Mike Land (Land’s End)

Created by Fred Dryer & Victor A. Schiro and Peter Gethers & David Handler

For your consideration, I humbly submit to your list of TV eyes the name MIKE LAND of the syndicated series Land’s End which ran during the 1995-96 season. Mike, played by Fred Dryer, of Hunter fame, is a retired L.A.P.D. detective who left the force after his wife was murdered, and gradually moved to the Mexican resort town of Cabo San Lucas. He keeps his hand in by taking on cases that come his way, and serves as head of security for the Westin Regina resort. Tooling around in a vintage Pontiac GTO convertible, Mike is frequently assisted by his eccentric but talented friend, Vietnam vet Willis P. Dunlevy (Geoffrey Lewis).

In the Los Angeles area, where I live, Land’s End ran in the abominable time slot of midnight on Sunday. I would have the TV on while surfing the net on Sunday evenings, so I could watch the repeats of Deep Space Nine and Babylon 5. I started watching Land’s End simply because I left the TV on. But the series grew on me, and I got rather attached to it. I was sad when it went off the air.

A few months back, Fred Dryer was on KIEV radio with Mort Sahl, and said that he was negotiating to produce more episodes.

CAR TALK

• “The GTO in the show was, in fact, a 1966 convertible. I had one exactly like it, same color, same engine, don’t know if the show’s was an automatic–I had a 4-speed. I, too, enjoyed the show. Liked Fred Dryer as an actor, and was drooling over that car! Thanks for the info on the show!”
  — tpooch1@juno.com

TELEVISION

• LAND’S END
  (1995-96, U.S. syndicated)
  20 60-minute episodes
  1 120-minute episode
  Created by Fred Dryer & Victor A. Schiro and Peter Gethers & David Handler
  Writers: Peter Gethers, David Handler, Peter Koper, Geoffrey Lewis, Alfonso H. Moreno, Lincoln Kibbee, Norman & L.Lee Lapidus, John Clarkson, James Bruce, Fred Dryer and Victor A. Schiro, Gene Miller & Karen Kevner, Elliot Stern
  Directors: James Bruce, Geoffrey Lewis, John Huneck, Jefferson Kibbee, Martin Pasetta, Jr., Christian Faber, Paul Abascal
  Produced by Fred Dryer Productions and Skyvision Partners in association with Buena Vista Television
  Filmed on location in: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
  Starring Fred Dryer as MIKE LAND
  Also starring Geoffrey Lewis as Willis Dunlevy
  Tim Thomerson as Dave Bronson
  Pamela Bowen as Courtney Saunders
  William Marquez as Chief of Police
  Guest stars: Mary-Margaret Humes, Melissa Clayton, Tony Carozzola, Sergio Calderón, Lana Clarkson, Frank Converse, Gregory Scott Cummins, Bobbie Eakes, Kevin West, Bryan Cranston

• • “Land’s End” (September 20, 1995; 120 minute episode)
  • “Night Eyes” (September 30, 1995)
  • “Parentnapping” (October 8, 1995)
  • “A Line in the Sand” (October 14, 1995)
  • “Day of the Dead” (October 21, 1995)
  • “El Perico” (October 28, 1995)
  • “Bounty Hunter” (November 4, 1995)
  • “Willie Gets Lucky” (November 11, 1995)
  • “What Are Friends For ” (November 18, 1995)
  • “The Curse of Willis” (November 25, 1995)
  • “What Ever Happened to Maria Rosa?” (December 2, 1995)
  • “Windfall” (December 23, 1995)
  • “The Long Arm of the Law” (February 3, 1996)
  • “Fool’s Gold” (February 10, 1996)
  • “Dr. Amore” (February 17, 1996)
  • “Red Cadillac” (February 24, 1996)
  • “Pieces of 8 Is Enough” (March 2, 1996)
  • “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (April 27, 1996)
  • “Who’s Killing Cole Porter?” (May 4, 1996)
  • “Mothers Behind Bars” (May 11, 1996)
  • “Jenny” (May 18, 1996)

Respectfully submitted by David Dial. (2006)

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