Created by Jack Webb (1920-82) Richard L. Breen (1918-67) and William P. Rousseau (1915-72) Johnny Madero, Pier 23 was the second of three short-lived detective radio shows that Jack Webb starred in before he launched the Dragnet on radio in 1949 (see also Jeff Regan, Investigator and Pat Novak For Hire). It's essentially a rip-off, in fact, of the latter, … Continue reading Johnny Madero (Johnny Madero, Pier 23)
Tag: Trouble Shooter
Pat Novak (Pat Novak for Hire)
Created by Jack Webb (1920-82) Richard L. Breen (1918-67) and William P. Rousseau (1915-72) "She drifted into the room like 98 pounds of warm smoke. Her voice was hot and sticky—like a furnace full of marshmallows." Pat Novak For Hire was the most successful of three short-lived radio shows that actor actor/writer Jack Webb played a hard-boiled … Continue reading Pat Novak (Pat Novak for Hire)
Dennis O’Brien
Created by Herbert H. Margolis Louis Morheim (1922-2013) and Richard L. Breen (1918-67) "I rent out boats and do anything that means long odds and short hours. My sideline's trouble." -- O'Brien explains his occupation in Roaring City "When you deal with these dames --you're in the DANGER ZONE!" -- tagline from Danger Zone All things considered, … Continue reading Dennis O’Brien
Eddie Mannix (Hail, Caesar!)
Created by Ethan Coen and Joel Coen "EDDIE MANNIX" was a real-life character, a legendary (and allegedly mob-connected) Hollywood bouncer and fixer who rose through the ranks to become a studio executive at MGM in the fifties. You may recall his appearance in the 2006 film Hollywoodland, director Allen Coulter and writer Paul Bernbaum's ambitious … Continue reading Eddie Mannix (Hail, Caesar!)
Tony Bravado
Created by Dave Darrigo TONY BRAVADO was the star of his own short-lived comic book in the late eighties for a very brief time -- if you blinked, you probably missed him. Yet, from the one glimpse I've had of Tony, in the 1993 The Detectives anthology, it looks like we all missed something pretty good. … Continue reading Tony Bravado
Simon Riske
Created by Christopher Reich The first name seems like a blatant shout-out (a scream-out?) to Simon Templar (aka "The Saint"), and the last name is hardly less subtle, but Christopher Reich's London-based, jet-setting, gentlemanly "professional problem solver" and "freelance industrial spy" SIMON RISKE gets the job done and is more than willing the take the risks … Continue reading Simon Riske
Ray Donovan
Created by Ann Biderman "Oh, I know who you are. You're a bagman for movie stars. You're also an extortionist, you're a wiretapper -- basically, you're an all-round piece of shit." -- the LA director of the FBI has Ray's number Ever since American television grew up and started airing crime dramas like The Sopranos, … Continue reading Ray Donovan
David Danning
Created by Don Von Elsner (1909-1997) Officially, DAVID DANNING is a lawyer. A very successful lawyer. He runs the prestigious Los Angeles law firm of Danning and Danning with his son, Bob (whom he calls "Duke" and is also a lawyer), and employs a slew of associates, assistants, investigators, paralegals and the like, including his ever-faithful secretary … Continue reading David Danning