Wiseguy
Encyclopedia
Wiseguy is an American
crime drama
series that aired on CBS
from September 16, 1987 to December 8, 1990 for a total of four seasons. Starring Ken Wahl
, the series was produced by Stephen J. Cannell
and was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia to avoid the higher studio costs associated with filming in Los Angeles
.
agent of the OCB (Organized Crime Bureau), a fictional division of the FBI
. The show differed from previous crime dramas in its use of story arcs and in its focus on both the mechanics of being undercover and the consequences of the protagonist's actions.
) is an undercover agent who is 30 years old when the series begins. His job is to infiltrate criminal organizations, gather evidence, and then destroy the organization and bring the guilty parties to justice. At the beginning of the show, he is estranged from his family because of an eighteen-month prison sentence (meant to establish his "wiseguy" credentials with the criminal underworld) and continued ties to criminals. His Italian-born mother, Carlotta (Elsa Raven
) calls him "Vincenzo" but his legal name is Vincent. Vinnie was often seen wearing Fordham University
sweatshirts and hats so by inference he is a Fordham graduate.
Note: there was a real-life wise guy named Vincenzo Terranova
, often anglicized as "Vincent", brother of Ciro Terranova
and fellow leader of the Morello crime family
; he was killed in 1922
.
) is Vinnie's superior officer, who assigns Vinnie to cases, supplies him with important information and coordinates back-up support. Since McPike is a known law enforcement official and Vinnie is deep undercover, McPike will often have Vinnie arrested on a trumped-up charge so that he can talk to Vinnie without revealing his identity. Like many characters in law-enforcement dramas, Frank has a troubled marriage. He separates from his wife after diverting some money recovered from a gangster to pay for a liver transplant for her. Later, she is taken hostage in their home, and Frank personally shoots the criminal to free her. At the end, they are still not reconciled.
), whom Vinnie communicates with almost exclusively by telephone, is Vinnie's other contact person. Vinnie (ideally) calls him every morning with the latest updates on the case, and Lifeguard provides him with quick updates. He also, under the name of Mike Terranova, provides Vinnie with an emergency contact number (555-4958, a play on Vince's agent number), without revealing Vinnie's true identity. (The cover location is "Sailor Hardware"; the codephrase "Uncle Mike" indicates an emergency request for assistance). Like McPike, Daniel is divorced as a result of his work. His ex-wife stays in close contact, apparently because Daniel has resources she wants. Daniel endures this with resentment. Eventually he forms a relationship with OCB's west coast Lifeguard operator when Vinnie's investigations take him to Washington State.
) was the leader of the Atlantic City Mafia
; his brother Dave assassinated Vinnie's training agent, who had been investigating the Steelgrave organization. Vinnie infiltrated Steelgrave's "family," and worked his way up to be Sonny Steelgrave's right-hand man after Dave Steelgrave's death and the apparent defection of one of Steelgrave's captains. When Vinnie finally tried to bring him to justice, Steelgrave committed suicide rather than face the death penalty. Vinnie was ultimately able to exorcize the guilt he felt over his betrayal of Sonny during a brief stay at a sanitarium.
Arc Cast
Arc Guest Stars
). However, Vinnie soon discovered a much bigger target: Roger's boss, the (mentally unstable) multi-billionaire international criminal mastermind and arms dealer Mel Profitt (Kevin Spacey
), and his sister Susan (Joan Severance
). Mel had an addiction to prescription medication (often administered to him by Susan) which further contributed to his unstable emotional state. He was also a believer in Malthusian
economics. After much international intrigue involving Mel, Susan and Loccoco (who turned out to be a CIA
agent, under even deeper cover than Vinnie), the entire organization was destroyed. Susan killed Mel (after he begged her to), and had a torrid affair with Vinnie, but subsequently went insane and was committed. The arc alluded to an incestuous relationship between Mel and Susan. Roger was seemingly killed in an explosion, but he briefly appeared to Vinnie afterwards. Disgusted with his own lies and deceptions ("I've turned friendship and loyalty into a sick joke"), Vinnie attempted to quit the OCB, but McPike talked him into taking a six-month sabbatical instead.
Stephen J. Cannell, producer of Wiseguy, stated that the character Jim Profit from the short-lived Fox
series Profit
(which Cannell also produced) was named after and partially based on the Mel Profitt character.
Note- In 1997 TV Guide
ranked the episode Blood Dance number 14 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.
Arc Cast
) is killed by a white supremacist, however, Vinnie returned to the OCB, on the condition that he could go after his brother's killer. He quickly fell in with a supremacist group, headed by the opportunistic used car salesman and con man "Dr." Knox Pooley (Fred Thompson), and his "true believer" follower Calvin Hollis (Paul Guilfoyle
). While Pooley's organization, the "Pilgrims of Promise," is both racist and anti-Semitic, the character himself is portrayed as hypocritical and amoral. Vinnie quickly brought down the organization, but the slippery Pooley escaped prosecution and was last seen in Florida, selling condominium timeshares to Jewish retirees. The story suggested Pooley was nothing but a swindler and Hollis the dangerous one.
Arc Cast
) and his father Eli (Jerry Lewis
) ran a clothing business, and were being squeezed by the fearsome gangster Rick Pinzolo (Stanley Tucci
). David goes to the OCB for help, thus Vinnie is recruited to act as security for the Sternbergs. After a small-time loanshark attacked and injured Vinnie, he was temporarily replaced by retired agent John Henry Raglin (Anthony Denison
). (Note: in reality, star Ken Wahl had broken his ankle in an on-set accident, and was written out while he recovered.) Raglin brought down (and killed) Pinzolo, but not in time to save Eli's business or David's life. Joan Chen
appeared in one episode of this arc, as a rebellious Chinese sweatshop worker with whom the married Raglin briefly has an affair. After Raglin breaks Pinzolo's jaw, the character has his jaw wired shut, requiring Tucci to talk through clenched teeth afterward.
Arc Cast
) and his wife Amber (Patti D'Arbanville
). He was set up as a new executive in a front company, "Dead Dog Records", which was originally created by the Drug Enforcement Agency, who offered it to the OCB when their investigation ended. Vinnie then attempted to infiltrate the music industry in search of corruption. The principal villain of this arc is English record mogul Winston Newquay . Newquay, played by Tim Curry
, ruthlessly cheats the artists under his control, funneling their money into his own companies while hiding his activities with accounting tricks.
Debbie Harry
, Deidre Hall
and Glenn Frey
also appear during this story arc. In 1993, Chicago rock band The Lilacs
put out a record called Penelope on a label called Dead Dog Records in homage to the show.
Arc Cast
Rudy Aiuppo (George O. Petrie
) was shot and wounded, leaving Vinnie the temporary head of the local Mafia commission. Vinnie investigated the other members, including Albert Cericco (Robert Davi
). Eventually, Vinnie brought down most of the commission, only to find Aiuppo had been manipulating him to exact revenge on some rivals. An enraged Vinnie angrily told Aiuppo that, stepfather or not, he wanted nothing more to do with him. Aiuppo in turn tried to drive a wedge between Vinnie and his mother by implying that he had learned of Vinnie's undercover role from her. In reality, he had bugged a payphone outside his hospital room, thinking that the various Mafiosi visiting him would be using it just after taking their leave. Vinnie had used it to contact Uncle Mike.
