R.I.P. Steven Hill of 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Law & Order'

The accomplished stage and screen actor passed away at 94.

Everett Collection

Steven Hill, best known as District Attorney Adam Schiff on Law & Order, died early Tuesday at the age of 94.

For a decade, Hill appeared on the groundbreaking legal drama as the stern and unforgiving district attorney, becoming one of the show's most powerful characters.

Hill was one of the original cast members of the long-running program, completing an impressive 228 episodes before leaving in 2000 after its 10th season. Throughout Hill's tenure, he managed to appear in all but two episodes.

Before Law & Order, Hill was the lead character in the first season of the '60s spy-fi series Mission: Impossible. The actor played the head of the IMF, Dan Briggs. Due to conflicts on set, Peter Graves eventually replaced Hill during the show's second season.

Hill was an accomplished stage and screen actor in addition to those two roles. Beginning in the late 1940s, Hill had guest appearances on a variety of shows, including Lights Out, Route 66, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour and Rawhide. Around the same time, the versatile actor appeared alongside Henry Fonda in the Tony Award–winning comedy Mr. Roberts.

Due to what he said was a bad experience on the set of Mission: Impossible, Hill briefly retired from acting during the 1970s. He returned to films in 1977, and after 10 seasons on Law & Order, Hill retired for good in 2000.

"Steven was not only one of the truly great actors of his generation, he was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met," said Law & Order creator Dick Wolf.

No cause of death is available at this time. Hill is survived by his wife and nine children.

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  • GARRY MARSHALL
  • PATTY DUKE
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  • MIKE MINOR OF 'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
  • WILLIAM SCHALLERT OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'
  • MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'
  • ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'
  • RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'
  • THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'
  • FRANK SINATRA, JR.
  • EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'
  • BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'
  • JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'
  • DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR
  • JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'
  • PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS
  • MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'
  • GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'
  • MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'
  • SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'
  • RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'
  • GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'
  • GARRY SHANDLING, COMIC AND STAR OF 'THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW'
  • RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER
  • JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK
  • KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'
  • PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'
  • ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'
  • JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'
  • STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW
  • WAYNE ROGERS, TRAPPER JOHN OF 'M*A*S*H'
  • FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'
  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'
  • GARRY MARSHALL
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  • WAYNE ROGERS, TRAPPER JOHN OF 'M*A*S*H'
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  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'


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1 Comments

BobbyD09 56 months ago
Damn sometimes I forget what life's ending is, and that's death, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in the world and see what the people that make a difference to many other people have done, and I have never met these people but, the way they inspired me and other people to be the best they can be and to share love and respect for all to see I pray 🙏 that I have made a difference in my life to my children and the people who I came in contact with m
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