This is a rerun of a 2009 post in tribute to the late Stephen J. Cannell.
I think 75% of the success of any Stephen J. Cannell series was casting. While he may not always have found the best actors, Cannell almost always found likable performers who meshed well on-camera. With his DIRTY HARRY copy, NBC's HUNTER, the producer wisely found a charming and incredibly beautiful counterpart to balance out the rough, gruff loner cop with a big gun.
Former football star Fred Dryer (who came thisclose to landing the lead in CHEERS) starred as badass L.A. cop Rick Hunter, and Stepfanie Kramer--for my money, the sexiest woman on television in those days--was his partner, the equally tough but soft Dee Dee McCall, nicknamed "The Brass Cupcake." HUNTER was a very violent show, and if you're a fan of flying bullets, flying cars, and flying punches, it was the show for you.
HUNTER ran seven seasons on NBC, and was so fondly remembered that the network brought it back in 2003. First, as a TV-movie, then as a regular weekly series! Unfortunately, NBC buried it in a tough timeslot, and it was quickly canceled after about three episodes. But Kramer still looked fab.
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4 comments:
It was impossible for me not to think of HUNTER when SLEDGE HAMMER! came out two years later and think of Rasche/Dryer, Anne-Marie Martin/Kramer (Anne-Marie gave her some serious competition as far as being hot back then) and of course, Harrison Page in place of the occasionally seen John Amos. Easy I guess because they were both patterned after DIRTY HARRY.
First Riptide, and now Hunter? Why does it seem like my Dad is writing this blog? :-)
I always said that the first blogger I saw to write about Hunter would receive my undying support. Sir, you've earned it.
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