in amid a cohort of emerging authors. He returned to Yale as an instructor, teaching freshman English and literature courses for several years, where he assisted in developing pedagogical materials on literary analysis. This period solidified his foundational expertise in narrative structure and textual interpretation, bridging academic rigor with practical authorship; Milch published poetry and short fiction in outlets like the Yale Literary Magazine during and after his studies. A pivotal early influence was poet and novelist , Milch's undergraduate mentor at Yale, whose oversubscribed fiction-writing seminar Milch persistently audited and later assisted. Warren, author of the Pulitzer-winning , imparted to Milch a profound appreciation for storytelling as a redemptive confrontation with human frailty and contingency, often quoting lines like "The filth of self, to be loved, must be seen," which echoed in Milch's later reflections on character and narrative authenticity. This mentorship emphasized first-person experiential truth over abstract theorizing, shaping Milch's rejection of didactic fiction in favor of visceral, probabilistic depictions of moral ambiguity—a principle he credited for informing his transition from academia to dramatic writing.

Professional Career in Television

Breakthrough with Hill Street Blues

David Milch transitioned from academia to television writing in 1982 when he submitted a script to , a police drama created by and that premiered on in 1981. Previously a writing instructor at , Milch's unsolicited script impressed the production team, leading to his hiring as a staff writer for the show's third season. His entry marked a shift in the series toward greater realism, as Milch drew on personal encounters with to critique and deepen the portrayal of police work, which he viewed as initially sanitized. Milch's debut episode, "Trial by Fury"—the season three premiere that aired on September 30, 1982—earned him widespread recognition, including the 1983 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series, along with a Writers Guild of America Award and a Humanitas Prize. The episode's narrative, centered on a high-stakes courtroom confrontation and precinct tensions, exemplified Hill Street Blues' innovative ensemble format, overlapping dialogue, and serialized storytelling, elements that Milch helped refine through subsequent scripts. Over the next seasons, he contributed to dozens of episodes, rising to story editor and eventually co-executive producer by 1986, where the series received a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Drama Series under his involvement. This period established Milch as a transformative force in television drama, influencing the genre's move toward character-driven, procedurally authentic narratives that prioritized moral ambiguity and institutional dysfunction over formulaic resolutions. Hill Street Blues itself garnered 98 Emmy nominations during its 1981–1987 run, with Milch's writing injecting street-level grit that foreshadowed his later projects, solidifying his reputation as a pioneer in elevating television's dramatic complexity.

Co-Creation of NYPD Blue

David Milch co-created NYPD Blue with Steven Bochco after proposing a new police drama concept to him in 1991, building on their prior collaboration on Hill Street Blues. The series, which followed the personal and professional lives of detectives in New York City's 15th Precinct, premiered on ABC on September 21, 1993, and aired for 12 seasons, concluding on March 1, 2005, with 261 episodes produced. Milch served as executive producer, head writer, and showrunner for the first seven seasons, drawing from consultations with real-life NYPD detective Bill Clark to infuse authentic procedural elements and street-level vernacular into the scripts. The co-creation emphasized serialized storytelling, moral ambiguity in characters, and unflinching depictions of , marking a departure from episodic formats prevalent in network television. Milch contributed to the show's pioneering use of profanity, partial nudity—including the first male rear nudity on broadcast TV—and raw emotional confrontations, which aimed to reflect the psychological toll of police work but sparked backlash from affiliates and conservative groups, leading some stations to decline airing episodes. These elements, co-developed with Bochco, positioned NYPD Blue as network TV's first "R-rated" drama, testing FCC standards and viewer tolerances while prioritizing causal realism over sanitized portrayals. In its debut season, received a record 26 Primetime Emmy nominations for a weekly series, surpassing prior benchmarks like the miniseries , and won four, including Outstanding Drama Series. Milch personally earned two for writing episodes, recognizing his role in crafting dialogue that captured officers' vernacular and internal conflicts. The series ultimately amassed 84 Emmy nominations and 20 wins across its run, influencing subsequent procedurals by blending ensemble dynamics with individual character arcs. Milch's departure after season seven stemmed from creative tensions with Bochco and network executives over script control, though he retained producing credits.

