To be cool, you need a great set of wheels. And no one had better wheels than Robert T. Ironside.
People like Tanna, Love, Starsky, Hutch, Crockett, Tubbs, or Kojak were all working too hard at it to be cool. They were only outer cool.
Jim Rockford was the coolest because he didn’t care whether or not other anyone thought he was cool. He was inner cool.
Detective Robert Goren, in L&O: CI, played by Vincent D’Onofrio
Ok, serious answer is that I’m digging Grace Hannadarko from TNT’s Saving Grace.
But I’m loving the show in general, so…not sure I can separate the two right now.
Sucks they’ve cancelled it, the bastards.
Gotta go with Lester Freamon from The Wire. He was even cool while making miniature furniture.
No mention of Peter Gunn?
For shame.
Simon Templer, The Saint, was pretty cool and drove a cool (looking) car, but the only episode I ever watched was pathetic. But I’ll vote for him cause the car*, and since Magnum has been mentioned already.
Both the Simon brothers were pretty cool, too. At least to a 12 year old, back in the day.
*I bought one for my wife, and it is very stylish, but what a slug! Basically has a sailboat engine. Sounds like an underpowered airplane going down the road.
Sgt. Leann “Pepper” Anderson (Angie Dickinson) in Police Woman.
Cagney & Lacey
There have been two TV incarnations of The Saint that I know of, one (The Saint (1962-1969), starring Roger Moore) drove a Volvo P1800, the other (Return of the Saint (1978-1979), starring Ian Ogilvy) drove a Jaguar XJ-S. There have been movies, too (the 1997 version starred Val Kilmer) but I don’t know what he drove.
The world weary detective. No one before or since has played that better.
You forgot to add that she drove a Cobra in the series.
Rockfish was cool of that there is no doubt.
Above you find three of the five coolest detectives ever on the small screen. To these three I would add
Thomas Hewitt Edward Cat only on one season, but this guy was so cool it hurt. Series was created by Harry Julian Fink who later wrote Dirty Harry.
and rounding out the top five we have Lenny BriscoeThe NYPD detective that always had a zinger.
I’d like to see that!
Actually, I haven’t seen much of her in action, but from what I have seen I like Mrs. Peel’s predecessor, Cathy Gale, very very much. Seems a little smarter, more independent, a better fighter, but still sexy with a penchant for leather.
I’ve liked Peter Falk as Columbo ever since I was a kid. It was always a disappointment when the NBC Mystery Movie announcer said, “Tonight starring…” someone else.
Who I came in to mention. Peter Gunn was the very personification of cool. The show was built around it. Jazz, snub nose revolvers, sleek suits, sexy nightclub singer girlfriend, nighttime streets that always looked like it just rained, and Henry Mancini’s theme! What could be cooler?
Banacek gets my vote for number two.
Stuart McMillian was cool in a fun sense, and the one I most enjoyed watching.
Another vote for D’Onofrio as Bobby Goren in L&O:Criminal Intent.
And yeah, Amos Burke was cool but it’s hard to obliterate the memory of his transmogrification into Amos Burke: Secret Agent. God, that sucked. Way to destroy a great show.
Though I like Columbo also, the clear winner in coolness is the Timothy Hutton version of Archie Goodwin in the A&E Nero Wolfe series. He both wears hats and dances better than any other detective, and is a damn snappy dresser.
He’s on the receiving end sometimes, too.
D’Onofrio as Goren is not cool at all. He, like James Cagney before him, is smoking hot. It is in fact regular for Goren to really lose his demeanor. I love D’Onofrio’s work, but I also know people who hate it. But I was hooked at Private. Pyle in Full Metal Jacket. Dude thinks his is a great actor because he is.
Why must you have such good taste?
My number two, Anthony “Tony” Blake - The Magician.
If only because Bill Bixby insisted on doing all of the magic himself, without any trick photography!
CMC fnord!
Just part and parcel of my politics.