Adam 12
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Adam-12'' is an American
police procedural The police procedural, police show, or police crime drama is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasises the investigative procedure of police officers, police detectives, or law enforcement agency, law enforcement agencies ...
crime drama Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...
television series created by Robert A. Cinader and
Jack Webb John Randolph Webb (April 2, 1920 – December 23, 1982) was an American actor, television producer, Television director, director, and screenwriter, most famous for his role as Joe Friday in the Dragnet (franchise), ''Dragnet'' franchise ...
and produced by
Mark VII Limited Mark VII Limited (formerly Mark VII Productions, pronounced "Mark 7") was the production company of actor and filmmaker Jack Webb, and was active from 1951 until his death in 1982. Many of its series were produced in association with Universal Tel ...
and
Universal Television Universal Television LLC (abbreviated as UTV) is an American television production company that is a division of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming#Universal Studio Group, Universal Studio Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which, in turn, is ...
. The series follows
Los Angeles Police Department The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
(LAPD) officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol
Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
in their
police cruiser A police car is an emergency vehicle used by police for transportation during patrols and responses to calls for service. Police cars are used by police officers to patrol a beat, quickly reach incident scenes, and transport and temporaril ...
, assigned the
call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally as ...
"1-Adam-12". ''Adam-12'' 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 ...
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 roles as Officer Jim Reed on the television series ''Adam-12'', Captain "Boxey" Troy on ''Galactica 1980'', an ...
, 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, the son of Harry Lee and ...
and Gary Crosby. The series ran over seven seasons from September 21, 1968, until May 20, 1975, airing 174 episodes. Like Webb's other series, ''Dragnet'' and ''
Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, 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 two situatio ...
'', ''Adam-12'' was produced in cooperation with the actual department it was based on; in this case, the LAPD. ''Adam-12'' aimed to be realistic in its depiction of policing and helped familiarize the American public with police procedures and jargon. A syndicated revival by The Arthur Company aired from 1990 to 1991 for two seasons, featuring new characters and an updated setting.


Premise

Set in the
Los Angeles Police Department The City of Los Angeles Police Department, commonly referred to as Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), is the primary law enforcement agency of Los Angeles, California, United States. With 8,832 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, it is the th ...
's Central Division, ''Adam-12'' follows police officers Pete Malloy (
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 ...
) and Jim Reed (
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 roles as Officer Jim Reed on the television series ''Adam-12'', Captain "Boxey" Troy on ''Galactica 1980'', an ...
) as they patrol Los Angeles. The plots of most episodes follow Malloy and Reed as they handle the various calls for service that they are assigned to or come across, ranging from intense incidents such as pursuits, standoffs,
shootout A shootout, also called a firefight, gunfight, or gun battle, is a confrontation in which parties armed with firearms exchange gunfire. The term can be used to describe any such fight, though it is typically used in a non-military context or to ...
s,
hostage-taking A hostage is a person seized by an abductor in order to compel another party, one which places a high value on the liberty, well-being and safety of the person seized—such as a relative, employer, law enforcement, or government—to act, o ...
s,
gang violence A gang is a group or society of associates, friends, or members of a family with a defined leadership and internal organization that identifies with or claims control over territory in a community and engages, either individually or collecti ...
,
terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...
, and undercover assignments, to the mundane (and far more common) routine happenings like
traffic stop A traffic stop, colloquially referred to as being pulled over, is a temporary Detention (imprisonment), detention of a driver of a vehicle and its occupants by police to Criminal investigation, investigate a possible crime or minor violation o ...
s, disputes, disturbances,
narcotic The term narcotic (, from ancient Greek ναρκῶ ''narkō'', "I make numb") originally referred medically to any psychoactive compound with numbing or paralyzing properties. In the United States, it has since become associated with opiates ...
s crimes, DUI arrests, fights, and
theft Theft (, cognate to ) is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shor ...
s. At the start of the series, Malloy, seeking to resign after the death of his previous partner, is assigned to field train Reed, an inexperienced rookie. After Reed disobeys Malloy's orders but singlehandedly arrests a group of armed suspects during a high-risk shooting call, Malloy sees potential in Reed and decides to remain on the force to guide him through his nine-month probationary period. The first and second seasons are not chronological, with Reed's stated time in the LAPD varying in each episode. Starting with the third season, the series was organized chronologically, and Reed completed his probationary period, with him and Malloy remaining partners. Throughout the series, and especially in later seasons, Malloy and Reed began patrolling other divisions and working on different assignments (such as divisions assigned to patrol neighborhoods like
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
and
Hollywood Hollywood usually refers to: * Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California * Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States Hollywood may also refer to: Places United States * Hollywood District (disambiguation) * Hollywood ...
