Creator and executive producer of the tongue-in-cheek detective series "Moonlighting" (1985-89) which launched Bruce Willis and revived the stardom of Cybill Shepherd. Caron began his career writing for TV, working with some of the medium's most respected producers. He made his writing debut for the short-lived comedy series "Good Time Harry" (1980) about a womanizing sportswriter. Caron became a producer when Steve Tesich tapped him to oversee the TV version of the hit motion picture "Breaking Away" (1980-81) about four young men coming of age in Indiana. He provided the same services for the long-running MTM Enterprises' detective series "Remington Steel" (1982-87), which made Pierce Brosnan a household name. In 1985 he formed Picturemaker Productions and launched "Moonlighting", with its unlikely pairing of private eyes. The popular series garnered 42 Emmy nominations, nine Golden Globe nominations, six from the Writers Guild of America, and four from the Directors Guild.

Caron made his motion picture debut penning the screenplay for Disney's "Condorman" (1981), starring Michael Crawford as the comic book superhero who helps a Russian spy defect. With "Clean and Sober" (1988), an intense look into the world of drug addiction and rehabilitation, Caron made his feature directing debut. Warren Beatty brought Caron aboard to direct "Love Affair" (1994), a remake of a two-time Hollywood vehicle that Beatty co-wrote with Robert Towne and co-starred in with Annette Bening. Wags suggested that Caron's role as director was greatly diminished by Beatty's ominpresence.