Arc Cast
, the conspirators aim to undermine the Japanese economy by printing large amounts of counterfeit Yen, smuggling them into Japan on cargo aircraft
, and then announcing it all in order to devalue the currency. After the revelation, a convenient scapegoat is supposed to take the blame, in this case, Vinnie. When the plan is foiled en route, Vinnie nevertheless becomes the focus of an investigation, and is only saved when a third party "connects the dots" for the investigating committee.
Arc Cast
) was essentially treating the town like his own personal dictatorship. The arc took an unexpected turn when recent murders were determined to be the work of a serial killer based on the then real life unsolved Green River Killer cases. As a large federal task force was on its way to Lynchboro, Volchek, fearful of the disruption and attention, was determined to identify the killer through his knowledge of the town and residents. Through a rapid process of elimination based on the existing profile, Volcheck was able to narrow the suspects and flush out the killer. Vinnie had been set on adding Volchek to his list of victories when he witnessed the electrocution suicide of the killer which brought back flashbacks of Sonny Steelgrave. Unable to cope with the memories, Vinnie fled, but not before contacting Roger Lococco, who took his place, and working with McPike, brought Volchek to his senses and freed the town. (This story-arc was, in mood and setting, eerily prescient of the early episodes of the show "Twin Peaks," which debuted a few weeks after the sequence was aired.)
After the Volchek investigation had ended McPike went looking for Vinnie, who had taken a job with a Seattle company that was illegally dumping medical waste. Embroiled in the company manager's desperate attempts at covering up, Vinnie fled in repulsion from hired assassins as well as from his own burgeoning violent impulse, to find respite in a city church. Just as McPike found him in hiding there, a would-be assassin's bullet missed Vinnie and critically wounded McPike, propelling Vinnie on a final pursuit of justice.
Arc Cast
, the new series lead replacing Wahl), and soon discovered that Vinnie had been murdered by a death squad. (In real life, there had been a major dispute between star Ken Wahl and the producers, and he was no longer with the show.) Soon, McPike and Santana were infiltrating the organization of Cuban-American crime lord Armando Guzman (Maximilian Schell
), and with the help of U.S. Attorney Hillary Stein (Cecil Hoffman
), destroyed his organization as well.
With the Guzman investigation closed, McPike convinced Santana to become an official OCB agent, but just as he was entering the job, the entire OCB organization was eliminated due to federal budget cuts. McPike, Santana and Lifeguard were immediately hired by the New York District Attorney's office, and began to investigate the New York drug underworld, as well as its death grip on a particular inner city high school run by the hardline and humanitarian educator Jesse Hains (Billy Dee Williams
). However, their investigation was cut short by Wiseguys declining ratings and cancellation by CBS.
Arc Cast
player Kim Wilson
and his band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
. Other episodes recount:
-Vinnie's time in a mental hospital (having gone in for general treatment) - he is set up by Daryl Elias, who can work computers and has a score to settle. Sonny Steelgrave is brought back via Vinnie's memory and Vinnie resolves his guilt issues.
-Mama Terranova falls for Rudy Aiuppo, her old flame who she gave up when he turned to a life of crime. Aiuppo switches places with his recently reconciled (and dead-ringer) brother who heads back to Italy, while Aiupo fades back into the old neighborhood and marries Mama Terranova.
-Vinnie discovers his late father's old diary and sees his very honest father faced the same temptations from criminals that Vinnie faces.
-Steelgrave's cohort (and accountant for Pat Patrice) Sid Royce is arrested, but discovers Terranova is a federal agent. Royce is given immunity, turns states evidence, and he and his wife enter witness relocation... where the Harvard educated, sophisticated Royce becomes a Foot Locker
-type shoe salesman named "Elvis Prim" in Bettendorf, Iowa
, far from the bright lights of New York
. His wife leaves him for a cowboy. Royce goes off the grid and tracks down McPike just as McPike and his separated wife are on the verge of reconciliation. McPike ends up killing Royce in a hostage situation.
, a reunion Wiseguy movie starring Ken Wahl aired on ABC
. In the movie, Vinnie (who was still alive; as far as this movie was concerned, the fourth season had never happened) had spent several years on wiretapping duty, as punishment for being Aiuppo's dupe during Season 3's Mafia angle, and (presumably) abandoning his duty during the Volchek investigation. Vinnie is ordered to infiltrate the organization of criminal boss Paul Callendar (Ted Levine
). The movie had many of the same themes as the TV show, including Vinnie's constant conflict in betraying the people he had grown to care about. While the movie was a critical success, its mediocre ratings
(it aired against NBC
megahits Friends and Seinfeld
) and Ken Wahl's recurrent back and neck problems seem to preclude another Wiseguy revival. The movie was rerun on Sleuth
in 2008.
On October 25, 2011, NBC
announced a pilot commitment for a updated series written by Alex Cary.
announced that they had acquired the rights to release Wiseguy on DVD in Region 1. They subsequently released the complete first season on August 25, 2009. On March 9, 2010, Mill Creek released Wiseguy: The Collector's Edition, a 13-disc set featuring episodes from all 4 seasons. Unfortunately due to rights issues with the music contained in the show, the 'Dead Dog Records' arc from season 2 is not included.
Beyond Home Entertainment has released all 4 seasons on DVD in Region 4. Unfortunately due to rights issues with the music contained in the show, the 'Dead Dog Records' arc episodes are not contained on the season 2 release.
The first season became available on iTunes
on April 28, 2008.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crime drama
Police procedural
The police procedural is a subgenre of detective fiction which attempts to convincingly depict the activities of a police force as they investigate crimes. While traditional detective novels usually concentrate on a single crime, police procedurals frequently depict investigations into several...
series that aired on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
from September 16, 1987 to December 8, 1990 for a total of four seasons. Starring Ken Wahl
Ken Wahl
Ken Wahl is an American film and television actor, popular in the 1980s and 1990s. He twice won the title of Sexiest Man on TV, earned an Emmy nomination and won a Golden Globe.-Career:...
, the series was produced by Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen J. Cannell
Stephen Joseph Cannell was an American television producer, writer, novelist and occasional actor, and the founder of Stephen J. Cannell Productions.-Early life:...
and was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia to avoid the higher studio costs associated with filming in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
.
Synopsis
The series followed Vincent "Vinnie" Terranova, an undercoverUndercover
Being undercover is disguising one's own identity or using an assumed identity for the purposes of gaining the trust of an individual or organization to learn secret information or to gain the trust of targeted individuals in order to gain information or evidence...
agent of the OCB (Organized Crime Bureau), a fictional division of the FBI
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is an agency of the United States Department of Justice that serves as both a federal criminal investigative body and an internal intelligence agency . The FBI has investigative jurisdiction over violations of more than 200 categories of federal crime...
