Peter S. Fischer, Co-Creator of ‘Murder, She Wrote,’ Dies at 88

Peter S. Fischer, co-creator of “Murder, She Wrote,” died in a care facility in Pacific Grove, Calif. on Oct. 30. He was 88.

Fischer’s grandson Jake McElrath confirmed the news of his death.

Fischer was a writer, producer and novelist, known for penning over 40 scripts for “Murder, She Wrote.” He created the series alongside Richard Levinson and William Link. He also served as executive producer for several seasons. The hit murder-mystery crime show spanned 12 seasons, running from 1984-1992. Angela Lansbury starred as Jessica Fletcher, a widow who is both a mystery writer and amateur detective. She lives in the small coastal Maine town of Cabot Cove, where she frequently solves murders a step ahead of the police.

In a similar vein, Fischer also wrote 12 episodes of “Columbo,” the long-running crime drama about Lieutenant Columbo (Peter Falk), a homicide detective in Los Angeles. He additionally penned a season of “Ellery Queen,” another series about a mystery writer solving crimes. For his contribution to the genre, the Mystery Writers of American gave Fischer an Edgar Allan Poe award in 1994.

Fischer was nominated for three Emmys and two Golden Globes for Best Television Series – Drama throughout his career. He also received a nomination for an Anthony Award from the Boucheron World Mysteries Convention.

In addition to his successful career in television, Fischer wrote mystery novels as well, much like the protagonists in his shows. He penned over 20 novels focused on Hollywood murder mystery plots.

Fischer is survived by his daughter Megan and his grandchildren Nick, Samantha, Jake, Molly, and Eden, in addition to three great-grandchildren Arabella, Ilyza, and Leah.

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