Series synopsis
Spenser: For Hire is an American drama crime mystery television series that premiered on ABC on September 20, 1985. It ended on May 7, 1988. It was created by Robert B. Parker, John Wilder. It stars Robert Urich, Avery Brooks, Barbara Stock and Carolyn McCormick.
Mystery and suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each episode.
Premise
Mystery and suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each episode.
Premise: A lot of people think I like to get even. They're dead right.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Robert Urich as Spenser
- Avery Brooks as Hawk
- Barbara Stock as Susan Silverman
- Carolyn McCormick as Rita Fiore
- Ron McLarty as Frank Belson
- Richard Jaeckel as Martin Quirk
- Earl Hindman
- James Rebhorn
Supporting cast
- Charles Kimbrough as Louis Groton
- Marita Geraghty
- Jordan Clarke
- Bill McCutcheon
- Lois Smith
- Kim Chan
- Richard Backus
- Gerry Cooney
- Blanche Baker
- Joseph Pilato
- Kadeem Hardison
- Patrick Breen
Guest cast
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 72 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 7 | January 8, 1993 | August 26, 2001 |
| Season 1 | 22 | September 20, 1985 | April 8, 1986 |
| Season 2 | 22 | September 27, 1986 | May 9, 1987 |
| Season 3 | 21 | September 27, 1987 | May 7, 1988 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ceremony Spenser is hired to locate April Kyle, the missing daughter of Harry Kyle, millionaire and candidate for Governor. |
January 8, 1993 |
| 2 |
Pale Kings and Princes One of Susan's former patients, a news reporter, is killed, Spenser investigates. |
January 2, 1994 |
| 3 |
The Judas Goat Spenser is hired out by Hugh Dixon to track down the killers of his wife and daughters. |
December 1, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Promised Land Spenser is hired to find the runaway wife of a wealthy businessman. Based on a story by Spenser novelist Robert B. Parker. |
September 20, 1985 |
| 2 |
No Room at the Inn Spenser's apartment burns down, but he's allowed to move into an old fire station as thanks for saving a firefighter's life. Meanwhile, Spenser and Hawk are hired to protect the life of grand jury witness. When it starts to look like someone on the inside might be trying to have the witness killed, and that the witness may not be who she says she is, things get convoluted. |
September 27, 1985 |
| 3 |
The Choice A old man whom Spenser and Hawk knows is shot. They discover that the killer are a couple who comes from an affluent background, which they hide behind. It turns into a cat and mouse game for Spenser and Hawk, who are determined to take them down. |
October 4, 1985 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
An Eye for an Eye New District Attorney Rita Fiori tries to prosecute Spenser for blackmail. |
September 27, 1986 |
| 2 |
Widow's Walk A small fishing family hires Spenser to investigate the death of their father. Spenser suspects a rival fishing family, the Almeidas. |
October 4, 1986 |
| 3 |
White Knight While Spenser and Hawk are in a small town to view a boxing match, Hawk is arrested, ostensibly for carrying a concealed weapon, but Spenser suspects racism may be involved. |
October 18, 1986 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Homecoming A cop who helped send a gangster's son to prison years ago has been hiding, cause the gangster wants to get him. But now he wants to come home, so he and his father, asks Spenser to act as intermediary. While the gangster is unwilling to settle for nothing less than seeing him dead. Spenser tries to see what he can do. At the same time Spenser has to deal with Susan, who came back to town, and would like to see if they have a future, but this case is taking up all of his time. |
September 27, 1987 |
| 2 |
My Enemy, My Friend A streetwise young kid gets involved over his head in the underworld. Spenser and Hawk try to protect him from would-be killers. |
October 4, 1987 |
| 3 |
The Heart of the Matter Lt. Quirk faces his mortality when he suffers a heart attack. Spenser and Hawk protect him from revenge-minded villains as he recovers. |
October 11, 1987 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ABC |
|---|---|
| First aired | September 20, 1985 |
| Last aired | May 7, 1988 |
| Runtime | 48 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | at 22:00:00 |