MissGoddess,
Sure Hart to Hart counts. They were detectives in the classic Nick and Nora sense.
Who was the best TV "Private Detective"?
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cinemalover
- Posts: 1594
- Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:57 am
- Location: Seattle, Washington
A couple of others from the 80s that I recall liking quite a bit were MOONLIGHTING, with extraordinary chemistry betwixt the two leads, Cybil Shepherd and Bruce Willis...
[youtube][/youtube]
and REMINGTON STEELE, with similarly sexy vibes being generated by Stephanie Zimbalist (daughter of 77 Sunset Strip PI Stu Bailey, er, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) and future 007 agent Pierce Brosnan.
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
and REMINGTON STEELE, with similarly sexy vibes being generated by Stephanie Zimbalist (daughter of 77 Sunset Strip PI Stu Bailey, er, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr.) and future 007 agent Pierce Brosnan.
[youtube][/youtube]
Bogie:
Half the time, you wondered if Columbo had a clue as to who and where he was let alone clues to who done it!
If you recall, I started my post with the 'golden age' of TV, and that is where I took my characters from. Someone mentioned The Thin Man in connection with detective work. I wonder if anyone remembers the two wannabee shows that were on early TV - Ida Lupino and Howard Duff as Mr. Adams and Eve, and Barbara Britton and Richard Denning as Mr. and Mrs. North. Catchy names aren't they?
As I recall, they were like Ozzie Nelson, rarely going to work but devoting hours and days to solving mysteries, yet living in gorgeous apartments and having beautiful clothes.
Rockford, Moonlighting, and Remington Steele are still seeable in re-runs occasionally, which is why I basically ruled them out, but I do wonder how many folks remember Bruce and Pierce started out on TV.
Bad TV night for me, I like Cagney but can't handle him all evening and into the late night, one movie is about my limit.
Actually while Warner Bros was the studio that put out all those detective shows, I think they just dusted off their old western scripts and brought them up to the 20th century. A lot of the stories/plots were similar to the ones on Cheyenne, Bronco, Sugarfoot, etc.
And, my goodness, before I sign off, I can't forget Eliot Ness and the Untouchables!!!
Anne
Half the time, you wondered if Columbo had a clue as to who and where he was let alone clues to who done it!
If you recall, I started my post with the 'golden age' of TV, and that is where I took my characters from. Someone mentioned The Thin Man in connection with detective work. I wonder if anyone remembers the two wannabee shows that were on early TV - Ida Lupino and Howard Duff as Mr. Adams and Eve, and Barbara Britton and Richard Denning as Mr. and Mrs. North. Catchy names aren't they?
As I recall, they were like Ozzie Nelson, rarely going to work but devoting hours and days to solving mysteries, yet living in gorgeous apartments and having beautiful clothes.
Rockford, Moonlighting, and Remington Steele are still seeable in re-runs occasionally, which is why I basically ruled them out, but I do wonder how many folks remember Bruce and Pierce started out on TV.
Bad TV night for me, I like Cagney but can't handle him all evening and into the late night, one movie is about my limit.
Actually while Warner Bros was the studio that put out all those detective shows, I think they just dusted off their old western scripts and brought them up to the 20th century. A lot of the stories/plots were similar to the ones on Cheyenne, Bronco, Sugarfoot, etc.
And, my goodness, before I sign off, I can't forget Eliot Ness and the Untouchables!!!
Anne
Anne
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klondike
Best TV private eye, ever?
No question - Robert Conrad as Tom Lopaka on "Hawaiian Eye".
What Bob did for steam-punk bravado on "Wild Wild West", he first did for tiki-cool in 50's Honolulu.
Gripping stories and intriguing plots are always a big plus, granted, but aren't TV P.I. shows really much more dependent on style for their raison d'etre, and also, to a large extent, how well their primary protagonist can slide into that critical character personna?
I certainly think so!
Arrogant? Sure, when was Kahuna Bob otherwise in any of his TV roles?
But just as with his later performances as secret serviceman James T. West, and Marine Air Force Commander Pappy Boyington, Conrad breathed real life into his role as the quasi-lupine Lopaka, all choir-boy good manners one moment, and just the slightest ripple of that infamous hair-trigger temper the next, as he set his sights on a beachcomber hoodlum, or a vacationing mobster, or an oily con artist running some deadly scam.
Tony Eisley, Connie Stevens, Grant Williams, Chad Everett . . all, I fear, little more than cardboard cutouts - so 2-dimensional that they practically disappeared when they turned sideways . . but Robert Conrad, and his Asian/Polynesian co-stars, they put the spice, the verve, the muscle & the dash in between "alohas" on this Warner Bros. vehicle, and kept everything rolling right along to a wiki-wiki beat!
No question - Robert Conrad as Tom Lopaka on "Hawaiian Eye".
What Bob did for steam-punk bravado on "Wild Wild West", he first did for tiki-cool in 50's Honolulu.
