"Spenser: For Hire" (1985) TV series 1985-1988

Directors:

Bruce Bilson
Harvey Hart
(more)

Writers:

William Rabkin (writer)
Shel Willens (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

20 September 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

Mystery/suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each episode. Using his years of experience, his natural talents for observation and reasoning, and the occasional bit of help from his friend Hawk, Spenser never fails to crack the case.

Plot Keywords:

Boston | Detective | Boston Massachusetts | Private Eye | Character Name In Title

Cast

Robert Urich	...	Spenser (65 episodes, 1985-1988)
Avery Brooks	...	Hawk (65 episodes, 1985-1988)
Ron McLarty	...	Sgt. Frank Belson (64 episodes, 1985-1988)
Richard Jaeckel	...	Lt. Martin Quirk (46 episodes, 1985-1987)
Barbara Stock	...	Susan Silverman (43 episodes, 1985-1988)
Carolyn McCormick	...	Assistant District Attorney Rita Fiore (23 episodes, 1985-1987)

Series Directed by
Winrich Kolbe		(6 episodes, 1987)
David Whorf		(5 episodes, 1986-1988)
Virgil W. Vogel		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Ray Austin		(2 episodes, 1986)
Harry Harris		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Richard A. Colla		(1 episode, 1985)
Cliff Bole		(1 episode, 1986)
William Wiard		(1 episode, 1986)
Bruce Bilson		(unknown episodes)
Harvey Hart		(unknown episodes)
Vic Sarin		(unknown episodes)
Joseph L. Scanlan		(unknown episodes)
Andrew Wild		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Robert B. Parker		(63 episodes, 1985-1988)
Howard Gordon		(5 episodes, 1986-1987)
Robert Hamilton		(4 episodes, 1985-1986)
Alex Gansa		(4 episodes, 1986-1987)
Lee Goldberg		(3 episodes, 1987-1988)
John Wilder		(2 episodes, 1985)
Robert Bielak		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
David Carren		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Michael Petryni		(2 episodes, 1986-1987)
Nelson Costello		(2 episodes, 1987-1988)
Joan H. Parker		(2 episodes, 1987)
William Rabkin		(unknown episodes)
Shel Willens		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
John Wilder	....	executive producer (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Michael J. Maschio	....	producer (unknown episodes, 1985-1988)
Mark Horowitz	....	co-producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Steve Dorff		(unknown episodes)
Larry Herbstritt		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Ronald M. Lautore		(unknown episodes, 1985-1986)
Peter Salim		(unknown episodes, 1986-1988)

Series Film Editing by
Janet Weinberg		(3 episodes, 1985)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mark Lyon	....	first assistant director (21 episodes, 1986-1988)
Timothy J. Lonsdale	....	second assistant director (21 episodes, 1987-1988)
Mitchell Bock	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes, 1985-1986)
William Cosentino	....	first assistant director: second unit / second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	second unit director (unknown episodes)
Jay Tobias	....	first assistant director: second unit (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Bill Dietz	....	property master (23 episodes, 1985-1986)

Series Sound Department
Gregg Barbanell	....	foley artist (unknown episodes)
Richard Kite	....	boom operator (unknown episodes)
Walter Newman	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Roy Jenson	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1985)
Shawn O'Neil	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1985)
Ted White	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1985)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (1 episode, 1986)
Gene Harrison	....	stunt performer (1 episode, 1987)
Tom Sarmento	....	stunts (1 episode, 1987)
John Vincent Mason	....	stunt driver (1 episode, 1988)
Bruce Paul Barbour	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Shelley Cook	....	stunt performer (unknown episodes)
Jeffrey Lee Gibson	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Conrad E. Palmisano	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Pat Romano	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Michael Runyard	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)
Lori Seaman	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Rick Seaman	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Paul E. Short	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Harry Wowchuk	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Dan Reilly	....	key grip (66 episodes, 1985-1988)
Barbara Hanania	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes, 1985-1988)
Larry Orlick	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes, 1985-1988)
Douglas Pellegrino	....	assistant camera (unknown episodes, 1985-1988)
Peter Salim	....	camera operator (unknown episodes, 1985)
Craig DiBona	....	camera operator (unknown episodes, 1986)
Scott Rathner	....	additional first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
William M. Weberg	....	grip (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Kathleen Gore-Misko	....	costumer (66 episodes, 1985-1988)
Ernest Misko	....	costumer (66 episodes, 1985-1988)

Series Editorial Department
Linda Renaud	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
William Winn	....	transportation coordinator (66 episodes, 1985-1988)

Series Other crew
Barry Fitzsimmons	....	production assistant (64 episodes, 1985-1988)
Scott McAboy	....	production assistant (21 episodes, 1985-1986)
Nancy E. Barr	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 1986)
Joseph Calabrese	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 1985-1986)
Christopher Landry	....	production assistant (unknown episodes, 1985-1986)
Michael Williams	....	location manager (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros. Television

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1985-1988) (USA) (TV)

Runtime:

60 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Television

Trivia:

The "set" of the dark country/western bar was actually the main bar area of The Channel, the largest (at the time) nightclub in Boston. The lights were kept dim so as to help hide the club's stage and massive PA system.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "I Love the 80's 3-D" (2005)

Will this class Detective show ever make it to DVD?

Fans: Quite often I go on-line to check for the much anticipated release of this intelligent detective series. So far my face is dragging the ground. I loved this show when it was on and could not for the life of me understand why it was canceled. Let us not go there. So shows the fans just loved seemed to generate no love with the network Execs. I guess wit, intelligence, and great plots are not where we are going. And by the way only the the late Robert Eurich could ever play the character of Edmond Spenser, and Avery Brooks as Hawk. Never knew if Hawk had another name, like Jason, or Daniel etc.

But if there is a petition we can sign to try to get Spenser: For Hire on DVD somebody please point the way, and I will be sure to add my name.