document_title: List of Blue Bloods characters

question_text: who plays linda reagans brother on blue bloods

question_tokens: who plays linda reagans brother on blue bloods

text: List of Blue Bloods characters

text: Reagan family[edit]

text: Frank Reagan[edit]

text:
Frank Reagan

Blue Bloods character

Frank Reagan is played by actor Tom Selleck.

First appearance
"Pilot"
September 24, 2010

Created by
Robin Green
Mitchell Burgess

Portrayed by
Tom Selleck

Information

Full name
Francis Xavier Reagan

Gender
Male

Occupation
Police officer/ police commissioner

Title
New York City Police Commissioner

Family
Henry Reagan (father)
Betty Reagan (mother)†
Peter Christopher Reagan (older brother)†

Spouse(s)
Mary Margaret Reagan (wife)†

Children
Danny Reagan
Erin Reagan
Joe Reagan†
Jamie Reagan

Relatives
Charles Reagan (grandfather)†
Teddy Reagan (great-uncle)
Linda Reagan (daughter-in-law)†
Eddie Janko (future daughter-in-law)
Jack Boyle (ex-son-in-law)
Nicky Reagan-Boyle (granddaughter)
Jack Reagan (grandson)
Sean Reagan (grandson)

Religion
Catholic

Nationality
American

Police career

Department
New York City Police Department

Years of service
1974 – Present

Rank
 Commissioner

Awards
US Flag Breast Bar
World Trade Center Breast Bar
NYPD Medal of Honor
NYPD Combat Cross (2)
NYPD Meritorious Police Duty
NYPD Excellent Police Duty
NYPD Unit Citation
NYPD 1986 Liberty Breast Bar
NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar
NYPD Award of Merit

text: Commissioner Francis Xavier Reagan is a fictional character and the protagonist of the CBS TV series Blue Bloods. He is portrayed by former Magnum P.I. star Tom Selleck.

text: Biography and family[edit]

text: Frank is the younger son of Henry (Len Cariou) and Betty Reagan, born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York in the early 1950s. His older brother, Peter Christopher Reagan, died of leukemia at the age of 18 months over a year before Frank was born.[1]

text: Frank married Mary Margaret Reagan in the early 1970s, and they have four children together: Danny, Erin, Joe, and Jamie. Each of Frank's sons followed him into the NYPD: Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) is a Detective 1st Grade and lead investigator with the 54th Precinct's Detective Squad; Joe was a Detective with the Warrants Squad who was murdered on the orders of his partner Sonny Malevsky (Michael T. Weiss), the leader of a corrupt gang of police officers called the Blue Templar;[2] and Jamie (Will Estes) is a patrol officer assigned to the 12th Precinct with a law degree from Harvard University. Frank's only daughter, Erin (Bridget Moynahan), is also in law enforcement as a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney. Erin was promoted to Deputy Bureau Chief of the NYCDA's Trial Bureau in 2013.[3]

text: In addition to his children, Frank is also a loving grandfather to Erin's daughter, Nicky Reagan-Boyle (Sami Gayle), and Danny's two children, Jack (Tony Terraciano) and Sean Reagan (Andrew Terraciano). In one episode, it is mentioned that Frank's wife's grandfather was one of the builders on the Brooklyn Bridge in the 1870s and '80s.[4] Frank's dad's father, Charles Reagan, was an Irish immigrant who served in World War I before becoming a police officer. Charles was the one who taught him how to fish. In "Whistle Blower" (season 2, episode 10), Frank mentions his great-uncle Teddy Reagan, a member of the NYPD Mounted Unit, who spent a cold night in a boxcar with his horse, Dolly, and woke up in Pittsburgh.

text: Growing up, Frank became friends with Angelo Gallo (Chazz Palminteri), who grew up to be one of the top mafia lawyers. After Gallo was shot on the orders of a former client, Frank has him publicly arrested for hindering prosecution, to protect him from being considered a rat.[5] Another close friend of his is Monsignor Walter Donahue, a member of the city archdiocese.

text: However, it is also mentioned that Frank does not have many friends in the New York City Council,[6] especially after Danny's arrest of city Councilman Tony Mancini (Richard Burgi), a former NYPD detective, for domestic abuse.[7]

text: Service[edit]

text: After serving in the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War (during which time he held the rank of Lieutenant and was awarded the Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal[8]), Frank became the third generation of Reagans to become a police officer. He began his career as a patrol officer stationed at the 27th Precinct. After three years on patrol, he was promoted to Detective 3rd Grade. Since then, he has served in various positions across the city, including Chief of the Brooklyn South Division and the Chief of Department of the NYPD, culminating in being appointed Police Commissioner.

text: In the 1970s, Frank led the attempt to apprehend Whitey Brennan, the head of the Westies, at his grandson's baptism. Due to the chaos, a shootout ensued in which two police officers were wounded and four people from the Westies were killed, including Whitey's wife and grandson.[9]

text: In the early 1980s, Frank served in the Canine Unit as a dog handler. However, he transferred out of the unit after Greta, his partner, was shot and killed by a burglar Frank sent her in after.[10]

text: From 1995 to 1999, Frank was the Commanding Officer of the Special Investigations Unit, a special anti-narcotics task force.[11]

text: On September 11, 2001, Frank was working in the North Tower when the South Tower collapsed. He spent days at Ground Zero, and took refuge at St. Paul's Chapel, where he and other officers slept in the pews.[12]

text: As a "Member Of the Service" (MOS) prior to 1994, Frank continues to carry a revolver (a Colt Official Police "Fitz Special" that originally belonged to his father and grandfather) as his duty weapon.[13] He also owns a Colt Government M1911.[11] At one point, he uses it on a serial rapist who was about to rape and kill Erin.

text: As police commissioner[edit]

text:
List of Blue Bloods characters

New York City Police Commissioner

Incumbent

Assumed office
September 24, 2010

Appointed by
Frank Russo
Carter Poole

Preceded by
Commissioner Connors

text: Frank was appointed the Police Commissioner by Mayor Frank Russo (Bruce Altman). In 2011, after the election of Carter Poole (David Ramsey), Frank offers to tender his resignation, but Poole decided to keep Frank on as PC.[14] In 2015, after Mayor Poole's successful reelection, Frank struggles with whether he even wants to stay on for another four years as PC, assuming the Mayor even asks him to. He ultimately decides to stay for "as long as the Mayor's head is in his ass" (which was remarked as indefinitely). The Mayor officially asked Frank to re-up in February 2016 and he agrees.[15][16]

text: Frank has an indifferent attitude towards politics, often taking on the mayor and numerous reporters who misinterpret his actions. He tries hard not to judge people, and tends to purse his lips together when hearing bad news or the horrific details of an ongoing case. He also refuses to play favorites; in season 4, he mentions that he is afraid to recommend Jamie, now with four years on the force, for promotion to Detective because it would look like nepotism.[17]

text: In 2011, Frank was shot by Kevin Brennan (Jack Gwaltney), the son of the former head of the Westies who Frank arrested back in the '70s.[9]

text: In 2013, Frank is the target of an assassination attempt by Hector Santiago (Omar Maskati), a mentally-challenged teenager of the Bitterman housing projects who is tricked by a member of the Los Lordes gang who declared war on the NYPD. The bullets miss Frank, but hit Mayor Poole, leaving him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.[18]

text: One of Frank's predecessors, "Crooked" Commissioner Connors, served time in a federal prison after his term as PC was completed and left him with more than one mess to clean up, including Officer Thomas Sculley (Warren Kole), one of four patrol officers who, a few months after 9/11, accidentally shot an unarmed Muslim teenager, and was acquitted of all charges and allowed by then-Commissioner Connors to keep his job. In 2016, Officer Sculley, who had kept his head down for the last 14 years and made great strides to atone for his horrible rookie mistake, passed the Sergeant's exam with flying colors. Frank was reluctant to promote him, lest tensions between the citizens and the police grow even worse and ultimately offered Officer Sculley a choice: transfer to another city (Long Island, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Boulder, Colorado, or San Diego were among the departments Frank talked to) or take his promotion to Sergeant and ride a desk at the NYPD Erie Basin Auto Pound in Brooklyn for the rest of his career.[19]

text: In the first season, Frank is well regarded and respected by his officers and his city, to the point where the Mayor felt threatened by his popularity; however, by season 6, public opinion regarding the police – and him personally – has changed so drastically that he gets booed off-stage while speaking at Columbia University.[20] However, in season 7, new mayor Margaret Dutton affirms that his polls are better than any of the NY Mayors[21]

text: Frank was nearly served with a vote of no confidence by the NYPD rank and file in 2012 when he publicly apologized for the accidental shooting of a black man by a rookie patrol officer (Corbin Bleu) instead of waiting for the official report.[22]

text: Senior staff[edit]

text: The following officers are among Frank's senior staff who assist him in his duties as the New York City Police Commissioner.

text:
First Deputy Commissioner – Vincenzo (John Bedford Lloyd)
Deputy Commissioner, Public Information/de facto Chief of Staff – Garrett Moore (Gregory Jbara)
Chief of Department – Ed Hines (John Rue) (Ret. 2013)
Chief of Department – Dino Arbogast (John Ventimiglia) (terminated, 2014)
Special Assistant to the Commissioner – Lieutenant Sidney Gormley (de facto Chief of Department) (Robert Clohessy)
Chief of Organized Crime Control Bureau – Bureau Chief Dino Arbogast (John Ventimiglia) (promoted to Chief of Department in 2013)
Chief of Intelligence – Bureau Chief Bryce Helfond (Victor Slezak)
Chief of Gang Division – Deputy Chief Donald Kent (Dennis Haysbert) (promoted to Assistant Chief and then KIA, 2015)
Primary Aide – Detective 1st Grade Abigail Baker, PC's (Detective) Squad (Abigail Hawk)

text: List of assignments[edit]

text: The following are Frank's known police assignments.

text:
Patrol Officer, NYPD 27th Precinct[23]
Patrol Officer, NYPD 25th Precinct[24]
Detective, NYPD 21st Precinct[25]
Senior Detective, NYPD Homicide[26]
Dog handler, NYPD Canine Unit[10]
Commanding Officer, NYPD Special Investigations Unit[11]
Deputy Chief, NYPD Patrol Borough Brooklyn South[27]
Chief of Department, NYPD[28](Wears the uniform and shield to Academy graduation.)
New York City Police Commissioner[28]

tag: ol

text: Partners[edit]

text: Over his career, Frank has had numerous partners.

