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Taurean Blacque, best known for his role on the hit 1980s NBC drama “Hill Street Blues,” died Thursday at the age of 82, his son Rodney Middleton announced on Facebook.

In his post, Middleton shared photos of his father in character as Washington, with his trademark newsboy cap and toothpick-bearing grin. He wrote in the caption, “Thank you all for your prayers, calls and texts to me and my family. My father pass[ed] away today At 2:52 pm est.”

Blacque was one of the few regulars who stayed with the Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll series for its entire run. In 1982, he earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. It was a landmark year for “Hill Street Blues,” which also saw nominations for Michael Conrad, Michael Warren, Bruce Weitz, Charles Haid in the supporting category, with Conrad taking homing the Emmy for his role as Sgt.

Taurean Blacque, beloved for his role of Detective Neal Washington on “Hill Street Blues,” has died. He was 82 years old.

Blacque died Thursday according to his son Rodney’s Facebook post. He died in Atlanta following a brief illness, according to reports.

For all seven seasons of the popular NBC cop show, Blacque starred alongside Michael Warren, Daniel J. Travanti, Charles Haid, Michael Conrad and Bruce Weitz in “Hill Street Blues.” The show ran from 1981-1987 and garnered Blacque an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series in 1982. In fact, the category that year was owned by “Hill Street Blues,” which saw all five nominees coming from the show created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll. The other four nominees were Warren, Haid, Conrad and Weitz.

Blacque’s character of Detective Neal Washington was a respected yet stern veteran cop known from his trademark toothpick and cap.

Hill Street Blues actor Taurean Blacque has died. The performer was 82 years old. Blacque died July 21, 2022, in Atlanta following a brief illness according to his family who announced his death. The Emmy-nominated performer was best known for his arc as Detective Neal Washington on NBC‘s 1980s police drama. Early in his onscreen career, Blacque made an impression with guest performances on shows like Sanford and Son, Charlie’s Angels, The Bob Newhart Show, Good Times, Taxi, The Love Boat, and many more. These guest stints took place throughout the ’70s until he broke big with Hill Street Blues. Taurean Blacque in Hill Street Blues (Credit: © NBC / Courtesy: Everett Collection) The show from creators Steven Bocho and Michael Kozoll saw Blacque feature in more than 100 episodes throughout its six-year run and seven-season run. In 1982, Blacque earned his Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the show. In NBC’s soap Generations,...

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Taurean Blacque, who portrayed the streetwise Det. Neal Washington on all seven seasons of the acclaimed NBC cop show Hill Street Blues, died Thursday in Atlanta following a brief illness, his family announced. He was 82.

From 1989-90, Blacque played Henry Marshall opposite Vivica A. Fox and others as an original castmember on the NBC daytime soap opera Generations, the first serial to include — from the start — a Black family as part of the main storyline. His character owned ice cream parlors in Chicago.

In 1982, Blacque received a supporting actor Emmy nomination for his work as the toothpick-dependent Washington on Hill Street but lost out to co-star Michael Conrad. Amazingly, the other three nominees — Charles Haid, Michael Warren and Bruce Weitz — also came from the 1981-87 series, created by Steven Bochco and Michael Kozoll.

Bochco and producer-director Gregory Hoblit chose Blacque to say “Previously...