why did assistant district attorney ben stone leave law and order

by Dr. Johnny Rempel 7 min read

Reason for departure
Stone's departure from Law & Order stemmed from actor Michael Moriarty's dispute with the network and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who in 1993 began promoting legislation to limit portrayals of violence on television.

Who is Benjamin Stone on ‘law and order’?

Oct 01, 2021 · Here's why actor Angie Harmon left "Law & Order" in 2001. ... (Executive Assistant District Attorney Ben Stone). But why did Harmon leave the show two decades ago? ... if an actor wants to leave ...

Why did some Law&Order stars leave the show?

Jun 20, 2020 · From 1990 to 1994, Moriarty starred as Ben Stone on Law & Order. He left the show in 1994, alleging that his departure was a result of his threatening a lawsuit against then-Attorney General Janet Reno, who had cited Law & Order as offensively violent.

What happened to Peter Stone on law and Order SVU?

Feb 07, 2020 · In the world of Law and Order, Benjamin, the "conscience of the show," resigned from his position at the DA's office after Season 4 because he felt responsible for the murder of a witness in a trial against a local mob boss.

Why did Angie Harmon leave Law&Order SVU?

Apr 19, 2021 · After four seasons of playing Executive Assistant District Attorney Ben Stone on Law & Order, Michael Moriarty departed 1994 amid a public conflict with then-Attorney General Janet Reno; at the time, she'd endorsed legislation to limit violent programming like Law & Order.

Why did Ben Stone resign on law and order?

From 1990 to 1994, Moriarty starred as Ben Stone on Law & Order. He left the show in 1994, alleging that his departure was a result of his threatening a lawsuit against then-Attorney General Janet Reno, who had cited Law & Order as offensively violent.

What episode does Ben leave law and order?

After the Job. In the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "The Undiscovered Country", it was revealed that Stone had passed away.

What episode did Michael Moriarty Leave Law & Order?

According to the guest director of the episode "Breeder," Michael wasn't able to deliver his lines with a straight face during filming. Executives also emphasized that the show never watered down its violent or graphic content following Attorney General Reno's remarks.Feb 7, 2020

When did Paul Robinette leave law and order?

Paul Robinette was an Assistant District Attorney on Law & Order from the pilot episode in 1990 until the final episode of the third season, "Benevolence", in 1993.

How did Jill Hennessy Leave Law & Order?

The Kincaid character was written out after Hennessy expressed concern about being typecast as an "uptight lawyer". Kincaid was originally intended to be portrayed as paralyzed and leaving the DA's office for private practice after the events of "Aftershock".

Does Jack McCoy have a daughter?

McCoy has been divorced twice (one ex-wife having been a former assistant) and has an adult daughter, Rebecca, with first ex-wife Ellen.

Where is Michael Moriarty today?

Moriarty says he now lives happily away from the limelight: he contributes a weekly column to Enter Stage Right, a Canadian webzine of conservative political commentary.

How old is Ben Stone in real life?

age 33/38Ben Stone is a character on NBC's Manifest. He debuts in the first episode of the first season and is portrayed by starring cast member Josh Dallas....Obi-Wan Kenobi Trailer Revealed The Inquisitors - The Loop.Birthdate:April 14, 1981 (age 33/38)Occupation:Mathematician15 more rows

Is Michael Moriarty married?

Suzana Cabritam. 1998–1999Anne Hamilton Martinm. 1978–1997Francoise Martinetm. 1966–1978Margaret BrychkaMichael Moriarty/Spouse

What happened to Robinette on Law & Order?

Departure from show Robinette leaves the DA's office at the end of the third season, and eventually becomes a defense attorney who represents his clients as victims of institutionalized racism. He is replaced by Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy).

Why did Max leave law and order?

Season two of Law and Order saw the first departure of one of the main characters. The series was originally set to film in Los Angeles, but when creator Dick Wolf won his fight to shoot it in New York, actor George Dzundza did not want to relocate his family there, and this led to Dzundza leaving the show.

What happened to Connie Rubirosa on law and order?

In January 2014, she appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where she became an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of New York. She is currently the Executive Assistant District Attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Why did the actors leave Law and Order?

Many of the Law & Order stars left the show simply because they were ready for new projects, while other actors left because of behind-the-scenes issues. To quote the Law & Order intro voiceover, these are their stories...

Why did Benjamin Bratt leave Law and Order?

Benjamin Bratt left Law & Order to spend time with his family. Mike Logan's replacement was Detective Rey Curtis, who entered the Law & Order universe in season 6 and exited at the end of season 9 in 1999. In that season's finale, Curtis takes an early retirement to tend to help his wife manage her MS.

How did Kincaid die in Law and Order?

In the plot, Kincaid dies in a car accident as she drives a drunk Lennie Briscoe home from a bar. In a 2006 interview with The Morning Call, Hennessy said the role of an ADA on Law & Order is "limited" since the characters are supposed to keep their personal feelings out of the job.