HBO Productions: Deadwood and Beyond

In 2004, David Milch created Deadwood, a Western drama series for set in the 1870s gold rush town of Deadwood, which premiered on March 21 and explored themes of , , and human ambition through complex characters like and . The series ran for three seasons, totaling 36 episodes, and concluded on August 27, 2006, after HBO executives informed Milch via a single phone call that it would not continue, despite initial discussions of a fourth season reduced to six or eight episodes, which Milch rejected in favor of a full-length renewal. Although not driven by low ratings—Deadwood maintained a dedicated audience and critical acclaim—the cancellation stemmed from HBO's strategic shift toward broader-appeal content amid network pressures, leaving the narrative on a that Milch later resolved in Deadwood: The Movie, filmed in October 2018 and released on May 31, 2019, set ten years after the series finale. Following Deadwood, Milch co-created with novelist , an HBO series blending surfing culture, family dysfunction, and surreal elements in , which aired from June 10 to August 12, 2007, for one season of 10 episodes before cancellation due to mixed reviews and insufficient viewership. In 2011, Milch executive produced , a horse-racing drama co-created with , starring and , which debuted on January 29, 2012, but was halted after its first season when HBO suspended production on March 14, 2012, following the deaths of three horses during filming, citing animal welfare concerns despite prior veterinary oversight and no evidence of intentional mistreatment. Milch and some cast members attributed the swift cancellation partly to amplified media scrutiny from outlets like and groups, though HBO emphasized the incidents as the decisive factor over the show's modest ratings. Milch extended his overall deal with HBO in April 2014, leading to development of pilots like , a about and among elites, though it did not advance to series. These HBO projects underscored Milch's shift toward prestige , leveraging his signature improvisational writing style and ensemble-driven storytelling, but also highlighted production challenges including creative clashes and external controversies that curtailed several endeavors.

Later Works and Declining Output

Following Deadwood, Milch co-created the HBO series John from Cincinnati with novelist Kem Nunn, which premiered on June 10, 2007, and ran for one season of 10 episodes. Set in the surfing community of Imperial Beach, California, the show incorporated mystical and surreal elements alongside Milch's characteristic improvisational dialogue, but it garnered mixed critical reception for its opacity and esoteric tone, alongside low viewership, resulting in cancellation. Milch's next HBO project, Luck, debuted on January 29, 2012, as a co-production with director , starring as a convicted racetrack owner navigating the world of thoroughbred betting and intrigue. The series earned praise for its authentic depiction of —drawing on Milch's personal background—and stylistic , achieving an 82% approval rating on from critics who lauded its ensemble performances and thematic depth on fate and human frailty. However, production halted after the third horse death on set in March 2012, leading Milch, Mann, and HBO to issue a joint statement expressing "heartbreak" and announcing the cessation of all future episodes, prioritizing over continuation. In a limited return to form, Milch oversaw Deadwood: The Movie, a 111-minute telefilm released on May 31, 2019, that resolved lingering narrative threads from the original series, including political machinations in 1889 . Produced amid his health challenges, the film maintained Milch's signature profane realism and character-driven focus, receiving acclaim for reuniting the cast and providing series closure, though its scope was constrained compared to a full . Post-2019, Milch's television output has been negligible, with no new series greenlit or produced, shifting instead to unproduced pilots such as and developments like Faulkner adaptations under a 2011 HBO deal that yielded no completed projects. As of 2023, he has completed at least one new screenplay, but advancing has curtailed sustained productivity, confining his efforts to assisted writing and memoir (published September 2022).

Personal Challenges and Accountability

Family Dynamics and Relationships

David Milch has been married to Rita Stern Milch, an Emmy-winning documentarian and artist, since 1982. Rita has played a central role in managing family finances and Milch's affairs, particularly amid his losses and later Alzheimer's diagnosis, including limiting his weekly allowance to $40 to curb further betting. She has been characterized as long-suffering due to the strains imposed by his compulsive behaviors and generosity toward others, which often depleted family resources. The couple has three children: daughters Elizabeth and Olivia, both writers, and son Benjamin, an actor. Olivia has collaborated professionally with Milch, including on a adaptation of Faulkner's , while the family raised a granddaughter who provided Milch moments of joy amid his cognitive decline. Milch has described his early teaching experiences as fostering constructive dynamics with his children, who as adults contributed to his 2022 memoir . Milch's addictions severely tested family bonds, with gambling losses totaling $25 million from 2000 to 2011 contributing to $17 million in debts, including unpaid taxes and mortgages, forcing the sale of homes in Brentwood and , as well as Rita's jewelry and art. Rita filed a 2015 against Milch's former managers, alleging they concealed the extent of these losses, which exacerbated financial instability and led to a more modest lifestyle in a Santa Monica rental. His daughters have noted a lifelong pattern of embellished rooted in past substance use and trauma, yet expressed readiness to collaborate on preserving his , reflecting resilience in family ties despite his unreliability as a narrator. Milch himself has reflected that family dynamics resolved key personal questions early, informing his acceptance of painful influences while maintaining adult relationships with his children.