, airport detail,
Metropolitan Division The National Hockey League's Metropolitan Division (often referred to simply as the "Metro Division") was formed in 2013 as one of the two divisions in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference as part of a league realignment. It is als ...
, Air Support Division, and even desk duty), occasionally explained as them filling in for other officers or being part of police experience programs. Malloy sometimes fills in for Sergeant William MacDonald as the watch commander in the show's final season. At the same time, Reed finds himself partnered with probationary officers, mirroring Malloy's original role as his field training officer. In the series finale, Reed receives the
Medal of Valor This list of medals for bravery is an index to articles about notable medals awarded for bravery or valor. These medals, usually associated with military forces, police forces, or other public safety entities, are given to personnel who have serv ...
for saving Malloy's life and completes an examination to become a
detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...
, while Malloy is set for a promotion to
sergeant Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
. The personal lives of Malloy and Reed came up on occasion and were often tied into their duties, though they rarely extended past conversations, episode subplots, or brief scenes. Malloy is a bachelor who has at least five girlfriends (not simultaneously) over the course of the series. Reed is married to a woman named Jean (played by several actresses, including Mikki Jamison and Kristin Nelson); in the second season, they are shown to have a son, Jim Jr. (or Jimmy). Occasionally, Malloy and Reed are depicted socializing outside their work, but such scenes are rare. Although both characters are serious-minded and “by-the-book” officers, Malloy is more realistic when dealing with non-violent offenders while Reed is more rigid.


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 most of their time in their cruiser, and scenes set in or relating to their cruiser were central to the series. Most officers in the series drove recent-model
sedans A sedan (American English) 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 ''sedan'' in reference to an automobile body oc ...
, while Sergeant MacDonald always used a
station wagon A station wagon (American English, US, also wagon) or estate car (British English, UK, also estate) is an automotive Car body style, body-style variant of a Sedan (automobile), sedan with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo ...
version of Adam-12's vehicle. In the pilot episode, Adam-12 used a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere; 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. 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 call sign that combines 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) is the central business district of the city of Los Angeles. It is part of the Central Los Angeles region and covers a area. As of 2020, it contains over 500,000 jobs and has a population of roughly 85,000 residents ...
. The LAPD assigns two-officer patrol units the letter "A"; in the LAPD phonetic alphabet, the letter "A" is spoken as "Adam". The "12" comes from the daily assigned reporting district, or
beat Beat, beats, or beating may refer to: Common uses * Assault, inflicting physical harm or unwanted physical contact * Battery (crime), a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact * Battery (tort), a civil wrong in common law of inte ...
. Adam-12's "shop number"—a
fleet Fleet may refer to: Vehicles * Fishing fleet *Naval fleet * Fleet vehicles, a pool of motor vehicles * Fleet Aircraft, the aircraft manufacturing company Places Canada * Fleet, Alberta, Canada, a hamlet England * The Fleet Lagoon, at Chesil Be ...
vehicle identification number A vehicle identification number (VIN; also called a chassis number or frame number) is a unique code, including a serial number, used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles, towed vehicles, motorcycles, scooters a ...
custom to the
city government A city is a human settlement of a substantial size. The term "city" has different meanings around the world and in some places the settlement can be very small. Even where the term is limited to larger settlements, there is no universally agree ...
, located below the city seal on the front doors—was "80817" on the Belvedere, "83012" on the Satellite, and "85012" on the Matador. Though the "1-Adam-12" radio call sign identified it as a Central Division unit, the police station Malloy and Reed worked from belonged to
Rampart Division The Rampart Division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) serves communities to the west of Downtown Los Angeles (DTLA) including Silver Lake, Los Angeles, Silver Lake, Echo Park, Pico-Union, Los Angeles, Pico-Union and Westlake, Los Ange ...
, which serves sections west of Downtown and uses "2" as its prefix number. There was also never a standard patrol unit with the call sign of "1-Adam-12", as all LAPD reporting districts are odd-numbered.


