Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (2024)

Table of Contents
How to Watch Dick Wolf's advertising career before television 1969-1978 Dick Wolf's Early Filmography: Skateboard toSchool Ties No Man's Land (1987) Masquerade (1988) School Ties (1992) Dick Wolf’s Early Television Credits: Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, and New York Undercover Hill Street Blues (1981-1987) Miami Vice (1984-1988) New York Undercover (1994-1999) Dick Wolf'sLaw & Order franchise Law & Order (1990-present) Exiled: A Law & Order Movie(1998) Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present) Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001 – 2011) Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005 – 2006) Conviction (2006) Law & Order: Los Angeles (2010 – 2011) Law & Order True Crime (2017) Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021–present) Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent(2024) Wolf Entertainment Films Twin Towers (2003) Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007) Naked Singularity (2021) One Chicago Chicago Fire (2010–present) Chicago P.D. (2014–present) Chicago Med (2015 – present) Dick Wolf'sFBIfranchise FBI (2018-present) FBI: Most Wanted (2020-present) FBI: International (2021-present) Dick Wolf's Unscripted Series: Cold Justice toLA Fire & Rescue Crime & Punishment (2002-2004) Cold Justice (2013-present) Nightwatch (2015-present) 3AM (2015) Inside the FBI: New York (2017) Criminal Confessions (2017-2020) BTK: Confession of a Serial Killer (2022) Final Moments (2022) LA Fire & Rescue (2023) Dick Wolf'sJeremy Fiskbook series Dick Wolf's Awards, Honors, and Recognitions References

Dick Wolf is a man of many achievements — among which is that he's completely transformed the world of procedural dramas.

How to Watch

WatchLaw & Order Thursdays at 8/7c on NBCand next day on Peacock.

The primetime titan is responsible for writing, producing, and creating dozens of binge-worthy series, from theandOne Chicagofranchises to the many other projects produced through his company, Wolf Entertainment. Wolf's original programming has been rocking the radio waves since the early 1990s, with his nail-biting crime dramasbecoming beloved NBC mainstayswith avid fanbases that have become engrossed in Wolf's serialized universe.

RELATED:How Many Law & Order: SVU Episodes Has Mariska HargitayDirected?

"I've said for years that this is not a franchise,"Wolf toldTV Guideof Law & Order in 2009. "It's a brand."

In 2021, producer Greg Berlanti commended Wolf's prolific impact on television, noting the cultural zeitgeist he's created within police dramas.

“Wherever I go in the country, wherever I go in the world, people reference Dick Wolf shows,”Berlanti toldVariety. “The priority is telling stories that move an audience. The real value of any show is ultimately its relationship with an audience. Dick Wolf makes shows that people love and love to talk about.”

Wolf's resumeis a testament to his passion for connecting with his audience.

With his Law & Order and One Chicago shows set to return for new seasons in January, look back some of Wolf's career highlights to see how one man changed the game for true crime and crime drama lovers everywhere.

Dick Wolf's advertising career before television

1969-1978

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (1)

Dick Wolf presenting at the star ceremony where Ice-T is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on February 17, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

Before he ventured into show business, Wolf was an ad man in New York, working for Crest toothpaste. He was even responsible for penning one of the brand's most iconic slogans.

"When I started in advertising, there was Crest — one toothpaste — but then mint-flavored came in, and gel," Wolf explained in a 2007 interview withThe Hollywood Reporter. "Now, there are probably six or seven generations of Crest, yet the tagline I wrote still holds: 'You can’t beat Crest for fighting cavities.'"

So what triggered Wolf's decision to shift to television? "I didn’t want to sell toothpaste anymore," the wordsmith revealed.

