Favorite Detective?

["Doc" Devereux]

Nero Wolfe is fun, and Lamont Cranston exciting. But for me it would have to be Lord Peter Whimsey, especially considering the assistance of the lovely Harriet Vane.

I'd mention Simon Templar as well, but detection was always a sideline for him as mayhem is its own reward.

 

[221b]

Favorite Detective

Sherlock Holmes of course!:eusa_clap

 

[jamespowers]

Boy, this topic has me pulled in many different directions. Nero Wolfe, Simon Templar, Sherlock Holmes and the inimitable Fatman.

Regards,

J

 

[mysterygal]

my all time favorite is Hercule Periot :eusa_clap ...I think I have read every one of Agatha Christies books with him in it!

 

[G. Fink-Nottle]

On TV, my favorite is Craig Stevens as Peter Gunn.

As for OTR, it's Joe Friday, hands down.

 

[Pilgrim]

I am almost shocked (not "shocked, shocked") that no one is a fan of Mike Hammer!

Conan Doyle's Holmes is surely the most inventive detective in history, Hammett's Continental Op was the genesis fo the modern detective, but no detective has been more famous and imitated over the past 50 years than Mickey Spillane's tough private eye, Mike Hammer. I liked his portrayal better than Darrin McGavin's version.

The Stacy Keach version on TV wasn't bad, either. But I've read all the books and am re-reading them. Wonderful stuff. You can read one page from any of the Mike Hammer novels, and you will know just from the style what it is. Spillane erally invented a writing style that has been widely imitated.

Classic dialogue:

"How c-could you?" she gasped.
I only had a moment before talking to a corpse, but I got it in.
"It was easy," I said.

 

[FredDairy]

 

[mysterygal]

Miss Jane Marple.
Poirot's a bit ostentatious for my taste. I love the fluffy old lady who solves the whodunits while knitting fluffy things in her chair.

I guess my love for Agatha's Poroit books just goes along with my fascination with older eccentric men! I do like Miss Marple too though

 

[RetroMom]

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot, and William Powell as Nick Charles.:eusa_clap

 

[The Reno Kid]

As a rank traditionalist...

My number 1 would have to be Nick Charles. After that, (in no particular order):
- Sam Spade (Bogart or Howard Duff--I like 'em both)
- Charlie Chan (esp. Warner Oland)
- Philip Marlowe (Bogart or Dick Powell)
- Johnny Dollar (Bob Bailey)
- Philo Vance
- The Hardy Boys (Beware the post-1959 bowdlerized versions)
- Poirot
- Wimsey
And speaking of Robert Mitchum, his Jeff Bailey/Markham character from Out of the Past is one of my all-time favorite screen portrayals.

 

[Doctor Strange]

I don't know how I missed this thread earlier, but I'm squarely in the Basil-Rathbone-IS-Sherlock-Holmes camp!

Oh, I like all the 30s/40s noir detectives too, and Batman (especially the 90s Animated Series), and several of the other Sherlock Holmes interpeters... But I pretty much simultaneously read all the Conan Dolyle Holmes stories while watching the Rathbone films (they used to run on NYC's local channels constantly) when I was around 14 or so, and they remain my favorite detective stories.

http://www.basilrathbone.net/

 

[Hannigan Reilly]

Dreyfus: "You didn't even realize the blind beggar was the lookout man for the bank robbers!"
Clouseau: "That's impossible."
Dreyfus: "Why?!"
Clouseau "How could a blind man be a look out?"
Dreyfus "How can an idiot be a policeman?!!"
Clouseau: "Well, he could enlist, and...
Dreyfus: "Enough! I am suspending you for 6 months. Without pay! What do you have to say to that?!"
Clouseau: "Could you... lend me 50 francs?"

 

[Slouch-Hat]

My favorite detective(s)

In the private eye column, I'd say my favorite guy is Mike Hammer. If we're talking about cops, I'd have to go with Law & Order's Mike Logan.

Slouch-Hat McFace...

 

[Forrestal]

Hey Daddy-o, you guys are no-wheres-villle!
Here is a shot of the coolest detectives ever….

Jeff Spencer
Stu Bailey
Gerald Lloyd Kookson III

See ya over at Dino’s,

Forrestal

 

[Snookie]

I get most of my books these days via the tape player, and lately I've been listening to every Nero Wolfe story I can get my hands on. But Nero Wolfe holds little interest for me -- it's Archie Goodwin, his fast-talking secretary, that I like. I wish he'd take me to the Tropicana Room sometime.

 

[LolitaHaze]

It was already said once...

I just wanted to jump in and say that my favourite Detective is Nancy Drew. I am a big fan of the books and yes even the video games. I know they are geared for preteens, but they are still fun anyway. I am trying to find the early versions of the books from the 30's and 40's. I know they were rereleased, but I can't find more than a few of them to read in original form.

 

[artdecodame]

I am trying to find the early versions of the books from the 30's and 40's. I know they were rereleased, but I can't find more than a few of them to read in original form.

My mother has collected those for awhile, and tends to find them in used bookshops or collectible/antique stores. Apparently there were some similar girl books from the era that are fun, too, like the Judy Bolton, Cherry Ames and Beverly Gray series. Those were also re-released in the 50's & 60's, but it's always more interesting to have the originals!

EDIT: Ahh, a few links for you!

http://www.judybolton.com/index.html

http://www.netwrx1.com/CherryAmes/collect.html

http://www.nancydrewsleuth.com/boards.html

 

[K.D. Lightner]

There was also some girl detective named Trixie Beldon, I had a mystery book given to me in the eary 50's.

karol

 

[VintageJess]

Huge Trixie Fan!

There was also some girl detective named Trixie Beldon, I had a mystery book given to me in the eary 50's.

karol

Karol,

My Mom and I are huge Trixie Belden fans--we re-read them every summer. We actually have all of her original hardcovers from when she was a child!

Jessica

 

[J. M. Stovall]

Sorry, I love all those movies and characters, but I would be lying if I didn't fess up to this being my favorite detective. Especially the early animated series version in all it's deco glory. And you can't get more Golden Era than Batman.