Robert F. Colesberry was a prominent American film and television producer, best known for his work on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire and The Corner. He was also an occasional actor, appearing as Detective Ray Cole on The Wire. Colesberry died at the age of 57 from complications following cardiac surgery on February 9, 2004. His death was a shock to his fans and colleagues, who remembered him as a talented and passionate storyteller.
Early Life and Career
Colesberry was born on March 7, 1946 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as an artillery lieutenant in the Army in the mid-1960s, and also briefly played baseball and operated a bar in Wildwood, New Jersey. He became interested in drama while attending Southern Connecticut State University, and later transferred to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, from which he received his B.F.A. in 1974.
Colesberry began working on films in New York as a locations manager and first assistant director, working with filmmakers such as Andy Warhol and Bernardo Bertolucci. He then became a producer for Barry Levinson’s The Natural, Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy and After Hours, Alan Parker’s Mississippi Burning, and Billy Crystal’s 61*. He received Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Mississippi Burning, and Emmy nominations for 61* and Death of a Salesman.
HBO Projects and The Wire
- In 1999, Colesberry began his association with HBO as executive producer of The Corner, a six-hour miniseries adaptation of The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner-City Neighborhood, a nonfiction book by Baltimore Sun reporter David Simon and former Baltimore police detective Ed Burns. The show was nominated for four Primetime Emmys in 2000, winning two, including the Award for Outstanding Miniseries, and won a Peabody Award.
- In 2000, Colesberry co-created the HBO series The Wire with Simon and Burns. The Wire was a groundbreaking drama that depicted the complex realities of urban life in Baltimore, Maryland, through the perspectives of various institutions such as the police, the drug trade, the media, the schools, and the docks. The show was widely praised for its realism, writing, acting, and social commentary. Colesberry served as executive producer for the first two seasons of The Wire, and also had a recurring cameo as Detective Ray Cole. Simon, Burns, Colesberry, and George Pelecanos were the “brain trust” of The Wire.
- Death and Legacy
- Colesberry underwent cardiac surgery at New York-Presbyterian Hospital on February 9, 2004. He suffered complications during the operation and died later that day. He was survived by his wife Karen L. Thorson, who was also a filmmaker and producer on The Wire. His death was mourned by his fans and colleagues, who paid tribute to him in various ways. The third episode of the third season of The Wire was dedicated to his memory, and featured a funeral scene for his character Ray Cole. His name also appeared on various props throughout the series, such as a boat, a bar sign, and a street mural.
- Colesberry was posthumously awarded a Peabody Award for his work on The Wire in May 2004. Following his death, the Robert F. Colesberry Scholarship Fund for young filmmakers was established in his honor at the NYU Tisch School.
- Colesberry was remembered as a visionary producer who had a keen eye for detail and quality. He was also described as a generous and supportive mentor who helped many aspiring filmmakers achieve their dreams. His work on The Wire and other projects has left a lasting impact on the television industry and culture.
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