No new partner for Switek?

[summer84]

Usually when someone gets killed off the show for one reason or the other, they get replaced by another actor. To me it feels like this was unusual for a TV show not to replace the actor.

I wonder why the producers never replaced John Diehl with another actor, who could have been Switek's new partner, maybe that would have filled out the void of Diehl leaving the show?

[Tom]

Back then it was reported that The producers did not want to replace Diehl for cost reasons.

Diehl earned around 9000USD per episode.

 

[Dadrian]

Always wondered what they made. Is there a source for other cast members?

[Tom]

vor 9 Minuten schrieb nofretz:

Always wondered what they made. Is there a source for other cast members?

DJ grossed 30,000 per episode until start of season 3. Then he went on strike during shooting of El Viejo and demanded 100k per episode.

After some tough negotiations they increased him to 90k and PMT to 50k. I have no info about later increases thus I assume that stayed until end of the series. I don't think they would have increased that later given the lower ratings and exploding budgets in season 4 and 5.

Talbott grossed the same as Diehl (200k per season) as far as I know. All this info is from reliable sources, some confirmed by the actors themselves. 

P.S. All this is contained in my episode guide.

Edited August 2, 2016 by Tom

[AzVice]

good question. the miami vice wiki claims around 30k for Don Johnson in the first two seasons, which is about what i figured.

i wonder if they did not have to pay the regulars if they didn't appear in episodes because i'm watching the fifth season and there are episodes where Gina doesn't appear or some Trudy doesn't appear.

[Tom]

vor 1 Minute schrieb AzVice:

good question. the miami vice wiki claims around 30k for Don Johnson in the first two seasons, which is about what i figured.

i wonder if they did not have to pay the regulars if they didn't appear in episodes because i'm watching the fifth season and there are episodes where Gina doesn't appear or some Trudy doesn't appear.

No wonder. most wiki information is based on my book/my research. Usually main cast is paid per episode unless they have a guarantee draw in the contract. Thus less appearances as described by you must have resulted in lower earnings.

[Sonny-Burnett]

10 minutes ago, Tom said:

 

P.S. All this is contained in my episode guide.

Where do we find your episode guide, please?

[Tom]

Gerade eben schrieb Sonny-Burnett:

Where do we find your episode guide, please?

Basic Episode guide can be found here on the site as part of the glossary.

full version can be bought&downloaded on lulu.com under "the unofficial Miami Vice episode guide"

[Dadrian]

I have a book from Lulu. Bought years ago. I'm assuming that's the one. Cover is pic of Ocean Dr. at night with pink letters. I thought I'd memorized it, so I stopped reading it. Perhaps I need to look again for the salaries. Thanks!

Edited August 2, 2016 by nofretz

[Sonny-Burnett]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

Basic Episode guide can be found here on the site as part of the glossary.

full version can be bought&downloaded on lulu.com under "the unofficial Miami Vice episode guide"

Tom, thanks very much. I went to the Lulu site and recognized the Cover page, and then realized I already had this book from years ago.

Your book is outstanding and is an excellent Vice reference source and I'll be reading through it once again.  Cheers, 

Edited August 2, 2016 by Sonny-Burnett

[timm525]

2 hours ago, Tom said:

Basic Episode guide can be found here on the site as part of the glossary.

full version can be bought&downloaded on lulu.com under "the unofficial Miami Vice episode guide"

Tom, just a thought but why don't you put a link to your book in your signature line? It would be a good resource for our members and some additional money for you.

[Bren10]

2 candidates:

1. Lester Kosko

2. Brent Jennings in a new role besides the ones he already played.  Seeing him run around in Home invaders left a good impression.

Oh, and throw in a reformed Steve Duddy too on that list.  John Glover could've been a true asset as a series regular imo

Edited September 19, 2018 by Bren10
New addition

[James]

I'm kind of glad they didn't. It wouldn't have been the same. Switek and Zito's buddy-cop relationship couldn't have been replicated with a new guy.

Unless they made it a new dynamic where Switek is constantly annoyed by his new partner and doesn't like his presence lol.

[Bren10]

But maybe Stan wouldn'tve developed a gambling problem with a new partner.  Another dynamic could've been a guy a little older and mature than Stan that gets to be sort of a mentor.

