''Adam-12'' is an American television

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...

crime drama television series created by

Robert A. Cinader Robert A. Cinader (November 10, 1924 – November 16, 1982) was an American television producer best known for his work on two NBC series packaged by actor/producer Jack Webb's Mark VII Limited, '' Adam-12'' and ''Emergency!'' The latter show in ...

and

Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, who is most famous for his role as Joe Friday, Sgt. Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise) ...

. The series follows

Los Angeles Police Department The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), officially known as the City of Los Angeles Police Department, is the municipal police department of Los Angeles, California. With 9,974 police officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the third-large ...

(LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol the streets of

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in their

police cruiser A police car (also called a police cruiser, police interceptor, patrol car, area car, cop car, prowl car, squad car, radio car, or radio motor patrol) is a ground vehicle used by police and law enforcement for transportation during patrols a ...

, designated "1-Adam-12". Like Webb's other series, ''Dragnet'' and ''

Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American action-adventure medical drama television series jointly produced by Mark VII Limited and Universal Television. Debuting on NBC as a midseason replacement on January 15, 1972, replacing the two short-lived situatio ...

'', ''Adam-12'' was produced in cooperation with the real department it was based on (in this case the LAPD). ''Adam-12'' aimed to be realistic in its depiction of police, and helped to introduce police procedures and jargon to the general public in the United States. The series stars

Martin Milner Martin Sam Milner (December 28, 1931 – September 6, 2015) was an American actor and radio host. He is best known for his performances on two television series: '' Route 66'', which aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964, and ''Adam-12'', which a ...

and

Kent McCord Kent Franklin McWhirter (born September 26, 1942), known by his stage name Kent McCord, is a retired American actor, best known for his role as Officer Jim Reed on the television series ''Adam-12.'' Life and career McCord was born Kent Franklin ...

, with several recurring co-stars, the most frequent being

William Boyett William Boyett (January 3, 1927 – December 29, 2004) was an American actor best known for his roles in law enforcement dramas on television from the 1950s through the 1990s. Early years Boyett was born in Akron, Ohio, and lived there until th ...

and Gary Crosby. The show ran from September 21, 1968 to May 20, 1975 over seven seasons.

Premise

Set in the

's Rampart Division, ''Adam-12'' follows veteran Police Officer II Pete Malloy, Badge 744 (

) and Police Officer I Jim Reed, Badge 2430 (

). Malloy and Reed reported to shift supervisor Sergeant I William "Mac" MacDonald (

). Several of their fellow officers were recurring characters; the most frequent were Officer Ed Wells ( Gary Crosby), Officer Jerry Woods (Fred Stromsoe), Detective Sergeant Jerry Miller (

Jack Hogan Jack Hogan (born Richard Roland Benson Jr.; November 24, 1929) is an American retired actor. He is most notable for the role of PFC William G. Kirby on the 1960s television show ''Combat!'' Biography Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Hogan ...

), Officer Brinkman (Claude Johnson), and Motor Officer Gus Grant ( William Elliott).

Shaaron Claridge Shaaron Claridge (born Shaaron Lee Cooper; later Snead; October 1, 1938 – September 15, 2021) was an American second-shift radiotelephone operator or police radio dispatcher at the Van Nuys Division of the Los Angeles Police Department best ...

, an actual LAPD

dispatcher A dispatcher is a communications worker who receives and transmits information to coordinate operations of other personnel and vehicles carrying out a service. A number of organizations, including police and fire departments, emergency medical ...

, voiced one of two police dispatchers in the show. At the start of the series, Malloy, seeking to retire after the death of his former partner three weeks prior, is assigned to field train Reed, an inexperienced rookie, as his partner. After Reed disobeys Malloy but safely arrests a group of armed suspects during a high-risk shooting call, Malloy decides to remain on the force to guide Reed during his nine-month probationary period. The first and second seasons are not in chronological order, with Reed's stated time in the LAPD varying in each episode. Starting with the third season, the series was chronologically organized and Reed completed his probationary period, becoming a certified police officer; Reed and Malloy remained partners. In later seasons, Malloy and Reed began patrolling other divisions and working in different assignments, occasionally explained as them filling in for other officers or being part of police programs. In the show's final season, Malloy fills in for Mac as the Watch Commander from time to time, while Reed finds himself partnered with other probationary officers, mirroring Malloy's original role as his

field training officer A field training officer (FTO) is an experienced or senior member of an organization who is responsible for the training and evaluation of a junior or probationary level member. The role is used extensively in law enforcement, fire departments, and ...

Kent McCord Martin Milner Edward Crawford Adam 12 1973

The personal lives of Malloy and Reed came up on occasion and were often tied in to their duties, though they rarely extended past conversations in the cruiser or at the station. Malloy is a bachelor who has at least five girlfriends over the course of the series, the last being Judy ( Aneta Corsaut), while Reed is married to a woman named Jean (played by several actresses, including Mikki Jamison and

Kristin Nelson Sharon Kristin Nelson (née Harmon; June 25, 1945 – April 27, 2018) was an American primitive painter, actress, and author. She was married to the actor and musician Ricky Nelson for nineteen years, and is the sister of actor Mark Harmon. Earl ...

