"Simon & Simon" (1981) TV series 1981-1989

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Creator:

Philip DeGuere

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Release Date:

24 November 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Mystery | Drama

Plot:

Two brothers of disparate tastes and manners run a private detective agency.

Plot Keywords:

Detective | Private Detective | Ampersand In Title | Repetition In Title | Brother Brother Relationship

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 nominations

Cast

Gerald McRaney	...	Rick Simon (156 episodes, 1981-1989)
Jameson Parker	...	Andrew Jackson 'A.J.' Simon / ... (156 episodes, 1981-1989)
Mary Carver	...	Cecilia Simon (153 episodes, 1981-1989)
Tim Reid	...	Det. Marcel 'Downtown' Brown / ... (79 episodes, 1983-1987)

Also Known As:

Pirate's Key (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal TV

Trivia:

On the show, Rick is a few years older then A.J., but in reality Gerald McRaney (Rick) is only four months older then Jameson Parker (A.J.).

Quotes:

Rick Simon: [to nurse at Mental Hospital where he and AJ are being held by the villian] Take me to my brother or I'll do something Alfred Hitchcock never dreamed of.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Laserblast (#8.6)" (1996)

Great series, wish it lasted longer

This series took a staple element of the detective genre - mismatched partners, and added the twist that they were brothers. Instead of setting it in a classic location for a detective series (NY, LA, Chicago), they took the 90 minute drive down the coast to the beautiful city of San Diego. What they found was a gold mine. Instead of the tired cliche locations, they banked on the little seen but widely known attractions of San Diego (the Zoo, Sea World, the Beaches, and the close proximity to Baja California). The pilot was set in Florida, but the series was wisely moved to the West Coast; Rick Simon, the older of the brothers, was a former marine that was the braun, while buttoned down preppy AJ (the embodiment of preppies in the 80's) was the cultured, refined brother. With Tim Reid as a supporting character (Downtown Brown) and Mary Carver as their mother Cecilia, this series produced many memorable episodes that not only entertained, but taught about the viewer history (WW2, John Dillinger, etc.). Catch it in syndication if you can.