Dick Wolf's Early Filmography: Skateboard toSchool Ties

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (2)

David Green (Brendan Fraser), Charlie Dillon (Matt Damon), Jack Connors (Cole Hauser), Van Kelt (Randall Batinkoff), McGivern (Andrew Lowery), McGoo (Anthony Rapp), Reece (Chris O'Donnell), and Chesty (Ben Affleck) appear on set during School Ties in 1992. Photo: FilmPublicityArchive/United Archives via Getty Images

The Law & Order icon got his start in the entertainment industry as a screenwriter and, while he would one day dominate primetime, he initially earned a living selling film scripts. Wolf’s first sold script was for the 1978 film Skateboard, co-written by George Gage.

No Man's Land (1987)

One of the first films to put Wolf on the map as a screenwriter was the 1987 crime thriller No Man’s Land, starring Charlie Sheen, D. B. Sweeney, and Randy Quaid. The film follows a new cop assigned to go undercover to investigate a car theft ring. Fun fact: No Man’s Land alsomarked the film debut of Brad Pitt, who played an extra in the film. (Pitt nearly lost the gig after attempting to ad-lib a line.)

Masquerade (1988)

Masquerade is another script of Wolf’s, co-written with Larry Brody. The film features Meg Tilly and Parks and Recreation star Rob Lowe, and follows an heiress who met and fell in love with a dashing yacht captain who wasn’t as well-intentioned as he seems to be.

School Ties (1992)

One of Wolf’s proudest projects was School Ties, starring Brandan Fraser as a Jewish teenager and promising quarterback who is transferred to a primarily Christian preparatory school during his senior year of high school. The cast of School Ties was stacked, featuring Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Chris O'Donnell, Cole Hauser, and Anthony Rapp. Despite premiering in the early 90s, Wolf feels the film’s themes are sadly relevant as ever.

"This country today is at a point that I never believed in my lifetime we'd see again," Wolf told EW following the 25th anniversary of the film’s release. "Anti-Semitism is rampant. It's not even hidden. School Ties was deliberately dated when it was made, but it hasn't aged."

Dick Wolf’s Early Television Credits: Hill Street Blues, Miami Vice, and New York Undercover

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (3)

Lieutenant Martin Castillo (Edward James Olmos), Detective Stan Switek (Michael Talbott), Detective James 'Sonny' Crockett (Don Johnson), Detective Trudy Joplin (Olivia Brown), Detective Ricardo 'Rico' Tubbs (Michael Thomas), Detective Gina Navarro Calabrese (Saundra Santiago) appear in a promotional photo for Miami Vice. Photo: NBCU Photo Bank

Wolf spent the last half of the 1980s working on several television projects, keeping true to his love for crime dramas and drafting compelling, if imperfect, characters. Wolf helped in the creation of series likeGideon Oliver (1989),Christine Cromwell (1989),Nasty Boys (1990), andH.E.L.P. (1990).

In the early '90s, Wolf also helped create and write several high-stakes shows like Mann & Machine (1992), South Beach (1993), Crime & Punishment (1993), The Wright Verdicts (1995), Swift Justice (1996), Feds (1997), and Players(1997–1998).

Hill Street Blues (1981-1987)

From 1985–1986, Wolf was a staff writer for NBC’s serial police procedural Hill Street Blues. It was while brainstorming nail-biting plot lines on Hill Street Blues that Wolf received his first-ever Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series for his solo work on Season 6, Episode 9 (“What Are Friends For?”)

That first Emmy was just a taste of what was to come from the man who has since created the longest-running live-action primetime drama in history.

Miami Vice (1984-1988)

Wolf was a producer and writer for NBC’s Miami Vice from 1986-1988, joining the production team for Seasons 3-4. Miami Vice was created by Anthony Yerovich, who had been a fellow writer with Wolf on Hill Street Blues throughout the early '80s. In 1986, Wolf jumped aboard Miami Vice as an executive producer and writer after showrunner Michael Mann left the series to work on the NBC series Crime Story.