. The show differed from previous crime dramas in its use of story arcs and in its focus on both the mechanics of being undercover and the consequences of the protagonist's actions.
Vincent Terranova
Vincent Michael "Vinnie" Terranova (Ken WahlKen Wahl
Ken Wahl is an American film and television actor, popular in the 1980s and 1990s. He twice won the title of Sexiest Man on TV, earned an Emmy nomination and won a Golden Globe.-Career:...
) is an undercover agent who is 30 years old when the series begins. His job is to infiltrate criminal organizations, gather evidence, and then destroy the organization and bring the guilty parties to justice. At the beginning of the show, he is estranged from his family because of an eighteen-month prison sentence (meant to establish his "wiseguy" credentials with the criminal underworld) and continued ties to criminals. His Italian-born mother, Carlotta (Elsa Raven
Elsa Raven
Elsa Raven, formerly Elsa Rabinowitz is an American character actress, perhaps best known for her two years on the sitcom Amen and playing the mother of Vincent Terranova on the TV series Wiseguy....
) calls him "Vincenzo" but his legal name is Vincent. Vinnie was often seen wearing Fordham University
Fordham University
Fordham University is a private, nonprofit, coeducational research university in the United States, with three campuses in and around New York City. It was founded by the Roman Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841 as St...
sweatshirts and hats so by inference he is a Fordham graduate.
Note: there was a real-life wise guy named Vincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo Terranova
Vincenzo "Vincent" Terranova was a gangster and an early Italian-American organized crime figure in the United States. He served as boss and underboss of the Morello crime family, today known as the Genovese crime family, the oldest of the Five Families in New York City.Terranova was born in...
, often anglicized as "Vincent", brother of Ciro Terranova
Ciro Terranova
Ciro "The Artichoke King" Terranova was a New York City gangster and one time underboss of the Morello crime family.-Early life:Ciro Terranova was born in the town of Corleone, Sicily...
and fellow leader of the Morello crime family
Morello crime family
The Morello crime family is the direct ancestor of the Genovese crime family, the oldest of New York City's Five Families.-From Corleone to America:...
; he was killed in 1922
1922 in organized crime
See also:1921 in organized crime,other events of 1922,1923 in organized crime and thelist of 'years in Organized Crime'.-----Events:*New Orleans crime family leader Carlo Matranga retires from the organization appointing Sylvestro "Sam" Carolla in his place.*Moses Annenberg purchases the Daily...
.
Frank McPike
Frank McPike (Jonathan BanksJonathan Banks
Jonathan Ray Banks is an American actor in film and television.Banks was born in Washington, D.C. in 1947. His mother worked for the CIA. Banks attended Indiana University Bloomington where he was a classmate of Kevin Kline...
) is Vinnie's superior officer, who assigns Vinnie to cases, supplies him with important information and coordinates back-up support. Since McPike is a known law enforcement official and Vinnie is deep undercover, McPike will often have Vinnie arrested on a trumped-up charge so that he can talk to Vinnie without revealing his identity. Like many characters in law-enforcement dramas, Frank has a troubled marriage. He separates from his wife after diverting some money recovered from a gangster to pay for a liver transplant for her. Later, she is taken hostage in their home, and Frank personally shoots the criminal to free her. At the end, they are still not reconciled.
Daniel "Lifeguard" Burroughs
Lifeguard (Jim ByrnesJim Byrnes (actor)
James Thomas Kevin "Jim" Byrnes is a blues musician, guitarist, and actor.-Life and career:Byrnes was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a homemaker mother and a municipal accountant father. He has lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, since the mid-1970s...
), whom Vinnie communicates with almost exclusively by telephone, is Vinnie's other contact person. Vinnie (ideally) calls him every morning with the latest updates on the case, and Lifeguard provides him with quick updates. He also, under the name of Mike Terranova, provides Vinnie with an emergency contact number (555-4958, a play on Vince's agent number), without revealing Vinnie's true identity. (The cover location is "Sailor Hardware"; the codephrase "Uncle Mike" indicates an emergency request for assistance). Like McPike, Daniel is divorced as a result of his work. His ex-wife stays in close contact, apparently because Daniel has resources she wants. Daniel endures this with resentment. Eventually he forms a relationship with OCB's west coast Lifeguard operator when Vinnie's investigations take him to Washington State.
Recurring characters
- Father Pete Terranova played by Gerald AnthonyGerald AnthonyGerald Anthony was an American actor.Born Gerald Anthony Bucchiarelli, the son of Italian immigrants had roles and appearances on many shows such as Another World and L.A. Law...
- Carlotta Terranova (Aiuppo) played by Elsa RavenElsa RavenElsa Raven, formerly Elsa Rabinowitz is an American character actress, perhaps best known for her two years on the sitcom Amen and playing the mother of Vincent Terranova on the TV series Wiseguy....
- Paul Beckstead played by Ken JenkinsKen JenkinsKen Jenkins is an American actor, best known for his role as Dr. Bob Kelso, the Chief of Medicine on the American comedy Scrubs....
- Mark Cermak played by Dwight Koss
- Mel Profitt played by Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
Sonny Steelgrave storyline
Vinnie was launched into the first arc upon his release from prison. Sonny Steelgrave (Ray SharkeyRay Sharkey
Raymond "Ray" Sharkey, Jr. was an American actor best known for his role as Sonny Steelgrave in the television series Wiseguy.-Early life and career:...
) was the leader of the Atlantic City Mafia
Mafia
The Mafia is a criminal syndicate that emerged in the mid-nineteenth century in Sicily, Italy. It is a loose association of criminal groups that share a common organizational structure and code of conduct, and whose common enterprise is protection racketeering...
; his brother Dave assassinated Vinnie's training agent, who had been investigating the Steelgrave organization. Vinnie infiltrated Steelgrave's "family," and worked his way up to be Sonny Steelgrave's right-hand man after Dave Steelgrave's death and the apparent defection of one of Steelgrave's captains. When Vinnie finally tried to bring him to justice, Steelgrave committed suicide rather than face the death penalty. Vinnie was ultimately able to exorcize the guilt he felt over his betrayal of Sonny during a brief stay at a sanitarium.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot (1) | 1 |
| 2 | Pilot (2) | 1 |
| 3 | New Blood | 1 |
| 4 | The Loose Cannon | 1 |
| 5 | The Birthday Surprise | 1 |
| 6 | One on One | 1 |
| 7 | Prodigal Son | 1 |
| 8 | A Deal's a Deal | 1 |
| 9 | The Marriage of Heaven and Hell | 1 |
| 10 | No One Gets Out of Here Alive | 1 |
Arc Cast
- Ray SharkeyRay SharkeyRaymond "Ray" Sharkey, Jr. was an American actor best known for his role as Sonny Steelgrave in the television series Wiseguy.-Early life and career:...