text:
Jimmy Burke (Gary Basaraba) – Frank's partner while stationed at the 27th Precinct who took a bullet for him. He was eventually promoted to Inspector and placed in command of the 15th Precinct. While up for a promotion to Deputy Chief as the Deputy Commander of Patrol Borough Manhattan South, it was revealed that he had been cooking the books for his precinct's CompStats. Frank allowed him to retire rather than face demotion to Captain and reassignment to the 128th Precinct in Staten Island.[23]
Lenny Ross (Treat Williams) – Frank's partner while stationed at the 25th Precinct; by 2016, Lenny had retired and wrote a book about the bad old days entitled "Back in the Day" detailing their exploits.[24]
John McKenna – An NYPD officer who was with Frank during 9/11 who later got sick and died from illness he was exposed to during the attacks.[29]
Greta – When assigned to the Canine Unit as a dog handler, Frank's partner was Greta. He transferred out of the unit after Greta was shot and killed by a burglar Frank sent her in after.[10]

text: Danny Reagan[edit]

text:
Danny Reagan

Blue Bloods character

Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg)

First appearance
"Pilot"
September 24, 2010

Created by
Robin Green
Mitchell Burgess

Portrayed by
Donnie Wahlberg

Information

Full name
Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan

Gender
Male

Occupation
Police officer

Family
Frank Reagan (father)
Mary Margaret Reagan (mother)†
Erin Reagan (younger sister)
Joseph Conor "Joe" Reagan (younger brother)†
Jamison "Jamie" Reagan (younger brother)

Spouse(s)
Linda Reagan (wife)†

Significant other(s)
Marianne Romano (ex-girlfriend)

Children
Jack Reagan
Sean Reagan

Relatives
Henry Reagan (grandfather)
Betty Reagan (grandmother)†
Peter Christopher Reagan (uncle)†
Charles Reagan (great-grandfather)†
Eddie Janko (future sister-in-law)
Jack Boyle (ex-brother-in-law)
Wendy Lightner (sister-in-law)
Jimmy (brother-in-law)
Nicky Reagan-Boyle (niece)
Sofie Lightner (niece)

Religion
Catholic

Nationality
American

Police career

Department
New York City Police Department

Years of service
1990s – Present

Rank
Detective 1st Grade

Awards
American Flag Breast Bar
World Trade Center Breast Bar
NYPD Medal of Honor
NYPD Combat Cross
NYPD Medal for Valor
NYPD Honorable Mention
NYPD Meritorious Police Duty
Marine Corps Service Award

text: Detective First Grade Daniel Fitzgerald Reagan is the eldest son of Commissioner Frank Reagan. He is portrayed by Donnie Wahlberg.

text: Biography[edit]

text: The oldest son of the current New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan and his wife Mary, Danny grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with a younger sister, Erin, and two younger brothers, Joe and Jamie. He was happily married to Linda since 1996, with whom he has two sons, Jack (b. 2000) and Sean (b. 2004), until Linda's death between seasons 7 and 8. They lived on Staten Island until their home was destroyed in a fire in the season 7 finale, which was set by a drug cartel in retaliation to a recent bust Danny made. During high school, Danny dated Marianne Romano (Charisma Carpenter), who was described by his partner Baez as "the queen bee, super good looking, a little crazy, and dynamite in the sack" to which he agreed.[30] As a young man, Danny worked construction.

text: For a class project of Nicky's, Danny mentioned that when he was three years old, he wanted to be a firefighter for Halloween, but his grandfather Henry swore that as long as he was alive, no Reagan would ever be a member of the FDNY, got him into a police uniform, and he "never took it off" until he made Detective.[31]

text: On the job for 15 years (as of season 1), Danny took a leave of absence from the New York City Police Department to serve two tours in the Iraq War as a Marine. Danny saw combat in Fallujah, and was the only member of his platoon to come home alive (resulting in some post-traumatic stress).[32] During his time in the Marines, Danny was decorated for heroism.

text: He is old-school; his hotheadedness and harsh methods of detective work sometimes get him in trouble, which his father worries about. When asked if his son "crosses the line" and violates procedure from time to time, Frank answered, "I think he walks on the line".[33] Danny is hard on other policemen and detectives when he feels they are unprofessional or not doing their duty to its utmost. He is currently assigned to the Detective Squad of the 54th Precinct, and partnered with Detective Maria Baez. In "Most Wanted", it is mentioned that he leads the Manhattan South Detective Borough in both collars and complaints.[34] In "Love Stories", he and Baez are awarded the NYPD Medal for Valor for their actions in "Partners".

text: As a detective with the NYPD, Danny carries a Kahr K9 in 9×19mm as his duty weapon, and drives a Dodge Charger on duty, which replaced his previous Chevrolet Impala 9C1. He also owns a Glock 19 in 9×19mm, and previously used a Smith & Wesson 5946 in 9×19mm. Danny drove a Jeep XJ Cherokee as his personal/family vehicle from Season 1 to Season 5, whilst Linda drove a rather troublesome 2001 Kia Sedona/Carnival; this vehicle was replaced when Henry lost his driver's license and gave Linda his car. In Season 6, Danny's Cherokee was replaced by a fourth-generation Ford Explorer.

text: Partners[edit]

text: Over his career, Danny has had numerous partners.

text:
Detective Darryl Reid (Malik Yoba)[35] – Partnered together for "eight months seven years ago" (c. 2008), Reid's career came to an end (and put Danny's in jeopardy) when it was revealed that he planted evidence to secure a murder conviction.
Detective DeMarcus King (Flex Alexander)[28]
Detective Ava Hotchkiss (Yvonna Kopacz Wright)[36] – First partner of Danny's when he was assigned to Major Crimes.
Detective First Grade Jackie Curatola (Jennifer Esposito)[13] – From 2010 until 2012, Danny was primarily partnered with Detective Jackie Curatola at the 54th Precinct. In 2012, Jackie took early retirement from the NYPD after starting to show signs of burning out.[37]
Detective Kate Lansing (Megan Ketch)[37] – Assigned to replace Detective Curatola in 2012, Detective Kate Lansing worked with Danny for almost three months. She transferred back to Internal Affairs after the arrest of Captain Derek Elwood (Nestor Serrano), who framed Danny for possession of narcotics in order to prevent him from discovering his gambling problem.[38]
Detective Candice "Mac" McElroy (Megan Boone)[39] – A temporary addition to the 54th Precinct, Detective Candice McElroy briefly served as Danny's partner in 2013.
Detective First Grade Maria Baez (Marisa Ramirez)[40] – Danny's partner since 2013. Previously spent three years with the Joint Bank Robbery Task Force until it was disbanded in 2011.

text: Erin Reagan[edit]

text:
Erin Reagan

Blue Bloods character

First appearance
"Pilot"
September 24, 2010

Created by
Robin Green
Mitchell Burgess

Portrayed by
Bridget Moynahan

Information

Full name
Erin Reagan

Gender
Female

Occupation
Prosecutor

Family
Frank Reagan (father)
Mary Margaret Reagan (mother)†
Daniel Fitzgerald "Danny" Reagan (older brother)
Joseph Conor "Joe" Reagan (younger brother)†
Jamison "Jamie" Reagan (younger brother)

Spouse(s)
Jack Boyle (ex-husband)

Significant other(s)
Charles Rosselini (romantic interest)
Jacob Krystal (romantic interest)
Jack Boyle (fling)
Robert McCoy (ex-boyfriend)

Children
Nicky Reagan

Relatives
Henry Reagan (grandfather)
Betty Reagan (grandmother)†
Peter Christopher Reagan (uncle)†
Charles Reagan (great-grandfather)†
Linda Reagan (sister-in-law)†
Eddie Janko (future sister-in-law)
Jack Reagan (nephew)
Sean Reagan (nephew)

Religion
Catholic

Nationality
American

DA career

Department
Manhattan District Attorney's Office

Years of service
2000s – Present

Rank
Deputy Bureau Chief

text: Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan is Frank Reagan's sole daughter. She is portrayed by Bridget Moynahan.

text: Biography[edit]

text: A New York County Assistant District Attorney and single mother, Erin is the second child and only daughter of the current New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan and his wife Mary. She grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, with three brothers, Danny, Joe, and Jamie. It is implied throughout the series that she had something of a wild streak growing up (unlike her daughter). In season 5, it is mentioned that she graduated top of her class from Columbia University; she later went on to attend Fordham University School of Law.[41] In season 6, Erin celebrated her 40th birthday.[42]

text: Erin is divorced from John "Jack" Boyle (Peter Hermann), a criminal defense attorney, whom she met when they were 19. In "Old Wounds", she finally changes her name from Erin Reagan-Boyle back to Erin Reagan.[43] Since her divorce, Erin has had a few romantic interests. She and her boss, District Attorney Charles Rosselini (Bobby Cannavale), flirted with each other and even shared a kiss after a date, but nothing ever came of it mainly due to Erin's reluctance with the idea of dating her boss. In 2011, she met Jacob Krystal (Fred Weller) at an art gallery; she later learned that he was an art thief who returned once-stolen works to their rightful owners, and he left town. In 2013, after being shot in a courtroom hostage situation, she started up a fling with her ex-husband Jack but broke up when they started getting serious again (lest he break her heart again, or their daughter find out that they were once again "hooking up"). In 2014, she met Robert McCoy, a defense attorney, on a speed-date, and the two became romantically involved until he was appointed interim District Attorney, at which point she said she can't sleep with her boss.

text: Erin is almost raped and killed in "Re-Do", though Frank saves her life by shooting her attacker dead.[44] In "To Protect and Serve", Erin is taken hostage and shot in the arm at the courthouse. She is saved by Danny after he says a coded message, "Please, don't hurt my family," after which she dropped to the ground, and Danny shot her assailant. It is revealed that their father taught them this when they were young, as a plan in case one of them was ever held at gunpoint.[45]

text: In "Working Girls", Erin is offered the position of Deputy Mayor of Operations by Mayor Poole, but she turns him down.[46] In "Ends and Means", Erin is promoted from Senior Counsel to Deputy Bureau Chief of the Trial Bureau.[3] In the season four finale, she filed a complaint against her boss, Bureau Chief Amanda Harris, upon learning she had abused her power.[47] In season six, Erin was considered for a judgeship.[48]

text: Like the rest of her family, Erin is licensed to carry a firearm. Her weapon of choice is the Glock 19 in 9×19mm and, according to Frank, she's a better shot than Danny and Jamie. In season 8, we found out Erin wanted to join the police force like her family, wanted to take the exam but it wasn't for her and chose law and become a prosecutor.[11]

text: Jamie Reagan[edit]

text:
Jamie Reagan

Blue Bloods character

First appearance
"Pilot"
September 24, 2010

Created by
Robin Green
Mitchell Burgess

Portrayed by
Will Estes

Information

Full name
Jamison Reagan

Aliases
Jimmy Riordan

Gender
Male

Occupation
Police officer

Family
Frank Reagan (father)
Mary Margaret Reagan (mother)†
Daniel Fitzgerald "Danny" Reagan (older brother)
Erin Reagan (older sister)
Joseph Conor "Joe" Reagan (older brother)†

