Source: Lawrence K. Ho / Getty
The guy behind one of reality television’s longest-running shows has passed away after suffering health issues while competing in a road race.
John Langley, who created the hit Fox and Paramount Network show ‘Cops,’ died after having a heart attack while away in Mexico. He was “ompeting in the Coast to Coast Ensenada-San Felipe 250 off-road race in Baja,” as reported by Variety.
TMZ also reported that Langley was with his son Zac at the time of the race.
Since its debut on the then-fledgling Fox Broadcasting Company in the late 1980’s, ‘Cops’ has become a big part of pop culture, while also showing how police officers in different cities across the U.S. operate and handle different situations.
From Complex:
Starting in 1989, Cops aired for 32 seasons before being canceled in 2020 following George Floyd’s death and amid protests against social injustices and police violence. When Fox canceled the show in 2013, Cops found a new home at the Spike network—now Paramount Network—before being scrapped last year. The show released over 1,000 episodes while in production and launched the cinéma vérité documentary style for TV. During its early years, the show earned four Emmy nominations for the Outstanding Informational Series category. The show is still being produced on international networks.
Before getting into television, Langley worked in the U.S. Army’s intelligence unit in the 1960’s.
He was was also involved with the shows ‘Inside American Jail’ and ‘Las Vegas Jailhouse,’ with whom he collaborated with his other son Morgan, who also produced ‘Cops.’ His work also included the documentary ‘Cocaine Blues’ in 1983 and his first reality television special ‘American Vice: The Doping of a Nation’ in 1986.
In addition to Zac and Morgan, Langley is survived by his wife Maggie, his daughters Samantha and Jennifer and seven grandchildren.
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Article Courtesy of Complex
First Picture Courtesy of Todd Oren and Getty Images
Second Picture Courtesy of Lawrence K. Ho and Getty Images
R.I.P. ‘COPS’ Mastermind John Langley Has Died at Age 78 was originally published on wzakcleveland.com