What shows did Dzundza star in?

Dzundza went on to star in the first seasons of two other series: the NBC sitcom Jesse and the CBS crime drama Hack. And between 2005 and 2007, he had a memorable arc on Grey's Anatomy, playing the ailing father of George O'Malley (T.R. Knight).

What happened to Farina in Luck?

Farina also had a starring role in the HBO drama Luck. Farina died in 2013 at age 67 after suffering a blood clung in his lung, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Why did Hill leave the show?

Producer Dick Wolf later told Newsday that Hill, then 78, left the show because he was tired and didn't want to commute from the suburbs into Manhattan every week.

When did Chris Noth leave Law and Order?

Chris Noth from Law & Order was ready for a film career. Detective Mike Logan continued crime-solving until the end of Law & Order 's fifth season in 1995 , when actor Chris Noth took his leave of the program.

Who played Stone's assistant in the show?

Stone's assistants have been Paul Robinette ( Richard Brooks) and Claire Kincaid ( Jill Hennessy ). A strict, unyielding boss, Stone can be very difficult to work with; in the pilot episode, Sergeant Max Greevey ( George Dzundza) and Detective Mike Logan ( Chris Noth) intimate that Stone "eats ADAs for lunch.".

What episode does Stone testify against a judge?

Stone is mentioned in the 1996 episode "Custody" as a possible witness against a judge. When his former assistant Paul Robinette, now a defense attorney, wants a judge to recuse himself for past comments showing bias against drug addicts and support for forced sterilization, Robinette threatens to subpoena Stone to testify about the comments, which both he and Stone heard the judge make. Upon hearing of the threat, Schiff informs McCoy that Stone "is traveling in Europe, not available to testify at any hearing." However, the judge by this time has already declared himself "unavailable" to hear the case.

What episode does Peter appear in?

Peter first appears on the Chicago P.D. episode "Justice", which is the backdoor pilot for Chicago Justice. Peter also appears in season 19 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and eventually becomes the titular sex crimes bureau's ADA.

What episode does Stone die in?

The opening scene of the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode "The Undiscovered Country " (aired in 2018) reveals that Stone has died.

Who plays Pamela in SVU?

Stone also had a daughter, Pamela (Amy Korb), who is introduced in the SVU episode "Send in the Clowns". Pamela has paranoid schizophrenia, and has been hospitalized for most of her life. According to Peter, their father would visit Pamela once a week, and Peter has continued the visits since their father's death.

Is Peter Stone divorced?

Stone is divorced and has a son, Peter Stone ( Philip Winchester ), who was the Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau in Chicago and was the Chief ADA of the Sex Crimes Bureau in New York, and a daughter, Pamela ( Amy Korb ).

History

Stone worked under Alfred Wentworth (in the intended pilot episode) and Adam Schiff. It was Schiff with whom he is closest, treating him as a kind of surrogate father, his own father having been an overbearing alcoholic, as revealed in the episode " Prescription for Death ".

After the Job

When his former assistant Paul Robinette, now a defense attorney, wants a judge to recuse himself for past comments showing bias against drug addicts and support for forced sterilization, Robinette threatens to subpoena Stone as a witness against the judge.

Appearances

Season 2: " Confession " • " The Wages of Love " • " Aria " • " Asylum " • " God Bless the Child " • " Misconception " • " In Memory Of... " • " Out of Control " • " Renunciation " • " Heaven " • " His Hour Upon the Stage " • " Star Struck " • " Severance " • " Blood Is Thicker...

Michael Moriarty left Law & Order due to a moral outcry

Around the time that Michael Moriarty left "Law and Order," Congress was discussing legislation that would restrict the amount of violence present in television and films, according to the Los Angeles Times.

What happened to Michael Moriarty after he quit Law and Order?

Following Michael Moriarty's very public and heated departure from "Law and Order" in 1994, he moved to Canada in an act of defiance against the United States, reported Cinema Retro. Unfortunately for the actor, the ensuing years were not kind to him.

Who played Benjamin Stone in Law and Order?

Acting in good faith, Reno reached out to the TV industry for their input, and she met with Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, as well as Moriarty, who'd played quiet and upstanding District Attorney Benjamin Stone since the show's inception in 1990. However, Moriarty was not as retreating as his TV counterpart. ...

Why did Bratt leave Law and Order?

Oddly enough, Bratt hadn't yet started a family when he said he left Law & Order to be with his family, as he married actress Talisa Soto in 2002 , and they had their first kid together in 2003. In other words, Bratt's real reason for leaving the small screen probably had more to do with showing up on the big screen.

Why did Michael Moriarty leave Law and Order?

Like his co-star Fred Thompson, Law & Order cast member Michael Moriarty left a good role on the popular show for political reasons, although Moriarty's are much more complicated than a run for office. In 1993, U.S. attorney general Janet Reno sought to stop a trend of real-world crime she blamed on TV violence, and she spoke out in favor of legislation that would limit such graphic imagery on the small screen. Acting in good faith, Reno reached out to the TV industry for their input, and she met with Law & Order producer Dick Wolf, as well as Moriarty, who'd played quiet and upstanding District Attorney Benjamin Stone since the show's inception in 1990.

