Stephanie Zimbalist starred as L.A. private investigator Laura Holt, with Pierce Brosnan (before he became James Bond) as the charming conman who assumes the identity of her imaginary boss, Remington Steele.
When Laura started her own business, she discovered that no one wanted to hire a female PI, so she invented the mythical Remington Steele.
“Steele” gradually became more proficient at the sleuthing trade, and the two made an effective team.
Inevitably there were romantic sparks between them, though at first, Laura tried to keep things strictly business.
First broadcast on Friday 1 October 1982. The show ran until 10 May 1986, when it was cancelled. Viewer demand revived the show for six more episodes in early 1987.
The show ended on 17 February 1987.
Viewers enjoyed the way the series paid tribute to classic movies, often borrowing plot devices from films like Casablanca, Key Largo, Notorious and The Maltese Falcon.
We never knew much about Steele’s obviously shady past but we were sure of one thing – He was a true aficionado of screen thrillers, and this encyclopaedic knowledge often helped him (and Laura) solve the most baffling cases and survive attempts on their lives.
Many factors added to the success of the show: intriguing mysteries, witty dialogue, and the romantic chemistry between the two lead characters.
Remington Steele
Pierce Brosnan
Laura Holt
Stephanie Zimbalist
Mildred Krebs
Doris Roberts
Murphy Michaels
James Read
Berniece Foxe
Janet DeMay
Tony Roselli
Jack Scalia
