Type of Detective: Pseudo private detective

First Appeared: 1982

Memorable Phrase: Too many to name – Steele had a knack for quoting famous movies

Remington Steele was a television series that aired on NBC from 1982-1987 starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan in the lead roles of Laura Holt and Remington Steele. However, Steele was a name that Zimbalist’s character Laura Holt came up with – his real name was never known.

Holt is the only authentic private eye in the series, but quickly discovered that being a woman made her less desirable as an investigator. She decides to hire a male superior counterpart (Brosnan) to act on her behalf and names him Remington Steele.

Steele has a slick, suave demeanor and a mysterious background. It was not a secret that he was involved in shady activity before Holt took him on, and it is this mysterious background that adds to his allure. Steele is also handsome and extremely charming, which contributes to the buildup of chemistry between the two and the romantic comedy elements that transpire throughout the series.

Steele struggled with his newfound role in the beginning, but soon discovered ways to manage his lack of detective skill – plotlines generally had Holt doing the dirty detective work, and Steele taking the credit.

Remington Steele ran until 1987, when it ended in a series of two hour made for television movies.

Location: Los Angeles

Type of Detective: Divorce Investigator

First appeared: 1974

Memorable Phrase: “Infidelity made me what I am today.”

J.J. “Jake” Gittes is the protagonist in Roman Polanski (Director) and Robert Towne (Screenwriter)’s heralded film-noir style crime drama Chinatown (1974).

Jaded and cynical, Jake is aware that his somewhat questionable past and sleazy antics have paved the way for him in the divorce detective profession. Unlike many film noir investigators, Jake is disarmingly human and makes more mistakes than the average detective would. His odd inability to see the bigger picture puts him at a disadvantage, though he does an excellent job at producing vague excuses and using the corruption of Chinatown as a scapegoat.

In the film, Jake is hired by Evelyn Mulwray to follow her husband (or so he is led to believe), Hollis Mulwray, the head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. When he finally meets the true Mrs. Mulwray, the plot thickens and the cast works together to solve the dark mystery.

Director Polanski even makes a cameo in this Academy Award-winning film (it was nominated for 11), who was forced to leave the US only two years later. The screenplay continues to be heralded as one of the best written of all time.

Though the article is strictly referring to the situation in the US and whether the Supreme Court should step in, it highlights the fascinating way that advancing technology is revolutionizing the surveillance and investigation industry worldwide.

Type of Detective: Homocide Detective

First Appeared: July 2002

Memorable Phrase: “Here’s what happened…”

Adrian Monk, played by Tony Shalhoub, is the titular character for the USA Network series Monk that debuted in July 2002. Monk is an ex-homocide detective, surveillance investigator and consultant for the San Francisco Police Department who is loosely base on the likeness of Inspector Clouseau and somewhat defined by his extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder, which includes over 300 fears. His assorted phobias tend to complicate the process of executing murder investigations, and his colleagues are often frustrated by his unusual behaviour.

However, it is his keen observational sense and insight that allow him to make connections in cases that others tend to overlook. His entire life, Monk has been well-known for his ability to make inferences and understand patterns and trends much better than his co-investigators or peers. A large part of Monk’s plot is based around his wife Trudy’s murder, which occurred in 1997. He makes it his mission to uncover the truth behind her untimely death.

Though set in the San Francisco Bay Area, Monk’s pilot was filmed in Lanki’s own hometown of Vancouver, BC, and the remainder of the series was shot in both Toronto, ON and Los Angeles. The series aired for a total of eight seasons, ending in 2009. It also holds the record for the most watched scripted drama episode in cable television history, with 9.4 million viewers.

The game, first ever to be included in the Tribeca Film Festival, also stars a familiar voice: that of Mad Men’s Aaron Staton (aka Ken Cosgrove), who lends his speech to main character Cole Phelps. Playing as Cole, gamers will have utilize a variety of private investigation skills, including surveillance, interviewing, forensics, and evidence gathering to solve a series of crimes.

