Created by Martin Rackin 1947 saw the introduction of two private eyes named Hammer. This is the other one. DAN HAMMER made his debut in Riffraff, a little slice of B-filmery that still manages to hit the spot, and displaying some surprisingly stylish pizazz while doing it. Like it didn't know it was supposed to be … Continue reading Dan Hammer (Riffraff)
Category: The Dick of the Day
Jim Sader
Created by Dolores Hitchens Pseudonym of Julia Clara Catherine Maria Dolores Robins Other pseudonyms include D.B. Olsen, Dolan Birkeley, Noel Burke (1907-73) "The carhop came and thanked him for the tip and took the tray away. As she walked into the light her legs shone like silk below the fluffy skirt, and Sader yawned, and … Continue reading Jim Sader
Dave Garrett
Created by Neil Albert DAVE GARRETT at first seems like just another cookie cutter eye. A disbarred lawyer? Now working as a Philadelphia private eye, not exactly setting the world on fire? A Vietnam vet suffering from PSTD? Aren't they all? Okay. I think we've been here before. But that doesn't take into account the … Continue reading Dave Garrett
Kimitsuka Kimihiko & Siesta (The Detective is Already Dead)
Created by Nigojū (text) and Umibōzu (art) “Is there a detective on this plane?" Four years ago, during an attempted airplane hijacking, Japanese high school student and trouble magnet KIMITSUKA KIMIHIKO became, at her insistence, the assistant to the beautiful and enigmatic girl detective SIESTA (which wasn't even her real name). They ended up traveling the world … Continue reading Kimitsuka Kimihiko & Siesta (The Detective is Already Dead)
Stone & Stine (City of Angels)
Music by Cy Coleman Lyrics by David Zippel Book by Larry Gelbart ''It's as though I was hit by a wrecking ball wearing a pinky ring'' -- Stone City of Angels was an ambitious and well-received musical comedy that wowed them on Broadway in 1989, written by Larry (M*A*S*H) Gelbart, with music by Cy Coleman and lyrics … Continue reading Stone & Stine (City of Angels)
Al Delaney
Created by Thomas B. Black (1910-93) Battered and scarred AL DELANEY is an op for the Redman Detective Agency in Chancellor City (don't waste yot time looking it up--it's ficticious). When the boss, ol' Giles Redman himself, bites the big one and gets murdered in the first book, The Whitebird Murders (1946), Al (with the … Continue reading Al Delaney
Gus Monk (The Monk)
Created by Blake Edwards (1922-2010) "An independent guy like Gus Monk is always attractive. He attracts women, money, excitement… and danger." No, not that Monk! This is a whole different San Francisco treat. Hmmmm... maybe they're related. The Monk was a pilot for a proposed television series, featuring George (Route 66) Maharis as GUS MONK, … Continue reading Gus Monk (The Monk)
Adrian Monk (Monk)
Created by Andy Breckmann & David Hoberman "Do you smell gas?" -- Adrian Monk Love it or hate it, this was the face of private eye TV in the first decade of the new millennium, a tongue wedged firmly in his cheek, and all the grit of a sitcom. So forget Spade or Marlowe or … Continue reading Adrian Monk (Monk)
Secret Agent X-9
Created by Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) and Alex Raymond (1909-56) Despite being a collaboration between possibly the greatest private eye writer of all time, and one of the all-time great comic strip artists, the action/adventure strip Secret Agent X-9 was always something of a disappointment. The strip was originally conceived by King Features to compete with … Continue reading Secret Agent X-9
Horace Rumpole
Created by John Mortimer (1923-2009 ) Down those mean streets and meaner chambers a man must waddle... Lord knows, he's not a private eye--but I wish he were. Like Philip Marlowe, HORACE RUMPOLE is "a relatively poor man... a common man or he could not go among common people. He has a sense of character, … Continue reading Horace Rumpole