[jpaul1]

Switek, and Zito were particular together. creating a new couple may have been seen like a kind of heresy to some. keeping Switek alone, gives a new dimension to Switek. it shows, a person that can carry on though the ordeals. it changes from the bit chubby Switek always in quest for food. we see a harder Switek, darker, but stronger. i really didn't like the gambling addiction thing. for me it was an error, in the quest of realism. Switek could have made a terrific character in the series, i think. maybe even as important as Tubbs

[summer84]

I kind of have mixed feelings/opinion about it. On one hand it kept the original Vice Cast intact without adding a new member, which I liked, but at the same time it felt unusual and weird seeing Switek alone without a partner. Talbott and Diehl had great chemistry on screen and were/are also friends in real life. Just like rest of the cast had that chemistry. Although Switek was also sometimes annoyed by Zito.  But in a friendly way. Of course by Season 3 with the more serious tone and storylines it also gives more depth to Switek's character and put him a bit more in the forefront now that Zito was no longer there. 

@Bren10 Thanks for the suggestions! Maybe Duddy could have been a good counterpart to Switek. John Glover could have also replaced Lester as the resident wizard, when he wasn't a part of the show anymore. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by summer84

[Matt5]

On 8/2/2016 at 7:35 PM, Tom said:

Back then it was reported that The producers did not want to replace Diehl for cost reasons.

Diehl earned around 9000USD per episode.

 

Ive also heard this reported and ratings were falling.

[Matt5]

26 minutes ago, summer84 said:

I kind of have mixed feelings/opinion about it. On one hand it kept the original Vice Cast intact without adding a new member, which I liked, but at the same time it felt unusual and weird seeing Switek alone without a partner. Talbott and Diehl had great chemistry on screen and were/are also friends in real life. Just like rest of the cast had that chemistry. Of course by Season 3 with the more serious tone and storylines it also gives more depth to Switek's character and put him a bit more in the forefront now that Zito was no longer there. 

@Bren10 Thanks for the suggestions! Maybe Duddy could have been a good counterpart to Switek. John Glover could have also replaced Lester as the resident wizard, when he wasn't a part of the show anymore. 

Lester was cool - shame he didn’t appear more.

[summer84]

6 minutes ago, Matt5 said:

Lester was cool - shame he didn’t appear more.

Yeah. I think, he reappeared, as another character in S4 or S5. 

[Matt5]

8 minutes ago, summer84 said:

Yeah. I think, he reappeared, as another character in S4 or S5. 

Yes I just looked up - 6 episodes in Season 1 up to “Golden Triangle” and played a pathologist in Season 3s “Lend Me An Ear” then a drug dealer, Escobar, in Season 4s “Badge of Dishonor”. 

Sadly the Actor died last November, only 62.

Edited September 19, 2018 by Matt5

[summer84]

I've also wondered, if maybe the producers didn't wanted to bother with the costs for another actor, since Zito's character had a very small role on the show and had much less screen time, than Switek. 

[jpaul1]

for me this is the main reason. Switek alone does the job, so why paying

[vicegirl85]

2 hours ago, summer84 said:

I've also wondered, if maybe the producers didn't wanted to bother with the costs for another actor, since Zito's character had a very small role on the show and had much less screen time, than Switek. 

Especially since Diehl himself stated (paraphrase, not an exact quote) he was tired of waiting around all day to have 1-2 lines.  He was given very little to do, so why put someone else in to fill a tiny role that was not satisfying to an actor?  If they weren't going to give the character more to do--a more significant role--why not leave the spot empty?

[summer84]

1 hour ago, vicegirl85 said:

Especially since Diehl himself stated (paraphrase, not an exact quote) he was tired of waiting around all day to have 1-2 lines.  He was given very little to do, so why put someone else in to fill a tiny role that was not satisfying to an actor?  If they weren't going to give the character more to do--a more significant role--why not leave the spot empty?

I've read about it too somewhere. And yes exactly, that makes sense, cause what would be the point otherwise. They already had big costs with designer clothes, music and shooting scenes on location etc. And they reused almost everything on the show. 

Edited September 19, 2018 by summer84

[timm525]

So what did Diehl do after Vice? I know he was bored with the role and wanted out but it's not like he got his own series after leaving and became a big star?

Seems to me even if I was an actor on a hit series that exploded after two seasons, unless I was getting big offers to do other projects, and maybe he was, I'd ride that payday out for as long as they'd send me a check. You know with each new season they had to have all gotten a pay raise. I don't know what he got paid each episode but I'm sure it's a lot more then most of us make in a month much less a week.

I guess most actors and actresses believe in taking long shots or else they wouldn't be where they are now.