Mike Hammer

Darren McGavin was the quintessential Mike Hammer. Others paled by comparison. He played him with toughness, irreverence and humor. Back in the 50's, when TV censorship was at its strictest, he went as far as you could go. He'd call women "Chickie" and had no qualms at roughing them up to get to the truth. I especially liked his scenes with Nita Talbot, who took everything he dished out. In another review, revtg001 claimed that Anthony Quinn played Mike Hammer. Although, Mr.Quinn appeared in a movie of a Mickey Spillane novel, "The Long Wait",the character he played was JOHNNY McBRIDE. In my opinion, the second best Mike Hammer was Ralph Meeker in "Kiss Me Deadly".

While I was a school girl, I never missed doll-faced Darren McGavin as Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, an unorthodox, relenetless private eye ridding New York City of creeps in much the same way as "The Sweeney" in 1970s London. I say "doll-faced" because I did meet Mr. McGavin on the street in front of the Met after he had just finished his evening performance of "The King and I," dancing and singing as a barefoot royal in love with a governess - nothing like Mike Hammer but just as adorable. I told him how much I enjoyed his TV shows including "Riverboat." Years later, I bought the Mike Hammer DVDs but found his methods too unorthodox for my adult mind. Still, Darren McGavin was and is one of my all-time favorite stars: RIP.

I love the old private detective shows of the 1950's and 1960's with their jazzy musical themes and their tough heroes with a heart of gold. This early version of Mike Hammer wasn't the best, (that would be Peter Gunn), but it had the best lead actor, Darren McGavin, one of those performers who is usually the best thing in anything he's in. Another reviewer said that he 'nails' Mike Hammer and he really does. Apparently he didn't like the character, (actors are often very different from the characters they play). The theory that he played it as a spoof of private eyes is interesting. The shows and McGavin's performances are serious enough that I wonder about that. But he does seem at times to laugh his way through some scenes and give a comic touch to the show. He can handle the drama just as well. The production values are cheap but he's a whole reason to watch the show by himself.

There is one other reason: the musical theme, 'Riff Blues', (I hope dfam1, who posted a review 17 years ago asking about that finally found out that that's what they call it- there are several good versions on You-Tube). I love Harlem Noctrune, the theme used for the Stacey Keach series, but Riff Blues is equally good.

I'm currently watching an episode of this show and David Janssen's 'Richard Diamond' show each night. Both are half an hour, (meaning 25 minutes), long and contemporary to each other, (Diamond was 1957-60, Hammer 1958-60). Diamond was a network show used as a replacement show, Hammer a syndicated show, so Hammer actually has more episodes, 78 to 77. Hammer is based in New York and Diamond was as well the first two seasons, (although neither show was filmed there, except for a few scenes of Hammer). You wonder if Diamond, (which starred another one of my favorite actors in Janssen) and Hammer ever crossed paths. The actors may well have crossed paths as both series were filmed at the Republic Pictures studios in LA. Both actors later played private eyes in well-regarded series, (McGavin in 'The Outsider' and Janssen in 'Harry O'). I've checked their resumes on the IMDB and they don't seem to have acted in the same TV episode or movies, although Todd and Buzz encountered each of them along 'Route 66'.

If TV had a "film-noir", McGavin's Mike Hammer would be it-the cool character on the coolest show on black and white TV in my prepubescent TV world; he seemed so worldly yet down to earth and always had the lady's eye (there was always some eye candy in the show, even if it was the 1950's)..guys were still guys..and all detective magazines had the formula "skirt" in the plot. This show was ahead of its time in some respects.. You might even arguably boast that he (McGavin) paved the way and even foreshadowed Mr Bond..a good 6 years before "Dr. No" hit the drive-in movies in the summer of '62. And then completely switching character to play the riverboat captain in my father's favorite show a few years later on "Riverboat".

I hope TVLand can bring him back so my sons can enjoy. (My boys love Gunsmoke and McGyver and Maverick and Sandford (RedFoxx), etc). McGavin is right up there with my other TV idol, Robert Conrad-of "WildWildWest" and "Baa Baa BlackSheep" (Boyington)fame.

I am 52 and also enjoyed the series as a child. I also enjoyed him in Night Stalker, although it became a little campy. My question is, does anyone know the name of the theme song from the original show. I am only able to find the name from the Stacey Keach version, called Harlem Nocturne which I did not embrace. Thanks I am 52 and also enjoyed the series as a child. I also enjoyed him in Night Stalker, although it became a little campy. My question is, does anyone know the name of the theme song from the original show. I am only able to find the name from the Stacey Keach version, called Harlem Nocturne which I did not embrace. Thanks I am 52 and also enjoyed the series as a child. I also enjoyed him in Night Stalker, although it became a little campy. My question is, does anyone know the name of the theme song from the original show. I am only able to find the name from the Stacey Keach version, called Harlem Nocturne which I did not embrace. Thanks