Cast

*
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 ...
as Officer Pete Malloy: A veteran police officer who initially plans to resign from the LAPD, but remains on the force to guide Reed through his probationary period. He is acquainted or familiar with many officers in Central Division, as well as some citizens in Adam-12's usual patrol areas. By season 7, he is preparing for a promotion to Sergeant and spends time working as a watch commander. He is single but seeking, and the subplots of several episodes revolve around his dating life. His badge number is 744. *
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 roles as Officer Jim Reed on the television series ''Adam-12'', Captain "Boxey" Troy on ''Galactica 1980'', an ...
as Officer Jim Reed: A rookie police officer assigned Malloy as his field training officer. After his probationary period, he remains Malloy's partner. Malloy does not trust him to drive the cruiser, a recurring joke throughout the series. At the end of season 7, he applies to become a detective. He has a wife, Jean, and a son, Jimmy. His badge number is 2430. * Shaaron Claridge as herself: A police dispatcher and desk clerk. Working alongside an unnamed male dispatcher, Claridge appears in voice only in almost every episode. She only physically appears briefly in season 5, episode 20. Claridge was an actual LAPD dispatcher who acted as a
side job A side job, also informally called a side hustle or side gig, is an extra job that a person takes in addition to their primary job in order to supplement their income. Side jobs may be done out of necessity when a person's main job does not pro ...
until her retirement in 1990. *
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, the son of Harry Lee and ...
as Sergeant William "Mac" MacDonald: The watch commander of Central Division. He is responsible for commanding and organizing the officers under him, including Malloy and Reed, who report to him and are sometimes assigned to cases by him. Mac is issued a station wagon and a Federal Riot Gun capable of firing
tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymatory agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the Mace (spray), early commercial self-defense spray, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the ey ...
rounds, which he and other officers are authorized to use in standoffs. In the field, his call sign is 1-Lincoln-20. He is mentioned to have a wife named Mary, a son named William "Billy", a daughter named Elizabeth, and a brother named Bryan. * Gary Crosby as Officer Ed Wells: A police officer and one of Malloy's friends. In his first appearance in season 1, he is depicted as very hot-headed and reckless, though this behavior is toned down in later seasons, with him mostly serving as
comic relief Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
instead. Though he acts cocky and makes jokes at the expense of other officers, he is also fairly dimwitted, and several of his jokes and actions fall flat or backfire. Throughout the series, he is seen with numerous different assigned partners. He was proposed as a potential successor to Malloy for a planned eighth season that ultimately never materialized. * William Elliott as Motor Officer Gus Grant: A motorcycle officer introduced in later seasons. He is laid-back but dedicated to his work and knows Malloy and Reed well. His use of a motorcycle is a factor in several incidents, with Adam-12 usually called in to support him with their cruiser. He is one of the only
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
characters in the series to have a recurring role. *
Jack Hogan Richard Roland Benson Jr. (November 24, 1929 – December 6, 2023), known professionally as Jack Hogan, was an American actor most notable for the role of PFC William G. Kirby on the 1960s television show '' Combat!'' Biography Born in Chapel H ...
as Detective Sergeant Jerry Miller: A detective who handles investigations that Malloy and Reed assist with or are involved in, most prominently in the earlier seasons. Miller is often depicted in different detective divisions, such as
homicide Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...
and internal affairs, similar to
Joe Friday Joe Friday is a fictional character created and portrayed by Jack Webb as the lead for his series '' Dragnet''. Friday is a detective in the Los Angeles Police Department. The character first appeared on June 3, 1949, in the premiere of the NB ...
from ''Dragnet''. Hogan also plays Lieutenant Fred Benson, an
LAPD Air Support Division The Air Support Division (ASD) is the police aviation division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport. Whi ...
helicopter pilot. *
Art Gilmore Arthur Wells Gilmore, known as Art Gilmore (March 18, 1912 – September 25, 2010) was an American actor and announcer heard on radio and television programs, children's records, movies, trailers, radio commercials, and documentary films. He also ...
as Lieutenant Moore: The commanding officer of Central Division. Dialogue in the pilot episode suggests he was Malloy's field training officer when he was a rookie. His role is greatly minimized between seasons 2 and 7, where he makes very few appearances, with Mac mostly taking up his role as the "boss" of Central Division. By season 7, he had been promoted to captain. * Michael Warren as Officer Larry Carter: A rookie police officer who, at the time of his first appearance, is only two days out of the
police academy A police academy, also known as a law enforcement training center, police college, or police university, is a training school for police cadets, designed to prepare them for the law enforcement agency they will be joining upon graduation, or to o ...
