Archie Goodwin (fictional detective)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Archie Goodwin is a fictional character, a detective in Rex Stout's mysteries about Nero Wolfe. Archie is Wolfe's live-in employee and partner in the private investigation business Wolfe runs out of his brownstone townhouse in New York City. Wolfe rarely leaves the house, so Archie has to do most of the actual investigating and then reports his findings to Wolfe, who solves the mystery. It is not difficult for Archie to make either written or oral reports, because he has total recall of what he has heard, and he is an excellent typist, although he has a tendency to be inconsistent in some respects (notably as regards his own background). He also does Wolfe's bookkeeping and banking, types his correspondence, and keeps the germination and other records for the orchids Wolfe raises as a hobby. Archie's hobbies include dancing (usually at the Flamingo), poker, and baseball. He was a fan of the New York Giants until they relocated to San Francisco in 1957, then later became a fan of the New York Mets when that team was founded in 1962.
Although he is from the American Midwest, Archie has the "street smarts" to handle just about any situation he finds himself in, and he knows New York City like the back of his hand. He has a long-time social relationship with Lily Rowan, a wealthy society woman, but they do not try to limit each other's social lives.
Unlike his employer, Archie's only eccentricity is a deep love of milk.
When Wolfe leaves the brownstone after escalating threats from villain Arnold Zeck, Archie rents an office of his own and works as an independent detective. During this time, he manages to earn more than Wolfe had paid him—not that he needs the money, but as a matter of principle to convince himself his long-term loyalty to Wolfe was not due to any inability to function on his own. Naturally, after Archie and Wolfe have arranged for one of Zeck's victims to kill Zeck, they return to their prior relationship with a deepened appreciation for their mutual loyalties.
Actors who have played Archie Goodwin include the following:
- Lionel Stander in the Columbia features Meet Nero Wolfe] (1936) and The League of Frightened Men (1937)
- Elliot Lewis in the 1940s radio series
- Everett Sloane in the 1950s radio series
- Wally Maher in the 1950s radio series
- Harry Bartell in the 1950s radio series
- Herb Ellis in the 1950s radio series
- Larry Dobkin in the 1950s radio series
- Joachim Fuchsberger in the 1961 German TV movie
- Paolo Ferrari in the 1969–1971 Italian TV series
- Tom Mason in the 1977 TV movie Nero Wolfe
- Lee Horsley in the 1981 TV series Nero Wolfe
- Don Francks in the 1982 Canadian radio series Nero Wolfe
- Sergei Zhigunov in the 2000 Russian Wolfe TV movies
- Timothy Hutton in the 2001–2002 A&E TV series A Nero Wolfe Mystery
[edit] Trivia
- In the Bernie Rhodenbarr series by Lawrence Block, Bernie's friend Carolyn Kaiser owns a cat named Archie Goodwin, named after the detective.
[edit] External links
- The Wolfe Pack, The Official Site of the Nero Wolfe Fan Club
