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THE DARREN McGAVIN FILES
1922-2006
Recently I wrote an
article on Al Lewis, Grandpa Munster, in tribute to his passing, and in
that article I mentioned having recently spotted Al Lewis in the Night
Strangler, the sequel to the original TV movie of The Night Stalker,
starring Darren McGavin—not realizing that within just a few weeks ol’
McGavin would reunite with Al Lewis—and all the other greats of his
generation who had successfully made the journey forward.
On February 25, 2006,
Darren McGavin, one of the hardest working men in show business, died from
natural causes. However, for the Pop Culture Generation, we best know
McGavin as the man who dared to investigate the unnatural, or the
supernatural, and we can only hope that his investigations continue into
the hereafter.
McGavin’s show, The
Night Stalker, was a really neat series for many reasons, but the
foremost pleasure existed in Darren’s portrayal of investigative reporter
Carl Kolchak. He created a sense of verisimilitude for the show by playing
Kolchak in a believable down to earth and realistic manner. We believed in
Kolchak as the reporter, and therefore, we were willing to believe in the
show’s wacky fun premise of meeting up with a monster every week.
Formula, yes. Fun, for
sure.
But as Chris Carter has
informed us--without the Night Stalker we would never have had the
enjoyment of seeing the show Kolchak inspired: The X-Files.
I’m glad Darren was still
here to see his super fun show The Night Stalker make its debut
onto DVD. Darren McGavin and his beautiful wife Kathie Browne were two of
the most dedicated actors in the business and they never ignored their
fans. They know we’re watching!
But did you know Darren
McGavin was also the first man to portray Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer on
TV (1958-1960)!
How cool is that?
Let’s get that out on
DVD!
Also of note—while you’re
searching for McGavin as Mike Hammer and picking up the Night Stalker
set—check out Darren’s performance as Frank Sinatra’s drug dealer in the
Man With the Golden Arm.
A+ stuff from an A+ kind
of a guy.
The truth is out
there, Darren, but thanks for being one of the first honest men to lead
the way with integrity, an open mind, a crucifix, and a wooden stake.
Peace always,
Bradley Mason Hamlin
March 4, 2006
brad@retrocrush.com |
