THE HAT SQUAD: MICKEY SPILLANE

Mickey Spillane, the macho mystery writer who wowed millions of readers with the shoot-'em-up sex and violence of gumshoe Mike Hammer, died Monday. He was 88.

Spillane's death was confirmed by Brad Stephens of Goldfinch Funeral Home in his hometown of Murrells Inlet. Details about his death were not immediately available.

As a writer, his mightiest creation was tough guy Mike Hammer in novels, movies and Television. There are several Mike Hammers in the many TV dimensions. But the first, and therefore the one who "owns" the main Toobworld of Earth Prime-Time, was played by Darren McGavin back in the 1950s. Stacy Keach's interpretation of the role took place in the 1980s, so that lands him on Earth Prime-Time Delayed.

Kevin Dobson played Hammer in 1981, and Rob Estes took on the role in 1994; both of them in single-shot TV movies. They would have their own dimensions to occupy; perhaps one of them in the 'West Wing' dimension; another in the '24' TV Land; and who knows who else for the 'Commander In Chief' Toobworld.

Mickey Spillane also played a character very much like himself, Alan Mallory in the 'Columbo' episode "Publish Or Perish". And then there were those classic light beer commercials in which he portrayed himself. I'm not sure what side he was on in the "great debate", but something tells me he'd fall into the "tastes great" camp.

"Less filling" is for liberal commies.

WRITER
"Mike Hammer, Private Eye" (1997) TV Series (characters)
"Fallen Angels" - Tomorrow I Die (1995) TV Episode (story I'll Die Tomorrow)
Come Die with Me: A Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer Mystery (1994) (TV) (characters)
Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All (1989) (TV) (characters)
"Mike Hammer" (1984) TV Series (characters)
Murder Me, Murder You (1983) (TV) (character)
More Than Murder (1983) (TV) (characters)
Margin for Murder (1981) (TV) (character)

TV GUEST APPEARANCES
Columbo: Publish or Perish (1974) (TV) .... Alan Mallory

BCnU, Tough Guy......
Tele-Toby