); in the second season, they have a son, Jimmy.

Vehicles

The police cars used in the series were central to the show; Webb "wanted the vehicle itself to be considered a character". As patrol officers, Malloy and Reed spent much of their time in their cruiser, and their time driving on patrol or responding to a call was central to most episodes. Most officers in the series drove recent-model

sedans A sedan or saloon (British English) is a passenger car in a three-box configuration with separate compartments for an engine, passengers, and cargo. The first recorded use of the word "sedan" in reference to an automobile body occurred in 19 ...

, while Sergeant MacDonald always used a

station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...

version of Adam-12's vehicle. In the pilot episode, Adam-12 used a 1967

Plymouth Belvedere Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970. The Belvedere name was first used for a new hardtop body style in the Plymouth Cranbrook line for the 1951 model year. In 1954 the Belvedere re ...

; for the rest of the first season, a 1968 Plymouth Belvedere was used instead, later updated to a 1969 Plymouth Belvedere for the second and third seasons. In the fourth season, Adam-12 used a 1971

Plymouth Satellite The Plymouth Satellite is a mid-size automobile introduced in the 1965 model year as the top trim model in Plymouth's "B" platform Belvedere line. Available initially in two-door hardtop and convertible models, the Satellite remained the top-of- ...

. Starting with the fifth season, and for the rest of the series, Adam-12 used a 1972 AMC Matador.

Title

"1-Adam-12" is an LAPD callsign that is a combination of three elements: the unit's patrol division, the type of patrol unit, and the daily assigned reporting district. The "1" means the patrol car operates in Division 1 (Central Division), serving

Downtown Los Angeles Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) contains the central business district of Los Angeles. In addition, it contains a diverse residential area of some 85,000 people, and covers . A 2013 study found that the district is home to over 500,000 jobs. It is ...

. The LAPD assigns two-officer patrol units the letter "A"; in the

LAPD phonetic alphabet The APCO phonetic alphabet, a.k.a. LAPD radio alphabet, is the term for an old competing spelling alphabet to the ICAO radiotelephony alphabet, defined by the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International from 1941 to 1974, ...

, the letter "A" is spoken as "Adam". The "12" comes from the daily assigned reporting district, or beat. Adam-12's shop number from the first season to the third season was "80817", but all cars from the fourth season onwards used a more accurate shop number ending in "012" (the Satellite used "83012", the Matador used "85012"). Though the "1-Adam-12" radio callsign identified it as a Central Division unit, the show is set in the Rampart Division, which uses "2" as its prefix number. Additionally, there was never a standard patrol unit with the callsign of "1-Adam-12", as all LAPD reporting districts are odd-numbered.

Production

Universal Studios Universal Pictures (legally Universal City Studios LLC, also known as Universal Studios, or simply Universal; common metonym: Uni, and formerly named Universal Film Manufacturing Company and Universal-International Pictures Inc.) is an Ameri ...

co-produced the show with

Mark VII Limited Mark VII Limited was the production company of actor and filmmaker Jack Webb, and was active from 1951 to his death in 1982. Many of its series were produced in association with Universal Television; most of them aired on the NBC television netwo ...

. The series' first episode, "Log 1: The Impossible Mission", was filmed in September 1967, a year before the pilot was picked up. The production of ''Adam-12'' involved showing all aspects of correct police procedures. The show centered around police cruisers, as "Webb wanted the vehicle itself to be considered a character", and helped reinforce "the sound of radio as an anti-crime technology." The police vehicles used in the production of the show were purchased from local dealerships and outfitted by the prop department to accurate LAPD cruiser specifications. Most scenes in the older seasons were filmed at the

Universal Studios Lot Universal Studios Lot is a television and film studio complex located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California, adjacent to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. It is the site of Universal Pictures and is owned by Comcas ...

, mostly

Courthouse Square Courthouse Square is a backlot located at the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City, California. The set is composed of several facades that form an archetypal American town square with a courthouse as its centerpiece. The set was built for th ...

and

Colonial Street Colonial Street is one of the backlot street sets at the Universal Studios Lot in Universal City, California. The street set has a long history, spanning over 60 years of movies and television. From 2004 to 2012, it was used in the filming of the ...

. Starting with the third and fourth seasons, the series gradually shifted to filming in actual locations in Los Angeles and the

San Fernando Valley The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Located to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it contains a large portion of the City of Los Angeles, as well as unincorporated ar ...

. The garage used tow trucks from the LAPD's North Hollywood Division, close to Universal Studios. The police station used in the series was the Rampart Police Station, located at 2710 West Temple Street. The station was built in 1966, two years before the series began, and could thus be considered "state of the art" for most of the series' run. Rampart Police Station was closed in 2008, and Rampart Division moved to the newer and larger Rampart Community Police Station. The old station was renovated to serve as the headquarters for the

LAPD Metropolitan Division Metropolitan Division, also known as METRO, is an elite division with in the Los Angeles Police Department under Special Operations Bureau which is responsible for managing the department's specialized units, including the Line Platoons(B Team, ...

