Dennis Haysbert
Crime Story
October 01, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, an NBC show about cops had it all.
A new look.
Story arcs that existed over several episodes.
And the elevation of lesser known actors into household name status.
Hill Street Blues? No.
Miami Vice? No.
Crime Story.
Michael Mann’s production of a Chicago cop and his mobster prey only lasted two seasons from 1986-1988.
But it was a terrific two years.
Set in the early 1960’s, Crime Story followed the exploits of Chicago Police Department Lt. Mike Torello and his squad at MCU or Major Crimes Unit. Their mission is to take down mobster Ray Luca.
When Luca moves his base of operations to Las Vegas, Torello and team follows, only to trade in their Chicago police badges to work for the feds.
At the end of the first season, Ray Luca and his addlebrained sidekick, Paulie Taglia, escape to the desert where they find themselves in the middle of nuclear testing. Because they survive, the federal government gives them immunity from prosecution and increases the difficulty of Torello’s job.
The medical information learned from their survival is simply invaluable during the Cold War and immunity from prosecution is the government’s compensation.
Crime Story was created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. It starred Dennis Farina as Mike Torello. In a perfect example of art imitating life, Adamson and Farina worked for the Chicago Police Department before their show business careers. John Santucci played Paulie Taglia. Santucci was a thief in Chicago in his previous career. Adamson and Farina knew Santucci from their Chicago days. They arrested him!
Anthony Denison played Ray Luca. He went to the other side of law enforcement during a brief stint on Wiseguy when he replaced Ken Wahl. Denison played a former FBI agent drawn back into the fight against crime.
A reading of the list of guest stars on Crime Story is impressive.
Kevin Spacey. David Caruso. Julia Roberts. Ving Rhames. Gary Sinise. David Hyde-Pierce. Billy Zane. Laura San Giacomo. Dennis Haysbert.
Regular and recurring actors on Crime Story will also be familiar.
Before he was Corky’s dad on Life Goes On, Bill Smitrovich was Detective Danny Krycheck.
Before he was a single dad looking for a chance at true love on Once and Again, Billy Campbell was Detective Joey Indelli.
And before he sold out sports arenas, comedian Andrew Dice Clay was Max Goldman, a savvy partner of Ray Luca.
Del Shannon’s Runaway was the show’s theme song. It set the tone perfectly for the series. An upbeat tune balanced by somber words.
Crime Story paid great attention to style, setting, and detail. It captured the viewer. In Chicago, Torello and his squad often regrouped at a bar called the Orbit Room, a nod to the fascination inspired by the Space Age of the 1960’s.
In one episode, Torello and the guys talk about the Chicago Bears. He says that Ditka is the best player on the team. It was essentially a wink to the viewer. Mike Ditka played for the Bears in the 1960’s and coached the team during the mid-1980’s, the period of the show’s broadcast history.
Cars with fins. Suits with thin ties. Men with hats. All details of another era. But Crime Story recaptured them in an old-fashioned good guy vs. bad guy story line.
Crime Story ended with a cliffhanger. The principal characters airborne in a pilotless plane. Maybe one day, a tv-movie will tie up loose ends. And we will find out the ultimate destiny of Torello and Luca. Until then, you can create your own Crime Story ending.
david@davidkrell.com
In the 1980’s, an NBC show about cops had it all.
A new look.
Story arcs that existed over several episodes.
And the elevation of lesser known actors into household name status.
Hill Street Blues? No.
Miami Vice? No.
Crime Story.
Michael Mann’s production of a Chicago cop and his mobster prey only lasted two seasons from 1986-1988.
But it was a terrific two years.
Set in the early 1960’s, Crime Story followed the exploits of Chicago Police Department Lt. Mike Torello and his squad at MCU or Major Crimes Unit. Their mission is to take down mobster Ray Luca.
When Luca moves his base of operations to Las Vegas, Torello and team follows, only to trade in their Chicago police badges to work for the feds.
At the end of the first season, Ray Luca and his addlebrained sidekick, Paulie Taglia, escape to the desert where they find themselves in the middle of nuclear testing. Because they survive, the federal government gives them immunity from prosecution and increases the difficulty of Torello’s job.
The medical information learned from their survival is simply invaluable during the Cold War and immunity from prosecution is the government’s compensation.
Crime Story was created by Gustave Reininger and Chuck Adamson. It starred Dennis Farina as Mike Torello. In a perfect example of art imitating life, Adamson and Farina worked for the Chicago Police Department before their show business careers. John Santucci played Paulie Taglia. Santucci was a thief in Chicago in his previous career. Adamson and Farina knew Santucci from their Chicago days. They arrested him!
Anthony Denison played Ray Luca. He went to the other side of law enforcement during a brief stint on Wiseguy when he replaced Ken Wahl. Denison played a former FBI agent drawn back into the fight against crime.
A reading of the list of guest stars on Crime Story is impressive.
Kevin Spacey. David Caruso. Julia Roberts. Ving Rhames. Gary Sinise. David Hyde-Pierce. Billy Zane. Laura San Giacomo. Dennis Haysbert.
Regular and recurring actors on Crime Story will also be familiar.
Before he was Corky’s dad on Life Goes On, Bill Smitrovich was Detective Danny Krycheck.
Before he was a single dad looking for a chance at true love on Once and Again, Billy Campbell was Detective Joey Indelli.
And before he sold out sports arenas, comedian Andrew Dice Clay was Max Goldman, a savvy partner of Ray Luca.
Del Shannon’s Runaway was the show’s theme song. It set the tone perfectly for the series. An upbeat tune balanced by somber words.
