page_title: 77 Sunset Strip
section_title: Initial set-up and characters
hierarchical_section_title: 77 Sunset Strip / Description / Initial set-up and characters
caption_attribution_description: Photo of Roger Smith, Biff Elliot and Maureen Leeds from the television program 77 Sunset Strip. This episode is "Big Boy Blue".
context_page_description: 77 Sunset Strip is an American television private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long and Edd Byrnes. Each episode was one hour long including commercials. The show ran from 1958 to 1964.
context_section_description: Private detective Stuart ("Stu") Bailey (Zimbalist) was a former government secret agent. Jeff Spencer (Smith) also was a former government agent, and a nonpracticing attorney.  The duo worked out of stylish offices at 77 Sunset Boulevard, Suites 101 and 102.  The street address was colloquially known as Sunset Strip, and was located between La Cienega Boulevard and Alta Loma Road on the south side of the strip next door to Dean Martin's real-life lounge, Dino's Lodge.  Typically, the two detectives would alternate as leads, with a Stuart Bailey case being featured one week, and a Jeff Spencer case the next—although depending on the nature of the case, sometimes the two would team up.
  Suzanne Fabry, the beautiful French switchboard operator played by Jacqueline Beer, handled the phones for Sunset Answering Service located in suite 103.  The firm of Bailey & Spencer employed her answering service, as did other clients.  Although not technically an employee of the firm, Suzanne would be involved in casework from time to time, especially in season two.
  Comic relief was provided by Roscoe the racetrack tout (played by Louis Quinn).  Roscoe was forever hanging around the offices, giving horse racing tips.  However, he was sometimes used as an operative, and was an ever-informed source concerning the word on the street.
  The firm's most frequently seen police contact was Lt. Roy Gilmore (Byron Keith), who was almost never called by his first name.
  The 'breakout' character, who had not been included in the pilot film, was Gerald Lloyd "Kookie" Kookson III (Edd Byrnes), the rock and roll-loving, wisecracking, hair-combing hipster and aspiring PI who initially worked as the valet parking attendant at Dino's, the club next door to the detectives' office. "Kookie" often found a way to get himself involved in the firm's cases, and was eventually made a full partner in the firm with his own office.
  Also seen relatively frequently were The Frank Ortega Trio, playing themselves as the jazzy house band at Dino's Lodge.
caption: Roger Smith with guest stars Biff Elliot and Maureen Leeds, 1961
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