, the specialized division that operates the department's

SWAT In the United States, a SWAT team (special weapons and tactics, originally special weapons assault team) is a police tactical unit that uses specialized or military equipment and tactics. Although they were first created in the 1960s to ...

, K-9, and

Mounted Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, Co ...

platoons. The renovated building, now known as the LAPD Metropolitan Division Facility, opened in 2016. The driving scenes were filmed on public streets using a dedicated camera platform mounted to the hood of the cruiser, which was towed by a station wagon. The platform held three cameras: the center camera would film both Milner and McCord in one shot, while the left and right cameras would film Milner and McCord, respectively, on a cross-angle. All three cameras were remote-controlled and would roll simultaneously. For the pilot, Webb did not like the reflections of the sky on the windshield (which made Milner and McCord difficult to see), so the windshield of the vehicle was removed; however, this made the actors' hair blow and caused issues with the audio recording equipment. The prop department's solution was to reinstall the windshield and build an overhead shield that extended over the hood and windshield of the car to block the reflections. Sides were added to create a large "black box" over the front of the car with both ends "open", which allowed for more controlled filming circumstances. During filming, the

script supervisor A script supervisor (also called continuity supervisor or script) is a member of a film crew who oversees the continuity of the motion picture including wardrobe, props, set dressing, hair, makeup and the actions of the actors during a scene. The ...

would lie on the floor in the back of the car to read script dialogue for the voices coming from the police radio, which Milner and McCord would respond to. The director and the sound man would ride in the back of the station wagon towing the police car. In 1974, during the production of the seventh season, Martin Milner signed to play Karl Robinson on the short-lived series ''The Swiss Family Robinson''. Several options were tested over the course of this season which would allow the series to continue should a proposed eighth season (1975–1976) move forward.

Jo Ann Pflug Jo Ann Pflug is an American film and television actress. Early life Jo Ann Pflug was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to J. Lynn and Kelly Pflug. She was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where her father was elected mayor in 1958, and she graduated fr ...

, Mark Harmon, and Michael Warren were all tested in police officer roles, in episodes where McCord served as their training officer or partner. Another idea proposed that the series be continued with Officer Ed Wells ( Gary Crosby) replacing Malloy, who would be written off with a promotion to Sergeant at another division. However, the birth of Kent McCord's son three days before the seventh season's finale aired took McCord off the show as well, forcing the series to end with the seventh season.

Reception and cultural impact

The police vehicles were central characters in that "mobile patrol units ecameassociated with the black and white units made famous in such television shows as ''Adam-12''. It was one of the shows that portrayed "the professionalism of the officers and police departments". Ronald Wayne Rodman pointed out that the theme of ''Adam-12'' referred to a "military style topic while portraying a sense of contemporary action".

Douglas Rushkoff Douglas Mark Rushkoff (born February 18, 1961) is an American media theorist, writer, columnist, lecturer, graphic novelist, and documentarian. He is best known for his association with the early cyberpunk culture and his advocacy of open sourc ...

noted, "''Adam-12'' also marked helast gasp of the righteous style of cop TV." Their set was not a squad room or an office, but the actors "watched the changes in American culture through the windshield of their squad car". In 2003, the Los Angeles Police Department activated an actual 1-Adam-12 unit, in service with Central Division. The unit was not a standard patrol unit and was only assigned to officers who demonstrated "outstanding duty performance". It is unknown if the unit is still active as of 2022.

References in other media

Milner and McCord made

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...

s as their ''Adam-12'' characters in various episodes of the fifth season of ''

Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' (often simply referred to as ''Laugh-In'') is an American sketch comedy television program that ran for 140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network, hosted by comedians Da ...

''. ''Nashville Beat'', a 1989 made-for-television film about an LAPD detective teaming up with his former partner to stop a dangerous gang in

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...

, starred Milner and McCord. Though the pair being former partners in the LAPD is a nod to ''Adam-12'', the characters have different names, and the show is not mentioned or directly referenced. Both Milner and McCord would make two appearances in a revival of ''Adam-12'' that ran over two seasons from 1990 to 1991. In one episode, both actors made cameo appearances as the owners of a store. In the season one episode "Crack House", Martin Milner guest-starred as Malloy, now a captain; in the following episode, "R.T.D. 211", Kent McCord guest-starred as Reed, now a lieutenant. In 1999,

Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company founded in January 1945 and headquartered in El Segundo, California. The company has presence in 35 countries and territories and sells products in more ...

produced a die-cast toy police car based on ''Adam-12'' as part of their "Star Car" series. In a scene from ''

The Matrix Reloaded ''The Matrix Reloaded'' is a 2003 American science-fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is a sequel to '' The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Lau ...

'', "1-Adam-12" can be heard over a police radio feed. In the 4th

OVA , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...

episode (“Revenge Road”) of the

anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...

Bubblegum Crisis is a 1987 to 1991 cyberpunk original video animation (OVA) series produced by Youmex and animated by AIC and Artmic. The series was planned to run for 13 episodes, but was cut short to just 8. The series involves the adventures of the K ...

