[1] The show follows the adventures of Mike Hammer, the private detective created by crime novelist Mickey Spillane, as he works to solve cases, often involving murder.
[4] In contrast to the charming male leads in other popular detective shows of the day (e.g., Remington Steele, Thomas Magnum), Mike Hammer was unapologetically masculine with little concern for political correctness.
A prominent feature of most episodes was the inclusion of a number of female characters (known in casting sessions as "Hammer-ettes") who would exchange a double entendre or two with Hammer while wearing very low tops and push-up bras emphasizing their ample cleavage.
Examples of this include Hammer's love for cigarettes being at odds with the growing social disdain for smoking and the detective's humorous inability to comprehend the youth trends of the decade.
Whether it was with his fists or his trusty gun, "Betsy," a Colt Model 1911A1 .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol, which was always tucked neatly inside a leather shoulder holster worn under his suit jacket, Hammer would never fail to stop a criminal dead in his tracks.
Unlike most detective shows of the decade, the bad guys on Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer were usually killed by the protagonist by the time the closing credits rolled.
[5] The following notable actors (including some future stars) and musicians appeared on the show: Like Spillane's novels, the series is set in New York City, with only a few exceptional episodes that bring the characters to other locations.
[10] His unexpected jail term caught producers of the show off guard and with three episodes filmed but unfinished, impersonator Rich Little was called in to mimic Keach's narrative voiceover.
The narrow male demographic, and concerns over the portrayal of women in the show from Columbia Pictures Television president Barbara Corday, prompted Jay Bernstein to tone down the presence of swooning starlets.
[citation needed] Two years later, this series had a television film spin-off titled Mike Hammer: Murder Takes All featuring Lynda Carter, Michelle Phillips, and Jim Carrey.