Taurean Blacque, ‘Hill Street Blues’ Staple, Dies At 82

Actor Taurean Blacque, a veteran of 80s TV who was best known as Detective Neal Washington in Hill Street Blues, has died in Atlanta at the age of 82 after a brief illness. He portrayed TV detectives in over 100 episodes of Hill Street Blues and also in the soap opera Savannah.

Taurean Blacque Cause Of Death

Taurean Blacque was born Herbert Middleton Jr. in Newark, New Jersey on May 10, 1940. He later took the name Taurean as his stage name because his astrological sign is Taurus. He began his performance career at the New Federal Theatre in New York City.

He appeared in several sitcoms in small roles including Taxi, Good Times, Sanford and Son and The Bob Newhart Show. He also lent his voice to the animated film Oliver and Company

Blacque’s most iconic character was from his seven seasons on Hill Street Blues. Detective Neal Washington was always wearing a cap and was often gnawing on a toothpick as well. He even received a Supporting Actor Emmy nomination for his acting in the show, created by Michael Kozoll and Steven Bocho. That year, in a funny coincidence, everyone nominated in Blacque’s category came from the same show.

His acting career slowed by the 2000s, and he was briefly named as the spokesman for the county of Los Angeles Adoption Service. This inspired Blacque to adopt ten children, which joined his two biological sons to make a massive family. He even served as a national spokesperson for adoption after being asked by George H.W. Bush to take the role in 1989.

He later moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta for more space for his family and spent the rest of his life living there. Blacque was also active with southern theater companies including the Atlanta Black Theater Company and the Alliance Theater. He is survived by 12 children, 18 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.