as Sonny Steelgrave - Dennis LipscombDennis LipscombDennis Lipscomb is an American actor.Lipscomb's first feature film was Union City . From the early 1980s to the 1990s, Lipscomb appeared in key roles in various motion pictures including Eyes of Fire , WarGames , The Day After , A Soldier's Story , Amazing Grace and Chuck , Sister, Sister , The...
as Sid Royce/Elvis Prim - Eric ChristmasEric ChristmasEric Cuthbert Christmas was a British stage and screen actor, with over 40 films and several more television roles to his credit. He was well-known for his role as Mr. Carter, the principal of Angel Beach High School, in the 1982 hit comedy Porky's, the 1983 sequel Porky's II: The Next Day, and...
as Harry "The Hunch" Shanstra - Joe DallesandroJoe DallesandroJoseph Angelo D'Allesandro , better known as Joe Dallesandro, is an American actor, and Warhol superstar. Although he never became a mainstream film star, Dallesandro is generally considered to be the most famous male sex symbol of American underground films of the 20th century, as well as a sex...
as Pat "The Cat" Patrice - Joe SheaJoe SheaJoe Shea is editor-in-chief of The American Reporter, the first daily Internet newspaper, started on April 10, 1995...
as Mack "No Money" Mahoney - Nathan DavisNathan DavisNathan Davis was an American film and television actor.Davis was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of Romanian immigrants, Rose and Fred Davis.Davis started acting in the late 1970s...
as Don "Joey Bags" Baglia - Robert Mangiardi as Aldo Baglia
Arc Guest Stars
- Billy VeraBilly VeraBilly Vera is an American singer, actor, writer and music historian.-Life and career:Vera was born in Riverside, California. He began his singing career in 1962 as a member of the Resolutions. He went on to write several songs throughout the early 1960s, writing for the likes of Barbara Lewis,...
as Joey Romanowski - Annette BeningAnnette BeningAnnette Carol Bening is an American actress. Bening is a four-time Oscar nominee for her roles in The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia and The Kids Are All Right, winning Golden Globe Awards for the latter two films...
as Karen Leland - Dan LauriaDan LauriaDaniel Joseph "Dan" Lauria is an American television and film actor.-Early life:Lauria, an Italian-American, was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Carmela and Joseph J. Lauria. He also lived in Lindenhurst, New York...
as Jack Phillips - David MarcianoDavid MarcianoDavid Marciano is an American actor who appeared as Detective Raymond Vecchio in the television series Due South...
as Lorenzo Steelgrave
Mel Profitt storyline
Vinnie, using his reputation developed as a result of infiltrating the Steelgrave crime family, made contact with a hitman/assassin named Roger Loccoco (William RussWilliam Russ
William Russ is an American actor, best known for his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World.-Early life:Russ was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the son of a naval officer...
). However, Vinnie soon discovered a much bigger target: Roger's boss, the (mentally unstable) multi-billionaire international criminal mastermind and arms dealer Mel Profitt (Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey
Kevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
), and his sister Susan (Joan Severance
Joan Severance
-Early life:Severance was born in Houston, Texas to John and Martha Severance. Her father was an IBM Systems Manager that had to move frequently around the world. According to Severance "by the time I was 11, we'd lived in 12 different places". Severance and her family also lived in Libya, but in...
). Mel had an addiction to prescription medication (often administered to him by Susan) which further contributed to his unstable emotional state. He was also a believer in Malthusian
Malthusianism
Malthusianism refers primarily to ideas derived from the political/economic thought of Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus, as laid out initially in his 1798 writings, An Essay on the Principle of Population, which describes how unchecked population growth is exponential while the growth of the food...
economics. After much international intrigue involving Mel, Susan and Loccoco (who turned out to be a CIA
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
agent, under even deeper cover than Vinnie), the entire organization was destroyed. Susan killed Mel (after he begged her to), and had a torrid affair with Vinnie, but subsequently went insane and was committed. The arc alluded to an incestuous relationship between Mel and Susan. Roger was seemingly killed in an explosion, but he briefly appeared to Vinnie afterwards. Disgusted with his own lies and deceptions ("I've turned friendship and loyalty into a sick joke"), Vinnie attempted to quit the OCB, but McPike talked him into taking a six-month sabbatical instead.
Stephen J. Cannell, producer of Wiseguy, stated that the character Jim Profit from the short-lived Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
series Profit
Profit (TV series)
Profit is an American television series that originally aired on the Fox Broadcasting Company in 1996. The series was created by David Greenwalt and John McNamara, and starred Adrian Pasdar as the titular character, Jim Profit. In February 2008, episodes began airing on Chiller in the USA...
(which Cannell also produced) was named after and partially based on the Mel Profitt character.
Note- In 1997 TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
ranked the episode Blood Dance number 14 on its '100 Greatest Episodes of All Time' list.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Last Rites For Lucci | 1 |
| 12 | Independent Operator | 1 |
| 13 | Fascination for the Flame | 1 |
| 14 | Smokey Mountain Requiem | 1 |
| 15 | Player to be Named Now | 1 |
| 16 | The Merchant of Death | 1 |
| 17 | Not For Nothing | 1 |
| 18 | Squeeze | 1 |
| 19 | Blood Dance | 1 |
| 20 | Phantom Pain | 1 |
| 21 | Dirty Little Wars | 1 |
| 22 | Date With an Angel | 1 |
Arc Cast
- Joan SeveranceJoan Severance-Early life:Severance was born in Houston, Texas to John and Martha Severance. Her father was an IBM Systems Manager that had to move frequently around the world. According to Severance "by the time I was 11, we'd lived in 12 different places". Severance and her family also lived in Libya, but in...
as Susan Profitt - Kevin SpaceyKevin SpaceyKevin Spacey, CBE is an American actor, director, screenwriter, producer, and crooner. He grew up in California, and began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, before being cast in supporting roles in film and television...
as Mel Profitt - William RussWilliam RussWilliam Russ is an American actor, best known for his role as Alan Matthews on Boy Meets World.-Early life:Russ was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is the son of a naval officer...
as Roger Lococco - David Spielberg as Herb Ketcher
- Melanie ChartoffMelanie ChartoffMelanie Chartoff is an American actress. Among her most prominent roles are her voice role in Rugrats, her comedic work on the ABC series Fridays from 1980–1982, and on the early 1990s Fox sitcom Parker Lewis Can't Lose....
as Lillah Warfield - Ben Halley, Jr. as Henri LaLonde
- Clyde KusatsuClyde KusatsuClyde Kusatsu is a U.S. actor.Kusatsu was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended ʻIolani School. Kusatsu began acting in Honolulu summer stock, and after studying theatre at Northwestern University, started to make his mark on the small screen in the mid-1970s...
as Kenny Sasusha - Will Zahrn as Charles Shagrass
White Supremacy storyline
At the beginning of the second season, Vinnie had no intention of rejoining the OCB, and was trying figure out what to do with his life. When his brother Pete (Gerald AnthonyGerald Anthony
Gerald Anthony was an American actor.Born Gerald Anthony Bucchiarelli, the son of Italian immigrants had roles and appearances on many shows such as Another World and L.A. Law...