. In season 4, episode 15, Carter is assigned to Malloy while Reed goes undercover in a narcotics ring. He was proposed as a potential successor to Malloy for a planned eighth season. *
Mark Harmon Thomas Mark Harmon (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor, writer, producer, television director and former American football, football player. He is best known for playing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on ''NCIS (TV series), NCIS'' ...
as Officer Gus Corbin: A rookie police officer. In season 7, episode 21, Reed is assigned to field train Corbin while Malloy fills in as watch commander for Mac. Corbin is shown to be inexperienced as well as clumsy and frequently puts himself at risk. However, he is still capable of effectively handling situations himself when necessary. He was proposed as a potential successor to Malloy for a planned eighth season. *
Jo Ann Pflug Jo Ann Pflug (born 1940) is a retired American film and television actress. Early life and education Pflug was born to J. Lynn and Kelly Pflug. She was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where her father was elected mayor in 1958 and she graduat ...
as Officer Dana Hall: A female police officer who, unusually for the time, is assigned to patrol duty. In season 7 episode 22, Hall is assigned to Reed while Malloy fills in as watch commander. Though Hall is initially met with derision by the other officers (especially Wells) for her gender, Reed respects her and shows she is just as capable of frontline policing as male officers. She was proposed as a potential successor to Malloy for a planned eighth season. * Steve Franken as Officer Albert Porter: A reserve police officer and one of Reed's friends. Outside the LAPD, he works as an
electrical engineer Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems that use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...
. * Marco Lopez as Officer Sanchez: One of Wells's assigned partners. Lopez also plays other recurring officers, mostly unnamed background characters. * Fred Stromsoe as Officer Jerry Woods: A recurring police officer. He appears in the credits sequence of every episode, even those he does not appear in, for reasons unknown. * Claude Johnson as Officer Brinkman: A recurring police officer. Johnson also plays other recurring officers, including Officer Norm Green and Officer Johnson. * William Stevens as Officer Jerry Walters: A recurring police officer. Stevens also plays Officer Lou Walters, another recurring officer. * Robert Patten as Detective Sergeant Stone: A recurring detective. Patten also plays other detectives and officers, including Detective Fremont, Detective Sergeant Benson, Detective Speer, Sergeant Baron, and Sergeant King. * Chuck Bowman as Detective Cole Edwards: A recurring detective. Bowman also plays other characters, including Harold Thompson, Officer Rogers, Officer Miller, Lieutenant Andrews, and Sergeant McCall. * Mikki Jamison and Kristin Nelson (actor varies between seasons) as Jean Reed: Jim Reed's wife. She dislikes that Reed is a police officer due to the dangers of his work, and fears for his safety, though she is otherwise supportive of him. She has a son, Jimmy. * Jed Allan as Reno West: A
cat burglar Burglary, also called breaking and entering (B&E) or housebreaking, is a property crime Property crime is a category of crime, usually involving private property, that includes, among other crimes, burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft ...
active in the Los Angeles area. He was previously caught by Malloy, but was released four years later, after which he attempted to return to burglaries; however, he was caught again by Malloy and Reed. He plays a significant role throughout season 6. *
Aneta Corsaut Aneta Louise Corsaut (November 3, 1933November 6, 1995) was an American actress and writer. She is best known for playing Helen Crump on '' The Andy Griffith Show'' (1963–1968), Judge Cynthia Justin on '' Matlock'' (1991–1992), and Jane in ...
as Judy: One of Malloy's girlfriends, first appearing in season 7.


Production

Universal Studios Universal Studios may refer to: * Universal Studios, Inc., an American media and entertainment conglomerate ** Universal Pictures, an American film studio ** Universal Studios Lot, a film and television studio complex * Various theme parks operat ...
co-produced the show with
Mark VII Limited Mark VII Limited (formerly Mark VII Productions, pronounced "Mark 7") was the production company of actor and filmmaker Jack Webb, and was active from 1951 until his death in 1982. Many of its series were produced in association with Universal Tel ...
