shamus

The heroes are typically amateur or private detectives, possibly quirky, often women, sometimes a couple; they aren’t likely to suffer the afflictions common to the hard-boiled shamus — depression, rage, alcoholism, untreated trauma.

Philip Marlowe at quarterback, Easy Rawlins at strong safety, and a fierce defensive line of framed shamuses.

And as the Honolulu-based shamus Thomas Magnum, a journeyman actor named Tom Selleck made himself a star on the strength of a twinkling smile and a modest gift for self-deprecating humor.

It doesn’t take much to lure the old shamus out of a seclusion, which he isn’t much enjoying anyhow.

With a cheap business card and an equally cheap jacket and tie, he smilingly ambles it into the shamus role, knocking on doors and sniffing out leads among all the yammer and serviceable visuals.