'' (1987) the callsign of one of the A.D. Police helicopters is “Adam-12”.

Connections to other Mark VII shows

''Adam-12'', ''Dragnet'', and ''

'' take place in the same universe and depict different aspects of the public safety infrastructure of Los Angeles. There are several

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...

episodes on each series with characters from other Mark VII shows. Malloy and Reed appear in the ''Dragnet'' episode "Internal Affairs: DR-20", '' The D.A.'' episode "The People vs. Saydo" (the conclusion to a crossover that begins in "The Radical"). Sergeant MacDonald appears in the ''Dragnet'' episode "Personnel: The Shooting". The ''Adam-12'' episode "Lost And Found" was set at Rampart General Hospital and featured the ''Emergency!'' cast. Malloy and Reed appeared in the ''Emergency!'' pilot movie, "The Wedsworth-Townsend Act". Despite the apparent relation between these shows, in one ''Emergency!'' episode, ''Adam-12'' is depicted as a television show that the paramedics like to watch, which contradicts the officers' appearances in their aforementioned crossovers. Several years after ''Adam-12'''s finale, Kent McCord was signed to appear in a planned third series of ''Dragnet'' playing Sgt. Friday's partner, but the project was cancelled due to Jack Webb's sudden death in December 1982. Since none of the scripts Webb wrote for the project were ever produced or released, it is not clear if he intended McCord to play Jim Reed or a different character, though in the final episode of ''Adam-12'', the two-part "Something Worth Dying For", Reed mentions applying to join the Detective Bureau.

Revival

A revival of ''Adam-12'' by The Arthur Company, titled ''The New Adam-12'', aired in first-run

syndication Syndication may refer to: * Broadcast syndication, where individual stations buy programs outside the network system * Print syndication, where individual newspapers or magazines license news articles, columns, or comic strips * Web syndication, ...

in tandem with '' The New Dragnet'', another revival of a Jack Webb series. Like ''The New Dragnet'', ''The New Adam-12'' had entirely different characters, music, and format compared to the original series, and starred

Ethan Wayne John Ethan Morrison (also known as John Ethan Wayne; February 22, 1962) is an American actor, known professionally as Ethan Wayne. He is the son of actor John Wayne, and his third wife, Pilar Pallete. He grew up in Newport Beach, California, whe ...

as Officer Matt Doyle and

Peter Parros Peter Parros (born November 11, 1960) is an American actor and screenwriter. His acting credits include stage, screen and television. Parros portrays Judge David Harrington on Tyler Perry's '' The Haves and the Have Nots'' airing on the Oprah Wi ...

as Officer Gus Grant (seemingly unrelated to the Motor Officer Gus Grant seen in the original show, played by William Elliott). Martin Milner and Kent McCord also had minor cameo roles as shop owners and their respective characters from the original show. Fifty-two episodes were aired over two seasons. The first season aired from September 24, 1990 to March 18, 1991; the second season aired from March 25, 1991 to September 16, 1991.

Notable guest star actor and actress appearances

Many famous performers and some who achieved fame later appeared in various episodes of ''Adam-12''. Episode 2, "Log 141: The Color TV Bandit", stars

Cloris Leachman Cloris Leachman (April 30, 1926 – January 27, 2021) was an American actress and comedian whose career spanned nearly eight decades. She won many accolades, including eight Primetime Emmy Awards from 22 nominations, making her the most nomina ...

and

Melody Patterson A melody (from Greek μελῳδία, ''melōidía'', "singing, chanting"), also tune, voice or line, is a linear succession of musical tones that the listener perceives as a single entity. In its most literal sense, a melody is a combinati ...

. Episode 8, "Log 72: El Presidente" guest-stars

James Sikking James Barrie Sikking (born March 5, 1934) is a former American actor, most known for his role as Lt. Howard Hunter on the 1980s TV series ''Hill Street Blues''. Early years Sikking was born in Los Angeles on March 5, 1934 to Andy and Sue (né ...

, later of ''

Hill Street Blues ''Hill Street Blues'' is an American serial police procedural television series that aired on NBC in prime-time from January 15, 1981, to May 12, 1987, for 146 episodes. The show chronicles the lives of the staff of a single police station loca ...

'' fame (Lt. Howard Hunter) and other various character roles, as an armed robber. Episode 10, "Log 132: Producer", stars

Karen Black Karen Blanche Black (née Ziegler; July 1, 1939 – August 8, 2013) was an American actress, screenwriter, singer, and songwriter. She rose to prominence for her work in various studio and independent films in the 1970s, frequently portrayi ...

(''

Easy Rider ''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American independent drug culture road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern, produced by Fonda, and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American So ...

'', ''

Five Easy Pieces ''Five Easy Pieces'' is a 1970 American drama film directed by Bob Rafelson, written by Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce) and Rafelson, and starring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite. The film tells the s ...

'', ''

Airport 1975 ''Airport 1975'' (also known as ''Airport '75'') is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film ''Airport''. It was directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye, executive produced by Jennings Lang, a ...