Substance Abuse and Path to Sobriety

Milch's substance abuse began in his youth, influenced by family trauma and his father's own addictions to alcohol, painkillers, and gambling; he started using alcohol and drugs, including heroin, as a teenager. During his time at Yale in the late 1960s, Milch engaged in heavy alcohol consumption as a primary extracurricular activity and experimented extensively with drugs, including manufacturing hallucinogens like LSD and using heroin, which he later described as providing temporary structure amid personal chaos. This pattern persisted into his professional life, with heroin addiction dominating the 1980s—he has admitted to being a "bitter heroin addict" during that period—and extending into the 1990s alongside resumed heavy drinking and abuse of narcotics such as Vicodin, despite a diagnosed heart condition. Milch's addictions exacerbated professional and personal instability; he continued heroin use into his early 50s, funding habits by selling possessions and navigating relapses even after initial interventions. In the late or early , following the success of , he entered a rehabilitation clinic for approximately a year, after which he began medication for , but he relapsed into narcotics and alcohol use thereafter. Milch achieved sustained on January 1, 1999, through another rehab stint, marking the end of his drug use—including and painkillers—and marking a turning point that coincided with the sobriety maintained during the creation of Deadwood (2004–2006). He has remained free of illicit drugs since that date, though he later pursued medication-assisted treatment, such as Suboxone prescribed in 2011 primarily to address overlapping compulsions rather than substance . This recovery period allowed for professional productivity amid ongoing personal challenges, with Milch crediting the structure of sobriety for enabling later works.

Gambling Addiction and Financial Collapse

David Milch developed a severe addiction, primarily centered on betting at racetracks, which escalated during the later stages of his career. Colleagues and legal documents indicate that Milch frequented horse racing venues, wagering substantial sums that contributed to the depletion of his earnings from high-profile television projects. By the early , the habit had intensified, with Milch losing approximately $25 million specifically on bets between 2000 and 2011. The financial repercussions were profound, as Milch had amassed over $100 million in career earnings from series like and Deadwood, yet his compulsive led to near-total forfeiture of these assets. In 2014, his wife, Rita Milch, discovered the extent of their debts upon reviewing financial records, revealing liabilities including $17 million owed to the from unpaid taxes accrued amid the losses. To mitigate further damage, Rita implemented strict controls, placing Milch on a $40 weekly allowance to prevent additional betting and pursuing treatment for his . The family liquidated assets, including homes, jewelry, and artwork, to address the mounting debts. A 2016 lawsuit filed by Rita against financial advisors highlighted the mismanagement and Milch's unchecked wagering, seeking $25 million in damages for enabling the losses. Milch later reflected on the as the "biggest personal disaster" of his life, intertwined with professional setbacks like the cancellation of in 2012 following a horse's on-set . Despite these measures, the collapse eroded his , forcing reliance on structured repayments and limiting personal expenditures.

Health Diagnoses: Bipolar Disorder and Alzheimer's

Milch was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the late 1980s or early 1990s, coinciding with his daughters' elementary school years, a period when his professional success with shows like NYPD Blue masked underlying volatility. The diagnosis retroactively explained patterns of intense manic productivity interspersed with depressive episodes, which had driven both his innovative television work and personal recklessness, including substance abuse that persisted until sobriety in 1999. Milch accepted the condition's validity but resisted its constraints, viewing it not merely as an anxiety disorder but as integral to his creative force; he initiated medication for management by the mid-2000s. Milch received an diagnosis in 2015, though he later described initial concerns emerging around 2014 and formal confirmation nearer to 2018. He publicly disclosed the progressive neurodegenerative condition in April 2019, at age 74, amid ongoing work on Deadwood: The Movie, which he completed with accommodations for cognitive decline. The disease has since necessitated family involvement in his creative processes, including his daughters' assistance in compiling the 2022 memoir , which details its encroaching effects on and independence alongside his bipolar history. By 2019, Milch had relocated to a care facility, marking a sharp decline from his prior output.

