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| Gerald McRaney played Rick Simon in "Simon and Simon" for much of the 1980s, from 1981 to 1988. Source: https://www.memorabletv.com/tv-people/gerald-mcraney/ (May be subject to copyright) |
On the surface, he was kind of a carefree goof who preferred a shot of tequila on a beach in Mexico to a case he was working on as a private investigator. Yet, as you peeled away the layers there was much more to Rick Simon, making him a much more compelling character in a durable crime drama.
Gerald McRaney played Rick Simon for eight solid seasons and 156 episodes. He brought sensitivity and depth to a character who seemed to be the laid back older brother, with the cool truck, of uptight, professional A.J. Simon.
It was the springboard to a prolific acting career that continues to this day.
I was thinking about Gerald McRaney when I watched the last episodes of the six-year run of “This is Us”, when he reprised his ward-winning role as Dr. K.
Sibling rivalry
It was a strange first year for “Simon and Simon”. It debuted on CTV Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial in the fall of 1981. It featured A.J. Simon, a trained private investigator, and his older brother Rick, a Vietnam veteran, who owned the Simon and Simon Detective Agency. Complicating matters was they were in competition with the Peerless agency. It was owned by Myron Fowler, the father of Rick and A.J.’s friend Janet, who helped them out on cases. Oh, and she was also A.J.’s girlfriend.
It was a strange first year for “Simon and Simon”. It debuted on CTV Channel 13 on the peasant vision dial in the fall of 1981. It featured A.J. Simon, a trained private investigator, and his older brother Rick, a Vietnam veteran, who owned the Simon and Simon Detective Agency. Complicating matters was they were in competition with the Peerless agency. It was owned by Myron Fowler, the father of Rick and A.J.’s friend Janet, who helped them out on cases. Oh, and she was also A.J.’s girlfriend.
It was set in San Diego, so there were a lot of forays by Rick that first season into Mexico.
A.J. was straight laced and by the book. Rick was much more easy going, laid back, and well, could be a bit unscrupulous. He drove this amazing truck, a Dodge Power Wagon, lived on a boat, and had no problem impersonating people to get what he needed. He often just kept the business cards of other people and used those to impersonate them. It was all for a good cause, and he was still loveable and endearing.
Death and resurrection
I really liked the show. Then it just disappeared, seemingly replaced on CTV by this other show, “King’s Crossing“ that took its place and looked to be taking over.
I really liked the show. Then it just disappeared, seemingly replaced on CTV by this other show, “King’s Crossing“ that took its place and looked to be taking over.
It was in the summer of 1982, when I discovered what happened. “Simon and Simon” had essentially been cancelled after its 13-episode first season.
However, it was given a reprieve with a new time slot. When I saw it next, it was the fall of 1982. "Simon and Simon" was now on Channel 7 on the peasant vision dial.
What I later discovered was CBS in the States moved “Simon and Simon” to Thursday night to follow “Magnum P.I.” The theory being the audience would carry over from “Magnum P.I.”
To cement the relationship, the producers had a two-part cross-over event, where the main characters appeared on each other’s shows. What I recall about that was Morgan Fairchild played the bad guy in he event, and I distinctly remember her making out with A.J. Simon.
It worked. Instead of dying after 13 episodes, “Simon and Simon” went for eight seasons, from 1981 to 1989, and 156 episodes.
Older brother, war hero
It always seemed easier to like and relate to Rick Simon. He seemed more down-to-earth and easy-going than his younger brother. He could seem too flippant at times, someone you couldn't take seriously. Then I saw an episode that still sits with me as the best of the series’ run.
It always seemed easier to like and relate to Rick Simon. He seemed more down-to-earth and easy-going than his younger brother. He could seem too flippant at times, someone you couldn't take seriously. Then I saw an episode that still sits with me as the best of the series’ run.
It was in the second season and I recently discovered it was called “What’s in a Gnome?
Rick and A.J. are hired to find out who has been saboutaging an amusement park. He has been dubbed “The Phantom”, and branded a criminal, but when they go undercover, things are not what they seem.
Rick soon suspects "The Phantom" may be a fellow Vietnam veteran. He enlists an old military friend, to discover who “The Phantom” is. Wheelchair bound as a result of injuries in Vietnam, Rick's friend is now a computer whiz.
They soon learn “The Phantom” is Luke Dwyer, a Vietnam veteran dying as a result of his whole unit being exposed to Agent Orange. He reveals to the Simons, the commanding officer who ordered the bombing of Agent Orange, knew Dwyer's unit was still there before the bombing started.
