Chicago Hope
Kenny Ortega directed 2 episodes of the Emmy and Golden Globe winning medical drama TV show Chicago Hope created by David E. Kelley that aired for six seasons (1994 – 2000). It follows the drama inside of a private charity hospital. The main character is Dr. Jeffrey Geiger (played by Mandy Patinkin) , a hot shot surgeon with emotional issues stemming from the psychiatric condition of his wife (played by Kim Greist) who drowned their infant son. The other doctors in the hospital are played by Adam Arkin, Peter MacNicol, Hector Elizondo and Christine Lahti, who help take on complicated melodramatic cases. Kenny Ortega also had a cameo role on one episode as the character Ellston McCool.
Kenny also got to work with Eric Stoltz, Mark Harmon, and Jayne Brook during the episodes he directed.
Executive producers on the show were Henry Bromwell, Bill D’Elia, David E. Kelley, and John Tinker.
"And so the show oscillates: scripted by schizophrenics, and choreographed like a ballet to leave not the merest hint of empty time." – The Independent
Episodes:
- Playing Through (3 February 1999) – Director
- Liver, Hold the Mushrooms (11 March 1998) – Director
- Deliverance (1 April 1998) – Actor
Awards:
- Emmy Awards: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series – Christine Lahti (1998), Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Drama Series – Russell C. Fager (production mixer), R. Russell Smith (re-recording mixer), William Freesh (re-recording mixer) (1998), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – Hector Elizondo (1997), Outstanding Individual Achievement in Casting for a Series – Debi Manwiller (1996), Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Series – Tim Suhrstedt, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series – Mandy Patinkin (1995)
- GLAAD Media Awards: 1997 & 1999 Outstanding TV Drama Series
- Viewers for Quality Televsion Award: Best Supporting Actor in a Quality Drama Series –
Peter MacNicol- Imagen Foundation Awards: Best Primetime TV Series, Best Writing in Primetime TV Series
Robert Burgos (1998)- Golden Globe Awards: Best Performance by an Actress in a TV-Series – Drama – Christine Lahti (1998)
- 1997 Golden Satellite Award: Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama – Christine Lahti
- 1998 American Choreography Award: Outstanding Achievement in Television – Episodic
Kenny Ortega- 2000 ALMA Awards: Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series – Hector Elizondo
Reviews:
Chicago Hope on Internet Movie Database
Chicago Hope on Wikipedia
