Trivia for
"Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993)

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• In 1988 a Baltimore Sun reporter named David Simon joined the Baltimore Police Homicide Unit as a civilian assistant in order to chronicle a year in the life of a big city homicide squad. His extensive notes, interviews, and observations were eventually published as the book, "Homicide: A Year On The Killing Streets." This book served as the inspiration for the TV series "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993) and much of the first and second seasons of the show are taken from actual events recounted in the book.
  
  
• There was an incident where a real live criminal, on the run from the Baltimore Police Department, entered the set of "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993) and surrendered to the actors in uniform. This incident was later spoofed in an episode where the actors in the show chased a suspect onto the set of "Homicide" and encountered the director, Barry Levinson, and several of their favorite actors from the show.
  
  
• Richard Belzer's character, Detective John Munch, has appeared in a total of eight different series: as a regular on "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993) and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (1999), and as a guest on "Law & Order" (1990), "The X Files" (1993), "The Beat" (2000), "Arrested Development" (2003), "Law & Order: Trial by Jury" (2005), "Sesame Street" (1969) and _"The Wire" (2002)_ .
  
  

• On several occasions, "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1993) teamed with Dick Wolf's "Law & Order" (1990) for either single or two-part crossover episodes.
  
  
• Producers insisted that whenever possible, staff writers should live in the Balitmore area.
  
  
• The case board showing unsolved and solved cases for each detective in homicide squads was a real device used by the Baltimore Police Department. The case boards were stopped as they were shown to bring down morale within homicide units, but were later brought back at the request of the detectives
  
  
• Capt. Russert was a cousin of Tim Russert
  
  
• Barry Levinson wanted Richard Belzer as Munch after hearing him on "The Howard Stern Radio Show". NBC suggested Jason Priestley but Levinson refused. Belzer was the last cast member to be hired.
  
  

• SPOILER: According to the audio commentary on the DVD, the writers added the plot twist about Pembleton's stroke to appease Andre Braugher, who felt that he had already explored his character to its limits, and wanted to leave the show.
  
  

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