) is killed by a white supremacist, however, Vinnie returned to the OCB, on the condition that he could go after his brother's killer. He quickly fell in with a supremacist group, headed by the opportunistic used car salesman and con man "Dr." Knox Pooley (Fred Thompson), and his "true believer" follower Calvin Hollis (Paul Guilfoyle
Paul Guilfoyle
Paul Guilfoyle is an American television and film actor. He is currently a regular cast member of the forensic television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he plays Captain Jim Brass.-Early life:...
). While Pooley's organization, the "Pilgrims of Promise," is both racist and anti-Semitic, the character himself is portrayed as hypocritical and amoral. Vinnie quickly brought down the organization, but the slippery Pooley escaped prosecution and was last seen in Florida, selling condominium timeshares to Jewish retirees. The story suggested Pooley was nothing but a swindler and Hollis the dangerous one.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Going Home | 2 |
| 24 | School of Hard Knox | 2 |
| 25 | Revenge of the Mud People | 2 |
| 26 | Last of the True Believers | 2 |
Arc Cast
- Tim GuineeTim GuineeTimothy S. "Tim" Guinee is an American stage, television, and feature film actor.-Life and career:Guinee, who has two brothers and two sisters, was born in Los Angeles, California and raised in Illinois and Texas....
as Richard T. (Ritchie) Stramm - John M. JacksonJohn M. JacksonJohn Murice Jackson is an American actor, best known for playing Rear Admiral A. J. Chegwidden on the CBS series JAG....
as Daryl Elias - Fred Dalton ThompsonFred Dalton ThompsonFred Dalton Thompson , is an American politician, actor, attorney, lobbyist, columnist, and radio host. He served as a Republican U.S...
as Knox Pooley - Paul GuilfoylePaul GuilfoylePaul Guilfoyle is an American television and film actor. He is currently a regular cast member of the forensic television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he plays Captain Jim Brass.-Early life:...
as Calvin Hollis - Jack Orend as Stan Corker
- Kerry SandomirskyKerry Sandomirsky-Filmography:* Wiseguy .... Angela Terranova* Unsub .... Janice* Matinee .... Kelly* Mom P.I....
as Angela Terranova
Garment Trade storyline
David Sternberg (Ron SilverRon Silver
Ronald Arthur "Ron" Silver was an American actor, director, producer, radio host and political activist.-Early life:...
) and his father Eli (Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
) ran a clothing business, and were being squeezed by the fearsome gangster Rick Pinzolo (Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones...
). David goes to the OCB for help, thus Vinnie is recruited to act as security for the Sternbergs. After a small-time loanshark attacked and injured Vinnie, he was temporarily replaced by retired agent John Henry Raglin (Anthony Denison
Anthony Denison
Anthony John Sarrero , also known by his stage name Anthony Denison, is an American actor. The eldest of three, he was born and raised in New York City's Harlem. Before acting he worked for John Hancock Insurance as a life insurance agent in Poughkeepsie, New York...
). (Note: in reality, star Ken Wahl had broken his ankle in an on-set accident, and was written out while he recovered.) Raglin brought down (and killed) Pinzolo, but not in time to save Eli's business or David's life. Joan Chen
Joan Chen
Joan Chong Chen is a Chinese American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer. She became famous in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor...
appeared in one episode of this arc, as a rebellious Chinese sweatshop worker with whom the married Raglin briefly has an affair. After Raglin breaks Pinzolo's jaw, the character has his jaw wired shut, requiring Tucci to talk through clenched teeth afterward.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | 7th Avenue Freeze Out | 2 |
| 29 | Next of Kin | 2 |
| 30 | All or Nothing | 2 |
| 31 | Where's the Money | 2 |
| 32 | Postcard From Morocco | 2 |
Arc Cast
- Jerry LewisJerry LewisJerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
as Eli Sternberg - Ron SilverRon SilverRonald Arthur "Ron" Silver was an American actor, director, producer, radio host and political activist.-Early life:...
as David Sternberg - Stanley TucciStanley TucciStanley Tucci is an American actor, writer, film producer and film director. He has been nominated for several notable film awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, for his performance in The Lovely Bones...
as Enrico "Ricky" Pinzolo - Anthony DenisonAnthony DenisonAnthony John Sarrero , also known by his stage name Anthony Denison, is an American actor. The eldest of three, he was born and raised in New York City's Harlem. Before acting he worked for John Hancock Insurance as a life insurance agent in Poughkeepsie, New York...
as John Henry Raglin - Harry GozHarry GozHarry Goz was an American musical theater actor and voice actor.He debuted in the 1964 Broadway production of Bajour, co-starring Chita Rivera and Nancy Dussault. Goz played Tevye in the Broadway musical Fiddler on the Roof from 1966 to 1968, both as understudy and lead actor...
as Phil - Patricia CharbonneauPatricia CharbonneauPatricia Charbonneau is an American actress, probably best known for playing the part of Cay Rivvers in Desert Hearts, her first film role.Charbonneau was born in Valley Stream, New York on Long Island...
as Carole Goldman
Dead Dog Records storyline
Upon his recovery, Vinnie's next assignment took him into the music business, where he dealt with music impresario Isaac Twine (Paul WinfieldPaul Winfield
Paul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
) and his wife Amber (Patti D'Arbanville
Patti D'Arbanville
Patricia "Patti" D'Arbanville is an American actress and former model.-Early life:D'Arbanville, born May 25, 1951 in New York City, New York, is the daughter of Jean , an artist, and George D'Arbanville, a bartender, and attended PS 41 on Eleventh Street...
). He was set up as a new executive in a front company, "Dead Dog Records", which was originally created by the Drug Enforcement Agency, who offered it to the OCB when their investigation ended. Vinnie then attempted to infiltrate the music industry in search of corruption. The principal villain of this arc is English record mogul Winston Newquay . Newquay, played by Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
, ruthlessly cheats the artists under his control, funneling their money into his own companies while hiding his activities with accounting tricks.
Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
, Deidre Hall
Deidre Hall
Deidre Ann Hall is a dramatic American actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans on NBC's daytime drama Days of our Lives, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of...
and Glenn Frey
Glenn Frey
Glenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
also appear during this story arc. In 1993, Chicago rock band The Lilacs
The Lilacs
The Lilacs were a four-piece rock band from Chicago, formed in Summer 1990 by Ken Kurson, David Levinsky, Tom Whalen and John Packel. Kurson had previously played bass for Green, and after leaving the fold, he and fellow Glenbrook North High School graduate David Levinsky joined together to form...
put out a record called Penelope on a label called Dead Dog Records in homage to the show.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Dead Dog Lives | 2 |
| 36 | And it Comes Out Here | 2 |
| 37 | The Rip-Off Stick | 2 |
| 38 | High Dollar Bop | 2 |
| 39 | Hip Hop on the Gravy Train | 2 |
| 40 | The One that Got Away | 2 |
| 41 | Living and Dying in 4/4 Time | 2 |
Arc Cast
- Tim CurryTim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
as Winston Newquay - Patti D'ArbanvillePatti D'ArbanvillePatricia "Patti" D'Arbanville is an American actress and former model.-Early life:D'Arbanville, born May 25, 1951 in New York City, New York, is the daughter of Jean , an artist, and George D'Arbanville, a bartender, and attended PS 41 on Eleventh Street...
as Theresa "Amber" Twine - Glenn FreyGlenn FreyGlenn Lewis Frey is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and actor, best known as a founding member of the Eagles. Frey formed the Eagles after he met drummer Don Henley in 1970 and the two eventually joined Linda Ronstadt's backup band for her summer tour. The Eagles formed in 1971 and...
as Robert "Bobby" Travis - Deidre HallDeidre HallDeidre Ann Hall is a dramatic American actress best known for her portrayal of Dr. Marlena Evans on NBC's daytime drama Days of our Lives, which she played for over 29 years, and is to return to the role this summer. The character is considered an icon to the soap, and has been experienced some of...
as Claudia Newquay - Deborah Harry as Diana Price
- Paul McCranePaul McCranePaul David McCrane is an American film, television and theatre actor, as well as an occasional television director. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Montgomery MacNeil in the 1980 film Fame and Dr. Robert Romano on the NBC medical drama television series ER.-Early life:McCrane was...
as Johnny Medley - Pamela Seagall as Tanya Medley
- Paul WinfieldPaul WinfieldPaul Edward Winfield was an American television, film, and stage actor. He was known for his portrayal of a Louisiana sharecropper who struggles to support his family during the Great Depression in the landmark film Sounder which earned him an Academy Award nomination. Winfield also portrayed Dr....
as Isaac Twine - Billy WirthBilly WirthWilliam E. "Billy" Wirth is an Americanactor, film producer, and artist, perhaps best known for his role in the 1987 film, The Lost Boys.-Life and career:...
as Eddie Tempest - Ron TaylorRon Taylor (actor)Ronald James Taylor was an American actor, singer and writer. He grew up in Galveston, Texas and later moved to New York to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After graduating, he began working in musical theater, appearing in The Wiz , before getting his break with the 1982...
as Monroe Blue
Mafia Wars storyline
At the beginning of the third season, Vinnie had not been assigned any recent cases, but, in usual Wiseguy fashion, a case found him. Vinnie's stepfather, DonCrime boss
A crime boss or boss is a person in charge of a criminal organization. A boss typically has absolute or near-absolute control over his subordinates, is greatly feared by his subordinates for his ruthlessness and willingness to take lives in order to exert his influence, and profits come from the...
Rudy Aiuppo (George O. Petrie
George O. Petrie
George O. Petrie was an American television actor.-Biography:He was born in New Haven, Connecticut. On The Honeymooners he had recurring character roles throughout the series...
) was shot and wounded, leaving Vinnie the temporary head of the local Mafia commission. Vinnie investigated the other members, including Albert Cericco (Robert Davi
Robert Davi
Robert John Davi is an American actor and singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls...
). Eventually, Vinnie brought down most of the commission, only to find Aiuppo had been manipulating him to exact revenge on some rivals. An enraged Vinnie angrily told Aiuppo that, stepfather or not, he wanted nothing more to do with him. Aiuppo in turn tried to drive a wedge between Vinnie and his mother by implying that he had learned of Vinnie's undercover role from her. In reality, he had bugged a payphone outside his hospital room, thinking that the various Mafiosi visiting him would be using it just after taking their leave. Vinnie had used it to contact Uncle Mike.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | The Four-Letter Word (1) | 2 |
| 44 | Le Lacrime de Amore (2) | 2 |
| 45 | A Rightful Place | 3 |
| 46 | Battle of the Barge | 3 |
| 47 | Sins of the Father | 3 |
| 48 | Heir to the Throne | 3 |
Arc Cast
- Robert DaviRobert DaviRobert John Davi is an American actor and singer. He has played such roles as Vietnam veteran and Special Agent Johnson in Die Hard, the villainous Jake Fratelli in The Goonies, and Al Torres in Showgirls...
as Albert Cerrico - George O. PetrieGeorge O. PetrieGeorge O. Petrie was an American television actor.-Biography:He was born in New Haven, Connecticut. On The Honeymooners he had recurring character roles throughout the series...
as Raphael Gaitanio Aiuppo, Rudy Flowers, aka Don Aiuppo - Tony Mike Romano as Poochy
- John SnyderJohn SnyderJohn Snyder is an American film, stage and television actor that graduated from Boston University's School of Fine and Applied Arts with a BFA in 1974.Snyder played the gas station man in the 1979 film The Warriors...
as Joey Grosset - Michael ChiklisMichael ChiklisMichael Charles Chiklis is an American actor, voice actor, occasional director and television producer. Some of the previous roles for which he is best known include Commissioner Tony Scali on the ABC police drama The Commish, LAPD Detective Vic Mackey on the FX police drama The Shield, Thing in...
as Carlo Spoletta - Anne De Salvo as Gina Grosset
- Chazz PalminteriChazz PalminteriCalogero Lorenzo "Chazz" Palminteri is an American actor and writer, best known for his performances in The Usual Suspects, A Bronx Tale, and his Academy Award nominated role for Best Supporting Actor in Bullets Over Broadway....
as Peter Allatore
Washington, D.C. storyline
Vinnie was summoned to the Justice Department and put in charge of an investigation of Japanese Yen counterfeiting, unaware that the whole thing was a setup by certain unscrupulous government figures who sought payback for damaging fallout from the Mel Profitt case. Based on the real-life Operation BernhardOperation Bernhard
Operation Bernhard was the codename of a secret Nazi plan devised during the Second World War by the RSHA and the SS to destabilise the British economy by flooding the country with forged Bank of England £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes...
, the conspirators aim to undermine the Japanese economy by printing large amounts of counterfeit Yen, smuggling them into Japan on cargo aircraft
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
, and then announcing it all in order to devalue the currency. After the revelation, a convenient scapegoat is supposed to take the blame, in this case, Vinnie. When the plan is foiled en route, Vinnie nevertheless becomes the focus of an investigation, and is only saved when a third party "connects the dots" for the investigating committee.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 53 | Day One | 3 |
| 54 | Day Four | 3 |
| 55 | Day Seven | 3 |
| 56 | Day Nine | 3 |
Arc Cast
- Norman LloydNorman LloydNorman Lloyd is an American actor, producer, and director with a career in entertainment spanning more than seven decades. Lloyd, who currently resides in Los Angeles, has appeared in over sixty films and television shows....
as General Leland Masters - Stephen JoyceStephen JoyceStephen Joyce may refer to:*Stephen J. Joyce - the grandson and executor of James Joyce.*Stephen A. Joyce - the Police Chief for Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 1970-71.*Steven Joyce - New Zealand politician....
