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The Treme staff writer and co-executive producer died of a brain aneurism yesterday. He was only 48. HBO just issued this statement: “HBO is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague David Mills. He was a gracious and humble man, and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, as well as those who were aware of his immense talent. David has left us too soon but his brilliant work will live on.”
A former newspaper feature writer, Mills wrote for some of TV’s finest dramas, including Homicide: Life on the Street, NYPD Blue, ER and The Wire, and won two Emmys for his HBO miniseries The Corner. He also created and exec produced the NBC miniseries Kingpin. Mills recently told the New Orleans Times Picayune that his contribution to the writing of the series Treme was as an outsider attempting to help the local scribes interpret the show’s themes – Hurricane Katrina recovery as expressed through the city’s musical and culinary subcultures – for audiences beyond New Orleans. It is truly tragic he won’t be there for Treme’s debut April 11th.
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Ground Breaker
Emmy taker
H B O
N B C
Insight, Exterior, Interior.
Scene maker.
Rest in Peace.
Very sad day. Condolences to his family and friends. Way too young.
I was a young journalist in Seattle thinking of making the transition to Hollywood writing. Everyone I met along the way laughed in my face.
One person didn’t: David Mills.
We first met at a journalist conference in Seattle (he had successfully made the transition from the Washington Post and was a guest speaker for a session called “Writing for Hollywood”) and he took me to a local restaurant for lunch. We talked for hours about the industry and craft. A month or so later, unsolicited, a note and screenplay from David showed up in my mailbox. He was again encouraging me to take the plunge and had sent a spec script he had penned to break-in. (He also mentioned how he had challenged himself to become a Hollywood writer after hearing a top TV producer say there were few talented minority writers available!)
As David soared to success, I always marveled at how humble and generous he was for being so exponentially talented. He was, as they say in the South, “good people.”
Yes, he was an outstanding writer. To say the same for him as a human being would be an understatement. I will forever remember him, his writing legacy and the kind way he treated “a nobody” in an industry not known for dispensing human kindnesses.
Rest In Peace, David.
You are a trailblazer, gone far too soon.
Very touching eulogy.
Yes, truly wonderful. Captures his spirit and kindness.
This is very, very sad. He was incredibly talented and will be missed.
Wasn’t afraid to speak the truth.
Really hate being reminded that people can just drop dead, in an instant, with no warning whatsoever, even people who take good care of themselves. Alive and well one second, dead the next.
Are brain aneurysms preventable/detectable? Can you go in for a check-up and say, “Oh yeah, and please check me for potential brain aneurysms, doc.”
He was one of the best writers in this business. Original voice, great spirit. RIP, David. You’ll be missed.
Very sad, a really nice unassuming chap. And a major authority on George Clinton.
90% of the writers in this town, and 90% of the actors have zero talent. zero.
This guy had it.
So sad and shocking. Condolences to his family and friends indeed.
Wow – stunning. I was fortunate enough to meet/correspond with him a few times. I read his blog weekly (http://www.undercoverblackman.blogspot.com/) which was a great insight into an open, gracious and talented man, with a great quirky heart. His last posting was on 3/29… he will be missed!
Did not know him, but am truly saddened — his work, esp in this day & age, was truly spectacular. Condolences to all who knew him. Not to be too catty, but why couldn’t it be a writer on “Two and a Half Men”? Okay, that was bad (and so is the show).
David was my features editor back in college for our campus newspaper. As I wrote stories about the industry, he was instrumental in helping me improve my journalistic and writing skills. I remember he wrote an amazing editorial about being a lighter-skinned black male and how both blacks and whites treated him because they “couldn’t tell” what his race was. It was an eloquent piece and small glimmer into what a talented writer he was. I truly regret never getting to reconnect with him as I started working behind the scenes in the industry, but I was always proud to see how far he went and was always reminded that I can get there too.
I never met David in person, but spoke to him several times on the phone and he was always gracious and willing to provide guidence. My deepest condolences to his family and friends, I know he will be missed.
He gave me one of my first acting jobs, but more than that, during the audition, he gave me more. HE took the time to encourage me to continue down this path in the middle of the audition. That had never happened to me before or since during a producer session, and I’m still happily in this business. Rest in Peace David, and Thank You. My condolences to his family. What a wonderful man.
I was a P.A. at Spelling when David was developing Kingpin, and while I can’t say we were close, I had several interactions with him during that time. I remember him as a complete sweetheart who didn’t care about people’s levels. He treated everyone with respect and dignity, which are too often in short supply in this business. Humble, easy to talk to, and a great great writer, he will be missed.
I had the opportunity to develop a couple of scripts with David and he was truly a special and talented man. A true loss to our business and the world.
He was a good guy, I’m happy that I had a chance to meet him and work with him.
It’s terrible that this happened right on the eve of his next project.
Here’s link to an obituary written by David Simon, his co-producer, writer, etc, that appeared in the New Orleans “Times-Picayune”.
http://www.nola.com/treme-hbo/index.ssf/2010/03/david_simon_remembers_his_frie.html
I couldn’t believe this when I read about it yesterday. wow.
He was the best writer for some of the best TV shows of all time- The Corner, The Wire, Homicide:Life on The Street, NYPD Blue. His death was a shock but his life will be forever remembered for all of the good work he did writing successful, well acted, realistically portrayed, all inclusive dramas ever to hit prime time. David Mills, you will surely be missed as you contributed something that no one else could to each show that you wrote for. No one can ever replace you or your work, you died too young and now the only thing you can do is Rest In Peace.