New York Undercover (1994-1999)

One of Wolf’s most beloved early television works was New York Undercover, which he worked on from 1994 to 1998. The series follows undercover Detectives J.C. Williams (Malik Yoba) and Detective Eddie Torres (Michael DeLorenzo). The two investigators were sent on several nail-biting undercover missions to investigate gang-related criminal cases. The undercover nature of each episode presented threats that had viewers on the edge of their seats.

Dick Wolf'sLaw & Order franchise

In 1990, Wolf struck gold by bringing his passion for true crime to television screens.

But he is the first first to attribute the franchise's success to the outstanding efforts of the Law & Order cast and crew. It truly takes a village to pull off the television gymnastics Wolf produces.

“You don’t do it alone,"Wolf toldVarietyin 2021. "That’s why the consistency is there. It’s not accidental."

Law & Order (1990-present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (4)

Lt. Anita Van Buren (S. Epatha Merkerson), Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth), Executive A.D.A. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston), Detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), A.D.A. Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy) appear in a promotional photo for Law & Order. Photo: Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank

premiered on NBC in 1990 and was an instant obsession. Wolf's delightfully digestible formula upped the ante for police dramas everywhere, with Sam Waterstonas the dynamite District Attorney Jack McCoyand the O.G. charming audiences with their swift criminal justice and emotional personal lives.

After Law & Order became a sensation, Wolf had a goal for the series: expansion.

Exiled: A Law & Order Movie(1998)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (5)

Detective Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach) and Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth) appear in Exiled: A Law & Order Movie. Photo: Jessica Burstein/NBCU Photo Bank

After seeing the smash success of Law & Order(and having already had a hand in several film projects), Wolf married these passions with Exiled: A Law & OrderMovie. The film takes place three years after Law & Order’s Detective Mike Logan (Chris Noth) was "administratively reassigned" to the Domestic Disputes Department on Staten Island.

The two-hour television film featured appearances from Dann Florek as Captain Don Cragen, Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe, as well as a surprise guest appearance from Ice Twho played a man named Kingston — years before his days of playing Fin Tutuola in Law & Order’s longest-running spin-off.

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (6)

Chrispher Meloni as Elliot Stabler and Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Photo: NBC

In 1999, Wolf debuted one of his most beloved projects of all time, athat focuses on criminal cases of a sexual nature:. Starring the magnetic Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson andChristopher Melonias Elliot Stabler, the series has broken several records thanks to the decades-long chokehold it has on audiences.

Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001 – 2011)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (7)

A.D.A. Ron Carver (Courtney B. Vance), Detective Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe), Dick Wolf (creator), Detective Robert Goren (Vincent D'Onofrio), Captain James Deakins (Jamey Sheridan) appear in a promotional photo for Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Photo: Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank

After seeing the incredible obsession over SVU, Wolf penned another great, Criminal Intent.

It ran for 10 Seasons and 195 episodes, shining a spotlight on suspects' motivations, providing answers to anyone who may be swirling with questions about why criminals do the horrendous things they do.

Law & Order: Trial by Jury (2005 – 2006)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (8)

D.A. Arthur Branch (Fred Thompson) appears on Law & Order, Season 13 Episode 15. Photo: NBCU Photo Bank

Running for a single yet satisfying season, focused more on the "order" side of Law & Order. Starring flagship series stars Jerry Orbach and Fred Thompson, as well as Amy Carlson and Bebe Neuwirth, the show followed legal teams for both sides of a jury trial, with equal attention paid to the prosecution and defense teams.

Conviction (2006)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (9)

A.D.A. Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March) on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 6 Episode 16. Photo: NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

Airing for 13 nail-biting episodes, Conviction was an exciting spin-off that shifted the action to the law side ofLaw & Order.Convictionfollowed the up-and-coming attorneys and legal experts inside Manhattan's District Attorney's office, led bySVUalum A.D.A.Alexandra Cabot (Stephanie March). March shined in her reprise as the tenacious Cabot, delivering a powerhouse performance alongside cast members Eric Balfour, Julianne Nicholson, Anson Mount, Jordan Bridges, and J. August Richards.