Significant other(s)
Sydney Davenport (ex-fiancée)
Laura Peck (former romantic interest)
Bianca Sanfino (former romantic interest)
Dana (fling)
Eddie Janko (Fiancée)

Relatives
Henry Reagan (grandfather)
Betty Reagan (grandmother)†
Peter Christopher Reagan (uncle)†
Charles Reagan (great-grandfather)†
Linda Reagan (sister-in-law)†
Jack Boyle (ex-brother-in-law)
Nicky Reagan-Boyle (niece)
Jack Reagan (nephew)
Sean Reagan (nephew)

Religion
Catholic

Nationality
American

Police career

Department
New York City Police Department

Years of service
2010 – Present

Rank
Officer

Awards
American Flag Breast Bar
NYPD Honorable Mention
NYPD Firearms Proficiency Bar

text: Officer Jamison Reagan is the youngest son of Frank Reagan. He is portrayed by Will Estes.

text: Biography[edit]

text: A young police officer and recent Harvard Law School graduate, Jamie is the youngest child of the current New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan and his wife Mary. Jamie grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with two older brothers, Danny and Joe, and an older sister, Erin. His shield number is 60528.

text: He is stationed at the 12th Precinct, and is partnered with Sgt. Anthony Renzulli (his training officer) in seasons one and two, Officer Vinny Cruz in season three, and Officer Eddie Janko since season four. During his first year on the job, Jamie was the one who continued Joe Reagan's investigation into the Blue Templar. In season two, he takes advantage of a chance opportunity to go undercover in the Sanfino crime family. In "Front Page News", Jamie gets his first kill in what he learns is a suicide by cop; the shooting leaves him with brief post-shooting trauma (more so since Bryant's death was found to be a suicide-by-cop), but between his family and the NYPD psychologist (Annabella Sciorra), he quickly recovers. In season four, he begins to express concerns because both his father and brother had made detective by that point in their careers, while he is still a patrol officer. In season six, Jamie is studying for and is considering taking the Sergeant's exam; however, he ultimately decides against taking it. In season seven, Frank gets wind from the ranks that he may be the only thing holding Jamie back from becoming a detective. When pressed, Jamie informs his father that he's happy where he is in his career and doesn't necessarily want another assignment. In that same episode, it is mentioned that Jamie is the only NYPD employee with a Harvard Law degree that walks a beat.

text: While attending Harvard, Jamie met and became involved with Sydney Davenport and the two even got engaged. However, Sydney broke up with him a few months after he became a police officer when realizing the true danger of his career.

text: Since 2013, there has been significant romantic tension between Jamie and his patrol partner, Eddie Janko, with the two even sharing a kiss. Despite this, Jamie has chosen not to act on his feelings after learning that Sergeant Renzulli would reassign them to new road partners if they did. Despite agreeing to keep things professional, there remained lingering romantic tension between the two. In 2018, Jamie and Eddie get engaged along with choosing to remain as partners on the job after discovering there is no official rule against it.

text: As a uniformed patrol officer, Jamie drives a patrol car on duty and carries a Glock 19 in 9×19mm as his duty weapon; while in plainclothes, Jamie uses the smaller Glock 26 in 9×19mm.[12] While off-duty, Jamie drove his brother Joe's 1971 Chevy Chevelle Malibu SS until it was sabotaged and totaled by the Blue Templar.[49]

text: Partners[edit]

text: Over his career, Jamie has had a few partners.

text:
Sergeant Anthony Renzulli (Nicholas Turturro)[28] – Jamie's training officer, Sgt. Renzulli knows the beat of his precinct very well and often offers Jamie good advice when he needs it. He believes Jamie will make a great cop, and often pokes fun at him for abandoning a lucrative law career.
Officer Vincent Cruz (Sebastian Sozzi)[22] – Jamie's partner who grew up in the Bitterman housing projects neighborhood of New York City. In "The Bitter End", Cruz and Jamie are patrolling near the Bitterman Houses and come across a purse snatcher who leads them on a chase through the project. The purse snatching proves to be a setup, and both officers find themselves under fire from Los Lourdes gang members. Cruz is hit twice in the neck and despite Jamie's best efforts, he dies at the scene from massive internal bleeding.[6]
Officer Edit "Eddie" Janko (Vanessa Ray)[50] – A younger police officer and Jamie's current partner. Feisty and strongly opinionated, she is very passionate when it comes to her job. As of late, her latent romantic feelings for Jamie have become more apparent, but they mutually decided not to pursue a romantic relationship lest they lose their partnership. However, they announced their engagement to the Reagan family in the season 8 finale, "My Aim Is True".

text: Henry Reagan[edit]

text: Former Commissioner Henry Reagan is Frank Reagan's father. He is portrayed by Len Cariou.

text: Biography[edit]

text: The retired Police Commissioner and father of Frank (grandfather of Danny, Erin, Jamie, and the late Joe; great-grandfather of Nicky, Sean, and Jack). His childhood during the 1920s and 1930s was hard due to his father, Charles, an Irish immigrant, World War I veteran and former police officer, being an alcoholic and unable to hold a job. Henry was a Marine in World War II and Korea, and joined the NYPD in 1952. He got married in 1955. Like his grandson Danny, Henry is socially conservative and hates the political correctness of modern law and order. His wife of 46 years, Betty, died December 2, 2001. It is later revealed that Henry and Betty had another son, Peter Christopher, who died of leukemia at the age of 18 months, over a year before Frank was born.

text: In "Bad Blood", it was revealed that he once rode with one of the first female patrol officers, Colleen McGuire (Anita Gillette). Henry admitted that they both had romantic feelings for each other, but never acted on them since he was married. He had his boss reassign Colleen to a different partner to avoid putting his marriage at further risk, but remained good friends with her.[10]

text: In "Stomping Grounds", it was mentioned that Henry, during his days as a Detective with the Vice Squad, transferred out of the unit when he started to see every woman on the street as a hooker.[51]

text: In "Town Without Pity", Henry mentioned that during the New York City blackout of 1977 he was stationed in the South Bronx.[52]

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Len Cariou, separated in age from Tom Selleck by only six years, wears make-up and a dental prosthetic to appear older.
In "A Night on the Town" is revealed that Betty had a wooden box in which she put all her "treasures". One of these treasures is a U.S. Army Master sergeant insignia that can't be Henry's or Frank's insignia because they served in the United States Marine Corps.

text: Linda Reagan[edit]

text: Nurse Linda Rose Reagan (née O'Shea) was Danny Reagan's wife. She was portrayed by Daytime Emmy-nominated actress, Amy Carlson.

text: Biography[edit]

text: The wife of Danny from 1996–2017 and mother of their two sons. She loves her husband and the Reagan family, but at times, Danny's obsessive attitude toward collaring criminals makes her wonder whether he views his job as a higher priority than his family. In seasons one and two, she is a stay-at-home mom, but she returns to her nursing job at St. Victor's Medical Center in season three.[22]

text: She has an older sister, Wendy (Laurie Williams), and a niece, Sofie, who is a fashion model.[53] She has a brother, Jimmy O'Shea (Kevin Dillon), who has been in and out of trouble with the law.[54]

text: In "New Rules", Linda is shot at the hospital by a teenage gangbanger who had been ordered to kill a witness, but she eventually makes a full recovery.[55] In "Under the Gun," Linda is mugged while working a community health van in the projects, and uses her father-in-law's influence to bypass the New York City pistol permitting process to obtain an unresricted concealed carry permit and buys a .38 Special Smith & Wesson Model 36 revolver. Ultimately she decides she does not want to carry after all, and gives the pistol to Danny.[56]

text: On May 28, 2017 (between seasons 7 and 8), Linda died in a medivac helicopter crash while tending to a patient being air lifted to the hospital.

text: Nicky Reagan-Boyle[edit]

text: Nicole Reagan is Erin Reagan's daughter. She is portrayed by Sami Gayle.

text: Biography[edit]

text: Erin's daughter, born October 14, 1996, aspires to become an officer like the rest of her family. As of "Old Wounds", she is 16 years old.[43] In season five, she is a high school senior preparing for college; in season six, she is attending Columbia University, her mother's alma mater. She is a very curious young girl and is not afraid to question her uncle Danny and great-grandfather about police matters, often challenging their old school conservatism. During the initial seasons her willingness to be a nonconformist was emphasized by her short hair, but in later seasons she grew it out. She wanted to join the family business as the first female Reagan to be a cop. In season 8, Nicky takes the police exam, over her mother's objections.

text: Notes[edit]

text: In the pilot episode, Nicky is portrayed by Marlene Lawston.

text: Other Reagans[edit]

text: Appearing:

text:
Jack Reagan, Danny and Linda's older son, born circa 2000.[57] He is portrayed by Tony Terraciano.
Sean Reagan, Danny and Linda's younger son, born circa 2004. He is portrayed by Andrew Terraciano, Tony's younger brother.

text: Mentioned but not portrayed on-screen:

text:
Detective 1st Grade Joseph Conor Reagan, son of Frank and Mary, younger brother of Danny and Erin and older brother of Jamie. Joe was a member of the NYPD Warrants Squad partnered with Detective Sonny Malevsky (Michael T. Weiss). He was a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice.[9] He was killed on May 15, 2009, by Sonny when Joe learned that he was the leader of a corrupt gang of police officers called the Blue Templar.[2] Joe's Shield, number 46808, was retired after his death in the line of duty.[58] In "Cursed", the Reagans decided to reinstate the number when an officer made a request to wear it in honor of her late father who had the same number in Boston.
Mary Margaret Reagan, Frank's late wife and the mother of his four children, Danny, Erin, Joe, and Jamie. She died on September 14, 2005, of cancer. In "Fathers and Sons", it is mentioned that her grandfather helped build the Brooklyn Bridge in the 1870s and '80s.[4]
Betty Reagan, Henry's wife of 46 years and the mother of Frank. She died on December 2, 2001.
Peter Christopher Reagan, Henry and Betty's oldest son and Frank's older brother. He died of leukemia when he was only eighteen months old.

