Michael Mann created a superb set-up for a private detective show with "Vegas", but Aaron Spelling and company didn't rise to the challenge. If Spelling had hired Mann to produce the show as well as create it, the result might have been greatness.
My choice for Dan Tanna would have been Sam Elliott, who started to get really interesting with "Lifeguard" and keeps getting better as he ages. (To me its a crime neither Sam Elliott or Brian Dennehy ever had a great series role. They were both made for series hero brilliance.) If Sam Elliott wasn't available, I would have looked at Roy Thinnes or Michael Parks.
Casino owner Philip Roth was just as interesting a character as Dan Tanna, maybe more interesting. The character reminded me a little of Blake Edwards' great Mr. Lucky, or his earlier incarnation Willie Dante. I would have had half the shows center on Philip Roth. My choice for Philip Roth would have been Frank Langella. If not Langella, maybe the extremely underrated John Saxon, who also got more interesting as he aged.
My choice for Dan Tanna's ex-show girl secretary would have been the great Sheree North, who improved anything she was in. If not Sheree, the lovely Julie Adams.
For Dan Tanna's friend on the force, I would have tried for Salome Jens or Colleen Dewhurst.
For Binzer, Dan's comic friend, I would have tried to get Cliff Gorman to do a variation on his brilliant Tony award winning Lenny Bruce performance. Or maybe Shelly Berman would have been even better.
My cast might have cost too much money, but I bet Michael Mann could have gotten most of them.
Mann would have also given the show a great noirish visual look, like he did with "Miami Vice" and "Crime Story". And he would have given it better music.
To me, "Vegas" was a big missed opportunity.
My choice for Dan Tanna would have been Sam Elliott, who started to get really interesting with "Lifeguard" and keeps getting better as he ages. (To me its a crime neither Sam Elliott or Brian Dennehy ever had a great series role. They were both made for series hero brilliance.) If Sam Elliott wasn't available, I would have looked at Roy Thinnes or Michael Parks.
Casino owner Philip Roth was just as interesting a character as Dan Tanna, maybe more interesting. The character reminded me a little of Blake Edwards' great Mr. Lucky, or his earlier incarnation Willie Dante. I would have had half the shows center on Philip Roth. My choice for Philip Roth would have been Frank Langella. If not Langella, maybe the extremely underrated John Saxon, who also got more interesting as he aged.
My choice for Dan Tanna's ex-show girl secretary would have been the great Sheree North, who improved anything she was in. If not Sheree, the lovely Julie Adams.
For Dan Tanna's friend on the force, I would have tried for Salome Jens or Colleen Dewhurst.
For Binzer, Dan's comic friend, I would have tried to get Cliff Gorman to do a variation on his brilliant Tony award winning Lenny Bruce performance. Or maybe Shelly Berman would have been even better.
My cast might have cost too much money, but I bet Michael Mann could have gotten most of them.
Mann would have also given the show a great noirish visual look, like he did with "Miami Vice" and "Crime Story". And he would have given it better music.
To me, "Vegas" was a big missed opportunity.