What is law and order SVU?

Law & Order and Law & Order SVU are by definition "police procedural" shows. This means each and every episode follows a tried and true formula in which detectives and lawyers carefully go through the process of investigating, solving, and prosecuting a crime. While that makes for extremely reliable television to the point that even a show about horrific murders can be comforting, it may get a little bit boring for the actors to do essentially the same thing with their character each week for years on end.

Why did Meloni leave SVU?

The reason for Meloni's departure from SVU, however, was a lot less personal and a lot more business-driven. According to TVLine, contract talks between the actor and producing studio NBC Universal fell apart in the spring of 2011.

How many seasons of Law and Order?

With a novel format in which detectives investigate a crime in the first half of an episode that's prosecuted in the second half, Law & Order ran for 20 seasons and spawned six other police dramas, most notably the sensitive crimes-oriented Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, launched in 1999 and still going strong.

Who played Stabler in the show?

For a long and complicated 12 seasons, these characters portrayed by Mariska Hargitay and Christopher Meloni, respectively, busted dozens of New York City's worst offenders, until the emotionally-driven Stabler retired off-screen at the beginning of season 13, following his sixth on-the-job shooting.

Who was the defense attorney for Rob Miller?

That was enough for a judge to sign an arrest warrant, and the case went to court. When Miller’s defense attorney (Richard Kind) called Nikki Staines to the stand, she admitted to the frame job—but on cross-examination, Peter got her to say that she had done it because she was that scared of Rob Miller.

Who played Kim Greylek in season 10 of Svu?

His tenure was the second shortest by an ADA in SVU history, behind only the 14 episodes Michaela McManus spent as Kim Greylek in season 10. Next: 5 reasons why we'll miss Peter Stone.

Can SVU throw in a line?

SVU is under no obligation to, but it could throw in a line just for closure. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device. Videos you watch may be added to the TV's watch history and influence TV recommendations. To avoid this, cancel and sign in to YouTube on your computer.

Overview

Benjamin "Ben" Stone is a fictional character portrayed by Michael Moriarty in the TV drama Law & Order. He was the Executive Assistant District Attorney for New York County until his resignation at the end of season four. He appeared in 88 episodes.

Character overview

Stone works in the Manhattan District Attorney's office under Alfred Wentworth (Roy Thinnes, in the pilot episode "Everybody's Favorite Bagman") and Adam Schiff (Steven Hill). He was raised in an Irish Catholic family. He was raised mostly by his Irish grandmother, his father having been an alcoholic. Stone is divorced and has a son, Peter Stone (Philip Winchester), who was the Deputy Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau in Chicago and was the Chief ADA of the Sex Crimes B…

Career within the show

Stone became Executive Assistant DA in 1985 after convicting con artist and murderer Philip Swann (Željko Ivanek), who years later enters a civil suit against Stone when the validity of the conviction is called into question. Swann is ultimately found guilty, however, and sent back to prison. Stone's assistants have been Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) and Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy).
A strict, unyielding boss, Stone can be very difficult to work with; in the pilot epis…

Stone became Executive Assistant DA in 1985 after convicting con artist and murderer Philip Swann (Željko Ivanek), who years later enters a civil suit against Stone when the validity of the conviction is called into question. Swann is ultimately found guilty, however, and sent back to prison. Stone's assistants have been Paul Robinette (Richard Brooks) and Claire Kincaid (Jill Hennessy).
A strict, unyielding boss, Stone can be very difficult to work with; in the pilot episode, Sergeant Ma…

Post-departure

Stone is mentioned in the 1996 episode "Custody" as a possible witness against a judge. When his former assistant Paul Robinette, now a defense attorney, wants a judge to recuse himself for past comments showing bias against drug addicts and support for forced sterilization, Robinette threatens to subpoena Stone to testify about the comments, which both he and Stone heard the judge make. Upon hearing of the threat, Schiff informs McCoy that Stone "is traveling in Europe, …

Family

Stone's son is Peter Stone (Philip Winchester), formerly a Cook County Assistant State's Attorney and lead character on Chicago Justice. Peter first appears on the Chicago P.D. episode "Justice", which is the backdoor pilot for Chicago Justice. Peter also appears in season 19 of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and eventually becomes the titular sex crimes bureau's ADA. In several episodes, Peter describes Ben as a distant father who neglected his family in favor of work.

Reason for departure

Stone's departure from Law & Order stemmed from actor Michael Moriarty's dispute with the network and U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, who in 1993 began promoting legislation to limit portrayals of violence on television. Moriarty, who was outspoken against Reno and what he felt was government censorship, was scheduled to appear on NBC shows Today and Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric, but both ended up canceled. Moriarty had already taped his segment f…