Involvement in Thoroughbred Horse Racing

Ownership Ventures and Production Ties

Milch owned and raced horses under the name David S. Milch, achieving the status of a multiple graded stakes winning owner with career earnings exceeding $1.7 million from 115 starts, including 24 victories. His portfolio included dozens of horses over two decades, with standout successes such as co-ownership of Gilded Time, winner of the 1992 , and ownership of Val Royal, which captured the 2001 in a record-setting performance after rallying from last place. Other notable horses under his banner included , a strong , and Marvin's Policy, praised for its tenacity, though Milch regarded Gilded Time as his best-owned horse. In August 2002, after approximately 20 years in the sport, Milch dispersed his entire racing stock via Fasig-Tipton's Select Mixed Sale, marking the end of that phase of his ownership activities. Milch's deep involvement in thoroughbred racing directly informed his production work, most prominently the HBO series Luck (2011–2012), which he co-created with Michael Mann to explore the ecosystem of breeders, owners, jockeys, and gamblers—a world he knew intimately from his ownership tenure and lifelong passion sparked by childhood track visits with his father. The series incorporated authentic racing details, such as real-time betting and track operations, reflecting Milch's expressed desire to dramatize the racetrack's underbelly based on personal observation. Production of Luck utilized live thoroughbreds for filming, leading to three equine fatalities that prompted animal welfare concerns and HBO's decision to cancel after one season, though Milch and Mann maintained that the horses received standard industry care comparable to racing conditions. This intersection underscored Milch's pattern of blending lived racing experiences into narrative realism, as seen in prior works, though Luck represented his most explicit production tie to the sport.

Economic Realities and Personal Costs

Milch's ventures in thoroughbred horse ownership involved significant upfront and ongoing expenditures, such as acquisition costs, training fees, veterinary expenses, and track nominations, which can exceed $50,000 annually per horse in the industry. Despite these realities, he secured victories with standout runners, including Gilded Time in the 1992 and Val Royal in the 2001 , after purchasing his first horse with earnings from Hill Street Blues. He divested his final horse in 2003, amid escalating personal financial pressures. The personal toll intensified through Milch's gambling addiction, centered on wagering at racetracks like Santa Anita, where he lost $25 million between 2000 and 2011 alone. This behavior eroded his career accumulation of over $100 million, culminating in $17 million in total debts, including $5 million in unpaid taxes and penalties by 2016. Consequences extended to asset liquidation and familial strain: Milch sold the family's Brentwood home for $4.8 million in May 2014 and listed their property at $8.95 million, while his wife Rita imposed a $40 weekly allowance to restrict betting access. Rita's 2011 against Milch's business managers alleged in concealing gambling expenditures, settled out of court, highlighting the relational and psychological isolation Milch endured, including rapid and deepened shame during the production period (2010–2012).

Creative Approach and Industry Impact

Innovations in Storytelling and Realism

Milch's contributions to television storytelling emphasized serialized narratives over standalone episodes, allowing for deeper character development and ongoing plot arcs that mirrored the complexities of real life. In (1981–1987), where he served as executive story editor and producer from season two onward, Milch helped pioneer this approach by integrating multiple intersecting storylines within an ensemble cast, departing from the formulaic, self-contained police procedurals of the era like Starsky and Hutch. This enabled exploration of institutional dysfunction and personal moral dilemmas, fostering a sense of ongoing realism in urban policing. His work on NYPD Blue (1993–2005), co-created with Steven Bochco, further advanced gritty emotional realism through raw dialogue and character introspection, often drawing from Milch's consultations with NYPD officers for authentic procedural details. Episodes featured overlapping personal and professional conflicts, with innovations like handheld camera work and partial nudity to convey vulnerability and , challenging network television's conventions and earning two for writing. This method prioritized psychological depth over tidy resolutions, influencing subsequent prestige dramas. In Deadwood (2004–2006), Milch achieved a synthesis of historical realism and poetic language, populating the 1870s mining camp with characters based on real figures like and , while using profanity-laden dialogue to evoke the era's coarseness and evolutionary social dynamics. Narrative techniques included character-driven causality, where individual ambitions propelled historical events without overt exposition, blending Shakespearean rhetoric with vernacular authenticity to underscore themes of community formation amid savagery. This approach rejected sanitized Western tropes, opting for ambiguous morality and incremental plot progression that rewarded viewer investment across seasons.

