GREAT DETECTIVES & PEOPLE OF MYSTERY #60

HONEY WEST


According to co-creator Gloria Fickling, Honey was a "Beautiful, brainy and very much determined, sensual female."  She was the first successful female private eye in her own series of novels written by G. G. Fickling (pseudonym of husband-and-wife writers Gloria and Forrest Fickling).  She was described as having "taffy-colored hair, big blue eyes and a baby-bottom complexion."  She was more often a male fantasy than an icon of female empowerment.  In her debut novel "This Girl for Hire" she was searching for the murderer of her beloved father, Hank West, also a private eye, who was killed in an alley behind the old Paramount Theater in Hollywood.  Honey was tough but often in need of rescuing, which is where her ever-virtuous partner Johnny Doom came in.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Forrest Fickling had been an Air Force gunner during WWII and was called back into service during Korea.  He created the G. G. Fickling pen name as a tribute to his wife Gloria Gautraud whom he married in 1949.  Gloria had been an assistant fashion editor at Look and a fashion writer for Women's Wear Daily.  She decided that Honey West should be a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Mike Hammer.

NOVELS

1957 "This Girl for Hire"/  1958 "A Gun for Honey"/  1958 "Girl On the Loose"/  1959 "Honey in the Flesh"/  1959 "Girl On the Prowl"/  1960 "Kiss for a Killer"/  1960 "Dig a Dead Doll"/  1961 "Blood and Honey"/  1964 "Bombshell"/  1971 "Stiff as a Broad"/  1971 "Honey On Her Tail"

SHORT STORY

"The Red Hairing" (Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine June 1965)

TELEVISION

After a successful appearance on an episode of "Burke's Law", Honey West was spun-off into her own series.  It was 1965 and the world was going spy-crazy thanks to the popularity of James Bond.  TV already had "The Avengers" and "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."  Honey and partner Sam Bolt (the TV version of Johnny Doom from the books) were high-tech private eyes, though they acted as intelligence agents on more than one occasion.  They tooled around in a specially equipped mobile crime lab/spy van with "H. W. Bolt & Co. TV Service" on the side.  Honey carried a .38 in her purse, a derringer concealed "somewhere", and all sorts of gimmicks and devices - an exploding compact, a garter belt gas mask, teargas earrings, and a lipstick microphone.  She was also good at martial arts (actress Anne Francis studied martial arts prior to the show's filming).  And the love of her life was not Sam Bolt, but Bruce - her pet ocelot.

"Burke's Law" ABC, April 21, 1965.  Gene Barry (Amos Burke), Anne Francis (Honey West), John Ericson (Sam Bolt).  Also Regis Toomey and Steve Forrest.  Instead of a traditional pilot, Honey appeared in a single episode of the popular series, where she teamed-up with Burke to solve the murder of her client.  The show tested well, so Honey got her own series.

"Honey West" ABC, September 17, 1965 - April 8, 1966.  30 episodes.  Anne Francis and John Ericson starred in the series.  Anne sported an animal-print wardrobe and a black fabric bodystocking.  Francis complained that she was expected to do what other private eyes did, only in an evening gown and 3-inch heels.  She was once considered a potential successor to Marilyn Monroe.  Instead she became a B-picture star and popular guest star on TV series.

COMICS

Gold Key publishing released a single issue of a Honey West comic book in 1966.  It had a TV-photo cover with interior art by Jack Sparling.

MERCHANDISE

Ideal produced a Honey West private eye board game.  Another manufacturer (I don't know who) produced a Honey West doll - a Barbie-wanna-be with leopard coat, black body suit, and high-heel boots.

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