text: Recurring characters[edit]

text: Recurring[edit]

text:
Actor
Character
Seasons

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Robert Clohessy
Lieutenant Sidney "Sid" Gormley
Recurring

Gregory Jbara
Garrett Moore
Recurring

Abigail Hawk
Detective Abigail Baker
Recurring

Nicholas Turturro
Sergeant Anthony Renzulli
Recurring
Guest

Andrew Terraciano
Sean Reagan
Recurring

Tony Terraciano
Jack Reagan
Recurring

Bruce Altman
Mayor Frank Russo
Recurring

Guest

Bobby Cannavale
District Attorney Charles Rosselini
Recurring

Noelle Beck
Sue Connors
Recurring

Dylan Moore
Sydney Davenport
Recurring

David Ramsey
Mayor Carter Poole

Recurring
Guest

John Rue
Ed Hines

Recurring

Ato Essandoh
Reverend Darnell Potter

Recurring
Guest

John Ventimiglia
Dino Arbogast

Recurring
Guest
Recurring

Matthew Rauch
Lawrence Skolnick

Recurring
Guest

Guest
Recurring

Peter Hermann
Jack Boyle

Recurring

Guest
Recurring

Victor Slezak
Bureau Chief Bryce Helfond

Recurring
Guest

Guest

Sebastian Sozzi
Officer Vincent "Vinny" Cruz

Recurring

Megan Boone
Detective Candice "Mac" McElroy

Recurring

Megan Ketch
Detective Kate Lansing

Recurring

Brian Roland
Richard

Guest
Recurring

Amy Morton
Trial Bureau Chief ADA Amanda Harris

Guest
Recurring

Racine Russell
Officer Cosgrove

Recurring

Recurring

Bebe Neuwirth
Kelly Peterson

Recurring

Recurring

Holt McCallany
District Attorney Robert McCoy

Guest
Recurring

James Lesure
DA Investigator Alex McBride

Recurring
Guest

LaTanya Richardson
Lieutenant Dee Ann Carver

Recurring

Steve Schirripa
Det. Anthony Abetemarco

Recurring

Pallavi Sastry
Cameron

Recurring

Mark Linn-Baker
Carlton Miller

Recurring

Tamara Tunie
Monica Graham

Recurring

Stacy Keach
Archbishop Kevin Kearns

Recurring
Guest

Sarah Mezzanotte
Officer Brenda Patimkin

Recurring

Lorraine Bracco
Mayor Margaret Dutton

Recurring

Nick Cordero
Victor Lugo

Recurring

Sam Simone
McKenna

Recurring

David Zayas
Governor Martin Mendez

Recurring

text: Associates of Frank[edit]

text: Frank Russo/Robert Levitt[edit]

text: The Mayor of New York City who appointed Frank Reagan to the position of New York City Police Commissioner.[28] He lost the 2011 election to Carter Poole (David Ramsey), who succeeded him as Mayor. While he is credited as the character "Frank Russo" in Season 1, his name is never actually mentioned. He makes a return appearance in Season 3 when his daughter is arrested by Jamie and Vinny for smoking pot. Here, his character is introduced as "Former Mayor Robert Levitt". He is portrayed by Bruce Altman.

text: Carter Poole[edit]

text: Elected to the position of Mayor of New York City in 2011,[14] Carter Poole and Frank butt heads on occasion, but the two have a mutual respect for each other that Poole says went back to his childhood when Frank was a beat cop in his neighborhood and used to look out for the children. In "Parenthood", it is mentioned that he attended Yale University and that he has an illegitimate daughter who does not know about him, aside from the fact that he is the mayor.[59] In "This Way Out", he's shot in an assassination attempt during a town hall meeting by a mentally-challenged teenager who was tricked by a member of the Los Lordes gang operating out of the Bitterman Housing Projects.[18] The shooting leaves the mayor paralyzed from the waist down, confining him to a wheelchair, but does not prevent him from discharging his duties as Mayor.[60] In 2015, he is reelected for another term as Mayor.[15] In 2017, he resigns as Mayor because he is burned out and feels he is not the man to lead the city any longer.

text: He is portrayed by David Ramsey.

text: Margaret Dutton[edit]

text: The New York City Public Advocate under Mayor Carter Poole, Margaret Dutton ascended to the position of interim Mayor of New York City in 2017 after the Mayor's resignation. She is portrayed by Lorraine Bracco.

text: As Mayor, she is aided by Carlton Miller, who is portrayed by Mark Linn-Baker.

text: Martin Mendez[edit]

text: The Governor of New York, known for his thin skin. He is portrayed by David Zayas.

text: Abigail Baker[edit]

text: Detective 1st Grade Abigail Baker is a member of the Police Commissioner's (Detective) Squad who serves as Frank's primary aide. She was credited in Season 1 as "Det. Melissa Baker", however was referred to as Abigail throughout the season and the name was changed in Season 2. Baker is portrayed by Abigail Hawk.

text: In "Manhattan Queens", Baker was harassed by Suffolk County Police Department Deputy Chief Sam DeLuca, who had a romantic interest in her. In the same episode it is revealed that she is from Ocean Bay Park and her parents still live there. She speaks fluent Japanese.[61] Frank mentions she is happily married in season 6 when questioned by his former partner Lenny. She subsequently became pregnant and gave birth during season 7. Having been with Frank for nine years as of season 8's "Heavy Is the Head", Baker longs for more active detective work despite Frank's assurances that he needs her and often leans on her detective's instincts. She receives an offer working for newly-promoted Captain Bullman, who used to be her sergeant, but Frank refuses to let her resign. Frank reluctantly tells Abigail later that he found out Bullman mainly wanted to hire her to have someone in his ranks who could pull favors at 1PP.

text: Garrett Moore[edit]

text: The NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Public Information, who becomes Frank's de facto chief of staff. Before becoming Frank's DCPI, Garrett was a reporter. He has been married and divorced three times, and has a stepson, whom he has tried to keep out of trouble. Garrett and Frank have a rather complex relationship; for example, Frank often expresses dismay when Garrett comes into his office unannounced but also seemingly values his perspective. Furthermore, many episodes depict the two debating an issue regarding what information should or should not be released to the public. In "Nightmares", a woman in Atlantic City, New Jersey accused him of rape, but the allegations were proven to be false when it was revealed that the woman in question was a prostitute who slept with rich married men and then blackmailed them.[37] He is portrayed by Gregory Jbara.

text: Dino Arbogast[edit]

text: Formerly the Organized Crime Control Bureau Chief,[62] Dino Arbogast was promoted to Chief of Department (the highest-ranking uniformed police officer) by Frank after the retirement of the previous Chief, Ed Hines.[50] Dino maintains this role for season 4, until the finale, when he's forced to resign after being caught on video committing lewd acts with an escort hired by a recently deceased brothel madam, and lying about it, and benching Danny in an attempt to keep the act from being discovered.[47] He is portrayed by John Ventimiglia.

text: Kelly Peterson[edit]

text: The newly appointed Inspector General of the NYPD,[57] Kelly Peterson is a former member of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey. In the season 4 finale, Peterson tells Commissioner Reagan about her intent to resign, after finding that she does not have enough "professional animosity" toward the NYPD due to becoming too close to Frank.[47] She is portrayed by Bebe Neuwirth.

text: In season 8, Peterson returns as the Corporation Counsel of New York City.

text: Sidney Gormley[edit]

text: The Supervisor of the 54th Precinct's Detective Squad, Sergeant Sidney Gormley was Danny's boss for over four years. He was frequently exasperated by his subordinate. He lives in New Hyde Park with his wife, Sheila (Cady Huffman), and, according to the certificate in his office, is a graduate of New York University. In "Flags of Our Fathers", Gormley mentions that he is a veteran, and that he lost a grandfather and two uncles in the service.[35]

text: Early in season 5, Gormley is reassigned by Frank to One Police Plaza and appointed as Dino's replacement as Chief of Department. However, due to Gormley not being high enough in rank to be eligible for Chief of Department (who must be at least a captain or higher), he is given the job title "Special Assistant to the Commissioner", which gives him the authorities of the Chief of Department though not the pay grade or privileges. In this capacity, Gormley acts as Frank's liaison to the rank and file.[63] He is later on promoted to Lieutenant.[64] He is portrayed by Robert Clohessy.

text: Senior NYPD officers[edit]

text:
First Deputy Commissioner Vincenzo, NYPD – Frank's 2nd-in-Command; he was considered for the position of New York City Police Commissioner, but the Mayor ultimately appointed Frank to the position.[9] He is portrayed by John Bedford Lloyd.
Chief of Department & former Chief of Detectives Ed Hines, NYPD (Ret. 2013) — The highest-ranking uniformed police officer; he is portrayed by John Rue.[65][66]
Bureau Chief Bryce Helfond, NYPD – The NYPD Chief of Intelligence; he is portrayed by Victor Slezak
Assistant Chief Donald Kent – The Chief of the NYPD Gang Division and a longtime friend of Frank; the day he was promoted to Assistant Chief, he and Maggie, his wife of 30 years, were killed in a drive-by the Warrior Kings gang.[67] He was portrayed by Dennis Haysbert.
Deputy Chief Trevor Jackson – The longtime commander of the New York City Police Department Emergency Service Unit who was forced into mandatory retirement at the age of 63. He is portrayed by Isaiah Washington.

text: Associates of Danny[edit]

text: Jackie Curatola[edit]

text: Detective 1st Grade Jackie Curatola was Danny's previous partner; she is divorced and is regularly the recipient of passes or ogling from her uniformed colleagues and perps alike, much to her annoyance. In 2012, Jackie took early retirement from the NYPD after starting to show signs of burning out.[37] She is portrayed by Jennifer Esposito.

text: As a detective with the NYPD, Jackie carried a Glock 19 in 9×19mm as her duty weapon.

text: Kate Lansing[edit]

text: Assigned to replace Detective Curatola in 2012, Detective Kate Lansing worked with Danny for almost three months. She transferred back to Internal Affairs after the arrest of Captain Derek Elwood (Nestor Serrano), who framed Danny for possession of narcotics in order to prevent him from discovering his gambling problem.[38] She is portrayed by Megan Ketch.