Criticisms of Methods and On-Set Dynamics

Milch's production methods emphasized extensive on-set rewriting, actor collaboration, and improvisational elements, often resulting in last-minute script changes that contributed to perceptions of chaos and inefficiency. This approach, while yielding dense, rhythmic dialogue, drew criticism for disrupting schedules and straining resources, as seen in Deadwood's "scrambling" process where episodes were finalized amid ongoing revisions. Similarly, exemplified how Milch's fluid style could produce disjointed narratives, with observers noting the "chaotic method" prioritized thematic exploration over structural coherence. On-set dynamics under Milch frequently involved intense confrontations over creative control. During 's production in 1994, Milch engaged in a heated argument with lead actor regarding script alterations, during which Milch suffered a heart attack but concealed his condition to avoid yielding ground. Caruso's reported dissatisfaction with script quality exacerbated tensions, contributing to a broader environment of clashes that co-creator described as near-daily between Milch and the actor. The series (2011–2012) highlighted severe criticisms related to on-set safety and Milch's handling of high-risk scenes involving animals. Six horses died during production, with three fatalities attributed to injuries sustained in filming or training, including a broken leg during a scripted scene and a shattered from a workout mishap. groups like PETA faulted the production for inadequate safeguards despite adherence to American Humane Association protocols, viewing Milch's demanding aesthetic—centered on authentic racetrack realism—as prioritizing drama over welfare. No personnel faced formal accountability, but the incidents prompted HBO to cancel the series after the sixth death in March 2012, amid a power struggle where director held veto power over non-script elements, limiting Milch's direct oversight of set operations. Milch later reflected that the collaboration's constraints distanced him from actors and animals, potentially exacerbating risks in an already budget-strained environment.

Controversies Surrounding Productions

NYPD Blue, co-created by Milch and , sparked significant backlash upon its 1993 premiere due to its inclusion of partial nudity, , and mature themes, which challenged broadcast television standards. The pilot episode featured a scene with actress appearing nude from behind, prompting over 50 ABC affiliates to initially refuse airing the show and drawing protests from conservative groups like the . These elements led to ongoing censorship battles with ABC's standards and practices department, though Milch and Bochco defended them as essential for realism in depicting police officers' lives. On-set tensions during NYPD Blue's production included Milch's reported clashes with lead actor , culminating in Milch suffering a heart attack in 1994 while arguing over script changes. Caruso's demanding behavior and conflicts with Milch contributed to a dysfunctional dynamic, as later recounted by show executives, exacerbating production strains in the show's early seasons. The HBO series Luck (2011–2012), Milch's exploration of , faced severe scrutiny after three horses died during filming. The first two incidents occurred in season 1: one horse suffered a shattered knee, and another broke its shoulder, both euthanized per veterinary assessment; production adhered to American Humane Association guidelines, with no evidence of drug use after over 200 tests. A third horse died in March 2012 during season 2 filming after being spooked by a rabbit and hitting its head, prompting PETA to protest and claim the animals were unfit for racing due to pre-existing conditions like arthritis. HBO suspended production, and after consultations with Milch and director , canceled the series, citing concerns amid public outcry, though Milch attributed the deaths to inherent racing risks rather than negligence.

Enduring Legacy and Cultural Influence

David Milch's contributions to television elevated the medium from episodic formulas to serialized, character-driven narratives emphasizing psychological depth and realism. His work on (1981–1987) introduced provisional depictions of law enforcement and credible dialogue, revolutionizing police procedurals by prioritizing interconnected human experiences over isolated cases. With (1993–2005), co-created with , Milch collaborated with real detective Bill Clark to infuse authentic policing details and emotionally resonant characters like , setting standards for flawed, evolving protagonists in crime drama. These innovations influenced subsequent prestige television by demonstrating how procedural formats could sustain long arcs and moral complexity. In Deadwood (2004–2006), Milch redefined the Western genre, portraying the 1870s Black Hills gold rush as a chaotic transition from anarchy to nascent order, drawing on historical sources like diaries and letters for period-accurate language infused with Shakespearean rhythms and profanity. Characters such as Al Swearengen embodied moral relativism and community interdependence, challenging romanticized frontier myths perpetuated in earlier Hays Code-era depictions. This approach not only garnered critical acclaim but also extended through the 2019 Deadwood film, underscoring Milch's role in HBO's golden age of boundary-pushing series that prioritized artistic credibility over commercial constraints. Milch's legacy persists in television's shift toward sophisticated storytelling that probes human interconnectedness and transforms personal turmoil into universal insights, as reflected in his 2022 memoir . By mentoring at Yale and emphasizing , he advocated for elevating mass through rigorous craft, influencing creators to blend grandeur with raw in exploring ethical ambiguity and societal formation. Despite personal adversities, his oeuvre remains a benchmark for authenticity, having shaped perceptions of , , and human frailty across decades of programming.

