Andre Braugher In The Box: How 'Homicide' Star Became Frank Pembleton On A Sultry Saturday

Andre Braugher, the two-time Emmy winner who died this week at age 61, was an unknown when NBC's hard-boiled detective drama “Homicide: Life on the Street” opened Jan. 31 in the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot debuted in 1993. He left the series six years later as a sought-after leading man who went on to star in television series including FX's “Thief,” TNT's “Men of a Specific Age,” Fox/NBC's “Brooklyn Nine Nine.” Among many other prominent roles.

But it started with his years on Homicide. Braugher played Detective Frank Pembleton, one of the most unforgettable characters television has ever produced, thanks to the brilliance of executive producers Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Jim Finnerty and a murderous cast of writers' rooms (James Yoshimura, Julie Martin, David Simon). ). The outstanding supporting actors included Ned Beatty, Melissa Leo and Yaphet Kotto.

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Braugher made a name for himself as an actor with his work as a highly intense, sharp-elbowed detective known for his investigative and interrogation skills. Pembleton held court in “The Box,” where he investigated murder cases in his spider and fly area.

The box had something of a funny reflection about it, probably because the set was housed at Fell's Point Recreation Pier, a sunless relic of Charm City's better days. It was a perfect backdrop for Homicide's operations room and various outdoor and indoor areas that captured the dark atmosphere of the show and of course the box.

During my time as an executive at NBC Entertainment, I was part of a memorable “Homicide” photo shoot directed by longtime NBC photographer Chris Haston, which took place at the pier on a sultry Saturday in August 1994. Emotions ran high after Haston received the shocking news that his mother had just died at the age of 51. Ever the consummate professional, Haston insisted that filming continue.

With nine actors and a key hair, makeup and wardrobe team giving up their Saturday for a network photo shoot, it was a hectic day. Saving the best for last: Chris prepared the final shot as if it were from the perspective of a Suspent being grilled by Braugher's Pembleton. Braugher should be positioned on the other side of the table, a few feet from the camera. Co-stars Danny Baldwin and Isabella Hofmann would flank him in the background.

Braugher entered the room and sat down. Earlier in the day, he had felt uncomfortable doing the cast gallery headshots that come with working on a network TV show. But his reserve was gone. He became Frank Pembleton, silently forming a dialogue as he began to harass an invisible enemy, first slowly, then quickly, with tense face, with tense body language, as he slowly increased the intensity of his entire being, with pointed fingers and gesturing with clenched fists. He rises from his seat, a storm in the eye of the camera. His mime reached a frightening climax as he delved deeper into the role and the atmosphere thickened. No one on set made a sound and by the time we were done there was silence in the room.

The other actors and crew who gathered quietly to watch Braugher work knew they had just seen something special, something real. It came as no surprise to any of us when Braugher won his first Emmy in 1998 for his work on Homicide.

The recordings turned out great. We had captured a number of magical moments. Chris and I have done many celebrity photo shoots over the years, but nothing came close to the drama and emotion of working with Braugher on that sweaty day in Baltimore. Watching the great Frank Pembleton do his best in the box – not least for a photo shoot – was a gift from one of the greatest actors of this generation that none of us who were there will ever forget.

Entertainment veteran Paul McGuire spent 10 years at NBC Entertainment, working in communications, advertising and photography from 1988 to 1998.

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