Here is some in-game footage of the investigative techniques featured in LA Noire, looking to appeal to the less shooting, more talking mentality of the gamer world, as well as the detective in all of us. Enjoy.

In the box-office topping 1987 movie Stakeout, Chris Lecce and Bill Reimers are  a pair of buddy cops on a surveillance investigation in Seattle.   Played by Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez (both sporting some outstandingly 80’s mustaches), the pair are tasked with observing and tracking the ex-girlfriend of a recently escaped convict (naturally, one winds up falling in love with the woman).

These two actors have fantastic onscreen chemistry and engage in a hysterical battle of wits and wills throughout the film. Their largest battle stems from Lecce’s romantic interest in Maria, the leading lady they are staking out.

The climax of the movie is, of course, an action-packed chase that takes them barreling through the very recognizable streets of Vancouver  (like many dozens of Seattle-based films, this one was filmed almost entirely in Lanki’s hometown of Vancouver).

Thomas Magnum was the titular character of Magnum PI, a television series which ran on CBS from 1980-1988. His low-key demeanor, laid back attitude and masculine charm made him a welcome attraction on evening television – especially for the ladies. Apparently even having an ultra-masculine name was a requirement.

Magnum was certainly an everyman, an avid sports fan who listened to rock music, drank seemingly limitless beer and came and went as he pleased around his island paradise. He had the privilege of living in the Hawaii mansion of a celebrity author who, in turn for Magnum’s quality control of the estate security, allowed him unlimited access and use of his shiny new Ferrari.

As far as his line of work, ex-Navy Officer Magnum worked solving crimes when he wanted, often penniless but nevertheless enjoying a relaxed and never hurried island lifestyle. He was perhaps known best for his uniform, which consisted of khaki shorts, and aloha shirt and sockless boat shoes, often completing his look with a battered baseball cap. Oh, and who could forget that famed moustache??

The article discusses how the recent death of one of the dozens of detectives who assisted on the David Berkowitz (aka Son of Sam) serial murder case in NYC in 1977 re-ignited conversation about the evolution of similar investigations over time. What if we had all of today’s industry tricks available back then? How much more efficient has detective work become? And is it all thanks to new and improved databases and technology, or as one retired officer suggests, does an investigator’s instinct still take precedence?

Read the full article here.

Recently, we came across a Crunchgear article that discusses a very interesting Craigslist San Antonio ad calling for “Piracy Surveillance Investigators”. Apparently, the illegal broadcasting of pay-per-view events was becoming a significant issue in the area, and extra help was being sought to track down the culprits.

We thought it was an interesting illustration of the some of the quirky work that can be asked of private investigators. Rest assured however, that any and all cases taken on by Lanki Investigations will be worked on entirely by our team of dedicated and trained professionals – we won’t be turning to Craigslist for new recruits anytime soon!

Miss Marple, and gentle yet sharp-minded British spinster and amateur detective, was the creation of famed crime writer Agatha Christie. She first appeared in a short story called “The Tuesday Night Club” in 1927 and the first full-length novel featuring her character was The Murder at the Vicarage, published in 1930.

Miss Marple was said to have studied human anatomy as well as spending some time at finishing school. Never married and with no close relatives, she lives in St. Mary Mead in the English countryside – yet another parish that has decidedly more criminal activity than it probably should. She may come across as demure and naïve but is actually incredibly logical and intelligent. Her quick mind often leads her to solve cases that have even local police authorities stumped. Extremely anecdotal and somewhat nostalgic, Miss Marple almost always links a current case or crime to a past experience of her time spent in St. Mary Mead.

Four feature films were eventually produced which involved Miss Marple as a central character, although the first did not appear until 1961. She was also featured in an assortment of television series, the most notable of which, Miss Marple ran on the BBC from 1984-1992 and starred Joan Hickson in the titular tole.