'The Shield' Producer Scott Brazil Dies at 50

LOS ANGELES – Emmy-winning producer-director Scott Brazil, whose television shows included "The Shield" and "Hill Street Blues," has died. He was 50.

Brazil died Monday of respiratory failure due to Lou Gehrig's disease and lyme disease complications, FX Networks spokesman John Solberg said Wednesday.

Brazil was executive producer of "The Shield," the first original drama series on FX Networks, and he directed 11 episodes. Brazil and "Shield" creator and executive producer Shawn Ryan won the 2002 Golden Globe for drama series.

Although his condition had worsened, Brazil used a motorized wheelchair to go about his duties as "The Shield" producer-director, Ryan said.

"He worked (last) Thursday, working to the very last day, talking to the writers, doing casting and prepping our next episode," Ryan said Wednesday. "That's what made all this so stunning for us. We're kind of shocked."

Shooting on the set of "The Shield" continued on schedule Tuesday in tribute to Brazil.

"I think everyone would have felt lost if they went home and had to deal with this and had nothing to do," Ryan said.

"This was really one of the great guys of Hollywood," he added.

Brazil also directed episodes of "Nip/Tuck," "Grey's Anatomy," "CSI: Miami," "NCIS," "JAG," "Nash Bridges" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." He also directed the pilot of "Playmakers" for ESPN.

As a producer on NBC's "Hill Street Blues," Brazil won two Emmys for drama series in 1983 and 1984, and a Golden Globe in 1983 for TV drama series.

Brazil graduated from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism and was a member of the Directors Guild and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

He is survived by his wife, Marie; daughter Lindsay, 15; son Mark, 11; his father David; his mother Barbara; and brother Griff. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the television academy's Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood.