I've read books, devoured them, from the moment I learned to read. I was always drawn to the Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, The Three Investigators, Encyclopedia Brown...then as I got older I fell into Clive Cussler and his historical adventure thrillers. Give me a thrill, a mystery, some breathless excitement and danger, and I was a goner. 
Then the tube teased me with mysterious visual stimuli -- Remington Steele, Hart to Hart, Magnum PI, CHiPs, Cagney & Lacey, Hill Street Blues, Quincy, Kojak, Rockford Files...and so many others.
I completely feel that the draw I had to these shows helped make me who I am today. What were some of the books and television shows that helped shape you as a writer, a reader, and yes, a person? Take a little trip and skip on down memory lane with me and fess up to your past mysterious indulgences!
16 comments:
I'll confess to a love for "Murder, She Wrote" and Trixie Belden. :)
I didn't read Cussler or watch Murder She Wrote, but I would definitely add Trixie Belden to the list as well as Charlie's Angels. Otherwise, Jessie 2, we have very similar influences. Fun!
Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden and Murder She Wrote. I loved them all! Oh, also Dragnet!
Donna v.
http://donnasbookpub.blogspot.com
I was a Trixie Beldon and Cherry Ames reader as a kid. I didn't start reading a lot of adult mysteries until I was in my forties. As for TV, I devoured Dragnet, Hawaii 5-0 (original), Murder She Wrote, Columbo, Hart to Hart and Hill Street Blues. Now my fave TV mysteries are NCIS and NCIS-LA and the Law and Order franchises.
Murder, She Wrote and Perry Mason. Loved Hawaii 5-0 - the current iteration of that show is great, too. Columbo, also. Is it time for a remake of Columbo or would it not be the same without Peter Falk?
My tastes went more into the weird when I was a teenager--The Prisoner and Dark Shadows were two favorites. Like Gin, though, I also watched Perry Mason.
I think I wanted to be Della Street at one time. Those were the role models back in the day - secretaries and nurses. But Della was kind of a smart, feisty "dame," so that's ok.
I loved Perry Mason, Ironside, Remington Steele, Hart to Hart, Murder She Wroteo, Colombo, McCloud. I loved these types of mysteries.
I read Nancy Drews and the Hardy Boys, but my favorite was Encyclopedia Brown.
Elizabeth and Jessie 1, I forgot about Trixie Belden...LOVED her! And how on earth could I have forgotten Charlie's Angels? I HAD to have Jill Munroe's white and red Nikes.
irishoma, Dragnet! Oh good one!
Sue Ann, I forgot about Cherry Ames...I didn't read a lot of her, but I did like what I managed to get my hands on. I LOVE all the Law & Orders, and now Criminal Minds is a fave too. I have never seen NCIS...but i need to. I heard Castle was excellent as well.
G.M.----Hawaii 5-0 and Perry Mason....YESSSSSSSS!!! And Della was a dame of the highest order :-)
Beth, I was a huge fan of the Twilight Zone (the original, not the re-do's. So I understand some of the darkness LOL
Dru, McCloud!!!! Forgot that one too...awesome show and I loved the horse. Ency Brown ROCKS!!!!!
I still like the old shows best, Murder She Wrote, Rockford Files, Dragnet. I still watch them on Hulu. Though, I have to admit they sound a little "cheesy" these days.
Jessie, After I read all the Hardy Boys, I confess that I read all the Nancy Drews. When a reviewer said I do women well, I gave all the credit to Carolyn Keene. BTW, the first mysteries I remember watching were on TV Sunday mornings -- Charlie Chan Theater (right after Flash Gordon).
Murder She Wrote, for sure. I've always fantasized that I could be like Jessica Fletcher: Riding my bike along the coast, occasionally (very occasionally) writing, and solving murders in my spare time.
I like to blame my love of mysteries on Nate the Great, a very well done kids' picture book that is a mystery. From there I grew into Encyclopedia Brown, the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, and then Trixie Belden.
TV? Love Murder, She Wrote. I'm on a Scarecrow and Mrs. King kick right now. Also liked Diagnosis: Murder and Charlie's Angels.
I lived on TV, back in the day, and I think I watched every cop show that was ever on. Nobody mention Streets of San Francisco yet, with a very young Michael Douglas (and a pretty old Karl Malden).
Dark Shadows, Scooby-Doo (well, I was only 8 years old), Star Trek: ToS, and all the Hammer Horror films. Books: Poe, Lovecraft, Conan Doyle, Dickens.
What? You must've realized by now that I'm a weird broad. :D
Darrell, cheesy...oh man! I was watching Hill Street Blues not long ago, and I was almost embarressed to think that I liked it so much! But then, it was all we knew. I wonder in another 40 years if what we're watching now will be as bad.
Keith, a true illustration why the Boys and Ms. Drew are good for all.
Deborah, bike riding, writing and the ocean...what else can you ask for?
Mark...Nate the Great! And The Scarecrow and Mrs. King!!!! Good one!
Alan...the Streets of San Francisco! I remember the opening credits very clearly :-)
Alice, anyone who drives a Clown Car is a little weird :-)
Just the way we like ya.
I thought of another one too...Starsky and Hutch!
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