. 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. Many elements in the show changed to reflect new policies and regulations in the real LAPD; for instance, when the LAPD switched from the 6-inch
Smith & Wesson Model 14 The Smith & Wesson K-38 Target Masterpiece Revolver (Model 14) is a six-shot, double-action revolver with adjustable open sights, built on the medium-size "K" frame. When introduced, it was intended for bullseye target shooting competition of the ...
to the 4-inch Smith & Wesson Model 15 in 1970, the service revolvers in the show similarly changed starting in the fourth season. Police cruisers played a central role, as "Webb wanted the vehicle itself to be considered a character". The show's routine use of
police radio Police radio is a radio system used by police and other law enforcement agencies to communicate with one another. Police radio systems almost always use two-way radio systems to allow for communications between police officers and dispatchers. ...
communications and jargon 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. The driving scenes were filmed on public streets using a dedicated camera platform mounted to the cruiser's hood, 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 vehicle 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 dialogue and action during a scene. The script supervisor may also be called upon to ensure wa ...
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 sit in a rear-facing seat in the back of the station wagon towing the police car. Most scenes in the older seasons were filmed at the
Universal Studios Lot Universal Studios Lot is a television and Film studio#Typical components, film studio complex located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California, and is part of the entire Universal Studios complex, which also includes the adjacen ...
, mostly in
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 ...
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, Los Angeles County, California. Situated to the north of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the Municipal corpo ...
. The garage used tow trucks from the LAPD's North Hollywood Division that was located near 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, commonly referred to as Metro Division or just Metro, is an elite division of the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD). It was formed in 1933 and is organized under the LAPD's Special Operations Group. Metropolitan Divisio ...
. The renovated building, now known as the LAPD Metropolitan Division Facility, opened in 2016. In 1974, during the production of the seventh season, Martin Milner signed to play Karl Robinson on the short-lived television series ''The Swiss Family Robinson'', taking him off ''Adam-12''. Several options were tested during this season, which would allow the series to continue should the production of a proposed eighth season move forward.
Jo Ann Pflug Jo Ann Pflug (born 1940) is a retired American film and television actress. Early life and education Pflug was born to J. Lynn and Kelly Pflug. She was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where her father was elected mayor in 1958 and she graduat ...
,
Mark Harmon Thomas Mark Harmon (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor, writer, producer, television director and former American football, football player. He is best known for playing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on ''NCIS (TV series), NCIS'' ...
, and Michael Warren were tested for their potential to replace Milner in episodes where McCord served as their training officer or partner. Another idea proposed that the series be continued with Officer Ed Wells, played by 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-source ...
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". "12", a
slang A slang is a vocabulary (words, phrases, and linguistic usages) of an informal register, common in everyday conversation but avoided in formal writing and speech. It also often refers to the language exclusively used by the members of pa ...
nickname for police, likely originated from ''Adam-12'', in a manner comparable to the similar nickname "five-O", which originated from ''Hawaii Five-O''. In 2003, the Los Angeles Police Department activated an actual unit with the 1-Adam-12 call sign, in service with the 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 2023.


References in other media

Milner and McCord made
cameo appearance A cameo appearance, also called a cameo role and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief guest appearance of a well-known person or character in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking on ...
s as their ''Adam-12'' characters in several 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 six seasons from January 22, 1968, to July 23, 1973, on the NBC television network. The show, hosted by comed ...
'', including one that parodied the series' in-cruiser dialogue scenes. ''Nashville Beat'', a 1989
television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...
about an LAPD detective teaming up with his former partner to stop a dangerous gang in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, 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 otherwise mentioned or referenced. 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 store owners. In the season one episode "Crack House", Milner guest-starred as Malloy, now a captain; in the following episode, "R.T.D. 211", McCord guest-starred as Reed, now a lieutenant. In 1999,
Mattel Mattel, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment company headquartered in El Segundo, California. Founded in Los Angeles by Harold Matson and the husband-and-wife duo of Ruth Handler, ...
produced a
die-cast toy A die-cast toy (also spelled diecast, or die cast) is a toy or a collectible model produced by using the die casting, die-casting method of putting molten lead, zinc alloy or plastic in a mold to produce a particular shape. Such toys are made o ...
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 the sequel to ''The Matrix'' (1999) and the second installment in the ''Matrix'' film series. The film stars Keanu Reeves, L ...
'', "1-Adam-12" can be heard over a police radio feed. In the fourth
OVA , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and special episodes of a series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the ...
episode ("Revenge Road") of the 1987
anime is a Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, , in Japan and in Ja ...