Law & Order: Los Angeles (2010 – 2011)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (10)

Photo: NBC

Airing for 22 episodes, the West Coast Law & Order spin-off — the first to veer from NYC — featured a stacked cast of Terrence Howard, Corey Stoll, Alana De La Garza, Rachel Ticotin, and Alfred Molina.

The LAPD works a little differently from the typical NYPD officers , but the Californian sunsets and electrifying relationships made a must-watch treat.

Law & Order True Crime (2017)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (11)

Leslie Abramson (Edie Falco) appears during Law & Order: True Crime, Season 1 Episode 8. Photo: Justin Lubin/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

While many Law & Order series will feature an episodic format of watching the detectives arrest and the legal teams prosecute a different each week, True Crime shook up the “ripped-from-headlines” formula.

followed a season-long plot line to dive into the nitty-gritty details of the actual case, featuring the endlessly captivating Edie Falco as criminal defense attorney Leslie Abramson.

Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021–present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (12)

Detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) and Sergeant Ayanna Bell (Danielle MonéTruitt) appear in a scene from Law & Order: Organized Crime, Season 3 Episode 22. Photo: Peter Kramer/NBC

One of the most recent additions to the franchise is,starringSVUalum Meloni. The show follows a specialized Task Force — the Organized Crime Control Bureau — within the NYPD that targets the most well-hidden criminal networks.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent(2024)

Criminal Intentwas such a hit that it inspired a Canadian spin-off slated to premiere in spring 2024:Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent.

The cast includes Kathleen Munroe as Det. Sgt. Frankie Bateman, Aden Young as Det. Sgt. Henry Graff, K.C. Collins as Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester, Karen Robinson as Inspector Vivienne Holness, Araya Mengesha as tech wizard Mark Yohannes, and Nicola Correia-Damude as Forensic Pathologist Dr. Lucy Da Silva. Boasting ten nail-biting episodes (so far),Varietyreported that famedLaw & Orderdirector Holly Dale is directing several episodes of theCanadian spin-off.

Wolf Entertainment Films

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (13)

Adam Beach poses with the movie poster featuring his picture at the Los Angeles premiere of HBO's Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee at Paramount Pictures Studio on May 10, 2007 in Hollywood, California. Photo: Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

Wolf has also proven that, not only does he have the tools to write compelling scripts, he has a vision perfectly suited for a producer. His production company, Wolf Entertainment, has been producing since its establishment in 1988.

Twin Towers (2003)

Wolf Entertainment produced the 2002 short documentary Twin Towers, directed by Bill Guttentag. The film follows two brothers, policeman Joseph Vigiano and fireman John Vigiano Jr., and their tragic deaths in the line of duty while addressing the devastating 9/11 attacks on September 11, 2001.

Twin Towers earned the Oscar for Best Documentary Short at the 2003 Academy Awards.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007)

In 2007, Wolf executive produced a Western historical drama television film Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, an adaptation of the 1970 Dee Brown book of the same name.

Alongside director Yves Simoneau, Tom Thayer, and Clara George, Wolf won the award for Outstanding Made for Television Movie at the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards for the film.

Naked Singularity (2021)

Wolf’s most recent film project as an executive producer is the 2021 film Naked Singularity, based on the 2008 book by Sergio De La Pava. Featuring a stacked cast of John Boyega, Olivia Cooke, Linda Lavin, Bill Skarsgård, and Ed Skrein, the film follows a burnt-out public defender who is quickly roped into a high-speed heist.

One Chicago

After seeing the primetime possibilities in his Law & Order universe, Wolf set his sights on the Midwest for a series that would follow the lives of Chicago firefighters,Chicago Fire. Even whenChicago Firewas still in the kiln, however, Wolf knew the series was simply the start of something bigger.

LikeLaw & Order, Wolf wanted to shine a light on various stages of the municipality's emergency response, getting a taste of action all over the Windy City.

