The character has been adapted for visual media several times with varying degrees of success.
Two feature films starring Paul Newman as "Lew
Harper" (rumor supposes the name was changed from the original because Newman felt characters with "H" names were "lucky"):
- Harper (1966, directed by Jack Smight) derived from the novel The Moving Target (1949)
- The Drowning Pool (1975, directed by Stuart Rosenberg) derived from the novel of the same title
- The Underground Man (1974, directed by Paul Wendkos) a television movie starring Peter Graves.
Archer, a 1975 NBC TV series (NBC) starring Brian Keith based on the character. It was cancelled after six episodes:
- "The Turkish Connection", aired 30 January 1975
- "The Arsonist", aired 6 February 1975
- "The Body Beautiful", aired 13 February 1975
- "Shades of Blue", aired 20 February 1975
- "The Vanished Man", aired 6 March 1975
- "Blood Money", aired 13 March 1975
Le Loup de la côte Ouest (2002, Hugo Santiago from the short story "Guilt-Edged Blonde") starring James Faulkner as Lew
Millar. (Alternate Title: The Wolf of the West Coast)
- Warren Zevon was a well-known fan of Ross MacDonald's work; during the 2008 season of the show "Californication," a character based loosely on Zevon named "Lew Ashby" was a nod to the Archer character.