'', ''

Dogtown Dogtown or Dog Town may refer to: Entertainment * ''Dogtown'' (film), a 1997 film * "Dogtown" (''The Simpsons''), a 2017 season episode * '' DogTown'', a National Geographic Channel series * ''Dogtown'', a 2006 television show, starring Geraldine ...

'') and

James McEachin James McEachin (born May 20, 1930) is an American author and retired actor. Military career McEachin served in the United States Army before, and then during, the Korean War. Serving in King Company, 9th Infantry Regiment (United States), 2nd I ...

(DJ in ''

Play Misty for Me ''Play Misty for Me'' is a 1971 American psychological thriller film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood, his directorial debut. Jessica Walter and Donna Mills co-star. The screenplay, written by regular Eastwood collaborators Jo Heims and ...

''). McEachin also appeared in five additional episodes, each time in a different role, as well as several episodes of ''

'' as a Sheriff's Detective. Episode 16, "Log 62: Grand Theft Horse?", guest-stars

Tim Matheson Tim Matheson (born Timothy Lewis Matthieson; December 31, 1947) is an American actor and director. Some of his best-known acting roles include the title character of the 1960s animated '' Jonny Quest'' TV series, Eric "Otter" Stratton in the 19 ...

as a horse thief. Episode 19, "Log 51: A Jumper, Code 2" stars Hal Smith of ''

The Andy Griffith Show ''The Andy Griffith Show '' is an American situation comedy television series that aired on CBS from October 3, 1960, to April 1, 1968, with a total of 249 half-hour episodes spanning eight seasons—159 in black and white and 90 in color. The ...

''. Episode 22, "Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone", stars Barry Williams ( Greg Brady of ''

The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...

''). Episode 25, "Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard" guest-stars

Dick Sargent Richard Stanford Cox (April 19, 1930 – July 8, 1994), known professionally as Dick Sargent, was an American actor, notable as the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on ABC's fantasy situation comedy ''Bewitched''. He took the name ''Dick ...

(Darrin Stephens #2 of ''

Bewitched ''Bewitched'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series that originally aired for eight seasons on ABC from September 17, 1964, to March 25, 1972. It is about a witch who marries an ordinary mortal man and vows to lead the life of a typic ...

'') and

Jacqueline Scott Jacqueline Sue Scott (June 25, 1931 – July 23, 2020) was an American actress who appeared on Broadway and in several films, but mostly guest starred in more than 100 television programs. Biography The daughter of John and Maxine Scott, she se ...

(who played Donna Taft, the sister of Dr. Richard Kimble, in four episodes of '' The Fugitive''). Episode 26, "Log 22: So This Little Guy Goes into This Bar, and..." guest-stars

Harry Dean Stanton Harry Dean Stanton (July 14, 1926 – September 15, 2017) was an American actor, musician, and singer. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton played supporting roles in films including '' Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), ''Kelly's Heroe ...

as a welfare hustler. Episode 43, "Log 24: A Rare Occasion" stars

David Cassidy David Bruce Cassidy (April 12, 1950 – November 21, 2017) was an American actor, singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He was best known for his role as Keith Partridge, the son of Shirley Partridge (played by his stepmother, Shirley Jones), in t ...

of ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom starring Shirley Jones and featuring David Cassidy. Jones plays a widowed mother, and Cassidy plays the oldest of her five children, in a family who embarks on a music career. It ran from Se ...

'' as a neighbor of Reed's who falls victim to a drug pusher. Episode 53, "Loan Sharks" guest-stars

Eve McVeagh Eva Elizabeth "Eve" McVeagh (July 15, 1919 – December 10, 1997) was an American actress of film, television, stage, and radio. Her career spanned 52 years from her first stage role through her last stage appearance. Her roles included leading ...

, film actress of '' High Noon'', ''

Tight Spot ''Tight Spot'' is a 1955 American film noir crime film directed by Phil Karlson and starring Ginger Rogers, Edward G. Robinson and Brian Keith. The story was inspired by Senator Estes Kefauver's tactics in coercing Virginia Hill to testify in ...

'', and television series ''

The Clear Horizon ''The Clear Horizon'' is an American soap opera which ran on CBS Daytime from July 11, 1960 to March 10, 1961 and February 26 to June 15, 1962. Manya Starr created the program and was its head writer. Premise ''The Clear Horizon'' (titled ''The ...

'' and ''

Faraway Hill ''Faraway Hill'' was the first soap opera broadcast on an American television network, airing on the DuMont Television Network on Wednesday nights at 9:00 PM between October 2 and December 18, 1946. A ''Variety'' article stated the Caples advertis ...

''. Episode 57, "Cigarettes, Cars, and Wild, Wild Women" features

Tony Dow Anthony Lee Dow (April 13, 1945 – July 27, 2022) was an American actor, film producer, director and sculptor. He portrayed Wally Cleaver in the iconic television sitcom '' Leave It to Beaver'' from 1957 to 1963. From 1983 to 1989, Dow repri ...