RELATED:Where to Watch Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D.

“We were standing on a metal bridge over the Chicago River, it’s freezing out and Dick says to me, ‘We’re going to haveChicago P.D., and we’re going to do one about the hospital, and we’re going to do one about the court system,’” Wolf Entertainment president PeterJankowski recalled toVariety.“We’re in the middle of this big, complicated pilot shoot, and I’m like, ‘OK, let’s just get this one done.’ But that’s the way he thinks. He looks at the horizon and dreams big.”

Wolf's vision of an interconnectedOne Chicagouniverse came true, with Chi-Hards tuning in weekly forChicago Fire, Chicago P.D.,andChicago Med. There was even a season ofChicago Justicethat aired in 2017, so theOne Chicagocreator accomplished it all.

Chicago Fire (2010–present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (14)

Randy “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte), Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) appear in a scene from Chicago Fire, Season 11 Episode 12. Photo: Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC

Chicago Fire follows the professional adventures and interpersonal connections of firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics within the Chicago Fire Department’s Firehouse 51. From swoon-worthy love stories to high-stakes rescues, the action is always heating up on Chicago Fire.

Chicago P.D. (2014–present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (15)

Detective Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins), Sgt. Trudy Platt (Amy Morton), Officer Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati), Officer Sean Roman (Brian Geraghty), Det. Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda), Sgt. Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), Det. Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush), Det. Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer), Det. Adam Ruzek (Patrick Flueger), and Det. Alvin Olinksy (Elias Koteas) appear in a promotional photo for Chicago PD. Photo: Paul Drinkwater/NBC

The next series to follow Windy City emergency personnel was Chicago P.D., which centers around the Intelligence Unit of the Chicago Police Department's 21st Districtas they close criminal cases and keep the streets of Chicago safe. Like its predecessor, the characters of Chicago P.D. keep viewers hooked as they watch justice served week after week.

Chicago Med (2015 – present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (16)

Crockett Marcel (Dominic Rains ), Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss), Richard Evans (Dan Bucatinsky), Vickie Evans (Alli Hills) appear in a scene from Chicago Med, Season 8 Episode 9. Photo: George Burns Jr/NBC

The series that cemented the three Chicago-based dramas as a One Chicago family is Chicago Med, a series following Windy City doctors and nurses of Gaffney Medical Hospital. From nail-biting surgery sequences to heartwarming Med character collisions, Chicago Med is always a thrilling watch.

Dick Wolf'sFBIfranchise

In 2018, Wolf took his talent for suspense and justice to a national level with the creation of hisFBIfranchise, which shares the same universe asOne ChicagoandLaw & Order(as seen whenTracy Spiridakosreprised her role asChicago P.D's Officer Hailey UptononFBI.)

“It’s a constant exploration of possibilities,”Wolf toldVariety. “There are 56 actors under contract. The concept is there are nine shows, and anybody who’s in any of the nine shows can appear in the other eight, even on different networks. It’s pretty cool.”

FBI (2018-present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (17)

Special Agent Omar Adom 'OA' Zidan (Zeeko Zaki), Special Agent Maggie Bell (Missy Peregrym), Kristen Chazal (Ebonée Noel), and Stuart Scola (John Boyd) appear in FBI. Photo: Mark Schafer/CBS via Getty Images

FBI features Missy Peregrym as Maggie Bell and Zeeko Zaki asOmar Adom "OA" Zidan, first-class agents for the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as Law & Order alum Jeremy Sisto, Ebonée Noel, and Sela Ward. The agents must use their unique skills to investigate a variety of jaw-dropping cases, from potential terrorist attacks to counterintelligence.

