Who is James ‘Wall St.’ McBratney? Law & Order: SVU title card
Who is James “Wall St.” McBratney? If you watched tonight’s new episode of Law & Order: SVU, you may be asking that very question.
Well, let’s just answer this by saying that he was a man who was very much essential to the entirety of the show family. He worked within the art department as a foreman set dresser for over 17 years and more than 350 episodes. That is longer than the majority of television shows exist, and it is a further testament to the longevity of the Mariska Hargitay drama. Also, it is a reminder of just how close many people within the cast and crew are. There is a generational aspect of working on a show like this, where you see people get married, have kids, and then see said kids grow up. You spend more time with these people during the season than your actual families much of the time.
In addition to his work on SVU, McBratney worked on other series including Boardwalk Empire as well as Madam Secretary. As for the origins of the “Wall St.” nickname, it apparently had to do with some of his work in the financial sector once upon a time. Anytime you get a nickname like this, we do tend to think of it as a sign of affection, and a way to stand out from the crowd.
Unfortunately, there is where we most note that James is no longer with us. The crew member passed away last year following a battle with cancer. This is why the episode tonight concluded with the title card tribute to him. This is a way for a show to honor someone who played an integral part in it in some capacity, whether it be on-camera or behind the scenes. These cards air across all subsequent airings, and are extremely valuable to honor one’s memory.
In particular, the Dick Wolf universe tends to work to highlight those who proved essential during their lives, as there have been multiple title card tributes through this season of Chicago Fire. Note that essential can be thought of in terms of employment, but also a shining light and friend even away from the job.
Our thoughts go out to James McBratney’s family during this difficult time. We hope the tribute card serves as a form of comfort.
This article was written by Jessica BunBun.