It turns out that commanding officer is the same retired military officer who owns the amusement park. Dwyer is not only trying to mess with him, but ultimately provoke the colonel and his hired guns to shoot Dwyer. That would lead the media to finally pay attention and expose the truth. Dwyer had tried to share his story, but media would then contact the department of defence who would deny everything. This was Dwyer’s last hope.
He seems to get his wish. The colonel brings in a dozen hired guns who eventually corner Dwyer. They have their sights set on him as he is holding the colonel with a knife to his throat. Rick and A.J. are able to get the colonel to admit he thought the 79 soldiers, were all expendable. A.J. points out, in disgust, the colonel knew the exact number of soldiers.
Suddenly and slowly, all the hired guns walk away from the colonel one by one, leaving him alone to scream at the wind. They are all ex-soldiers too.
The next scene we see, it is two months later and the Simons are at Rick’s friend’s place, getting ready for something. They are talking about how the colonel is under investigation and facing 50 years in jail.
The screen dissolves to a gravesite. Rick and his friend are in full formal military dress, standing beside a casket draped in an American flag. Rick's friend plays “The Last Post” on the bugle. Then Rick takes off two medals – his Purple Heart and Bronze Star – pulls back the flag, places them on the casket, and replaces the flag.
Then he salutes.
I cried twice. Once in 1983 when I saw this episode, and again on June 30, 2022 when I watched it again online.
The other thing that episode reveals is the relationship between Rick and A.J. When they first meet Luke Dwyer, Rick introduces A.J. as his brother the “Campus Commando” who was protesting the war. A.J. said he did not sleep for years. Rick said he was just trying to live and survive until the next breakfast.
That’s why I didn’t sleep for years, A.J. said.
Dwyer said to Rick, "It's good he didn't have to go (to Vietnam)."
It was awesome, and some of the first exposure to the Vietnam War that I ever got.
The truck – a personal connection
Back in the ‘80s a bunch of shows were known for the vehicles their characters drove as much as for any of the characters. The best example was KITT on “Knight Rider”. There was also the black van in “The A-Team”, and the boat in “Riptide”.
Back in the ‘80s a bunch of shows were known for the vehicles their characters drove as much as for any of the characters. The best example was KITT on “Knight Rider”. There was also the black van in “The A-Team”, and the boat in “Riptide”.
Then there was Rick Simon’s Dodge Power Wagon. It even makes an appearance in the opening credits as Rick is driving through a field.
I actually saw the Dodge Power Wagon just over a year into the show’s run. My mom, sister and I took a bus tour to California, that included a day at Universal Studios.
As we drove through the lots, our guide pointed us in the direction of the Dodge Power Wagon, and I could clearly see it was Rick Simon’s truck.
That was my personal connection to Rick and “Simon and Simon”.
The years after
Gerald McRaney would go on to more success with series television in “Major Dad”, and “Promised Land”; reprise his role as Rick Simon in “Simon and Simon: In Trouble Again” in 1995; and keep on acting up to this day. He has had guest spots in a multitude of shows including “The West Wing”, “One Tree Hill”, “Mike and Molly”, “Longmire”, “House of Cards”, “A Million Little Things” and more. He also had a recurring role in “This is Us”, for which he won an Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series, and was nominated a second time for the role.
Gerald McRaney would go on to more success with series television in “Major Dad”, and “Promised Land”; reprise his role as Rick Simon in “Simon and Simon: In Trouble Again” in 1995; and keep on acting up to this day. He has had guest spots in a multitude of shows including “The West Wing”, “One Tree Hill”, “Mike and Molly”, “Longmire”, “House of Cards”, “A Million Little Things” and more. He also had a recurring role in “This is Us”, for which he won an Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series, and was nominated a second time for the role.
Parting thoughts
There is always a danger that an actor can be typecast if he or she plays the same character for too long. Playing Rick Simon for eight years and 156 episodes could easily have done that too Gerald McRaney.
There is always a danger that an actor can be typecast if he or she plays the same character for too long. Playing Rick Simon for eight years and 156 episodes could easily have done that too Gerald McRaney.
Instead, it was a springboard to a variety of characters, some similar to Rick Simon, like Dr. K, but some the exact opposite of the Vietnan veteran private eye.
Still, through the years and all the other roles I have seen him in, Gerald McRaney is still Rick Simon.
He was goofy, flippant and not always serious. But when it mattered most, he was there and always came through in the end.
Seeing him at the end of “What’s in a Gnome?” in full military dress, placing his medals on the casket of a fallen soldier and saluting, just reminded me of that once again.
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