Miami Vice was a groundbreaking Crime Drama that aired on NBC from 1984-1990.
The show was one of the first in the “MTV Generation” to use current music which was incorporated into the show. An Iconic scene from the show featured “Crockett and Tubbs driving through Miami at night to the tune of “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins.
Record companies viewed the show as a useful tool to showcase their artists in order to boost album sales.
Many popular musical artists of the period also appeared on the show as actors.
The show starred:
Don Johnson – Det. Sonny Crocket
Philip Michael Thomas – Det. Ricardo Tubbs
Edward James Olmos – Lt. Martin Castillo
Saundra Santiago – Det. Gina Calabrese
Olivia Brown – Det. Trudy Joplin
Michael Talbot – Det. Stanley Switek
John Diehl – Det. Larry Zito
Among the musical stars appearing on the show were Sheena Easton, Phil Collins, Glenn Frey, Ted Nugent, Gene Simmons, Willie Nelson, James Brown, and many others.
The show was nominated for 21 Emmy Awards during it’s run, winning 6 Awards.
The shows theme music, by Jan Hammer, won two Grammy Awards.
The show was produced by Michael Mann, who would later go on to direct the 2006 Theatrical film “Miami Vice” starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx.
Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte were both considered for the role of Crockett. Denzel Washington was considered for the role of Tubbs.
When Don Johnson threatened to quit the show after a couple seasons on the air, he was almost replaced by Mark Harmon. By agreeing to stay on the show, Johnson became one of the highest paid stars in Television History.
Actor Martin Ferrero, who played comical con-man Izzy Moreno as a recurring character on the show, played a hit man that was killed in the pilot episode.
Don Johnson would later go on to appear in numerous movies and the TV series “Nash Bridges”.
To say that the series failed to catapult Philip Michael Thomas to stardom would be an understatement. He has only done a small handful of acting roles in the 20 years since Miami Vice ended.
The show made wearing white slacks “cool” and “Stylish”….or so I thought. When I met my wife in 1990, I still frequently wore a pair of white slacks that I referred to as my “Miami Vice Pants”. After we married, they were never seen again. I still have no idea how exactly she made them conveniently disappear. She always hated those pants……
I voluntarily gave up my MV pants because I kept spilling food on them.
By: brainrants on September 7, 2011
at 11:43 am
Brainrants – I used to do that too….but I still loved em….stains and all……
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on September 7, 2011
at 11:46 am
For a later generation, Martin Ferrero is the corporate lawyer who gets eaten by a T-Rex in “Jurassic Park”.
And though it was just a “body car”, sheet metal with no engine or drive train, I still cried when they blew up Sonny’s Ferrari Daytona 365GTC4. One of the greatest Crimes On Humanity ever thrust upon the TV viewing public. And the replacement Testarossa? Most of the time, it was a Vette with a phony shell. Watch the taillights when Crockett takes off form parked. The reverse lights wink on and off, sure sign of an automatic transmission. No self-respecting Ferrari carried an automatic in the 80s. (Okay, time for Mr. Gearhead to go back into the recesses of the cranium.)
And who couldn’t love gravel-voiced Edward James Olmos?
You should add a poll to this post, Gina vs. Trudy. Always preferred Trudy myself, less of the whiny princess. (Or maybe it was just my version of “jungle fever”.)
Oh, and the movie? SUCKED. Just one man’s opinion who loved “Vice” and its’ sister show in the Friday night line-up, “Crime Story”. The guy who sold us our station wagon looked exactly like Dennis Farina.
By: John Erickson on September 7, 2011
at 12:25 pm
No-Hio – Nice guy Dennis Farina…..he sent me an autograph and did not even try to sell me a car…..
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on September 7, 2011
at 12:47 pm
Wives are very good at making horrible clothes dissapear. We have to be.
By: Booksphotographsandartwork on September 7, 2011
at 2:35 pm
Linda – some day those white pants will be back in style….. just u watch
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on September 7, 2011
at 3:01 pm
Living here in Miami it was fun to identify the sights we know. But seems a lot of background was green room stuff because there ain’t no places like the ones often shown. Yeah, Miami is the place for dope and money and glitz but they never showed the real seedy ghetto stuff, and homeless, and drive-by shootings. However, the cops here shoot more people than the thugs.
By: Carl D'Agostino on September 7, 2011
at 3:12 pm
Carl – I remember the first time I flew into your city and then drove into downtown from the Airport. I remember thinking “This does not look like what I saw on Miami Vice….” I did see some real nice areas though…..
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on September 7, 2011
at 3:22 pm
I thought Don Johnson was just the coolest dude. Just loved that show. We had a rerun series here a while ago but in the middle of the night so I missed it. Thanks for reminding me of this.
Last night at about 1am I saw a rerun of Starsky and Hutch. Nowhere near as good as MV.
By: Judith on September 7, 2011
at 3:54 pm
Judith – I wish we had reruns of Starsky and Hutch on TV here….. I haven’t seen that show in decades
By: TheIdiotSpeaketh on September 7, 2011
at 4:11 pm
Haha, I had the jacket and trousers, but it wasn’t quite the same driving round in my mum’s old Talbot Sunbeam! But, I had read that the Daytona was an authentic replica and the Testarossa was a real one supplied by Ferrari directly although I wouldn’t expect them to use a real one for any of the chase scenes, but I’ll take John’s word for it. I thought the film was OK in its own right but not good enough to qualify as Miami Vice. They should have called it something different and changed the names of the characters.
By: Andy K on December 5, 2011
at 11:26 am
[...] Hey Suit, you got my mula? Don Johnson aka Crocket is one of the highest paid stars in television history. “To say that the series failed to catapult Philip Michael Thomas (Ricardo Tubbs) to stardom would be an understatement. He has only done a small handful of acting roles in the 20 years since Miami Vice ended,” courtesy of Redriverpak. [...]
By: 2012 Color Trends | Men's Fashion on December 24, 2011
at 3:33 pm
john erickson-i think your are getting confused-the ferrari you so dearly loved was the fake-the testarossa was real-not disputing your claim it was an automatic-but then maybe they had it converted-must be hard for don to act and shift gears in the most desireable sports car of the 80′s besides the countach.
By: paul middleton on May 12, 2012
at 8:12 am