(Wally from '' Leave It to Beaver'') as a young United States Marine who is a victim of a car theft ring. Episode 58, "Log 55: Missing Child" guests-stars

Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...

as the playmate of a missing child. Episode 60, "Log 105, Elegy for a Pig" guest-stars

Mark Goddard Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936) is an American actor who has starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). He ...

(Major Don West of

Lost In Space ''Lost in Space'' is an American science fiction television series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968 on CBS. The series was inspired by the 1812 novel ''The Swiss Family Robinson.'' The series fo ...

) as Malloy's friend and police academy classmate, Officer Tom Porter; and shows a great deal of Malloy's backstory, as well as what happens when an LAPD officer is killed in the line of duty. Episode 66, "Log 115: Gang War" guests-stars

Trini Lopez Trinidad López III (May 15, 1937 – August 11, 2020) was an American singer, guitarist, and actor. His first album included a cover version of Pete Seeger's "If I Had a Hammer", which earned a Golden Disc for him. His other hits included ...

as a local Latino priest who tries to help the officers prevent a rumble between two Latino gangs. Lopez would also appear the following year as "Steve Hernandez" in Episode 95, :"The Parole Violator". Episode 69, "Log 66: The Vandals" guest-stars Robert I. Clarke as a father of a teenage girl. Episode 77, "Log 88 - Reason to Run" guest-stars

Randolph Mantooth Randolph Mantooth (born Randy DeRoy Mantooth, September 19, 1945) is an American actor who has worked in television, documentaries, theater, and film for more than 40 years. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he was discovere ...

as "Neil Williams"; and in an ''

'' cross-over episode as paramedic "John Gage", Episode 106, "Lost and Found" This episode also guest-starred

Linda Kaye Henning Linda Kaye Henning is an American actress and singer most notable for starring in the 1960s sitcom ''Petticoat Junction''. Career Henning began to focus on acting in her late teens. Her career began in 1953. Her earliest acting roles include ' ...

of ''

Petticoat Junction ''Petticoat Junction'' is an American television sitcom that originally aired on CBS from September 1963 to April 1970. The series takes place at the Shady Rest Hotel, which is run by Kate Bradley; her three daughters Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo, and B ...

''. Episode 78, "Log 125: Safe Job" guest-stars

Larry Linville Lawrence Lavon Linville (September 29, 1939 – April 10, 2000) was an American actor known for his portrayal of the surgeon Major Frank Burns on the television series ''M*A*S*H''. Early life and education Linville was born in Ojai, California ...

(later of ''

M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American media franchise consisting of a series of novels, a film, several television series, plays, and other properties, and based on the semi-autobiographical fiction of Richard Hooker. The ...

'' fame as Frank Burns) as a police detective whom Malloy and Reed assist on an ongoing case. Episode 80, "The Million Dollar Buff", guests-stars

Lindsay Wagner Lindsay Jean Wagner (born June 22, 1949) is an American film and television actress, model, author, singer, and acting coach. Wagner is best known for her leading role in the American science-fiction television series '' The Bionic Woman'' (197 ...

(''

The Bionic Woman ''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel ''Cyborg'' by Martin Caidin, starring Lindsay Wagner that aired from January 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978. ' ...

'') as a jewelry counter attendant. Episode 81, "The Grandmother" guest-starred

Ozzie Nelson Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American actor, director, producer, screenwriter, musician, composer, conductor and bandleader. He originated and starred in ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'', a radio and tel ...

of ''

The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from October 3, 1952, to April 23, 1966, and starred the real-life Nelson family. After a long run on radio, the show was brought to television, where it ...

'' fame. He also directed this episode. Episode 82, "The Radical" guest-starred

Robert Conrad Robert Conrad (born Conrad Robert Falk; March 1, 1935 – February 8, 2020) was an American film and television actor, singer, and stuntman. He is best known for his role in the 1965–1969 television series ''The Wild Wild West'', playin ...

as Paul Ryan of the DA's office. This episode was a crossover with Conrad's series, '' The D.A.'' Episode 91, "The Pickup" guest-starred

Barbara Hale Barbara Hale (April 18, 1922 – January 26, 2017) was an American actress who portrayed legal secretary Della Street in the dramatic television series ''Perry Mason (1957 TV series), Perry Mason'' (1957–1966), earning her a 1959 Emmy Award f ...

of ''

Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and 4 short stories, all of which involve a cli ...

'' and

Kathy Garver Kathleen Marie Garver is an American actress most remembered for having portrayed the teenaged orphan, Catherine "Cissy" Davis, on the popular 1960s CBS sitcom, ''Family Affair''. Before that, she was cast by Cecil B. DeMille in the film ''T ...

of ''

Family Affair ''Family Affair'' is an American sitcom starring Brian Keith and Sebastian Cabot that aired on CBS from September 12, 1966, to March 4, 1971. The series explored the trials of well-to-do engineer and bachelor Bill Davis (Keith) as he attempte ...