text: Maria Baez[edit]

text: Danny's partner since 2013 (and someone Danny has known for 15 years), Detective 1st Grade Maria Baez previously spent three years with the NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force until it was disbanded in 2011. In "Bad Blood", it is revealed that she has an older brother, Javier (Kirk Acevedo), who is a recovering drug addict,[10] and her mother, Carmen Baez (Saundra Santiago), and her sister, Ana Baez (Liza Colón-Zayas), are introduced in "Stomping Grounds".[51] Before transferring to the 54th Precinct, Maria fell hard for Detective Jimmy Mosely (Johnathon Schaech), but their relationship fizzled out when he refused to leave his wife for her.[19]

text: In "Partners", Javier revealed that he is an informant for the DEA against a drug cartel; he dies saving Maria's life in a raid on that cartel.[68] In "Love Stories", she and Danny are awarded the NYPD Medal for Valor for their actions in "Partners". During season 7, Danny claims that Baez has difficulty establishing or maintaining romantic relationships. She is portrayed by Marisa Ramirez.

text: Dee Ann Carver[edit]

text: The new Commander of the 54th Precinct's Detective Squad, Lieutenant Dee Ann Carver is Danny's strict, by-the-book boss who took over after Sgt. Gormley was transferred to 1PP.[34] She is portrayed by LaTanya Richardson Jackson. She is the adoptive mother of a baby girl whose father committed suicide in front of her and Danny, despite their best efforts to talk him down.

text: Associates of Erin[edit]

text: Jack Boyle[edit]

text: Erin's ex-husband and Nicky's father, Jack Boyle is a formidable defense attorney. Due to his actions after the divorce (including moving away and not keeping in contact with his daughter), Jack is not very well liked by the adults in the Reagan family (although his nephews, Jack and Sean, are both excited to see him when he returns to New York).[43] When Danny was framed for narcotics possession, Henry hired Jack as his attorney.[38]

text: Jack and Erin briefly got back together after surviving a courtroom hostage crisis,[45] but Erin ended it when they started getting serious again (lest he break her heart again, or their daughter find out that they were once again "hooking up").

text: Jack did return in 2017 to represent a man that Erin is trying to convict. This time Jack came out on top. Erin also learned of Jack's relationship with a woman who is a few years older than Nicky, which did not last long. Late in season 8, Erin confesses to Anthony that she is dating Jack again.

text: Jack is portrayed by Peter Hermann.

text: Charles Rosselini[edit]

text: Erin's boss in the first season, Charles Rosselini is the New York County District Attorney with aspirations of higher office. He is portrayed by Bobby Cannavale.

text: Amanda Harris[edit]

text: The Bureau Chief of the Manhattan District Attorney's Trial Bureau, Amanda Harris promoted Erin to Deputy Bureau Chief.[3] She almost fires Erin after she calls her out on violating Brady Rules by not providing the defense with video footage that may have exonerated a previous rape suspect; Harris ends up keeping Erin, saying that she needs someone like her to keep her in check. Regardless of this, Harris is eventually arrested after Erin finds out that she has a long-standing deal with a recently deceased high-profile madam who has her people seduce high-profile New Yorkers of major influence – like high-level cops, politicians, pro athletes, and various celebrities – and get them on tape in order to guarantee their assistance whenever she needs it. (Whether this assistance is solely for cases or possibly for darker, personal reasons is left open to speculation.)[47] She is portrayed by Amy Morton.

text: Robert McCoy[edit]

text: A defense attorney Erin met on a speed-date. He was an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn for twelve years before leaving to join private practice in 2008.[17] After Bureau Chief Amanda Harris was fired, McCoy was appointed the interim New York County District Attorney. This caused Erin to break off their relationship, saying she can't sleep with her boss.[69] He is portrayed by Holt McCallany.

text: As the interim DA, McCoy came into conflict with Commissioner Reagan when he announced that the DA's office did not plan on prosecuting petty marijuana possession charges.[70]

text: Alex McBride[edit]

text: A member of the DA's Investigations Unit who assists Erin with her cases. He is portrayed by James Lesure. In 1995, McBride's mother was murdered in an unsolved robbery. When Erin finds the case in a cold-case pile, she runs DNA found at the scene, which reveals what McBride already suspected, but was afraid to confirm: that his father had been responsible.[71]

text: Anthony Abetemarco[edit]

text: A Detective for the DA's Investigations Unit who assists Erin with her cases. In "Friends in Need" it is revealed his cousin is Joey Ruscoli (Anthony DeSando) and his aunt is Sophia Ruscoli (Catherine Wolf). In "Good Cop Bad Cop" it is revealed that his mother is Lucille Abetemarco (Suzanne Shepherd). In "The Brave" it is revealed that his ex-wife is Vivien Abetemarco (Diana Bologna) and that his daughter is Sophia Abetemarco (Isabel Harper Leight). He and Danny don't personally get along, but are willing to work together when necessary. He is portrayed by Steve Schirripa.

text: Associates of Jamie[edit]

text: Anthony Renzulli[edit]

text: Jamie's first partner and Training Officer, Sergeant Tony Renzulli knows the beat of his precinct very well and often offers Jamie good advice when he needs it. He believes Jamie will make a great cop, and often pokes fun at him for abandoning a lucrative law career. He was also the Training Officer for Joe. In season 3, he moves to an apparent desk job managing the patrolmen of the 12th Precinct. He is married, and has a side job painting to make extra money; he is also a gambler, but quit after Frank bailed him out of a $3,000 debt (with it made clear that this is a one-time offer). He is portrayed by Nicholas Turturro.

text: As a uniformed patrol supervisor, Sgt. Renzulli drives a patrol car on duty and carries a Glock 19 in 9×19mm as his duty weapon.

text: Vinny Cruz[edit]

text: Vinny, shield number 59910, is Jamie's partner in season 3. He's a child of the Bittarman housing projects in Brooklyn. In "The Bitter End", he is killed when he and Jamie are lured by a purse snatcher into the Bittarman projects, and Vinny is shot by a sniper on a rooftop.[6] He is posthumously promoted to Detective 1st Grade.[18] He was portrayed by Sebastian Sozzi.

text: As a uniformed patrol officer, Vinny drove a patrol car on duty and carried a Glock 19 in 9×19mm as his duty weapon.

text: Eddie Janko[edit]

text: Jamie's current partner and fiancèe, Officer Edit "Eddie" Janko (pronounced "eh-DEET[72]") is of mixed Hungarian and Serbian descent. Feisty and strongly opinionated, she is very passionate when it comes to her job. She is portrayed by Vanessa Ray.

text: Eddie's mother immigrated from Serbia and she herself is fluent in the Serbian language, which comes in handy when Danny recruits her to bust a sex trafficking ring.[73] Her father, Armin Janko (William Sadler) was a financial advisor before his company was revealed to be involved in a Ponzi scheme, ruining a lot of good people. As a result, he is serving a prison sentence. He gets a lighter sentence after busting a prison guard drug ring.

text: In "The Bullitt Mustang", Eddie is one of several police officers charged with official misconduct by the acting New York County District Attorney for fixing her 90-year-old neighbor's parking tickets; the charges are subsequently dropped after Frank and Erin work out a deal.[42]

text: In "Back in the Day", Eddie reveals her aspirations of making detective, having signed herself and Jamie up for a surveillance assignment for one of the precinct's detectives. While awaiting their target, Eddie chose to remain at her post when Jamie chose to respond to an officer-down call, which proved to be false. This led to a brief conflict between them, with Jamie threatening to get a new partner if she ever goes against an emergency call again.[24]

text: There has been significant romantic tension between Eddie and Jamie since the middle of season four, the two even sharing a kiss. Despite their attraction, Jamie had chosen not to act on his feelings after learning that Renzulli would reassign them to new partners per NYPD protocol. Nevertheless, there continued to be romantic tension lingering between the two, which had become much more apparent when they both acknowledged to each other how they feel, leading to another kiss. Despite this, they agreed not to further act on their feelings since they don't wish to jeopardize their partnership. In the season 8 finale, after a life-threatening situation, Jamie and Eddie accepted their feelings and got engaged. When they announced their engagement to the Reagan family, Frank offered Eddie her choice of a new precinct assignment. However, Jamie pointed out that there is no actual regulation prohibiting married NYPD officers from being partnered on the job. Therefore, they have decided to remain partners as well.

text: As a uniformed patrol officer, Eddie drives a patrol car on duty and carries a Glock 19 in 9×19mm as her duty weapon.

text: Others[edit]

text: Darnell Potter[edit]

text: A community social-activist preacher, portrayed by Ato Essandoh, who feels it is his duty to protect people of color (particularly those in his neighborhood) from the brutality and racial profiling of the NYPD. In "Excessive Force", when a criminal Danny was pursuing purposely jumped out a window and falsely claimed that Danny pushed him. Potter, seeking to further his own agenda, relocated a young witness and his entire illegal family, and demanded to Commissioner Reagan to have his son take an early retirement. Potter is nearly arrested by Commissioner Reagan for witness tampering, but Frank lets him off with a warning in order for him to save face with his congregation.[63] In season 7 Potter suffers a personal tragedy when his teenage son is murdered by one of the youths he once sheltered; Frank consoles him, revealing that his son Joe was killed by a corrupt cop. This, along with Danny's successful capture of the killer, softens some of Potter's bitterness towards the Reagans.


document_title: Lists of most common surnames

question_text: list of most common surnames in the world

root

text: Lists of most common surnames

text: The most common surnames in the world are, in order, Lee (or Li), Zhang, Wang, Chang, Nguyen, Garcia, Gonzalez, Hernandez, Smith, Smirnov, and Müller.[1]

tag: p

text: Nationally, regionally, and culturally, most common surnames vary widely. Regional lists of widely common surnames consist of those family names most often occurring within the total population of a region.

text: Lists of most common surnames by region:

text:
List of most common surnames in Asia

Lists of East Asian surnames

List of most common surnames in Europe
List of most common surnames in North America
List of most common surnames in Oceania (including Australia)
List of most common surnames in South America

tag: ul


document_title: Carrie Underwood discography

question_text: what was carrie underwood's second number one song

question_tokens: what was carrie underwood 's second number one song

text: Carrie Underwood discography

text: Albums[edit]

text: Studio albums[edit]

text:
Title

Album details

Peak chart positions

Sales

Certifications

US[17]