FBI: Most Wanted (2020-present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (18)

Special Agent Kenny Crosby (Kellan Lutz), Supervisory Special Agent Jess LaCroix (Julian McMahon), Special Agent Sheryll Barnes (Roxy Sternberg), and Special Agent Ivan Ortiz (Miguel Gomez) appear in FBI: Most Wanted. Photo: Mark Schäfer/CBS via Getty Images

Perfect for Law & Order fans who morbidly love exploring the worst criminals, FBI: Most Wanted centers around the Fugitive Task Force, a team of investigators tracking down the worlds most insidious criminals on the Most Wanted list.

Featuring dozens of intense undercover operations and a dynamite cast — including Dylan McDermott (who played the infamous Richard Wheatleyin Seasons 1 and 2) — fans never know which criminal will be on the Task Force’s radar next.

FBI: International (2021-present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (19)

Special Agent Cameron Vo (Vinessa Vidotto), Special Agent Andre Raines (Carter Redwood), Special Agent Jamie Kellett (Heida Reed), Special Agent Scott Forrester (Luke Kleintank) appear during FBI: International. Photo: Nelly Kiss/CBS via Getty Images

Wolf dreams big and, once you’ve covered federal crimes, it’s time to head to international waters.

FBI: International follows the elite squad of the FBI’s International Fly Team, created to track and neutralize any terrorist actions or threats to America. The Fly Team can't carry firearms, so they are forced to leverage their cunning and courage to protect the U.S. from foreign threats.

Dick Wolf's Unscripted Series: Cold Justice toLA Fire & Rescue

Wolf's love for true crime has also led him into unscripted series, creating and executive producing several nail-biters.

Tom Thayer, former president of Universal Television, discussed the common themewithin Wolf's unscripted content. “These shows are about making America realize the people who are watching out for them," Thayer toldVariety. “We want to open up the eyes of America and make sure people are really aware of who’s keeping you safe.”

Crime & Punishment (2002-2004)

Wolf Entertainment'sCrime & Punishmentwas Wolf's reality television spin-off of Law & Order — anontraditional court show where each episode followed a single evening with five different members of NYC's nightlife crowd.

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The series ran for three seasons, with each episode kicked off by Law & Order narrator Steven Zirnkilton detailing what viewers were about to witness. "In the criminal justice system, deputy district attorneys represent the people. The prosecutors you are about to see, and the cases they try, are real. Nothing has been reenacted."

Cold Justice (2013-present)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (20)

Johnny Bonds, Aaron Sam, Abbey Abbondandolo, Kelly Siegler, Steve Spingola, Tonya Rider appear in a promotional photo for Cold Justice. Photo: Michael Wong/Oxygen/NBCU Photo Bank

Wolf'ssecond unscripted serieswas 2013's procedural drama,Cold Justice,following former Texas prosecutor Kelly Siegler, a seasoned investigator looking into some of the most long-forgotten cases in hopes of seeing justice finally served.

“There was a pretty huge collection of true crime even back then. And most of it is pretty bad,"Wolf briefed Variety. "I knew that if we could do it 20 percent better than those shows, we can carve out a block of good programming."

Nightwatch (2015-present)

When the sun goes down, the night shift begins, and Wolf was eager to showcase that liminal lifestyle. Nightwatch follows nighttime emergency service workers as they address whatever chaos comes their way. The majority of the series' six seasons were filmed in New Orleans, though Season 4 was filmed in Tampa.

3AM (2015)

3AM was an intense docuseries about the complexities of New York City nightlife.

LikeCrime & Punishment, the documentary series followed five NYC residents entrenched in the city's nighttime, and each of the seven episodes shined a voyeuristic light on the realities of the city that never sleeps.

Inside the FBI: New York (2017)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (21)

Photo: USA

Wolf combined his love for true crime on a federal level and unscripted reality television withInside the FBI: New York.

It's never a dull day at the FBI's New York field office and, in Wolf Entertainment's 2017 documentary series, viewers got a sneak peek of the ins and outs of several divisions within the federal agency, from counterterrorism to human trafficking.

