A Man Called Hawk

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A Man Called Hawk
GenreDrama
action
Based onlead character by Robert B. Parker
Developed byStephen Hattman
William Robert Yates
StarringAvery Brooks
Moses Gunn
Theme music composerStanley Clarke
Avery Brooks
Lawrence "Butch" Morris
ComposersStanley Clarke
Avery Brooks (final two episodes)
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes13
Production
Running time60 minutes
Production companiesHattman-Yates Productions
Avery Brooks Productions
Warner Bros. Television
Original release
NetworkABC
ReleaseJanuary 28 (1989-01-28) –
May 13, 1989 (1989-05-13)
Related
Spenser: For Hire

A Man Called Hawk is an American action drama series, starring Avery Brooks, that ran on ABC from January 28 to May 13, 1989. The series is a spin-off of the crime drama series Spenser: For Hire, and features the character Hawk, who first appeared in the 1976 novel Promised Land, the fourth in the series of Spenser novels by mystery writer Robert B. Parker.

Main cast[edit]

On the air for just thirteen episodes, A Man Called Hawk starred Avery Brooks as the title character, who has relocated from Boston to his hometown, Washington, D.C. The series co-starred actor Moses Gunn, who portrayed a father figure to Hawk known only as "Old Man".

Production[edit]

A Man Called Hawk was a spin-off of the recently cancelled Spenser: For Hire, which aired on ABC from 1985 through 1988. Brooks co-wrote the theme music for the show with jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Butch Morris, the latter of whom also did most of the incidental music for the show.

The series was filmed in Washington D.C.[1]

During the first three seasons of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Brooks wore a full head of hair and shaved his goatee, as a means of distinguishing his character Benjamin Sisko from Hawk. The goatee was added to Sisko's look near the end of Season 3, and his head was shaved bald at the start of Season 4 (this was due in part to production of DS9 concurring with that of a series of Spenser: For Hire reunion films in which Brooks reprised Hawk).

Episodes[edit]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
1"The Master's Mirror"Virgil W. VogelStephen HattmanJanuary 28, 1989 (1989-01-28)17.6[2]
2"A Time and a Place"Winrich KolbeStephen Hattman & William Robert YatesFebruary 4, 1989 (1989-02-04)16.3[3]
3"Hear No Evil"Stanley LathanWilliam Robert YatesFebruary 11, 1989 (1989-02-11)15.2[4]
4"Passing the Bar"Bill DukeJerome CoopersmithFebruary 18, 1989 (1989-02-18)15.5[5]
5"The Divided Child"Winrich KolbeCarleton EastlakeFebruary 25, 1989 (1989-02-25)15.3[6]
6"Vendetta"Sigmund NeufeldJaison StarkesMarch 4, 1989 (1989-03-04)14.6[7]
7"Choice of Chance"Virgil VogelSteve Duncan & L. Travis ClarkMarch 11, 1989 (1989-03-11)12.8[8]
8"Poison"Harry FalkStory by : Joan Parker & Robert B. Parker
Teleplay by : Robert B. Parker
March 25, 1989 (1989-03-25)13.7[9]
9"Never My Love"Virgil VogelSteve Duncan & L. Travis ClarkApril 1, 1989 (1989-04-01)12.3[10]
10"Intensive Care"Virgil VogelCarleton EastlakeApril 15, 1989 (1989-04-15)12.2[11]
11"If Memory Serves"Mario Di LeoJaison StarkesApril 29, 1989 (1989-04-29)6.9[12]
12"Beautiful Are the Stars"Virgil W. VogelStory by : Calvin Hernton
Teleplay by : Calvin Hernton and Steve Duncan & L. Travis Clark
May 6, 1989 (1989-05-06)10.1[13]
13"Life after Death"Harry FalkThomas Huggins & Charlotte ClayMay 13, 1989 (1989-05-13)7.5[14]

Notable guest stars[edit]

Syndication[edit]

The series was re-aired in reruns on TV One in 2006. The series is currently available for streaming online on Tubi.[15]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Gaines-Carter, Patrice (November 17, 1988). "LIGHTS! CAMERA! 'HAWK'!". The Washington Post. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  2. ^ "Midseason entries boost NBC". Life. USA Today. February 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306144802.
  3. ^ "Comedies sweep up for NBC". Life. USA Today. February 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306179902.
  4. ^ "CBS gallops to a tie with NBC". Life. USA Today. February 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306163263.
  5. ^ "NBC's back alone on top". Life. USA Today. February 22, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306175741.
  6. ^ "CBS up despite Grammy drop". Life. USA Today. March 1, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306152931.
  7. ^ "Hit-and-miss program changes". Life. USA Today. March 8, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306184202.
  8. ^ "NBC, in front with 'Left Behind'". Life. USA Today. March 15, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306172200.
  9. ^ "A 'Brewster' boost for ABC". Life. USA Today. March 29, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306173300.
  10. ^ "ABC's roller-coaster week". Life. USA Today. April 5, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306171172.
  11. ^ "CBS squeaks by into second". Life. USA Today. April 19, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306176608.
  12. ^ "We loved CBS' 'Lucy' tribute". Life. USA Today. May 3, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306197470.
  13. ^ "Bright spots for No. 3 ABC". Life. USA Today. May 10, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306210811.
  14. ^ "NBC sweeps top 11 spots". Life. USA Today. May 17, 1989. p. 3D. ProQuest 306203436.
  15. ^ "Watch A Man Called Hawk". Tubi. Retrieved August 4, 2022.

External links[edit]