US Country[18]

AUS[19]

CAN[20]

IRL[21]

NZ[22]

SCO[23]

UK[24]

Some Hearts

Released: November 15, 2005
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download

2

1

—

11

—

—

—

—

WW: 9,000,000[25]
US: 7,500,000[26]

RIAA: 8× Platinum[27]
ARIA: Gold[28]
MC: 3× Platinum[29]

Carnival Ride

Released: October 23, 2007
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download

1

1

—

1

—

—

—

—

WW: 4,000,000[30]
US: 3,400,000[31]

RIAA: 4× Platinum[27]
MC: Platinum[29]

Play On

Released: November 3, 2009
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download

1

1

14

2

91

—

—

93

US: 2,300,000[31]

RIAA: 3× Platinum[27]
ARIA: Gold[32]
MC: Platinum[29]

Blown Away

Released: May 1, 2012
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download

1

1

4

1

26

22

8

11

WW: 2,000,000[33]
US: 1,700,000[31]

RIAA: 2x Platinum[27]
ARIA: Gold[28]
BPI: Silver[34]
MC: Platinum[29]

Storyteller

Released: October 23, 2015
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download, LP

2

1

4

3

18

13

6

13

WW: 1,000,000[26]
US: 752,100[35]

RIAA: Platinum[27]

Cry Pretty

Released: September 14, 2018
Label: Capitol Nashville
Formats: CD, digital download, LP

1[36]

1[36]

4[37]

1[38]

40[39]

32[40]

12

16

US: 294,000[36]

RIAA: Gold[27]

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country.

tag: table

text: Compilation albums[edit]

text:
Title

Album details

Peak chart positions

Certifications

US

US Country

AUS

CAN

Greatest Hits: Decade #1

Released: December 9, 2014
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: CD, digital download

4
1
49
15

RIAA: Platinum[27]

text: Video albums[edit]

text:
Title

Album details

Peak chart positions

Certifications

US Video[41]

AUS Video[42]

CAN Video[41]

UK Video[43]

The Blown Away Tour: Live

Released: August 13, 2013
Label: Arista Nashville, 19
Formats: DVD

1
3
1
5

RIAA: Gold[27]

text: Singles[edit]

text: As lead artist[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Peak chart positions

Sales

Certifications

Album

US Country[44]

US Country Airplay[45]

US[46]

US AC[47]

US Adult[48]

US Christ[49]

CAN Country[50]

CAN[51]

SCO[52]

UK[53]

2005

"Inside Your Heaven"

52

1

12

—

—

—

1

—

—

US: 821,000[54]

RIAA: Gold[55]
MC: 2× Platinum[29]

N/A

"Jesus, Take the Wheel"

1

20

23

—

4

—

—

—

—

US: 2,573,000[56]

RIAA: 3× Platinum[55]
MC: Gold[29]

Some Hearts

"Some Hearts"

—

—

12

22

—

—

—

—

—

2006

"Don't Forget to Remember Me"

2

49

—

—

—

4

—

—

—

US: 403,000[57]

RIAA: Gold[55]

"Before He Cheats"

1

8

6

5

—

1

4

—

—

US: 4,312,000[58]

RIAA: 5× Platinum[55]
MC: Platinum[29]

2007

"Wasted"

1

37

—

—

—

1

35

—

—

US: 705,000[59]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

"So Small"

1

17

—

—

—

3

14

—

—

US: 1,088,000[60]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

Carnival Ride

2008

"All-American Girl"

1

27

—

—

—

1

45

—

—

US: 1,800,000

RIAA: 2× Platinum[55]

"Last Name"

1

19

—

31

—

3

34

—

—

US: 1,300,000[61]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

"Just a Dream"

1

29

—

—

—

2

50

—

—

US: 1,280,000[62]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

2009

"I Told You So" (featuring Randy Travis)

2

9

—

—

—

1

18

—

129

US: 1,089,000[63]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

"Cowboy Casanova"

1

11

—

21

—

2

16

—

—

US: 2,300,000[64]

RIAA: 2× Platinum[55]
MC: Gold[29]

Play On

"Temporary Home"

1

41

—

—

34

2

65

—

—

US: 1,093,000[65]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

2010

"Undo It"

1

23

—

25

—

2

43

—

—

US: 1,600,000[66]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

"Mama's Song"

2

56

—

—

—

10

68

—

—

US: 442,000[67]

RIAA: Gold[55]

2012

"Good Girl"

1

18

—

20

—

1

21

—

—

US: 2,000,000[68]

RIAA: 2× Platinum[55]
MC: Platinum[29]

Blown Away

"Blown Away"

2

1

20

—

31

—

1

27

100

155

US: 2,819,000[69]

RIAA: 3× Platinum[55]
MC: Platinum[29]

"Two Black Cadillacs"

4

2

41

—

—

—

3

52

—

—

US: 762,000[70]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

2013

"See You Again"

7

2

34

—

—

—

2

45

—

—

US: 740,000[71]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

2014

"Something in the Water"

1

3

24

—

—

1

3

29

88

192

US: 1,091,000[72]

RIAA: Platinum[55]

Greatest Hits: Decade #1

2015

"Little Toy Guns"

6

2

47

—

—

—

7

70

—

—

US: 437,000[73]

RIAA: Gold[55]

"Smoke Break"

4

2

43

—

—

—

1

53

—

—

US: 447,000

RIAA: Gold[55]

Storyteller

"Heartbeat"

2

1

42

—

—

—

1

60

80

—

US: 348,000[74]

RIAA: Gold[55]

2016

"Church Bells"

2

1

43

—

—

—

2

64

—

—

US: 456,000[75]

RIAA: Gold[76]

"Dirty Laundry"

3

2

48

—

—

—

1

71

—

—

US: 296,000[77]

2018

"Cry Pretty"

5

9

48

—

—

—

8

83

75

—

US: 189,000[78]

Cry Pretty

"Love Wins"

26

32

—[a]

—

—

—

47

—

90

—

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country

text: As featured artist[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Artist

Peak chart positions

Certifications

Album

US Country[44]

US Country Airplay[45]

US[46]

AUS[19]

SCO

CAN Country[50]

CAN[51]

2011

"Remind Me"

Brad Paisley

1

17

—

—

1

33

RIAA: 2× Platinum[55]

This Is Country Music

2013

"Can't Stop Lovin' You"

Aerosmith

—

—

—

—

—

—

—

Music from Another Dimension!

2014

"Somethin' Bad"

Miranda Lambert

1

7

19

—

—

6

33

RIAA: Platinum[55]

Platinum

2016

"Forever Country"

Artists of Then, Now & Forever

1

33

21

26

29

39

25

RIAA: Gold[80]

N/A

2017

"The Fighter"

Keith Urban

2

2

38

19

52

2

67

RIAA: Platinum[55]
ARIA: Platinum[81]
MC: Platinum[29]

Ripcord

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country

text: Promotional singles[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Peak chart positions

Certifications

Album

US Country[44]

US[46]

US AC[47]

CAN[51]

SCO[82]

2007

"I'll Stand by You"

41

6

—

10

—

N/A

2008

"Praying for Time"

—

27

—

33

—

"Just Stand Up!"(with Artists Stand Up to Cancer)

—

11

17

10

—

RIAA: 2× Platinum[83]

2009

"Home Sweet Home"[84]

52

21

—

33

—

Play On

2010

"Change"

—

—[b]

—

—

—

"There's a Place for Us"

—

—[c]

—

—

—

The Chronicles of Narnia:The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

2014

"Keep Us Safe"

36

—

—

—

—

N/A

2015

"Renegade Runaway"

34

—

—

—

—

Storyteller

"What I Never Knew I Always Wanted"[85]

32

—

—

—

—

2018

"The Champion" (featuring Ludacris)

—[d]

47

—

—

—

RIAA: Gold[55]

Cry Pretty

"End Up with You"

37

—

—

—

—

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country

text: Other charted songs[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Peak chart positions

Album

US Country[44]

US Country Digital[86]

US[46]

US AC[47]

UK[53]

2005

"Bless the Broken Road"(with Rascal Flatts)

50

—

—

—

—

N/A

"Independence Day"[e]

—

—

—

—

—

American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers

2007

"Do You Hear What I Hear"

27

—

90

2

—

Hear Something Country Christmas 2007

2008

"I'll Be Home for Christmas"(with Elvis Presley)

54

—

—

—

—

Christmas Duets

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

41

—

—

14

—

Carnival Ride: Holiday Edition

2009

"O Holy Night"

39

—

—

—

—

"The First Noel"

50

—

—

—

—

"What Child Is This?"

51

—

—

—

—

"The More Boys I Meet"

45

—

—

—

—

Carnival Ride

2011

"Songs Like This"

38

—

—

—

—

Play On

"How Great Thou Art"

—

13

—

—

—

How Great Thou Art:Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry

"Flat on the Floor"

—

41

—

—

—

Carnival Ride

2012

"Good in Goodbye"

—

13

—[f]

—

—

Blown Away

"Do You Think About Me"

—

40

—

—

—

2014

"I Know You Won't"

—

—

—

—

94

Carnival Ride

"Look at Me"

—

22

—

—

168

Play On

"How Great Thou Art" (with Vince Gill)

—

47

—

—

—

Greatest Hits: Decade #1

2015

"The Girl You Think I Am"

38

26

—

—

—

Storyteller

"Like I'll Never Love You Again"

39

25

—

—

—

"Relapse"

48

49

—

—

—

2018

"Drinking Alone"

49

—

—

—

—

Cry Pretty

"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released to that country

text: Other appearances[edit]

text:
Year

Song

Album

2005

"Independence Day"

American Idol Season 4: The Showstoppers[87]

2007

"Ever Ever After"

Enchanted[88]

"Oh Love" (with Brad Paisley)

5th Gear[89]

"Do You Hear What I Hear"

Hear Something Country Christmas 2007[90]

2008

"How Great Thou Art"

How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites from the Grand Ole Opry[91]

"I'll Be Home for Christmas" (with Elvis Presley)

Christmas Duets[92]

2009

"The First Noel"

A Very Special Christmas Vol. 7[93]

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing"

2010

"There's a Place for Us"

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

"You're Lookin' at Country"

Coal Miner's Daughter: A Tribute to Loretta Lynn

2011

"Remind Me" (with Brad Paisley)

This Is Country Music

"Is It Still Over?" (with Randy Travis)

Anniversary Celebration

"It Had to Be You" (with Tony Bennett)

Duets II

2013

"Always on My Mind" (with Willie Nelson)

To All the Girls...

