On this day March 24 1985 Half Nelson premiered on NBC. The short lived comedy drama starred Joe Pesci as Rocky Nelson a former New York cop who moved to Hollywood to work as a private investigator while trying to break into acting. The show blended detective work with entertainment industry humor as Rocky got caught up in celebrity filled cases. The series ran for 1 season with 8 episodes. It had a unique mix of crime and comedy but was quickly canceled. Half Nelson remains a rare glimpse of Joe Pesci in a television lead role before his breakout in film.
80s insight: Half Nelson was Joe Pesci’s only lead role in a television series before he moved fully into his film career.
80s insight: Half Nelson was Joe Pesci’s only lead role in a television series before he moved fully into his film career.
