One way to beat this year's winter chill is to watch the sun-drenched, "Miami Vice" TV series Complete Collection on DVD, not just for the numerous "Scarface" plot situations involving armed drug cartels, high rollers/exotic women, Jan Hammer's synth background themes and re-mastered 1980's classic rock music/stylized visuals, but to spot all the famous actors that got their start on the show.
Recognized as one of the most influential TV series of all time, for its Armani fashions, Dornaus & Dixon stainless steel handguns, 1972 Ferrari Daytona Spyder 365 GTS/4 wheels and 39 foot Chris Craft Stinger 390/Scarab 38 KV boats, "Miami Vice" also introduced audiences to actor Don Johnson ("A Boy And His Dog") as 'Detective James "Sonny" Crockett', Philip Michael Thomas as 'Detective Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs' and the brooding Edward James Olmos as 'Lieutenant Martin Castillo'.
Throughout its successful 5-season run, "Miami Vice" introduced dozens of up and coming actors including Liam Neeson, Jimmy Smits, Ed O'Neill, Dennis Farina, Bruce Willis, Burt Young, Michael Madsen, Eric Bogosian, John Turturro, Ving Rhames, Joe Morton, James Remar, Nathan Lane, Dean Stockwell, Bob Balaban, Kyra Sedgewick, John Heard, Julia Roberts, Richard Belzer, Laurence Fishburne, Ron Perlman, Steve Buscemi, Stanley Tucci, Bill Paxton, Wesley Snipes, Brad Dourif, John Leguizamo, Vincent D'Onofrio, John Glover, Viggo Mortensen, Annette Bening, Lou Diamond Phillips, Melanie Griffith, Benecio del Toro, Kelly Lynch, Penelope Ann Miller, Harry Shearer, Gerrit Graham, Reni Santoni, Michael Wincott, Meg Foster, Chris Cooper, Matt Frewer, Tony Sirico, Amanda Plummer, Michael Chiklis and Ian McShane.
Musicians appearing in credible acting performances on the series included Gene Simmons, Phil Collins, Frank Zappa, Ted Nugent, Miles Davis, Glenn Frey, Willie Nelson and Sheena Easton.
Airing on NBC from 1984-1989, produced by Michael Mann ("The Keep"), "Miami Vice" was eventually written by, co-produced, then executive produced by Dick Wolf ("Law And Order") who brought a serious 'police procedural' format to the action series.
"Miami Vice" continues to air in syndication around the world including 'MBC Action' in the Arab World, 'Iris' in Italy, 'NRK3' in Norway, 'Viasat TV6' in Sweden, 'Viasat 3+' in Denmark, 'TV7' in Bulgaria, 'TV3' in Estonia, 'ZDF' in Germany and '111 Hits' in Australia.
Rumour has it that "Miami Vice" creator Anthony Yerkovich, who worked again with Mann on the shadowy 2006 "Miami Vice" feature, wanted a spin-off to the TV series titled "Castillo", focusing on the former long-haired DEA agent/martial artist, working the 'Golden Triangle' of Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, later becoming the taciturn Lieutenant of the 1980's era Miami-Dade vice squad.
