Luger and his mail order bride

[egregiousgirl]

Okay, when Inspector Luger is talking to Barney about deciding to get a mail order bride and Barney tries to talk him out of it and he says something about how marriage is difficult to begin with and that the women in the catalog are from alien cultures, then Luger says, "But nobody in this country likes me." That was so sad! The Inspector just sounded so pathetic there, it almost made me think that getting a mail order bride was a good idea.

[Janice]

It made me sad too. Here he was, facing retirement alone, and going to extreme measures to find someone.
I've always felt sorry for Inspector Luger. He's always looking for invitations to Barney's home for holiday dinners. Barney is a good friend to him although he clearly is annoyed at times.
The problem is that the Inspector is an annoying man. He has a passive-aggressive personality in the way he manipulates Barney into doing things for him.
He's self-centered, long-winded, full of self-pity, condescending at times--it's really no surprise that he ended up alone. People keep their distance from him. They may respect his rank and position, but he's tough to take. He has good qualities too, but all in all, he's a pain in the butt.
The thing is, I love the character. When he walks into the Precinct, I know there are good laughs ahead.
James Gregory was a fine actor, and I can't imagine Barney Miller without him.
I wonder if Hal Linden kept in touch with James Gregory and how he felt upon his passing last year. They worked closely together for all those years.

[catlover79]

^ I totally agree, Janice. Luger was also sexist and politically incorrect, which sure wouldn't earn him any points today, either. The character would've been totally despicable if not for his portrayer, James Gregory. He brought a lot of heart to the character.