Murder Me, Murder You
Encyclopedia
Murder Me, Murder You is a made-for-TV movie starring Stacy Keach
as Mickey Spillane
's iconic hard-boiled private detective, Mike Hammer
. The movie marks the first time the fictitious gumshoe
would be portrayed on the small-screen since Darren McGavin
played the part in the black-and-white
version of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
, a syndicated
television series that aired from 1958 to 1960. Murder Me, Murder You was the first of two pilots
- the other being More Than Murder - that blazed a path for the 1980s version of the CBS
series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
which debuted on January 28, 1984.
agency that has become tied up in a dangerous exchange involving high-stakes bribes by an American helicopter
manufacturer to a corrupt General
in Central America
. Chris nonetheless drops dead in the middle of testifying before a grand jury, but not before informing Mike that he has a 19-year-old daughter who is caught in the middle of everything and might already be dead.
Screenwriter Bill Stratton was awarded the Edgar
in the category of Best Mystery Teleplay Special, the first time any Spillane-inspired material was ever given the MWA's
top award.
in the role of Hammer, a face that many now identify as the definitive identity of the rough-and-tumble detective. After the second pilot movie, which served as the initial episode of the first CBS
series, Keach would go on to star in a third made-for-TV movie (The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer), which was followed by the return of the series to CBS, now titled The New Mike Hammer
. He went on to star in a syndicated series, Mike Hammer, Private Eye
, in 1997. In 1996 his voice was featured reading the audiobook version of Spillane's penultimate Mike Hammer novel Black Alley, and Keach continues to portray Mike Hammer in a series of radio novels entitled collectively The New Adventures of Mike Hammer.
Stacy Keach
Stacy Keach is an American actor and narrator. He is most famous for his dramatic roles; however, he has done narration work in educational programming on PBS and the Discovery Channel, as well as some comedy and musical...
as Mickey Spillane
Mickey Spillane
Frank Morrison Spillane , better known as Mickey Spillane, was an American author of crime novels, many featuring his signature detective character, Mike Hammer. More than 225 million copies of his books have sold internationally...
's iconic hard-boiled private detective, Mike Hammer
Mike Hammer
Michael "Mike" Hammer is a fictional detective created by the American author Mickey Spillane in the 1947 book I, the Jury .-Description:...
. The movie marks the first time the fictitious gumshoe
Detective
A detective is an investigator, either a member of a police agency or a private person. The latter may be known as private investigators or "private eyes"...
would be portrayed on the small-screen since Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin
Darren McGavin was an American actor best known for playing the title role in the television horror series Kolchak: The Night Stalker and his portrayal in the film A Christmas Story of the grumpy father given to bursts of profanity that he never realizes his son overhears...
played the part in the black-and-white
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
version of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer is the title used for two syndicated television series that followed the adventures of fictional private detective Mike Hammer...
, a syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
television series that aired from 1958 to 1960. Murder Me, Murder You was the first of two pilots
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
- the other being More Than Murder - that blazed a path for the 1980s version of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer
Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer is the title used for two syndicated television series that followed the adventures of fictional private detective Mike Hammer...
which debuted on January 28, 1984.
Plot
Mike is hired to protect Chris Jameson (Michelle Phillips), an old flame who he hasn't seen in almost 20 years. Chris heads up an all female high-risk courierCourier
A courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
agency that has become tied up in a dangerous exchange involving high-stakes bribes by an American helicopter
Helicopter
A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
manufacturer to a corrupt General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
. Chris nonetheless drops dead in the middle of testifying before a grand jury, but not before informing Mike that he has a 19-year-old daughter who is caught in the middle of everything and might already be dead.
Screenwriter Bill Stratton was awarded the Edgar
Edgar Award
The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
in the category of Best Mystery Teleplay Special, the first time any Spillane-inspired material was ever given the MWA's
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
top award.
Stacy Keach's First Appearance as Mike Hammer
The TV movie is significant because it marks the first appearance of Stacy KeachStacy Keach
Stacy Keach is an American actor and narrator. He is most famous for his dramatic roles; however, he has done narration work in educational programming on PBS and the Discovery Channel, as well as some comedy and musical...
in the role of Hammer, a face that many now identify as the definitive identity of the rough-and-tumble detective. After the second pilot movie, which served as the initial episode of the first CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series, Keach would go on to star in a third made-for-TV movie (The Return of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer), which was followed by the return of the series to CBS, now titled The New Mike Hammer
The New Mike Hammer
The New Mike Hammer is an American television series based on the exploits of the fictitious New York-based private detective Mike Hammer. The show starred Stacy Keach and was essentially a continuation of Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, an earlier television program featuring an identical core cast...
. He went on to star in a syndicated series, Mike Hammer, Private Eye
Mike Hammer, Private Eye
Mike Hammer, Private Eye is an American syndicated television program based on the adventures of the fictitious private detective Mike Hammer, created by novelist Mickey Spillane...
, in 1997. In 1996 his voice was featured reading the audiobook version of Spillane's penultimate Mike Hammer novel Black Alley, and Keach continues to portray Mike Hammer in a series of radio novels entitled collectively The New Adventures of Mike Hammer.