as Admiral Walter Strichen - Kim GreistKim GreistKimberley Bret "Kim" Greist is an American actress.-Early acting career:Greist was born in Stamford, Connecticut, the daughter of Norma M. and E. Harold Greist...
as Katherine (Kay) Gallagher - Robert HarperRobert Harper (actor)Robert Harper is an American actor. He is perhaps most well known for his role as Sharkey in Once Upon a Time in America. He has also portrayed Charlie Gereson in Creepshow and Bubba 'Si' Weisberger in the CBS sitcom Frank's Place...
as Dewitt Clipton - Ray StricklynRay StricklynRay Stricklyn was an American film actor, stage actor, television actor, soap opera star and publicist. His acting career took off with B-movie Westerns that placed his boyish good looks playing opposite top talent of the time.-Early life and career:Born in Houston, Texas, his father was a sign...
as Senator Pickering - Stan ShawStan ShawStan Shaw is an American actor.Born in Chicago, Illinois, he is the son of Bertha Shaw and saxophonist Eddie Shaw, and cousin of the late soul singers Sam Cooke and Tyrone Davis Brother of Vaan Shaw...
as Major Vernon Biggs - Georgann Johnson as Senator Janet Getzloff
Lynchboro/Seattle storyline
Vinnie was made a deputy of a small town in Washington State, where local strongman Mark Volchek (Steve RyanSteve Ryan
Steve Ryan was an American actor.He was best known for his recurring role on the Fox sitcom, Arrested Development, as J. Walter Weatherman. Some of his other roles included "Detective Nate Grossman" on the NBC Police series Crime Story and his role as "Bobick" on Daddio.Notable recurring roles...
) was essentially treating the town like his own personal dictatorship. The arc took an unexpected turn when recent murders were determined to be the work of a serial killer based on the then real life unsolved Green River Killer cases. As a large federal task force was on its way to Lynchboro, Volchek, fearful of the disruption and attention, was determined to identify the killer through his knowledge of the town and residents. Through a rapid process of elimination based on the existing profile, Volcheck was able to narrow the suspects and flush out the killer. Vinnie had been set on adding Volchek to his list of victories when he witnessed the electrocution suicide of the killer which brought back flashbacks of Sonny Steelgrave. Unable to cope with the memories, Vinnie fled, but not before contacting Roger Lococco, who took his place, and working with McPike, brought Volchek to his senses and freed the town. (This story-arc was, in mood and setting, eerily prescient of the early episodes of the show "Twin Peaks," which debuted a few weeks after the sequence was aired.)
After the Volchek investigation had ended McPike went looking for Vinnie, who had taken a job with a Seattle company that was illegally dumping medical waste. Embroiled in the company manager's desperate attempts at covering up, Vinnie fled in repulsion from hired assassins as well as from his own burgeoning violent impulse, to find respite in a city church. Just as McPike found him in hiding there, a would-be assassin's bullet missed Vinnie and critically wounded McPike, propelling Vinnie on a final pursuit of justice.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | A One Horse Town | 3 |
| 61 | His Master's Voice | 3 |
| 62 | Hello Buckwheat | 3 |
| 63 | Let Them Eat Cake | 3 |
| 64 | Meltdown | 3 |
Arc Cast
- Steve RyanSteve RyanSteve Ryan was an American actor.He was best known for his recurring role on the Fox sitcom, Arrested Development, as J. Walter Weatherman. Some of his other roles included "Detective Nate Grossman" on the NBC Police series Crime Story and his role as "Bobick" on Daddio.Notable recurring roles...
as Steven Volchek - David StrathairnDavid StrathairnDavid Russell Strathairn is an American actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for portraying journalist Edward R. Murrow in Good Night, and Good Luck...
as Sheriff Matthew Stemkowsky - James StacyJames StacyJames Stacy is an American actor. A motorcycle crash left him a multiple amputee and took the life of his girlfriend in 1973. After his recovery, he returned to acting in 1975 before retiring in 1991.-Early life and career:...
as Edward Rogosheske - Darlanne FluegelDarlanne FluegelDarlanne Fluegel born is an American actress.Fluegel appeared in the TV series Crime Story and the final season of Hunter. She was featured in Sergio Leone's 1984 film Once Upon a Time in America as Robert De Niro's girlfriend Eve , and in 1986's Tough Guys as Kirk Douglas' girlfriend...
as Lacey Marseille - Neil Gray Giuntoli as Donny
Guzman/New York DA storyline
When the fourth season started, McPike had (apparently) fully recovered from his gunshot wound—so much so that while he sat shirtless in one scene, the absence of scar tissue on his chest was evident. Vinnie had been investigating the Miami Mafia, and suddenly went missing. His apartment was empty, but showed signs of a struggle. McPike went down to Miami, hooked up with disbarred U.S. Attorney Michael Santana (Steven BauerSteven Bauer
Steven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
, the new series lead replacing Wahl), and soon discovered that Vinnie had been murdered by a death squad. (In real life, there had been a major dispute between star Ken Wahl and the producers, and he was no longer with the show.) Soon, McPike and Santana were infiltrating the organization of Cuban-American crime lord Armando Guzman (Maximilian Schell
Maximilian Schell
Maximilian Schell is an Austrian-born Swiss actor who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Judgment at Nuremberg in 1961...
), and with the help of U.S. Attorney Hillary Stein (Cecil Hoffman
Cecil Hoffman
Cecil Hoffman is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of district attorney Zoey Clemmons in the television series L.A. Law....
), destroyed his organization as well.
With the Guzman investigation closed, McPike convinced Santana to become an official OCB agent, but just as he was entering the job, the entire OCB organization was eliminated due to federal budget cuts. McPike, Santana and Lifeguard were immediately hired by the New York District Attorney's office, and began to investigate the New York drug underworld, as well as its death grip on a particular inner city high school run by the hardline and humanitarian educator Jesse Hains (Billy Dee Williams
Billy Dee Williams
William December "Billy Dee" Williams, Jr. is an American actor, artist, singer, and writer.-Early life:Williams was born in New York City, New York, the son of Loretta...