2014

"Somethin' Bad" (with Miranda Lambert)

Platinum

"High Life" (with Brad Paisley)

Moonshine in the Trunk

"All Is Well" (with Michael W. Smith)

The Spirit of Christmas

"This Side of Heaven" (with The Swon Brothers)

The Swon Brothers

2016

"The Fighter (Keith Urban song)" (with Keith Urban)[94]

Ripcord

2016-2017

"Oh Sunday, Night"

NBC Sunday Night Football

2018

"Game On"

NBC Sunday Night Football

text: Music videos[edit]

text: Short form[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Director

2005

"Does He Love You" (with Jamie O'Neal)

Ryan Polito

"Jesus, Take the Wheel"[95]

Roman White

2006

"Don't Forget to Remember Me"[96]

"Before He Cheats"[97]

2007

"Wasted"[98]

"I'll Stand by You"

Unknown

"So Small"[99]

Roman White

"Ever Ever After"[100]

2008

"All-American Girl"[101]

"Last Name"[102]

"Just a Dream"[103]

"Just Stand Up"

Don Mischer

2009

"I Told You So" (Live)[104]

Jim Yockey

"Cowboy Casanova"[105]

Theresa Wingert

2010

"Temporary Home"[106]

Deaton-Flanigen

"Undo It"[107]

Chris Hicky

"Mama's Song"

Shaun Silva

2011

"Remind Me" (with Brad Paisley)

Deaton-Flanigen

2012

"Good Girl"

Theresa Wingert

"Blown Away"

Randee St. Nicholas

2013

"Two Black Cadillacs"

P. R. Brown

"See You Again"

Eric Welch

2014

"Somethin' Bad" (with Miranda Lambert)

Trey Fanjoy

"Something in the Water"

Raj Kapoor

2015

"Little Toy Guns"[108]

P. R. Brown[109]

"Smoke Break"

Randee St. Nicholas

"Heartbeat"

2016

"Church Bells"

Wayne Isham[110]

"Dirty Laundry"

Shane Drake[111]

"Forever Country" (Artists of Then, Now & Forever)

Joseph Kahn

2017

"The Fighter" (with Keith Urban)

John Urbano

2018

"The Champion" (with Ludacris)

Norry Niven

"Cry Pretty"

Randee St. Nicholas

"Love Wins"

Shane Drake

text: Long form[edit]

text:
Year

Title

Notes

2013

The Blown Away Tour: Live

In Ontario, California

2017

Storyteller Tour: Stories in the Round

At Madison Square Garden (available digitally only)

text: Notes[edit]

text:
Jump up ^ "Love Wins" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension.[79]

Jump up ^ "Change" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number nine on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension.[79]

Jump up ^ "There's a Place for Us" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number seven on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension.[79]

Jump up ^ "The Champion" did not chart on Hot Country Songs, but peaked at number 57 on the Country Airplay chart.[45]

Jump up ^ "Independence Day" peaked at number 84 on the defunct Pop 100 chart.

Jump up ^ "Good in Goodbye" did not enter the Billboard Hot 100, but peaked at number 11 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart, which acts as a 25-song extension.[79]


document_title: The Wiz (film)

question_text: who plays the tin man on the wiz

question_tokens: who plays the tin man on the wiz

text: The Wiz (film)

text: Plot[edit]

text: A crowded Thanksgiving dinner brings a host of family together in a small Harlem apartment, where a shy, twenty-four-year-old schoolteacher named Dorothy (Diana Ross) lives with her Aunt Em (Theresa Merritt) and Uncle Henry (Stanley Greene). Extremely introverted, Dorothy is teased by Aunt Em for never having been south of 125th Street, as she has delayed moving out to start her own, independent life as an adult.

text: While Dorothy cleans up after the meal, Dorothy's dog Toto runs out the open kitchen door into a violent snowstorm. She succeeds in retrieving him, but finds herself trapped in the storm. A magical whirlwind made of snow – the work of Glinda, the Good Witch of the South (Lena Horne) – materializes and transports them to the realm of Oz. Released by the snowstorm, Dorothy smashes through an electric "Oz" sky sign as she descends from the atmosphere, and which falls upon and kills Evermean, the Wicked Witch of the East who rules Munchkinland. As a result, Dorothy frees the Munchkins who populate the playground into which she lands; they had been transformed by Evermean into graffiti for "tagging" the park walls.

text: Dorothy soon meets the Munchkins' main benefactress, Miss One, the Good Witch of the North (Thelma Carpenter), a magical "numbers runner" who gives Evermean's pretty charmed silver slippers to her by teleporting them on Dorothy's feet. However, Dorothy declares she doesn't want the shoes and desperately just wants to get home to Aunt Em. Miss One urges her to follow the yellow brick road to the capital Emerald City and seek the help of the mysterious "Wizard" who she believes holds the power to send Dorothy back to Harlem. After telling her to never take the silver shoes off, the good witch and the Munchkins then disappear and Dorothy is left to search for the road on her own.

text: The next morning, Dorothy happens upon a Scarecrow (Michael Jackson) made of garbage and rags, and saves him from being viciously teased and picked on by a group of humanoid crows and whom she befriends. The two of them discover the yellow brick road and happily begin to follow it together. The Scarecrow hopes the Wizard might be able to give him the one thing he feels that he lacks – a brain. Along the way to the Emerald City, Dorothy, Toto, and the Scarecrow meet the Tin Man (Nipsey Russell), in an abandoned early 20th-century amusement park and the Cowardly Lion (Ted Ross), a vain dandy banished from the jungle who hid inside one of the stone lions in front of the New York Public Library. The Tin Man and Lion join them on their quest to find the Wizard, hoping to gain a heart and courage, respectively. Before the five adventurers reach the Emerald City, they must face obstacles such as a deadly subway where they meet a crazy subway peddler (a homeless man) who unleashes evil puppets in his control. They narrowly escape the subway and then encounter the "Poppy" Girls (a reference to the poppy field from the original story), flamboyant prostitutes who attempt to put Dorothy, Toto, and the Lion into an eternal sleep with magic poppy perfume.

text: Finally reaching the Emerald City (an analogue of the real-life World Trade Center plaza), the quintet gains passage into the city because of Dorothy's ownership of the silver slippers; they marvel at the spectacle of the city and its sophisticated, fashion forward dancers. They are granted an audience with the Wiz (Richard Pryor), who lives at the very top of the Towers. He appears to them as a giant fire-breathing metallic head. He will only grant their wishes if they kill the sister of the Wicked Witch of the East, Evillene (Mabel King), the Wicked Witch of the West, who runs a sweatshop in the underground sewers of Oz. Before they can reach her domain, Evillene learns of their quest to kill her and sends out the Flying Monkeys (a motorcycle gang) to kidnap them.

text: After a long chase, the Flying Monkeys succeed in capturing their targets and bring them back to Evillene. Vengeful for Dorothy having killed her sister, she dismembers the Scarecrow, flattens the Tin Man, and tortures the Lion in hopes of making Dorothy give her the silver shoes. When she threatens to throw Toto into a fiery cauldron, Dorothy nearly gives in until the Scarecrow hints to her to activate a fire sprinkler switch, which she does. The sprinklers put out the fire but also melt Evillene. She is flushed down into her throne, the lid of which slams shut like a toilet. With Evillene finally gone, her spells lose their power: the Winkies are freed from their permanent costumes (revealing attractive humans underneath) and their sweatshop tools disappear. They rejoice in dance and praise Dorothy as their emancipator. The Flying Monkeys give her and her friends a triumphant ride back to the Emerald City.

text: Upon arriving, the quartet takes a back door into the Wizard's quarters and discovers that he is a "phony". The "great and powerful Oz" is actually Herman Smith, a failed politician from Atlantic City, New Jersey, who was transported to Oz when a balloon he was flying to promote his campaign to become the city dogcatcher was lost in a storm. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion are distraught that they will never receive their respective brain, heart, and courage, but Dorothy makes them realize that they already have had these things all along. Just as it seems as if she will never be able to get home, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South, appears and implores her to find her way home by searching within and using the magic of the silver slippers by clicking the heels together three times. After thanking Glinda and saying goodbye to her friends, she takes clicks her heels together three times,She is then back near home with Toto in her arms and walks into the apartment.

text: Cast[edit]

text:
Diana Ross as Dorothy
Michael Jackson as Scarecrow
Nipsey Russell as Tin Man
Ted Ross as Cowardly Lion
Richard Pryor as Herman Smith/The Wiz
Lena Horne as Glinda the Good Witch of the South
Mabel King as Evillene/The Wicked Witch of the West
Thelma Carpenter as Freida Winzer/Miss One
Theresa Merritt as Shelby Gale/Aunt Em
Stanley Greene as Uncle Henry

text: Music[edit]

text: All songs written by Charlie Smalls, unless otherwise noted.