Crime Story paid great attention to style, setting, and detail. It captured the viewer. In Chicago, Torello and his squad often regrouped at a bar called the Orbit Room, a nod to the fascination inspired by the Space Age of the 1960’s.
In one episode, Torello and the guys talk about the Chicago Bears. He says that Ditka is the best player on the team. It was essentially a wink to the viewer. Mike Ditka played for the Bears in the 1960’s and coached the team during the mid-1980’s, the period of the show’s broadcast history.
Cars with fins. Suits with thin ties. Men with hats. All details of another era. But Crime Story recaptured them in an old-fashioned good guy vs. bad guy story line.
Crime Story ended with a cliffhanger. The principal characters airborne in a pilotless plane. Maybe one day, a tv-movie will tie up loose ends. And we will find out the ultimate destiny of Torello and Luca. Until then, you can create your own Crime Story ending.
Major League
May 27, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a movie with a classic early set up and climactic payoff, romance in the B-storyline incorporated into the main plot, and an underdog theme against a baseball backdrop.
Major League.
In this 1989 movie, Charlie Sheen plays Cleveland Indians pitcher Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn, his nickname stemming from his wild pitching. Corrective lenses easily solve this problem.
Sheen later parlayed his movie stardom for small screen success. He took over the lead position in Spin City after Michael J. Fox left the show. Sheen now stars in Two and a Half Men, the successor to the crown of CBS' Monday night comedy lineup previously worn by Everybody Loves Raymond.
Corbin Bernsen plays cocky, skilled, and fast-talking third baseman Roger Dorn. His performance in Major League coincided with the height of his success in L.A. Law where he played cocky, skilled, and fast-talking matrimonial attorney Arnie Becker.
Tom Berenger plays veteran catcher Jake Taylor. Berenger's television work is plentiful.
In guest appearances on Cheers, Berenger plays plumber Don Santry, the man who finally wins the love of Rebecca Howe, played by Kirstie Alley.
Berenger plays real-life icons Teddy Roosevelt and Paul 'Bear' Bryant respectively in the tv-movies Rough Riders and The Junction Boys.
In October Road, Berenger plays the Commander, a.k.a. the father of lead character Nick Garrett.
Berenger made another noteworthy contribution to prime time. Sort of.
In The Big Chill, Berenger plays Sam Weber, the star of the action-packed television show, J.T. Lancer.
James Gammon plays Indians manager Lou Brown. He also plays Nick Bridges, father of Don Johnson's title character in Nash Bridges.
Dennis Haysbert captures attention as Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-friendly power slugger. A little more than a decade after Major League, he captured attention on a weekly basis as presidential candidate and then President David Palmer on 24.
Bob Uecker provides comic relief as Indians radio announcer Harry Doyle, a boozy play-by-play man who does his best to shade the Indians' pathetic playing at the beginning of the movie with not so accurate descriptions.
Uecker graced the small screen in the 1980's ABC Friday night sitcom Mr. Belvedere, based on the 1947 novel Belvedere by Gwen Davenport.
Major League will inspire you to root for the home team, infuse you with faith even if the odds are against success, and encourage you to keep moving forward even when something goes awry no matter how valiant the effort.
david@davidkrell.com
This year marks the 20th anniversary of a movie with a classic early set up and climactic payoff, romance in the B-storyline incorporated into the main plot, and an underdog theme against a baseball backdrop.
Major League.
In this 1989 movie, Charlie Sheen plays Cleveland Indians pitcher Rick 'Wild Thing' Vaughn, his nickname stemming from his wild pitching. Corrective lenses easily solve this problem.
Sheen later parlayed his movie stardom for small screen success. He took over the lead position in Spin City after Michael J. Fox left the show. Sheen now stars in Two and a Half Men, the successor to the crown of CBS' Monday night comedy lineup previously worn by Everybody Loves Raymond.
Corbin Bernsen plays cocky, skilled, and fast-talking third baseman Roger Dorn. His performance in Major League coincided with the height of his success in L.A. Law where he played cocky, skilled, and fast-talking matrimonial attorney Arnie Becker.
Tom Berenger plays veteran catcher Jake Taylor. Berenger's television work is plentiful.
In guest appearances on Cheers, Berenger plays plumber Don Santry, the man who finally wins the love of Rebecca Howe, played by Kirstie Alley.
Berenger plays real-life icons Teddy Roosevelt and Paul 'Bear' Bryant respectively in the tv-movies Rough Riders and The Junction Boys.
In October Road, Berenger plays the Commander, a.k.a. the father of lead character Nick Garrett.
Berenger made another noteworthy contribution to prime time. Sort of.
In The Big Chill, Berenger plays Sam Weber, the star of the action-packed television show, J.T. Lancer.
James Gammon plays Indians manager Lou Brown. He also plays Nick Bridges, father of Don Johnson's title character in Nash Bridges.
Dennis Haysbert captures attention as Pedro Cerrano, a voodoo-friendly power slugger. A little more than a decade after Major League, he captured attention on a weekly basis as presidential candidate and then President David Palmer on 24.
Bob Uecker provides comic relief as Indians radio announcer Harry Doyle, a boozy play-by-play man who does his best to shade the Indians' pathetic playing at the beginning of the movie with not so accurate descriptions.
Uecker graced the small screen in the 1980's ABC Friday night sitcom Mr. Belvedere, based on the 1947 novel Belvedere by Gwen Davenport.
Major League will inspire you to root for the home team, infuse you with faith even if the odds are against success, and encourage you to keep moving forward even when something goes awry no matter how valiant the effort.