''. Episode 97, "Mary Hong Loves Tommy Chen" guest-starred

Foster Brooks Foster Brooks (May 11, 1912 – December 20, 2001) was an American actor and comedian best known for his portrayal of a lovable drunk in nightclub performances and television programs. Early life Brooks was born in Louisville, Kentucky on ...

Keye Luke Keye Luke (, Cantonese Cantonese ( zh, t=廣東話, s=广东话, first=t, cy=Gwóngdūng wá) is a language within the Chinese (Sinitic) branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages originating from the city of Guangzhou (historically known as Cant ...

, and Jo Ann Worley. Episode 98, "Sub-Station" guest-starred

Frank Sinatra, Jr Francis Wayne Sinatra Group note. (; January 10, 1944 – March 16, 2016), professionally known as Frank Sinatra Jr., was an American singer, songwriter, and conductor. He was the son of singer and actor Frank Sinatra and his first wife, Nancy ...

., portraying a disturbed man who takes a stewardess hostage and demands a meeting with a Hollywood director. He would also guest-star in a later season episode as an officer in the same division. Episode 100, "Who Won" guest-starred

Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American radio and television personality, television producer and film actor, as well as a cultural icon who remains best known for hosting ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 198 ...

of ''

American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'', abbreviated ''AB'', is an American music-performance and dance television program that aired in various versions from 1952 to 1989, and was hosted from 1956 until its final season by Dick Clark, who also served as the pro ...

'' and ''

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE'') is an annual New Year's Eve television special broadcast by ABC. The special broadcasts primarily from New York City's Times Square and prominently features coverage of its annual ball drop ev ...

'' fame as Benson, the drag strip owner. Episode 103, "Dirt Duel" guest-starred

Edd Byrnes Edward Byrne Breitenberger (July 30, 1932 – January 8, 2020), known professionally as Edd Byrnes, was an American actor, best known for his starring role in the television series ''77 Sunset Strip.'' He also was featured in the 1978 film '' Gre ...

of ''

77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American television Private investigator#PIs in fiction, private detective drama series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith (actor), Roger Smith, Richard Long (actor), Richard Long (fr ...

'' and

Micky Dolenz George Michael Dolenz Jr. (born March 8, 1945) is an American actor, musician, TV producer and businessman. He is best known as the drummer and one of three primary vocalists for the pop-rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and multiple reunions ...

The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...

as bikers. Episode 104, "The Late Baby" guest-stars both

Tina Sinatra Christina Sinatra (born June 20, 1948) is an American businesswoman, film producer, Hollywood agent, and memoirist. Early life Christina Sinatra was born on June 20, 1948, in Los Angeles, California, the youngest child of American singer and ac ...

and Frank Sinatra, Jr. as unrelated characters. Episode 108, "Badge Heavy" features Jack Bailey, host of ''

Queen for a Day ''Queen for a Day'' is an American radio and television game show that helped to usher in American listeners' and viewers' fascination with big-prize giveaway shows. ''Queen for a Day'' originated on the Mutual Radio Network on April 30, 1945, in ...

'' and ''

Truth or Consequences ''Truth or Consequences'' is an American game show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–1957) and later on television by Edwards (1950–1954), Jack Bailey (1954–1956), Bob Barker (1956–1975), Steve Dunne (1957–1958), ...

.'' Episode 131, "Venice Division" guest-stars Laurette Spang of the original Battlestar Galactica (1978) as a woman who fears for her life after receiving obscene phone calls. Episode 137, "Northwest Division" guest-stars

Johnny Whitaker John Orson Whitaker, Jr. (born December 13, 1959) is an American actor notable for several film and television performances during his childhood. The redheaded Whitaker played Jody Davis on ''Family Affair'' from 1966 to 1971. He also originated ...

of ''

'' as a juvenile on a minibike. In addition, Martin Milner's real-life son Andrew played Whitaker's stunt double in the minibike chase scene. Episode 149, " L.A. International" Season 6, Episode 23, This Episode aired 12 March 1974 with Guest star

Tina Cole Christina Yvonne Cole (born August 4, 1943) is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her role as Katie Miller Douglas on the sitcom ''My Three Sons'' (1967–1972). Family Cole is the daughter of Yvonne King and Buddy Cole. ...

who played Katie from ''

My Three Sons ''My Three Sons'' is an American television sitcom that aired from September 29, 1960, to April 13, 1972. The series was broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seasons. ''My Three Sons'' chronicl ...

''. Episode 150, "

Clinic on Eighteenth Street This is a list of episodes for the 1968–1975 television series '' Adam-12''. The first season was released on DVD in 2005 by Universal Home Entertainment, while all remaining seasons were released by Shout! Factory.Sharon Gless Sharon Marguerite Gless (born May 31, 1943) is an American actress and author, who is known for her television roles as Maggie Philbin on ''Switch'' (1975–78), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series ''Cagney & Lacey'' (198 ...

, later of ''

Cagney & Lacey ''Cagney & Lacey'' is an American police procedural drama television series that aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from March 25, 1982, to May 16, 1988. The show is about two New York City police detectives who lead very dif ...