text:
"Overture Part I" (instrumental)
"Overture Part II" (instrumental)
"The Feeling That We Had" - Aunt Em and Chorus
"Can I Go On?" (Quincy Jones, Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson) - Dorothy
"Tornado"/"Glinda's Theme" (instrumental)
"He's the Wizard" - Miss One and Chorus
"Soon As I Get Home"/"Home" - Dorothy
"You Can't Win, You Can't Break Even" - Scarecrow and The Four Crows
"Ease on Down the Road #1" - Dorothy and Scarecrow
"What Would I Do If I Could Feel?" - Tin Man
"Slide Some Oil to Me" - Tin Man
"Ease on Down the Road #2" - Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man
"I'm a Mean Ole Lion" - Cowardly Lion
"Ease on Down the Road #3" - Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion
"Poppy Girls Theme" (Anthony Jackson) (instrumental)
"Be a Lion" - Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion
"End of the Yellow Brick Road" (instrumental)
"Emerald City Sequence" (music: Jones, lyrics: Smalls) - Chorus
"Is This What Feeling Gets? (Dorothy's Theme)" (music: Jones, lyrics: Ashford & Simpson) - Dorothy (vocal version not used in film)
"Don't Nobody Bring Me No Bad News" - Evillene and the Winkies
"Everybody Rejoice/A Brand New Day" (Luther Vandross) - Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Cowardly Lion, and Chorus
"Believe in Yourself (Dorothy)" - Dorothy
"The Good Witch Glinda" (instrumental)
"Believe in Yourself (Reprise)" - Glinda the Good Witch
"Home (Finale)" - Dorothy

text: Production[edit]

text: Pre-production and development[edit]

text: The Wiz was the eighth feature film produced by Motown Productions, the film/TV division of Berry Gordy's Motown Records label. Gordy originally wanted the teenaged future R&B singer Stephanie Mills, who had played the role on Broadway, to be cast as Dorothy. When Motown star Diana Ross asked Gordy if she could be cast as Dorothy, he declined, saying that Ross—then 33 years old—was too old for the role.[10] Ross went around Gordy and convinced executive producer Rob Cohen at Universal Pictures to arrange a deal where he would produce the film if Ross was cast as Dorothy. Gordy and Cohen agreed to the deal. Pauline Kael, a film critic, described Ross's efforts to get the film into production as "perhaps the strongest example of sheer will in film history."[10]

text: After film director John Badham learned that Ross was going to play the part of Dorothy, he decided not to direct the film, and Cohen replaced him with Sidney Lumet.[10] Of his decision not to direct The Wiz, John Badham recalled telling Cohen that he thought Ross was "a wonderful singer. She's a terrific actress and a great dancer, but she's not this character. She's not the little six-year-old girl Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz."[11] Though 20th Century Fox had financially backed the stage musical, they ended up exercising their first refusal rights to the film production, which gave Universal an opening to finance the film.[12] Initially, Universal was so excited about the film's prospects that they did not set a budget for production.[12]

text: Joel Schumacher's script for The Wiz was influenced by Werner Erhard's teachings and his Erhard Seminars Training ("est") movement, as both Schumacher and Diana Ross were "very enamored of Werner Erhard".[13] "Before I knew it," said Rob Cohen, "the movie was becoming an est-ian fable full of est buzzwords about knowing who you are and sharing and all that. I hated the script a lot. But it was hard to argue with [Ross] because she was recognizing in this script all of this stuff that she had worked out in est seminars."[13] Schumacher spoke positively of the results of the est training, stating that he was "eternally grateful for learning that I was responsible for my life."[13] However, he also complained that "everybody stayed exactly the way they were and went around spouting all this bull****."[13] Of est and Erhard references in the film itself, The Grove Book of Hollywood notes that the speech delivered by Glinda the Good Witch at the end of the film was "a litany of est-like platitudes", and the book also makes est comparisons to the song "Believe in Yourself".[13] Although Joel Schumacher had seen the Broadway play before writing the script, none of the Broadway play's writing was incorporated into the film's.[14]

text: During production, Lumet felt that the finished film would be "an absolutely unique experience that nobody has ever witnessed before."[12] When asked about any possible influence from MGM's popular 1939 film adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, Lumet stated that "there was nothing to be gained from [the 1939 film] other than to make certain we didn't use anything from it. They made a brilliant movie, and even though our concept is different – they're Kansas, we're New York; they're white, we're black, and the score and the books are totally different – we wanted to make sure that we never overlapped in any area."[12]

text: Michael Jackson, a former Motown star who by the start of development on The Wiz in 1977, had left Motown for Epic Records with his brothers The Jacksons, was cast as the Scarecrow. Jackson was dedicated to the role, and watched videotapes of gazelles, cheetahs, and panthers in order to learn graceful movements for his part.[15] However Jackson's father Joseph Jackson didn't want him to land the role, as he was managing him at the time, but Jackson refused to listen to his father and decided to be on the movie. Ted Ross and Mabel King were brought in to reprise their respective roles from the stage musical, while Nipsey Russell was cast as the Tin Man. Lena Horne, mother-in-law to Sidney Lumet during the time of production, was cast as Glinda the Good Witch, and comedian Richard Pryor portrayed The Wiz.[10][16]

text: Principal photography[edit]

text: The Wiz was filmed at Astoria Studios in Queens, New York. The decaying New York State Pavilion from the 1964 New York World's Fair was used as the set for Munchkinland, Astroland at Coney Island was used for the Tinman scene with The Cyclone as a backdrop, while the World Trade Center served as the Emerald City.[17] The scenes filmed at the Emerald City were elaborate, utilizing 650 dancers, 385 crew members and 1,200 costumes.[17][18] Costume designer Tony Walton enlisted the help of high fashion designers in New York City for the Emerald City sequence, and obtained exotic costumes and fabric from designers such as Oscar de la Renta and Norma Kamali.[16] Albert Whitlock created the film's visual special effects,[12] while Stan Winston served as the head makeup artist.[16]

text: Quincy Jones was the musical supervisor and music producer for the film.[15] He later wrote that he initially did not want to work on the film, but did it as a favor to Sidney Lumet.[15] The film production marked Jones' first time working with Michael Jackson, and Jones would later produce three hit albums for Jackson: Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad.[19] Jones recalled working with Jackson as one of his favorite experiences from The Wiz, and spoke of Jackson's dedication to his role, comparing his acting style to Sammy Davis, Jr.[15] Jones had a brief cameo during the "Gold" segment of the Emerald City sequence, playing what looks like a fifty-foot grand piano.

text: Release[edit]

text: Box office[edit]

text: The Wiz proved to be a commercial failure, as the $24 million production only earned $13.6 million at the box office.[2][3][10] Though prerelease television broadcast rights had been sold to CBS for over $10 million, in the end, the film produced a net loss of $10.4 million for Motown and Universal.[3][10] At the time, it was the most expensive film musical ever made.[20] The film's failure steered Hollywood studios away from producing the all-black film projects that had become popular during the blaxploitation era of the early to mid-1970s for several years.[4][5][6]

text: The film was released on VHS home video in 1989 by MCA/Universal Home Video (with a reissue in 1992) and was first broadcast on television on CBS on May 5, 1984 (edited to 100 minutes), to capitalize on Michael Jackson's massive popularity at the time.[21] It continues to be broadcast periodically on networks such as BET, TVOne, VH1 Soul, and was the inaugural broadcast on the Bounce TV digital broadcast network.[22] The Wiz is often broadcast on Thanksgiving Day (attributed to the opening scene of Dorothy's family gathered for a Thanksgiving dinner).[10][23]

text: The film was released on DVD in 1999;[24] a remastered version entitled The Wiz: 30th Anniversary Edition was released in 2008.[24][25][26] Extras on both DVD releases include a 1978 featurette about the film's production and the original theatrical trailer.[24] A Blu-ray version was released in 2010.[27]

text: Critical reception[edit]

text: Critics panned The Wiz upon its October 1978 release.[2][28] Many reviewers directed their criticism at Diana Ross, who they believed was too old to play Dorothy.[6][29][30][31] Most agreed that what had worked so successfully on stage simply did not translate well to the screen. Hischak's Through the Screen Door: What Happened to the Broadway Musical When It Went to Hollywood criticized "Joel Schumacher's cockamamy screenplay", and called "Believe in Yourself" the score's weakest song.[29] He described Diana Ross's portrayal of Dorothy as: "cold, neurotic and oddly unattractive"; and noted that the film was "a critical and box office bust".[29] In his work History of the American Cinema, Harpole characterized the film as "one of the decade's biggest failures", and, "the year's biggest musical flop".[3] The Grove Book of Hollywood noted that "the picture finished off Diana Ross's screen career", as the film was Ross's final theatrical feature.[13][18][32] In his book Blockbuster, Tom Shone referred to The Wiz as "expensive crud".[33] In the book Mr. and Mrs. Hollywood, the author criticized the script, noting, "The Wiz was too scary for children, and too silly for adults."[2] Ray Bolger, who played the Scarecrow in the 1939 The Wizard of Oz film, did not think highly of The Wiz, stating "The Wiz is overblown and will never have the universal appeal that the classic MGM musical has obtained."[34]

text: Michael Jackson's performance as the Scarecrow was one of the only positively reviewed elements of the film, with critics noting that Jackson possessed "genuine acting talent" and "provided the only genuinely memorable moments."[17][35] Of the results of the film, Jackson stated: "I don't think it could have been any better, I really don't."[36] In 1980, Jackson stated that his time working on The Wiz was "my greatest experience so far . . . I'll never forget that."[35] The film received a positive critique for its elaborate set design, and the book American Jewish Filmmakers noted that it "features some of the most imaginative adaptations of New York locales since the glory days of the Astaire-Rogers films."[37] In a 2004 review of the film, Christopher Null wrote positively of Ted Ross and Richard Pryor's performances.[38] However, Null's overall review of the film was critical, and he wrote that other than the song "Ease on Down the Road", "the rest is an acid trip of bad dancing, garish sets, and a Joel Schumacher-scripted mess that runs 135 agonizing minutes."[38] A 2005 piece by Hank Stuever in The Washington Post described the film as "a rather appreciable delight, even when it's a mess", and felt that the singing – especially Diana Ross's – was "a marvel".[39]

text: The New York Times analyzed the film within a discussion of the genre of blaxploitation: "As the audience for blaxploitation dwindled, it seemed as if Car Wash and The Wiz might be the last gasp of what had been a steadily expanding black presence in mainstream filmmaking."[40] The St. Petersburg Times noted, "Of course, it only took one flop like The Wiz (1978) to give Hollywood an excuse to retreat to safer (i.e., whiter) creative ground until John Singleton and Spike Lee came along. Yet, without blaxploitation there might not have been another generation of black filmmakers, no Denzel Washington or Angela Bassett, or they might have taken longer to emerge."[41] The Boston Globe commented, "the term 'black film' should be struck from the critical vocabulary. To appreciate just how outmoded, deceptive and limiting it is, consider the following, all of which have been described as black films, . . ." and characterized The Wiz in a list which also featured 1970s films Shaft, Blacula, and Super Fly.[42]

text: Despite its lack of critical or commercial success in its original release, The Wiz became a cult classic,[7] especially because it features Michael Jackson's only starring theatrical film role.[8] With Lena Horne's death in 2010, Diana Ross is the only living cast member of the film.

text: Awards and honors[edit]

text: The Wiz was nominated for four Academy Awards: Best Art Direction (Tony Walton, Philip Rosenberg, Edward Stewart, Robert Drumheller), Best Costume Design, Best Original Music Score and Best Cinematography, but did not win any of them.[43][44]

text: The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

text:
2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:

"Ease on Down the Road" – Nominated[45]

text: On 1979's NAACP Image Awards, Michael Jackson received the Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture Award for The Wiz. [46]