Joe Chappelle

Joseph Chappelle (born 1961) is an American screenwriter, producer, and director of film and television. He is perhaps best known for his work on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Wire, where he directed six episodes and served as co-executive producer for three seasons. In 2018, his episode "Middle Ground" was named the 6th Best TV Episode of the Century by pop culture website The Ringer. He has also produced and directed several other popular cable television programs, including CSI: Miami, Fringe and Chicago Fire.

Chappelle wrote and directed the political thriller An Acceptable Loss, starring Tika Sumpter and Jamie Lee Curtis, which was released by IFC Films in January 2019.

Career Chappelle was born in New Jersey.

In 2005, Chappelle served as a consultant and director for new CBS drama CSI: NY. The series was the second spin-off from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Chappelle directed the first season episode "Supply and Demand".

The Wire Chappelle joined the crew of the HBO crime drama The Wire as a director for the first season in 2002. The Wire was created by David Simon and examines the city of Baltimore one faltering institution at a time. Chappelle directed the first season episode "One Arrest". Chappelle directed the season's penultimate episode "Middle Ground". Simon credits Chappelle with choosing the music for the season three closing montage; Solomon Burke's cover of Van Morrison's "Fast Train" which appeared in the season finale "Mission Accomplished".

Chappelle returned as a co-executive producer, episodic director and second unit director for the fourth season of The Wire in 2006. He directed the season premiere "Boys of Summer"

CSI: Miami Chappelle directed the pilot episode "Golden Parachute" for the CBS crime drama CSI: Miami. The series was a spin-off from the successful procedural CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Chappelle became a producer and director for the first season once the series was picked up. Chappelle directed a further four episodes for the first season; "Losing Face", "Evidence of Things Unseen", "Double Cap" and the season finale "Body Count".

Chappelle remained a producer and director for the second season of CSI: Miami in 2003. He directed a further six episodes; "Dead Zone", "Hurricane Anthony", "Big Brother", "Slow Burn", "Not Landing" and the season finale "Innocent".

While working on the third season of The Wire Chappelle reduced his involvement with CSI: Miami. He was no longer a producer but remained an episodic director for the third season in 2005. He directed the episodes "Recoil" and "10-7".

Chappelle did not work on the fourth season of CSI: Miami as he was working on the fourth season of The Wire. He returned as a consulting producer and director for the fifth season in fall 2006. He directed the season premiere "Rio" and the episodes "Curse of the Coffin", "Come As You Are" and "Throwing Heat". Chappelle again scaled back his involvement for the sixth season in fall 2007; he returned to being an episodic director only. He directed the episodes "Stand Your Ground" and "All In".

Chappelle returned to CSI: Miami as a consulting producer and director for the seventh season in fall 2008. He directed a further six episodes for the season; the premiere "Resurrection", "Wrecking Crew", "Power Trip", "Smoke Gets in Your CSI's", "Flight Risk" and the finale "Seeing Red".

Chappelle left the CSI: Miami production staff to work on the series Fringe in 2009. Chappelle continued to work as an episodic director for CSI: Miami while working on Fringe. He helmed the eighth season finale "All Fall Down" in 2010.

Fringe In fall 2009, Chappelle joined the crew of the science-fiction/crime drama Fringe

Filmography

Television

Production staff

Director

Film Thieves Quartet (1994) Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) Hellraiser: Bloodline (1996) (Additional photography, uncredited) Phantoms (1998) Track Down (2000) The Skulls II (2002) An Acceptable Loss (2019)