[RP]

I've been binge watching Crime Story, a 1986-87 gritty crime series set in Chicago and Las Vegas. It was produced by Michael Mann who also had a heavy hand in Miami Vice so Vice fans will see a lot of familiar faces. I've always liked retired Chicago cop turned actor Dennis Farina who leads the cast but it's interesting to see how many future stars had parts in this series that unfortunately only lasted two years. I watched Julia Roberts' screen debut, Paul Anka as a non-singing mob courier, and Kevin Spacey as a young Kennedy-esque politician who is prophetically involved in a sex scandal. In addition there are small parts played by Gary Sinise, Michael Wincote, Stanley Tucci, Miles Davis and others...

Like Miami Vice, Crime Story featured heavy use of up-and-coming actors; a number of them made appearances in both shows. Lead actors Dennis Farina, Bill Smitrovich, and John Santucci all appeared in multiple episodes of Miami Vice (though only Farina played a recurring character).

David Caruso appeared as Johnny O'Donnel, a friend of Ray Luca, in the pilot (episodes 1 and 2). He appeared in flashback scenes in episode 12, and in episode 19 of the second season.

Julia Roberts appeared as a juvenile rape victim in the Season 1 episode "The Survivor". It was her first TV appearance.

Kevin Spacey appeared in second-season premiere as a crusading, Kennedy-esque Senator. This was his first major television appearance.

Deborah Harry appeared in the penultimate episode of season 1, "Top Of The World", as one of the girlfriends of Ray Luca. She did not sing.

Paul Anka appeared in the penultimate episode of season 1, "Top Of The World", as Anthony 'Tony' Dio. He did not sing.

Gary Sinise appeared in the season 1 episode "For Love Or Money" as Howie Dressler, a husband forced to steal to pay for his wife's iron lung. He also directed two episodes, credited as "Gary A. Sinise".

Ving Rhames appeared in the season 1 episode "Abrams For The Defense" as Hector Lincoln, a husband and father accused of assaulting his landlord. This was Rhames's second television appearance.

William Russ was occasionally featured during the opening credits of Season 1's first half, even though his character (an MCU detective) was murdered in the pilot.

Christian Slater played a teenager who discovered a body in the episode "Old Friends, Dead Ends".

Paul Guilfoyle appeared in "Hide and Go Thief" as a crazed robber who gets into a hostage standoff with MCU. His hostage was played by Lorraine Bracco. Bracco's sister Elizabeth played a hostage in the pilot.

Michael Rooker appeared as a uniformed police officer in the pilot's opening.

Lili Taylor played a waitress in Frank Holman's Diner in the episode "Hide and Go Thief".

Pam Grier played Suzanne Terry, an investigative journalist and girlfriend of federal attorney David Abrams, in five episodes spread out over both seasons.

Jazz musician Miles Davis made a cameo in the first-season episode "The War," playing jazz with Stephen Lang.

Jazz musician Dexter Gordon appeared in the second-season episode "Moulin Rouge."

Stanley Tucci played bomber Zack Lowman in "The Battle of Las Vegas".

Lee Ving and Anthony Heald [Dr. Chilton in Silence of the Lambs.] appeared as opposing candidates for leader of a Las Vegas labor union on strike in "The Battle of Las Vegas".

Bruce McGill played film producer Nathan Hill in episode "Love Hurts".

David Hyde Pierce appears in the second-season episode "Mig 21," as NSA Agent Carruthers (billed as David Pierce). That episode also featured George Dzundza, who would have later success on Law & Order.

Season Two episode "Protected Witness" featured both Laura San Giacomo as Theresa Farantino, and Billy Zane as Frankie 'The Duke' Farantino.

Michael J. Pollard played pimp Leon Barski, and William Hickey played Judge Neville Harmon in "The Brothel Wars".

Elias Koteas played a ranch hand in the Season two episode "Roadrunner".

Dennis Haysbert appeared in "Moulin Rogue" and "Seize the Time" as the bookkeeper of a jazz club.

Among others, Eric Bogosian played the Outfit's attorney Dee Morton, Michael Madsen played Outfit associate Johnny Fossi, and Vincent Gallo, Armin Shimerman, and Jim True-Frost were Outfit figures.

David Soul played a doctor who married Mike Torello's ex-wife Julie in the second-season episode "Blast from the Past", which also featured
James Remar. Soul later directed two second-season episodes, "Moulin Rouge" and "Love Hurts".

Michael Jeter played Senator Michael Gaspari in the second-season episode "The Hearing". Jeter later played "Eduard Delacroix" in the movie "The Green Mile" which he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2000.

Steven Weber played a pornographer in Season Two episode 7 "Little Girl Lost".

Amy Morton played Brenda Mahoney, the wife of a murder victim who later finds comfort with David Abrams in the Season One episodes "The Battle of Las Vegas" and "The Survivor".

Fred Savage played Ray Luca's son in Season 1 episode "Crime Pays"