''
Bubblegum Crisis is a 1987-1991 Japanese cyberpunk original video animation (OVA) series produced by Youmex and animated by Anime International Company, AIC and Artmic. The series involves the adventures of the Knight Sabers, an all-female group of Mercenar ...
'', the call sign of an AD Police helicopter is "Adam-12".


Connections to other Mark VII shows

''Adam-12'', ''Dragnet'', and ''
Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, 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 two situatio ...
'' are set in the same universe and depict different aspects of the public safety infrastructure of Los Angeles. Each series has several
crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Music Albums * ''Cross Over'' (album), a 1987 album by Dan Peek, or the title song * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'', an album by Intrigue * ''Crossover'', an album by ...
episodes with characters from other Mark VII shows. Malloy and Reed appear in the ''Dragnet'' episode "Internal Affairs: DR-20", as well as '' 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, ''Adam-12'' is shown to be a television show in one ''Emergency!'' episode, contradicting the officers' physical appearances. Several years after ''Adam-12'''s finale, Kent McCord was to appear in a planned third series of ''Dragnet'', playing Sgt. Friday's partner, but the project was canceled 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 for 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 in tandem with '' The New Dragnet'', another revival of a Jack Webb series. Like ''The New Dragnet'', ''The New Adam-12'' had different characters, music, and presentation compared to the original series, and starred Ethan Wayne as Officer Matt Doyle and Peter Parros as Officer Gus Grant (seemingly unrelated to the Motor Officer Gus Grant seen in the original show, played by William Elliott). 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 received many accolades including 22 Primetime Emmy nominations and won eight, tying Julia Louis-Dreyfus ...
and Melody Patterson. * Episode 8, "Log 72: El Presidente", guest-stars
James Sikking James Barrie Sikking (March 5, 1934 – July 13, 2024) was an American actor, best known for his roles as Lt. Howard Hunter on the 1980s television series ''Hill Street Blues'' and David Howser on '' Doogie Howser, M.D.'' Early years James B ...
, 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 Metropolitan Police Department staff ...
'' 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 portr ...
(''
Easy Rider ''Easy Rider'' is a 1969 American road drama film written by Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Terry Southern. It was produced by Fonda and directed by Hopper. Fonda and Hopper play two bikers who travel through the American Southwest and the S ...
'', ''
Five Easy Pieces ''Five Easy Pieces'' is a 1970 American road drama film directed by Bob Rafelson, written by Rafelson and Carole Eastman (as Adrien Joyce), and starring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite. The film tell ...
'', ''
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'') and
James McEachin James McEachin (May 20, 1930 – January 11, 2025) was an American actor, author and veteran of the Korean War. He appeared in various films and television shows. Early life and military career James McEachin was born in Rennert, North Carolin ...
(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 ''
Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, 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 two situatio ...
'' as a Sheriff's Detective. * Episode 12, "Log 61: The Runaway", features real-life brothers
Jerry Mathers Gerald Patrick Mathers (born June 2, 1948) is a former American actor best known for his role in the television sitcom ''Leave It to Beaver'', originally broadcast from 1957 to 1963. He played the protagonist Beaver Cleaver, Theodore "Beaver" Cle ...
(Beaver from ''
Leave It to Beaver ''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers. CBS first broadcast the show ...
'') and
Jim Mathers James Mathers (born May 5, 1955) is an American cinematographer and former child actor. He is the younger brother of Jerry Mathers, known for his title role in ''Leave It to Beaver''. Biography Mathers was born in Los Angeles, California, and ...
as two rambunctious kids. * 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), Jonny Quest'' TV series, Eric "O ...
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 sitcom television series that was 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 series ...
''. * 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 five seasons from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family of six children, with three boys and three gir ...
''). * 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. He is best known for being the second actor to portray Darrin Stephens on ABC's fantasy sitcom ''Bewitched''. He took the name ...
(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 typi ...
'') 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. In a career that spanned more than six decades, Stanton played supporting roles in films including ''Cool Hand Luke'' (1967), '' Kelly's Heroes'' (1970), '' Dilling ...
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 and musician. He was best known for his role as Keith Partridge in the 1970s musical-sitcom ''The Partridge Family''. After completing high school, Cassidy purs ...
of ''
The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...
'' 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 ''High Noon'' is a 1952 American Western (genre), Western film produced by Stanley Kramer from a screenplay by Carl Foreman, directed by Fred Zinnemann, and starring Gary Cooper. The plot, which occurs in Real time (media), real time, centers ...
