Michael Mann was inspired to create the show's trademark pastel color scheme after a visit to a paint store.
Anthony Yerkovich left "Hill Street Blues" (1981) to write the pilot for this show. While he was on "Blues", he wrote a character that was a 300 pound racist biker played by actor Dennis Burkley. The character's name was Sonny Crockett, the same name he gave the lead to this show.
Many of the television critics who praised the show in its first season made reference to the series' music, a combination of songs by artists like Glenn Frey, Phil Collins and Kate Bush and original music by Jan Hammer, the former keyboardist for the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Glenn Frey and Phil Collins made cameo appearances in some episodes of the series.
The "Miami Vice" soundtrack LP went to number one and stayed there for 11 weeks, making it the most successful TV soundtrack of all time. Jan Hammer received a congratulatory phone call from Henry Mancini, whose Music from "Peter Gunn" (1958) was the previous record holder (it was number one for 10 weeks in 1959).
All technical advisors for Miami Vice served with the real life Miami Vice unit, and required that the cast members first pass the Florida Department of Law Enforcement firearms test before they could handle weapons on the set.
Actor 'Larry Wilcox' was a finalist to play Sonny Crockett.
Martin Ferrero (Trini DeSoto), the hit man who was killed in the pilot, then had a recurring character, Izzy Moreno, during the remainder of the series.
Guest stars have included Bruce Willis, Dennis Farina, Dean Stockwell, David Rasche, Ted Nugent, Liam Neeson, Paul Gleason, Jeff Fahey, Wesley Snipes, Willie Nelson, Don King, Brian Dennehy, Ben Stiller, Robert Beltran, and Julia Roberts.
Crockett's Ferrari Daytona was actually a modified Corvette. Ferrari executives were so upset that this ersatz Ferrari was gaining such popularity that they offered to provide the series with their new flagship car, the Testarossa.
Crockett's white Testarossa is currently on display at the Swap Shop Flea Market in Sunrise, Florida.
In scenes where there was the potential for the white Ferrari Testarossa being destroyed the car was "stunt doubled" by a supercharged and heavily modified DeTomaso Pantera. As part of an agreement with Ferrari it was destroyed after the series ended.
Sonny Crockett owned two boats on the show - an Endeavour 42 sailboat called "The St. Vitus' Dance" and a Wellcraft 38 Scarab KV "cigarette" speedboat.
Crockett had a pet alligator named Elvis.
In the last scene of the final episode, Sonny Crockett is seen wearing a University of Kansas Jayhawk t-shirt. Don Johnson was a student at the University of Kansas.
Don Johnson went on to star in many films, such as "Paradise" and "Born Yesterday" both with then wife Melanie Griffith. He also took the title role in the series "Nash Bridges" reviving his cop persona.
Philip Michael Thomas (Ricardo Tubbs), John Diehl (Larry Zito), and Martin Ferrero (Izzy Moreno) all guest starred on "Nash Bridges" with Don Johnson.
Other than Miami Vice, Edward James Olmos is probably best remembered as Gaff in "Blade Runner" (1982).
John Diehl starred as Maj. Charles Kawalsky in the 1994 movie "Stargate".