Criminal Confessions (2017-2020)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (22)

Photo: Oxygen

Anyone who has ever enjoyed an knows that some of the most intense moments happen in the interrogation room. Criminal Confessions shone a bright fluorescent light on real-life police interrogation rooms, showcasing footage of various criminal cases and the complex process of yielding a confession.

BTK: Confession of a Serial Killer (2022)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (23)

Dennis L. Rader being escorted by officers into the El Dorado Correctional Facility on August 19, 2005 in El Dorado, Kansas. Photo: Larry W. Smith/Getty Images

Wolf Entertainment also brought us the nail-biting documentaryBTK: Confession of a Serial Killer.The docuseries centered around the horrendous crimes of Dennis Rader, known as the infamous "BTK" serial killer.

Now that Rader is serving 10 consecutive life sentences, the docuseries provided gripping insight into Rader's disturbing psyche and maddening acts.

Final Moments (2022)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (24)

Photo: Oxygen

It's an unfortunate truth that some cases depend on the testimony of victims who don't live to see justice served. Wolf Entertainment's 2022 documentary seriesFinal Momentsutilized victims' last interactions with loved ones, surveillance footage, and social media traffic in their final days to paint an accurate picture of the crimes.

LA Fire & Rescue (2023)

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (25)

Photo: NBC

Wolf married his affinity for unscripted action and the torch he carries for firefighters with his latest project,LA Fire & Rescue, whichpremiered in the summer of 2023 on NBC. Theteased "unprecedented access to the inner workings of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Responsible for protecting the lives and property of four million residents living in 59 cities across Los Angeles County, the LACoFD’s 2,300 square miles of service is unlike any other in the United States."

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"From helicopter mountain rescues and lifeguard beach SOS, to fireboats, hazmat units and California’s raging wildfires, the department does it all. The series documents real calls and real drama while giving faces to the passionate fire firefighters who risk their lives in the name of service.These real-life heroesand their compelling stories are told alongside the unpredictable dangers they face on the front lines of life and death."

Dick Wolf'sJeremy Fiskbook series

Wolf's love for crafting fascinating thrillersruns deep, which has led to a successful career as a novelist and his many television pursuits. Wolf is the proud author of three action mystery novels featuring an NYPD Detective named Jeremy Fisk:The Intercept,The Execution, andThe Ultimatum.

"Anybody who says writing is writing, it's not true. The canvasses get completely different-sized,"Wolf said viaUSA Todaywhile chatting about the complexities of writing a novel. "I've written features and those are sort of like big paintings and television episodes are slightly smaller paintings and novels are kind of like the Sistine Chapel ceiling. It's a much broader canvas. I don't know if it's a different skill level, just a different set of storytelling ability."

"And hopefully the book reflects that," Wolf continued. "I hate to make it obvious, but the first 25 pages are really very similar to the teaser in a television show. You do learn after 1,300 hours of television that people like certain things. I'm not selling it as great literature but, hopefully, it's a great ride. That's what I set out to do."

Dick Wolf's Awards, Honors, and Recognitions

As one of the most notable media moguls of our generation, it's no wonder that Wolf has collected quite a few awards throughout his established television tenure. Besides Wolf's twoEmmysfor,his companyWolf Entertainment also produced theAcademy-Award-winning short documentaryTwin Towers.

"There’s a humility to Dick Wolf that is an aberration to any producer that has come close to his level of success,"Thayer toldVariety. "He has no pretense and no attitude about his accomplishments. He’s very aware and very appreciative of what he’s been able to do."

In 2007, theon the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2013 he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame. Still, Wolf's legacy continues to evolve.

“It took me a while. And then I learned. He'll say these ambitious things, and then he does it. And now I never doubt a thing he says,” Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group,said of Wolf. “He’s said to me, ‘I will be the last man standing in broadcast. That’s my ambition.’ He’s not only standing — he’s towering.”

Media Legend Dick Wolf's Career Highlights and Achievements (2024)

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