 In order to help get the potential cast members more into character,  they were taken on stakeouts by the real Miami Vice unit. While  auditioning for the role of Sonny Crockett, Don Johnson (I) (qv)  came into a script reading for the producers directly from an all  night stakeout. He appeared tired, his hair a mess, and he had not  shaved that morning. That look showed the producers what a real life  vice cop would look like following a long night of work, and he was  hired immediately.