GEORGETOWN, SC — It’s been nearly five years since Georgetown County Council passed a resolution promising to name U.S. Highway 17 Business in Murrells Inlet after its most famous resident — author and actor Mickey Spillane.

So far, it’s a promise that has not been kept.

Spillane died of pancreatic cancer in July, 2006 — a month after the resolution was passed.

“I’m mad. The county should have followed up on it,” Mickey Spillane’s widow, Jane Spillane said this week.

Spillane, who penned dozens of books which led to the Mike Hammer television series, lived on Jordan Landing Road and “was always appearing on national television talking about how wonderful Murrells Inlet is. He loved this place where he chose to live for over 50 years,” his widow

said.

The contributions Spillane made to Georgetown County were noted in the county council resolution.

“Mickey Spillane loves the beautiful Lowcountry of South Carolina, and has dedicated many years to fishing the creeks of Murrells Inlet; and the residents of Murrells Inlet and Georgetown County take pride in Mickey Spillane’s personal accomplishments and that many of his highly successful mystery novels began when they were authored here; and as a gifted writer, and successful lifelong businessman, Mickey Spillane’s personal successes have brought distinction to Murrells Inlet, and the South Carolina coast,” the resolution states.

The resolution was a request to the South Carolina General Assembly to consider naming the four-mile stretch of road the “Mickey Spillane Waterfront 17 Highway.”

Looking for answers

Jane Spillane said people asked her quite often why the renaming of the road has not taken place and she has no answer.

She said it is upsetting because it was a promise made to her late husband that has not been kept. She said before he died she showed him the newspaper article about the resolution.

“When Mickey read this he was so excited and a big smile was on his face,” Ms. Spillane said. “He passed away believing that he would have a highway through Murrells Inlet named after him.”

Ms. Spillane said she is “disappointed in our elected officials” because it seems her husband has been forgotten.

“He promoted this area on television and in newspapers telling everyone about our wonderful state and county and how we had the best seafood in the country,” she said.

Ms. Spillane said many visitors to Murrells Inlet said they decided to check it out after hearing Mickey Spillane talk about the greatness of the seafood.

She said Mickey Spillane also spent a large amount of his time volunteering by speaking in schools, libraries and at civic organizations.

“He would spend hours at a time talking to school kids,” she said.

Spillane said former S.C. House member Vida Miller was making an effort to make the street name a reality but then Miller’s husband was also diagnosed with cancer. Before Miller could have taken action on the matter, she lost her bid for re-election.

McGill pledges support

When contacted Tuesday, State Sen. Yancey McGill promised he will work to see the commitment is kept.

He said he remembers the county resolution being passed but was unsure why no action has been taken in Columbia.

“He was a hero in that area and all over the county and all over the world, for that matter,” McGill said. “This is something we need to take care of and I can tell you I will jump on it.”

County Administrator Sel Hemingway said Tuesday council put the resolution on the fast track to make sure it was passed before Spillane passed away.

“The request is still in the hands of the General Assembly, but I do not know if any Council members have had direct conversations with any members of the State Legislature,” Hemingway said.

County Councilman Jerry Oakley said one reason no action has been taken is because after the resolution passed other people stepped forward with the names of others the street should be named after.

“They are all very deserving,” he said.

Legacy thriving

Five years after his death, Spillane’s legacy — which includes the sale of more than 225 million books worldwide — continues and could get bigger as deals are currently being negotiated to possibly bring the New York private eye Mike Hammer series back to television, Ms. Spillane said.

It may also mean something will be done with the Tiger Mann series of books authored by Spillane.

If Mike Hammer is revived for television, it will be the third time go-around for the series on the small screen.

Darren McGavin played the title role when the series aired from 1956-1959. It was revived from 1984-1987 with Stacy Keach as Mike Hammer.

There are also unpublished manuscripts that were left behind by Spillane that will make their way to bookstores in the next few years.

One book — The Goliath Bone — was released in 2008 after being edited and completed by Max Allan Collins described by Ms. Spillane as her late husband’s protégé.

“The Big Bang,” the second book since Spillane’s death, was released last year.

The next book — written mostly by Spillane and completed by Collins — is titled Kiss Her Goodbye and will be released in May.

Ms. Spillane said four more nearly complete manuscripts left by her husband are expected to be released one per year starting in 2012.

She said there are also talks taking place with Marvel Comics to begin a new Mike Hammer comic book collection.

Several of Spillane’s works have also been turned into radio dramas, with Keach playing the lead, which are available on CD at bookstores and on Amazon.com.

By Scott Harper

sharper@gtowntimes.com