▁a ▁Mic key ▁Sp ill ane ▁radio - style ▁play let ▁that ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁Mike ▁Ham mer ▁jazz ▁LP ▁- ▁Mic key ▁Sp ill ane ' s ▁Mike ▁Ham mer ▁Story ▁- ▁produced ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 ▁by ▁Mic key ▁Sp ill ane . ▁This ▁is ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁how ▁Mike ▁Ham mer ▁met ▁Vel da .) ▁ ▁In ▁other ▁media ▁ ▁Several ▁mov ies ▁and ▁radio ▁and ▁television ▁series ▁have ▁been ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁books ▁in ▁the ▁Ham mer ▁series . ▁The ▁actor ▁most ▁closely ▁identified ▁with ▁the ▁character ▁in ▁recent ▁years ▁has ▁been ▁St acy ▁K each , ▁who ▁port rayed ▁Ham mer ▁in ▁a ▁CBS ▁television ▁series , ▁Mic key ▁Sp ill ane ' s ▁Mike ▁Ham mer , ▁which ▁ran ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 4 – 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁synd ic ated ▁rev ival ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 – 1 9 9 8 . ▁( An ▁earlier ▁synd ic ated ▁version , ▁originally ▁a ired ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 5 8 , ▁star red ▁Dar ren ▁McG av in ▁as ▁Ham mer .) ▁Sp ill ane ▁himself ▁played ▁Ham mer ▁in ▁a ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁motion ▁picture ▁adaptation ▁of ▁The ▁Girl ▁Hun ters . ▁ ▁Sp ill ane ▁himself ▁fav oured ▁ex - Mar ine ▁and ▁former ▁New burgh , ▁New ▁York ▁police ▁officer ▁Jack ▁St ang , ▁on ▁whom ▁he ▁based ▁the ▁character , ▁to ▁play ▁him . ▁ ▁St