I mean, in the Trek casting of the Dresden Files, Butters is unquestionably Dwight Schultz.

The only reason I didn't see Bruce as Carmichael was that Carmichael is described as short, overweight and balding.

I think the problem we're going to run into here is the descriptions.  Jim is very specific and fans notice when actors don't match the description given, which is why, in the long run, I think it would be best for the show to be animated, and the characters voiced.

I tend to get really annoyed when fans put too much stock in a character looking exactly as described in a book when adaptations roll around. Certainly it makes sense when appearance is relevant to the character, as I would argue Harry and Murphy's are down to most of the details (leads always tend to have their looks be more relevant to their character, what with being the leads), but, say, Carmichael? I'm looking for kind of a narrow-minded, lazy cop/general turd attitude more than any particular look (though admittedly short, fat and balding are cultural shorthands that work like a charm for that) when casting that part, at least for initial appearances. Bruce Campbell could swing it well enough, though he's generally too charismatic, I think, for us to dislike him.

I picture Nick Searcy (currently on Justified) as McCoy.
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0780678/?ref_=tt_cl_t2

If he wasn't dead, I'd have picked Don S. Davis from Statgate SG-1
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204493/?ref_=tt_cl_t5

Dude, Nick Searcy is an excellent choice. He's not quite as old as I picture Eb, but it's still well within the reach of makeup and performance to get it right. Although, now you've brought it up, I just want a scene in the books with Eb talking about a Warden stiffy.

And if I had to pick someone with more star power than Gorham (but to his credit, he'd probably be fairly cheap), I would most definitely go Olyphant. If we're going to skew older, dude has already shown he can pull off self-destructive wiseassery pretty much perfectly.