'' fame and most recently co-star of ''

Burn Notice ''Burn Notice'' is an American espionage television series created by Matt Nix, which originally aired on the USA Network for a total of seven seasons from June 28, 2007, to September 12, 2013. The show stars Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, ...

'' on

USA Network USA Network (simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison ...

and

Frank Sinatra Jr. Francis Wayne Sinatra Group note. (; January 10, 1944 – March 16, 2016), professionally known as Frank Sinatra Jr., was an American singer, songwriter, and conductor. He was the son of singer and actor Frank Sinatra and his first wife, Nancy ...

in his third role on the show. Episode 158, "X-Force" guest-stars

Paul Gleason Paul Xavier Gleason (May 4, 1939 – May 27, 2006) was an American film and television actor. He was known for his roles on television series such as ''All My Children'' and films such as ''The Breakfast Club'', ''Trading Places'', and ''Die ...

as a father of a kidnapped girl. Gleason guest-starred in other various roles throughout the series. Episode 159, "Alcohol" guest-stars

Dick Van Patten Richard Vincent Van Patten (December 9, 1928 – June 23, 2015) was an American actor, comedian, businessman, and animal welfare advocate, whose career spanned seven decades of television. He was best known for his role as patriarch Tom Brad ...

, later of ''

Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who ...

'' fame, as a belligerent drunk who believes himself to be

Albert Einstein Albert Einstein ( ; ; 14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist, widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest and most influential physicists of all time. Einstein is best known for developing the theory ...

. Episode 164, "Victim of the Crime" features Martin Milner's real-life daughter Amy Milner as Debbie McMahon, the shopkeeper's daughter. Episode 170, "Operation Action" features Kent McCord's real-life daughter Kristen McCord as a child named Debra, who is playing hopscotch when Reed pulls up behind Malloy's abandoned car. Episode 171, "Gus Corbin", guest-stars Mark Harmon, the star of '' NCIS'' since 2003. Episode 172, "Dana Hall", features

of the movie

as Officer Dana Hall, a probationary police officer Acting Watch Commander Malloy teams with Reed in 1-Adam-12.

Episodes

Home media

released Season 1 of ''Adam 12'' on DVD in Region 1 on August 23, 2005. In fall 2008,

Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is an American home video and music company founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases include previously released feature films, classic and contemporary television series, animation, live music, and comedy ...

acquired the distribution rights through an agreement with Universal. They have subsequently released the remaining 6 seasons, with season 7 packaging titled "The Final Season". In Region 4, Umbrella Entertainment has released the first two seasons on DVD in Australia.

Broadcast

As of January 5, 2015, episodes of ''Adam-12'' air on

Cozi TV Cozi TV (stylized on-air as COZI TV) is an American free-to-air television network owned by the NBC Owned Television Stations division of NBCUniversal. The network airs classic television series from the 1960s to the 2000s. The network origina ...

. The series had been airing on

MeTV MeTV, an acronym for Memorable Entertainment Television, is an American broadcast television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Marketed as "The Definitive Destination for Classic TV", the network airs a variety of classic television program ...

from May 2013 until January 1, 2015, when its place in the network's weekday afternoon line up was taken by '' Adventures of Superman''. ''Adam-12'' previously aired on Me-TV's competitor

Antenna TV Antenna TV is an American digital television network owned by Nexstar Media Group. The network's programming consists of classic television series, primarily sitcoms, from the 1950s to the 1990s. Antenna TV's programming and advertising operati ...

until April 2013, on

Retro Television Network Retro TV (stylized as retrotv), formerly known as Retro Television Network, is an American broadcast television network owned by Get After It Media. The network mainly airs classic television sitcoms and drama series from the 1950s through th ...

, and on i: Independent Television before that. On January 1, 2020, the show returned to MeTV as part of their afternoon block of programming alongside ''Dragnet'' at 5/4C (''Dragnet'' aired periodically in the AM).

Internet

Episodes from ''Adam-12''s first four seasons are available for on-line streaming on

Hulu Hulu () is an American subscription streaming service majority-owned by The Walt Disney Company, with Comcast's NBCUniversal holding a minority stake. It was launched on October 29, 2007 and it offers a library of films and television serie ...

in some regions.

Amazon Amazon most often refers to: * Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology * Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin * Amazon River, in South America * Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...

and

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

offer Season 1 available for sale as permanent downloadable files.

Freevee Amazon Freevee is an American ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service owned by Amazon, with original and licensed programming. History Amazon Freevee launched as a free, ad-supported video channel by the Amazon-owned online data ...

has all seven seasons of ''Adam-12'' available for streaming with commercials.

References

External links

The Official Kent McCord Archives: Adam-12
*
Adam-12
at ''

TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...

'' {{Jack Webb/Mark VII Limited 1960s American mystery television series 1970s American mystery television series 1960s American crime television series 1970s American crime television series 1960s American police procedural television series 1970s American police procedural television series Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department 1968 American television series debuts 1975 American television series endings American Motors English-language television shows NBC original programming Television series by Mark VII Limited Television series by Universal Television Television shows set in Los Angeles Television shows filmed in Los Angeles