Notable Works and Recognition

Key Television Credits

David Milch began his television career as a on Hill Street Blues (1981–1987), where he served as story editor and after submitting an Emmy-winning . His contributions helped pioneer serialized storytelling in police procedurals. Milch co-created NYPD Blue (1993–2005) with Steven Bochco, acting as executive producer and writer; the series pushed boundaries with mature themes and character-driven narratives, earning multiple Emmys. For HBO, Milch created Deadwood (2004–2006), serving as writer and executive producer, known for its historical realism and profane dialogue depicting 1870s South Dakota mining camp life; he later wrote Deadwood: The Movie (2019). Other notable credits include co-creating Brooklyn South (1997–1998) as executive producer, creating John from Cincinnati (2007), and Luck (2011–2012), a horse-racing drama canceled after one season following on-set horse deaths.
SeriesYearsRole
Hill Street Blues1981–1987Writer, Executive Story Editor, Executive Producer
NYPD Blue1993–2005Co-Creator, Writer, Executive Producer
Deadwood2004–2006Creator, Writer, Executive Producer
Deadwood: The Movie2019Writer, Executive Producer
Luck2011–2012Creator, Writer, Executive Producer

Published Writings

Milch's early published writings consist of poetry and short fiction featured in literary journals. These pieces appeared in The Atlantic Monthly and Southern Review, predating his prominence in television and reflecting his initial forays into prose and verse. His sole book-length publication is the memoir Life's Work, issued by Random House on September 13, 2022. The 224-page work details Milch's trajectory from Yale-educated writer to Emmy-winning showrunner, interwoven with accounts of compulsive gambling that led to financial ruin exceeding $100 million, heroin addiction, and a 2015 diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia, a form of Alzheimer's disease. Composed amid advancing cognitive impairment, the narrative employs nonlinear structure to explore themes of redemption, familial bonds, and the precariousness of genius, drawing on Milch's self-described "frontier" mindset toward risk and improvisation. Critics noted its raw introspection, though some observed gaps attributable to Milch's condition, such as incomplete recollections of key events. No subsequent writings have been published as of 2025.

Awards and Professional Accolades

David Milch has garnered significant recognition for his contributions to television writing and production, including four Primetime Emmy Awards from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. His work on NYPD Blue earned him an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 1998, shared with Nicholas Wootton and Bill Clark for the episode "Lost Israel." For Deadwood, Milch received Emmys for Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series in 2004 (episode "Deadwood") and for Outstanding Drama Series as executive producer in 2005. Additionally, Deadwood: The Movie (2019) brought a nomination for Outstanding Producer of a Televised or Streamed Motion Picture in 2020. Beyond Emmys, Milch's accolades include Writers Guild of America Awards for his scripts on NYPD Blue and Deadwood, reflecting peer recognition for excellence in original drama. He also won a Humanitas Prize for NYPD Blue, honoring writing that affirms the human spirit, and an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Episode in a TV Series in 1995. In 2019, the Television Critics Association presented Milch with its Career Achievement Award, acknowledging his innovative influence across series like Hill Street Blues, NYPD Blue, and Deadwood, while honoring the Deadwood franchise with a Heritage Award for its lasting impact.
YearAwardCategory/WorkResult
1994Primetime EmmyOutstanding Drama Series (NYPD Blue)Nomination (as producer)
1998Primetime EmmyOutstanding Writing for a Drama Series (, "Lost Israel")Win
2004Primetime EmmyOutstanding Writing for a Drama Series (Deadwood, "Deadwood")Win
2005Primetime EmmyOutstanding Drama Series (Deadwood)Win
2019Primetime EmmyOutstanding Television Movie (Deadwood: The Movie)Nomination (as producer)
VariousOriginal Drama (NYPD Blue, Deadwood)Wins
2019Career AchievementWin
Milch's honors underscore his role in elevating television narrative standards, though his productions like Deadwood also drew nominations without wins in categories such as directing and supporting acting, totaling over 30 Emmy nods across his career.

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