Tucson Weather Today

_____

A comment following yesterday's blog entry regarding Mickey Spillane spurred my interest in some of the things I remember about him from my early teen years.

Mickey Spillane

The first time I heard of Mickey Spillane was when a paperback copy of his I The Jury made the rounds of concealed trashy novel readers, with certain sections dog-eared at all the interesting places. Mike Hammer was the heroic idol of the clique of camel smoking, sideburns flouting, black leather jacket wearing, engineer boot displaying, Elvis-sneering, thug-aspiring gang of silly pea brained hooligan boys.

Yes, I was one of them . . .

Of course, interest in Spillane was heightened after the launch of the Mike Hammer TV series.

Mike Hammer
Darren McGavin

But, by that time I was no longer a mere boy. I was a husband and a father. Still a pea brain, though.

Here is a Youtube clip from the old days. with Darren McGavin as Mike Hammer.

Then in later years Mike Hammer was played by Stacy Keach.

Here is a Youtube Mike Hammer video featuring Barbie Benton

Remember Barbie Benton?

(Barbie Benton was Hugh Hefner's girlfriend?)

I suppose that's enough about that.

Unless you want to hear Barbie Benton sing
Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep With You

__________