Got the DVD's for Christmas, didn't realize how much I missed this show!
I was working as a real life PI in Boston when they were filming this show and used to see them all over the city. Funny, I never did get in any shootouts like Spenser did, probably would have found a new profession if I had!
This is the only TV PI show that I ever considered being even close to reality. Not the shootouts of course, but they represented some of the real life parts of the job that most shows didn't; sitting in your car for hours on end doing surveillance, trying to get clients to pay up, being out of work for long periods of time and trying to drum up business...
It was a great show, never missed it when it was first run and am enjoying it all over again now. Some things I'd forgotten...
I was in Andover Town Hall (north of Boston) once doing research and for the hell of it looked up Mr. Urich in the town residents listing and there he and his wife were, both listed occupation as actors.
Urich stayed in the Boston area for some time after Spenser was cancelled, his kids went to Andover Academy. His house was either on the academy grounds or right off of them and I had a chance to go through it once after the Ulrich's had left, it was for sale and a client of mine wanted to buy it. It had been empty for a while at that point and was a bit musty but it was a very cool old Victorian house, I think the asking price was in the millions.
He's actually in one of my all time favorite made for TV movies too, "April Morning" from the novel by Howard Fast depicting the start of the American Revolution on Concord Green. Also starred Tommy Lee Jones and Rip Torn, great movie!
I managed to talk my way onto the set a few times when they were filming outside around Boston, once in Cambridge and once in Charlestown. Didn't see Robert Urich either time but did see Carolyn McCormack, very attractive lady! I always preferred her to Susan Silverman in the series, Susan always struck me as high maintenance and kind of whiny, she was beautiful too though...
I also interacted with Robert Parker a few times during my career, the guy who owned my PI firm knew him and sorry to say I didn't think much of him. I much preferred the show to his books and found him in person to be overbearing and an all around jerk. He tried to act like a street wise tough guy and it was kind of absurd and annoying. When Robert Urich died Parker's comment was in very bad taste, something about him always being on time but that was the best he could say about the man. I emailed Parker and told him what I thought of his comments and that Robert Urich was a better actor than he'd ever been a writer. Never heard back...so hate to speak ill of the dead but in his case it's deserved.