Created by Robert Carrington, Robert Specht and Everett Chambers
Hee-Haw‘s very own Hager twin dorks, Jim and Jon Hager, played twin P.I.s, TONY and SHEP (SHEP!!!) THOMAS, who use their identical twin status to so they could con the bad guys by being in two places at once. It comes in handy when they take on a case involving a psychic swindle, a spunky old dame and a murdered medium, in the smirky, frictionless 1976 TV pilot Twin Detectives.
Hard-boiled? Not a chance in hell. And the matching haircuts didn’t help.
The pilot flopped, which is, perhaps, something for which we should all give thanks.
Suffice it to say it didn’t fare very well with viewers.
By the way, silent movie icon Lillian Gish, who should have known better, made her TV movie debut in this piece of crud. Shame, Lilly, shame!
UNDER OATH
- “It was as good as it sounds.”
— Lee Goldberg on Twin Detectives
TELEVISION
- TWIN DETECTIVES
(1976, Charles Fries Entertainment)
90 minute made-for-TV movie
Premiere: May 1, 1976
Based on a story by Robert Carrington, Robert Specht and Everett Chambers
Teleplay by Robert Specht
Produced by Everett Chambers
Starring Jim Hager as TONY THOMAS
and Jon Hager as SHEP THOMAS
Also starring Lillian Gish, Patrick O’Neal, Michael Constantine, Otis Young, Barbara Rhoades, Lynda Day George, Randy Oakes, Billy Barty
FURTHER INVESTIGATION
- Four Eyes: Twin Private Detectives
A short list of other twin P.I.s. - Brothers in Arms
Fraternal Dicks - The Casting Ouch!
Unlikely private eyes (No, really…)
THE DICK OF THE DAY
- August 19, 2026
The Bottom Line: Hee-Haw’s dorky Hager twins play twin private eyes in this 1976 made-for-TV flick and pilot. About as imaginitive as its title. Lee Goldberg’s opinion? “It was as good as it sounds.”
Report respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.