). However, their investigation was cut short by Wiseguys declining ratings and cancellation by CBS.
| # | Episode | Season |
|---|---|---|
| 67 | Fruit of the Poisonous Tree (1) | 4 |
| 68 | Fruit of the Poisonous Tree (2) | 4 |
| 69 | Black Gold | 4 |
| 70 | The Gift | 4 |
| 71 | La Mina | 4 |
| 72 | Witness Protection for the Archangel Lucifer | 4 |
Arc Cast
- Maximillian Schell as Amado Guzman
- Steven BauerSteven BauerSteven Bauer is a Cuban-American actor. He is known for his role as Manny Ribera in the 1983 film Scarface, and his role on the bilingual PBS show Que Pasa, USA.-Early life:...
as U.S. Attorney Michael Santana - Cecil HoffmanCecil HoffmanCecil Hoffman is an American actress, best known for her portrayal of district attorney Zoey Clemmons in the television series L.A. Law....
as U.S. Attorney Hillary Stein - Billy Dee WilliamsBilly Dee WilliamsWilliam December "Billy Dee" Williams, Jr. is an American actor, artist, singer, and writer.-Early life:Williams was born in New York City, New York, the son of Loretta...
as Jesse Hains - MartikaMartikaMartika is an American pop singer-songwriter and actress. As a singer she released two internationally successful albums in the late 1980s and early 1990s, selling over four million copies worldwide.-Early life and career:Martika entered mainstream show business in an uncredited role as one of the...
as Dahlia Mendez
Non-arc episodes
There were also several stand-alone episodes between the arcs, most of which dealt with the personal lives of the main characters. For instance, after the "Dead Dog Records" arc, Vinnie has a liaison with Amber Twine, who was widowed when her husband suffered a heart attack during the main story. He attempts to live in her world of late nights with musicians but finds he has no interest in it, and she has no interest in his world. This sequence featured a cameo by blues harpBlues harp
The Richter-tuned harmonica, or 10-hole harmonica or blues harp , is the most widely known type of harmonica...
player Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson
Kim Wilson is an American blues singer and harmonica player. He is best known as the lead vocalist and frontman for The Fabulous Thunderbirds on two hit songs of the 1980s; "Tuff Enuff", and "Wrap It Up."-Career:...
and his band, The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds
The Fabulous Thunderbirds are an American, Grammy-nominated Blues rock band, formed in 1974.-Career:After performing for several years in the Austin, Texas blues scene, the band won a recording contract with Takoma/Chrysalis Records, and later on signed with Epic Records.Their first two albums,...
. Other episodes recount:
-Vinnie's time in a mental hospital (having gone in for general treatment) - he is set up by Daryl Elias, who can work computers and has a score to settle. Sonny Steelgrave is brought back via Vinnie's memory and Vinnie resolves his guilt issues.
-Mama Terranova falls for Rudy Aiuppo, her old flame who she gave up when he turned to a life of crime. Aiuppo switches places with his recently reconciled (and dead-ringer) brother who heads back to Italy, while Aiupo fades back into the old neighborhood and marries Mama Terranova.
-Vinnie discovers his late father's old diary and sees his very honest father faced the same temptations from criminals that Vinnie faces.
-Steelgrave's cohort (and accountant for Pat Patrice) Sid Royce is arrested, but discovers Terranova is a federal agent. Royce is given immunity, turns states evidence, and he and his wife enter witness relocation... where the Harvard educated, sophisticated Royce becomes a Foot Locker
Foot Locker
Foot Locker, Inc. is an American sportswear and footwear retailer, with its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, and operating in approximately 20 countries worldwide. Formerly known as Venator Group, Inc., it is the successor corporation to the F.W. Woolworth Company , and many of...
-type shoe salesman named "Elvis Prim" in Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf, Iowa
Bettendorf is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Bettendorf is the fifteenth largest city in the U.S. state of Iowa and the fourth largest city in the "Quad Cities". As of the 2010 United States Census the population grew to 33,217. Bettendorf is one of the Quad Cities, along with...
, far from the bright lights of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. His wife leaves him for a cowboy. Royce goes off the grid and tracks down McPike just as McPike and his separated wife are on the verge of reconciliation. McPike ends up killing Royce in a hostage situation.
TV movie
In 19961996 in television
The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
, a reunion Wiseguy movie starring Ken Wahl aired on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. In the movie, Vinnie (who was still alive; as far as this movie was concerned, the fourth season had never happened) had spent several years on wiretapping duty, as punishment for being Aiuppo's dupe during Season 3's Mafia angle, and (presumably) abandoning his duty during the Volchek investigation. Vinnie is ordered to infiltrate the organization of criminal boss Paul Callendar (Ted Levine
Ted Levine
Frank Theodore "Ted" Levine is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs and Captain Leland Stottlemeyer in the television series Monk.-Early life and career:...
). The movie had many of the same themes as the TV show, including Vinnie's constant conflict in betraying the people he had grown to care about. While the movie was a critical success, its mediocre ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
(it aired against NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
megahits Friends and Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
) and Ken Wahl's recurrent back and neck problems seem to preclude another Wiseguy revival. The movie was rerun on Sleuth
Sleuth (TV channel)
Cloo is a digital cable television channel with programming dedicated to the crime and mystery genres. It is owned and operated by NBCUniversal. It launched on January 1, 2006, replacing Trio...
in 2008.
On October 25, 2011, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
announced a pilot commitment for a updated series written by Alex Cary.
Awards
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Casting Society of America | Best Casting for TV, Dramatic Episodic | Vicki Huff |
| 1990 | Edgar Award Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America... |
Best Television Episode | David J. Burke and Alfonse Ruggiero (For episode "White Noise") |
| 1990 | Golden Globe Award Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Award is an accolade bestowed by the 93 members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association recognizing excellence in film and television, both domestic and foreign... |
Best Performance by an Actor in a TV-Series - Drama | Ken Wahl |
| 1988 | Viewers for Quality Television Awards | Founder's Award | Ray Sharkey |
DVD releases
In May 2009, Mill Creek EntertainmentMill Creek Entertainment
Mill Creek Entertainment is a home entertainment company that manufactures movie and television DVD compilation box sets at "value" prices. Nashville's Amity Entertainment is an affiliate to Mill Creek...
announced that they had acquired the rights to release Wiseguy on DVD in Region 1. They subsequently released the complete first season on August 25, 2009. On March 9, 2010, Mill Creek released Wiseguy: The Collector's Edition, a 13-disc set featuring episodes from all 4 seasons. Unfortunately due to rights issues with the music contained in the show, the 'Dead Dog Records' arc from season 2 is not included.
Beyond Home Entertainment has released all 4 seasons on DVD in Region 4. Unfortunately due to rights issues with the music contained in the show, the 'Dead Dog Records' arc episodes are not contained on the season 2 release.
| DVD Name | Ep # | Release dates | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 4 | ||
| Season 1 | 22 | August 25, 2009 | December 1, 2008 |
| Season 2 | 22 | N/A | March 4, 2009 |
| Season 3 | 22 | N/A | July 8, 2009 |
| Season 4 | 9 | N/A | September 9, 2009 |
The first season became available on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on April 28, 2008.
Trivia
- The first airing of the season one finale "No One Gets out of Here Alive" features The RascalsThe RascalsThe Rascals were an American blue-eyed soul group initially active during the years 1965–72. The band released numerous top ten singles in North America during the mid- and late-1960s, including the U.S. #1 hits "Good Lovin'" , "Groovin'" , and "People Got to Be Free"...
' "Good Lovin'" and The Moody BluesThe Moody BluesThe Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
' "Nights in White SatinNights in White Satin"Nights in White Satin" is a 1967 single by The Moody Blues, written by Justin Hayward and first featured on the album Days of Future Passed.It is in the key of E minor Aeolian.-Single releases:...
," but the latter song was subsequently replaced by various songs or an overdub of score music in later re-airings. The song was present, though, when the episode aired in CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
Late Night in 1989.