Hollywood Tough

Stephen J. Cannell (1941-2010) was the author of the bestselling Shane Scully books, including The Prostitute's Ball, The Pallbearers, and Three Shirt Deal. He was also an Emmy Award winning television writer and producer, and in his thirty-five-year-career, he created or co-created more than forty TV series. Among his hits were The Rockford Files, Silk Stalkings, The A-Team, 21 Jump Street, Hunter, Renegade, Wiseguy, and The Commish. He received numerous awards, including the Saturn Award - Life Career Award (2004), The Marlow Lifetime Achievement Award from Mystery Writers of America (2005), and the WGA Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement (2006). Having overcome severe dyslexia, Cannell was an avid spokesperson on the condition and an advocate for children and adults with learning disabilities. He was a third-generation Californian and resided in the Pasadena area with his wife, Marcia, and their children.

Paul Michael was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada where he performed on stage, radio, and TV including a regular role on the TV series The Beachcombers. He also received an ACTRA award nomination (the Canadian equivalent of an Emmy) for best actor in a TV movie for Gold Mountain Fever. Paul has guest starred in several American TV series including VIP and Alias and has narrated nearly fifty recorded books, both abridged and unabridged, and has been twice nominated for an Audie award. Some of his most popular recordings include The Tristan Betrayal, Hollywood Tough, Sons of Fortune, Second Spring, and The Da Vinci Code. Paul now makes his home in Southern California with his wife and two daughters.