Who was Phil Shea? ‘St Denis Medical’ title card tribute to ‘The Office’ legend explained
Legendary and beloved property master, the late Phil Shea was recently honored by NBC network’s brand-new sitcom St. Denis Medical. At the end of the show’s third episode Weird Stuff You Can’t Explain aired on Tuesday, November 19, the words, “In Loving Memory” appeared on the screen in the form of a title card, alongside a smiling picture of Phil Shea.
For those unaware, Phil Shea was a prop master on NBC comedies including Superstore, American Auto, and The Office. The recent tribute was done by St. Denis Medical co-creators and EPs Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin, who worked with the deceased industry insider on The Office from 2005 to 2013, on Superstore from 2015 to 2022, and American Auto from 2021 to 2023. Phil Shea later passed away in December last year.
St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary workplace/medical sitcom that revolves around the lives of nurses and doctors working at the fictional Oregon Hospital. It stars David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, and Kaliko Kauahi in pivotal roles. It also marks the return of the duo Spitzer and Ledgin following Phil’s demise.
All you need to know about Phil Shea
Phil Shea was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on September 7, 1961, as Philip Shea to (Thomas) Daniel Shea and Paula Anne Niezgoda Shea. He grew up in his birthplace where he attended St. Angels Elementary, Fairview Park High School, and Parmadale / St. Anthony’s Home for Boys.
Later, in his 20s, he moved to California to pursue a career in Hollywood. Soon, he became a well-known property master, a role in which he became a legend for the next three decades. Shea’s breakthrough came in 1995 with the NBC sitcom In the House which ran for two seasons.
He is best remembered as the prop master for all nine seasons of The Office, as well as other NBC shows, as mentioned above. From Kevin Malone’s (played by Brian Baumgartner) famous chili spill to Jim Halpert’s (played by John Krasinski) perfect cold open scene, they were all crafted by Phil.
Likewise, the scenes of the creepy fake baby, 30 watermelons, Angela and Sprinkles the cat, and the box acting in Season 1, Episode 4, The Alliance were also set by the prop master. During the Office Ladies podcast hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, Phil Shea’s name has been mentioned many times over the years.
Some of the other notable shows he worked for include Invasion, Trophy Wife, Sunset Ppl, DeTour, Mr. Robinson, The Newsroom, Hello Ladies, The Mindy Project, Californication, Threat Level Midnight: The Movie, Entourage, In the House, and American Dreams, among others.
As per his obituary, Phil spent the majority of his life in Sherman Oaks, California, and was known for his strict vegan diet, health consciousness, and jolly spirits. He married Rachel Elizabeth Smith in Salt Lake City, Utah, in April 2000. However, his wife passed away in October 2003. He died on December 7, 2023, at the age of 62, and was buried beside his wife in Arizona.
Phil Shea is survived by his brother David, nieces, nephews, and grandnephews.