Sam Elliott as Wade talking on the phone in Road House (1989).
Sam Elliott once played the hardboiled hero who directly inspired the Jack Reacher saga. Lee Child's Jack Reacher series came about due to the author being laid off from his previous job in the 1990s. Lifelong reader that he was, Child decided to take this as an opportunity to become an author.
He succeeded beyond his wildest hopes, and almost 30 years on, Reacher is a beloved literary character. While Tom Cruise's casting as Jack Reacher was controversial for the 2012 movie, Alan Ritchson has proven to be perfect on Amazon's show. In addition to the upcoming Reacher season 4, Ritchson will also appear on the spinoff Neagley. The Travis McGee Character Was A Huge Influence On Jack Reacher While the Reacher books were inspired by everything from Sherlock Holmes to The Day of the Jackal, Child has often cited the Travis McGee novels as a huge influence. These thrillers by John D. MacDonald follow McGee, a"salvage consultant" who retrieves stolen items for clients in exchange for a 50% recovery fee. First appearing in the novel The Deep Blue Good-by, McGee is depicted as something of a beach bum who lives on a boat in Florida. His background is kept deliberately vague, and he likes to stand up for those in need. While less of a loner than Reacher, the two share many traits in common, including fighting skills. Lee Child's fandom of Travis McGee went so far that he intended to stop writing Jack Reacher after the 21st book, which is when the McGee novels ended, following MacDonald's death; Child later decided to keep writing. Child has claimed in various places that MacDonald's books gave him a thriller blueprint. He used McGee as a loose basis for both Reacher and how to structure his plots. Sam Elliott Tried To Develop A Travis McGee TV Series Travis McGee received his first adaptation with 1970's Darker than Amber, starring Rod Taylor as the laidback investigator. While it received good reviews at the time, it wasn't a hit, and MacDonald himself hated this adaptation. The 17th novel, The Empty Copper Sea, was later adapted into a 1983 TV movie called Travis McGee, with Sam Elliott playing the titular role. Co-starring Amy Madigan and Elliott's real-life spouse Katharine Ross, the story follows McGee on the trail of a man who faked his death. This TV movie was intended to lead to a TV show starring Elliott, who was very vocal about his frustrations with how the film turned out. ABC demanded various changes to the source material, which baffled Elliott. The setting was changed from Florida to California, and McGee became more intense than his book counterpart. Elliott still hoped the film would lead to a show, but despite good reviews and ratings, a series didn't follow. A Travis McGee Reboot Is Stuck In Development Hell The Travis McGee movie quickly faded from collective memory, and around 2010, talk of a new version bubbled up. Oliver Stone attached himself as director to an adaptation of The Deep Blue Good-by, with none other than Leonardo DiCaprio circling the McGee part. Fox had obvious hopes of building a franchise off the film, but it soon stagnated when both Stone and DiCaprio exited. In the aftermath, the likes of Christian Bale and director James Mangold circled the project, but a decade on, there's little sign of life with the Travis McGee film. Given that Travis McGee was essentially the prototype for Jack Reacher, it feels like a given that a reboot will eventually happen. Matthew McConaughey would have been perfect casting for McGee at one time, but maybe an actor like Glen Powell or Austin Butler would be ideal nowadays. Reacher follows Jack Reacher, a former military police investigator, as he navigates civilian life. Without a phone and carrying minimal belongings, Reacher drifts across the country, experiencing the nation he once served, and encounters intriguing challenges along the way. Powered by Expand Collapse Sam Elliott Birthdate August 9, 1944 Birthplace Sacramento, California, USA Notable Projects A Star is Born, Ghost Rider, Hulk Expand Collapse
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