Created by William Campbell Gault (1910-97) "Well, what had I brought to this trade? Three years in the O.S.S. and my memories of a cop father. Along with a nodding acquaintanceship with maybe fifty lads in the [Los Angeles Police] Department. That didn’t make me any Philip Marlowe. Work alone wouldn’t do it, nor determination; … Continue reading Brock Callahan
Tag: Married to It!
Nick and Nora Charles
Created by Dashiell Hammett (1894-1961) Nora: "I read where you were shot five times in the tabloids." Nick: "Not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids." -- from The Thin Man (1934 film) The glitzy adventures of Dashiell Hammett's retired private eye NICK CHARLES and his rich, beautiful (and not quite as ditzy as … Continue reading Nick and Nora Charles
Jennifer Mays & Gabriel Webb (The Maze Agency)
Created by Mike W. Barr One of the longer-running P.I. comic books was The Maze Agency, which ran for twenty-three issues in the early nineties, plus several specials, one-shots, and the like, making it arguably the second-longest running English-language P.I. series, after Ms. Tree. The stories tended to the more traditional Golden Age mystery, particularly … Continue reading Jennifer Mays & Gabriel Webb (The Maze Agency)
Gail and Dwight “Di” Berke
Created by Carl G. Hodges (1902-64) Sports editor of The Journal, DWIGHT "DI" BERKE could always be counted on to dig into the crimonious aspects of sports, be it horse racing, bowling or whatever. Fortunately his wife (and photog for the same rag) GAIL BERKE, armed with "her four-by-five Grafix slung over her tailored shoulder," … Continue reading Gail and Dwight “Di” Berke
Maddie Hayes & David Addison (Moonlighting)
Created by Glenn Caron Gordon Maddie: Wipe that stupid grin off your face. David: This is the smartest grin I know. Moonlighting is the TV show many of us now officially claim to hate, but once upon a time, it sure was a lotta fun. This is the television series that brought screwball romantic comedy … Continue reading Maddie Hayes & David Addison (Moonlighting)
Jake & Hildy Pace
Created by Ron Goulart (1933--) Private eyes pop up in the myriad universes of science fiction from time to time, and Ron Goulart has been responsible for quite a few of them; the husband-and-wife team of JAKE and HILDY PACE are probably the most enduring and memorable among his lazgun-packing ops. Take the sharp wit and … Continue reading Jake & Hildy Pace
Paul Beck (Alfred Juggins) & Dora Myrl
Created by M. McDonnell Bodkin, K.C. (1850-1933) "The devilish ingenuity of Mr. Bodkins' criminals is such as to make the nervous tremble for a world without Paul Beck." -- The Yorkshire Daily Observer PAUL BECK and DORA MYRL would have been interesting enough on their own: two prime examples of early fictional detectives, each successful … Continue reading Paul Beck (Alfred Juggins) & Dora Myrl
Tommy & Tuppence Beresford
Created by Agatha Christie (1890-1976) "Two young adventurers for hire Willing to do anything, go anywhere. Pay must be good." -- the ad that was never placed Yep, that Agatha Christie. Okay, it's not exactly the mean streets, but arguably the first-ever husband-and-wife sleuthing duo was created by the Queen of Crime herself, a decade … Continue reading Tommy & Tuppence Beresford
Johnny and Suzy Marshall
Created by James M. Fox (Pseudonym of Johannes Matthijs Willem Knipscheer) (1908-89) A pair of Californian Nick and Nora wanna-bes, JOHNNY and SUZY MARSHALL appeared in a slew of books by James M. Fox in the forties and fifties. They even had an Asta-like canine partner to help/hinder them with their cases -- a sometimes-ferocious, sometimes-playful … Continue reading Johnny and Suzy Marshall