Jerry Banning

Created by Eustace L. Adams (1891-1963) Eustace L. Adams' JERRY BANNING was an early precursor of other Hollywood stunt men turned private eyes, troubleshooters and fixers (Colt Seavers, Daniel Spandau, Nick Ransom, Lucas Hallam, etc.) in a 1937 serial  that first appeared  as a four-part serial in Argosy Magazine in 1937. When rising star Dexter … Continue reading Jerry Banning

Margaret’s Man & Pam’s Man (Wolfs)

Created by Jon Watts “What’s the play here?” —Margaret's Man (Clooney) Two rival New York City fixers, who both prefer to work solo (hence the lone "Wolfs" of the title), are hired to do the same job in the 2024 "theatrical" release Wolfs, a goofy action thriller. The job? Clean up the mess left behind … Continue reading Margaret’s Man & Pam’s Man (Wolfs)

Hart Muldoon

Created by John Flagg Pseudonym of John Rex Gearon (1911-93) A former op for the O.S.S. (the early version of the C.I.A.) during World War II , HART MULDOON decides to hang around the French Riviera and Monaco after the war, setting himself up as a sort of spy-for-hire. He often claims all he's really … Continue reading Hart Muldoon

Brian Petersen (aka “The D.C. Man”)

Created by James P. Cody Pseudonym of Peter T. Rohrbach (1926--) Another rescue from Lee Goldberg's Brash Books resurrects James P. Cody's quartet of gritty, action-packed  Men's Adventure paperbacks from the mid-seventies, originally published by Berkley Medallion. BRIAN PETERSEN, tagged as "The D.C. MAN" on the covers, was a former football player and  military intelligence … Continue reading Brian Petersen (aka “The D.C. Man”)

Chris Blanchard

Created by Robert S. Levinson (1936-2018) It's 1938, and the world is tottering slowly but helplessly towards World War II, but former LAPD detective-turned-MGM fixer CHRIS BLANCHARD has other things on his mind. Namely, how to clear actress Marie McDaniels of murdering her husband in the noirish, Chandleresque A Rhumba in Waltz Time (2011). Along … Continue reading Chris Blanchard

Matt Cobb

Created by William L. DeAndrea Pseudonyms include Philip DeGrave (1952-1996) They call him the "Vice-President in Charge of Special Projects" for a major American television network (only ever referred to as "The Network"), but what MATT COBB really does is act as a good old-fashioned troubleshooter, a sorta hired gun in a three-piece suit. "'Special … Continue reading Matt Cobb

Mike Ehrmantraut (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul)

Created by Peter Gould and Vince Gilligan "Shut the fuck up, and let me die in peace." —Mike  in the final season of Breaking Bad Yeah, yeah. I know. Neither AMC's acclaimed Breaking Bad (2008-13), nor its subsequent spinoff/prequel Better Call Saul (2015-22) is a private eye show. But a private eye character proves to be … Continue reading Mike Ehrmantraut (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul)

Nick Ryan (Coleman)

Created by Reed Farrel Coleman He’s a cop, he’s not a cop. Or he is a cop, but don’t tell anyone... But when you’re one of the NYPD’s  boys in blue, and the shit hits the fan, NICK RYAN may be your only hope. When we meet him in his series launch, Sleepless City (2023), … Continue reading Nick Ryan (Coleman)

Charlie Willis

Created by Lee Goldberg Down, down, down. CHARLIE WILLIS is a Beverly Hills cop who lands a plum security gig for a major Hollywood studio, after being shot in the stomach by one of their most beloved stars, in this wicked spoof by Lee Goldberg, a TV scriptwriter and producer (Spenser: For Hire, Monk, Diagnosis Murder, … Continue reading Charlie Willis

Mr. T (Trouble Man)

  Created by John D.F. Black(1932-2018) “I come up hard baby, but now I’m cool,I didn’t make it sugar, playin’ by the rulesI come up hard baby, but now I’m fineI’m checkin’ trouble sugar, movin’ down the line.”— from Trouble Man by Marvin Gaye No, I’m not talking about that jewelery-bedecked buffoon with the mohawk from … Continue reading Mr. T (Trouble Man)