Gripping stories and intriguing plots are always a big plus, granted, but aren't TV P.I. shows really much more dependent on style for their raison d'etre, and also, to a large extent, how well their primary protagonist can slide into that critical character personna?
I certainly think so!
Arrogant? Sure, when was Kahuna Bob otherwise in any of his TV roles?
But just as with his later performances as secret serviceman James T. West, and Marine Air Force Commander Pappy Boyington, Conrad breathed real life into his role as the quasi-lupine Lopaka, all choir-boy good manners one moment, and just the slightest ripple of that infamous hair-trigger temper the next, as he set his sights on a beachcomber hoodlum, or a vacationing mobster, or an oily con artist running some deadly scam.
Tony Eisley, Connie Stevens, Grant Williams, Chad Everett . . all, I fear, little more than cardboard cutouts - so 2-dimensional that they practically disappeared when they turned sideways . . but Robert Conrad, and his Asian/Polynesian co-stars, they put the spice, the verve, the muscle & the dash in between "alohas" on this Warner Bros. vehicle, and kept everything rolling right along to a wiki-wiki beat!
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movieman1957
- Administrator
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ONe I just remembered was "The Equalizer." Edward Woodward played a former spy who helped people just because he could. The last year or so got away some from the original premise and more into his history and lost its way a little.
Small recurring role from Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) was brilliant as he played a mentally challenged young man befriended by Woodward.
Another cool theme song.
Small recurring role from Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) was brilliant as he played a mentally challenged young man befriended by Woodward.
Another cool theme song.
Chris
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
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feaito
As someone else said, though she was not a P.I. I enjoyed "Murder She Wrote" a lot. "Hart to Hart" (Lionel Stander was my favorite actor in these series) and "Moonlighting" were also favorites for some time, but not series I had to see.
My parents loved "Kojak" and Telly Savalas was an icon here in my country for a while. "Mike Hammer" and "Magnum P.I." were favorites of my two brothers, especially the latter; I liked the Higgins character.
My parents loved "Kojak" and Telly Savalas was an icon here in my country for a while. "Mike Hammer" and "Magnum P.I." were favorites of my two brothers, especially the latter; I liked the Higgins character.
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MissGoddess
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A channel here showed that series for a short time. I never saw it as a kid (I think it came on too late or was too violent) but seeing it with adult eyes it was an interesting show.movieman1957 wrote:ONe I just remembered was "The Equalizer." Edward Woodward played a former spy who helped people just because he could. The last year or so got away some from the original premise and more into his history and lost its way a little.
Small recurring role from Vincent D'Onofrio (Law & Order: Criminal Intent) was brilliant as he played a mentally challenged young man befriended by Woodward.
Another cool theme song.
I believe one season Woodward was replaced by Robert Mitchum! I'd love to see one of those episodes. (Woodward was recovering from a heart attack at the time)
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Who was the best TV "Private Detective"?
Reading this thread - I surprised that nobody discussed Peter Falk as Columbo on NBC back in 70's and 80's - how can anyone miss him and his rumpled overcoat and charm of its own. To me, he was the neatest, most cunning, and most craftiest TV detective of all time. I love Columbo ... and I can't get enough of him.
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charliechaplinfan
- Posts: 9040
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Re: Who was the best TV "Private Detective"?
My mother loved Magnum, PI. when we went to Universal studios we took a picture of his car for her and bless her, she thought it was our hire car.
I remember he watching The Streets of San Francisco, was that a detective show? Quincy another favorite, The Rockford Files, Colombo, Hawaii 5-0 and Kojak.
I always liked Charlie's Angels but I was 7, it was made for 7 year old girls, as was Wonderwoman, not a detective but it was part of the American shows of the period. My dad liked Wonderwoman.
I remember he watching The Streets of San Francisco, was that a detective show? Quincy another favorite, The Rockford Files, Colombo, Hawaii 5-0 and Kojak.
I always liked Charlie's Angels but I was 7, it was made for 7 year old girls, as was Wonderwoman, not a detective but it was part of the American shows of the period. My dad liked Wonderwoman.
Failure is unimportant. It takes courage to make a fool of yourself - Charlie Chaplin
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klondike
Re: Who was the best TV "Private Detective"?
Your Dad had no choice, Alison; Lynda Carter made the character a Y-chromosome mandate.charliechaplinfan wrote: My dad liked Wonderwoman.
Re: Who was the best TV "Private Detective"?
I remember walking thru a shopping mall with my sons, ages about 14 and 10. We passed a Spencers, a novelty tshirt and weird stuff store, and the boys stopped and said Hey Mom! I turned around to see what they wanted, and they had grabbed an almost full sized cardboard stand up picture of Tom Selleck, wrapped up in nothing but a small towel. I almost had apoplexy right then and there. What a gorgeous man, and the tv show was really pretty good...I think.... 