'', '' Tight Spot'', 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 ''T ...
'' and '' Faraway Hill''. * Episode 57, "Cigarettes, Cars, and Wild, Wild Women", features Tony Dow (Wally from ''
Leave It to Beaver ''Leave It to Beaver'' is an American television sitcom that follows the misadventures of a suburban boy, his family and his friends. It starred Barbara Billingsley, Hugh Beaumont, Tony Dow and Jerry Mathers. CBS first broadcast the show ...
'') 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. Foster started her career as a child actor before establishing herself as leading actress in film. She has received List of awards and nominations re ...
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 – October 10, 2023) was an American actor who starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1 ...
(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. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 J ...
)'' 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", guest-stars
Trini Lopez Trinidad López III (May 15, 1937 – August 11, 2020), known as Trini Lopez, was an American singer and guitarist. His first album included a cover version of Pete Seeger's " If I Had a Hammer", which earned a gold disc for him. His other ...
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 the 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 50 years. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he was discovere ...
as "Neil Williams"; and in an ''
Emergency! ''Emergency!'' is an American Action fiction, 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 two situatio ...
'' cross-over episode as a paramedic, "John Gage", Episode 106, "Lost and Found". This episode also guest-starred
Linda Kaye Henning Linda Kaye Henning (born September 16, 1944 in California) 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 1 ...
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, an ...
''. * Episode 80, "The Million Dollar Buff", guests-stars Lindsay Wagner (''
The Bionic Woman ''The Bionic Woman'' is an American science fiction film, science fiction Action-adventure fiction, action-adventure television series created by Kenneth Johnson (producer), Kenneth Johnson based on the 1972 novel Cyborg (novel), ''Cyborg'' by ...
'') as a jewelry counter attendant. * Episode 81, "The Grandmother", guest-stars
Ozzie Nelson Oswald George Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975) was an American actor, filmmaker, musician, and bandleader. He originated and starred in ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'', a radio and television series with his wife Harriet Nelson, ...
of ''
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet ''The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet'' is an American television sitcom that aired on American Broadcasting Company, 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 b ...
'' fame. He also directed this episode. * Episode 82, "The Radical", guest-stars
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-stars
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 ...
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 four short stories, all of which involve a ...
'' and
Kathy Garver Kathy Garver (born Kathleen Marie Garver; December 13, 1945) 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 ...
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 attempt ...
''. * Episode 94, "The Tip", 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'' (an acronym for 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 Richa ...
'' fame as Frank Burns) as a police detective whom Malloy and Reed assist on an ongoing case. * Episode 97, "Mary Hong Loves Tommy Chen", guest-stars
Foster Brooks Foster Murrell 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, Kentuck ...
,
Keye Luke Keye Luke (; June 18, 1904 – January 12, 1991) was a Chinese-born American actor, and a founding member of the Screen Actors Guild. He portrayed Lee Chan, the "Number One Son" in the Charlie Chan films, the original Kato in the 1939–1941 ...
, and Jo Ann Worley. * Episode 98, "Sub-Station", guest-stars
Frank Sinatra Jr Francis Wayne Sinatra Group note. (; January 10, 1944 – March 16, 2016), known professionally as Frank Sinatra Jr., was an American jazz and big band singer, songwriter, and conductor. He was the son of singer and actor Frank Sinatra and his ...
., portrays 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-stars
Dick Clark Richard Wagstaff Clark (November 30, 1929April 18, 2012) was an American television and radio personality and television producer who hosted ''American Bandstand'' from 1956 to 1989. He also hosted five incarnations of the Pyramid (game show), ...
of ''
American Bandstand ''American Bandstand'' (AB) is an American Music television, music performance and dance television series that aired in various iterations from 1952 to 1989. It was hosted by Dick Clark who also served as the program's Television producer, pr ...
'' and ''
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve'' (''NYRE''), billed since 2008 as ''Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest'', is a New Year's Eve television special broadcast by American Broadcasting Company, ABC. The special broadcasts ...
'' fame as Benson, the drag strip owner. * Episode 103, "Dirt Duel", guest-stars
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 '' Gr ...
of ''
77 Sunset Strip ''77 Sunset Strip'' is an American private detective crime drama television series created by Roy Huggins and starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Roger Smith, Richard Long (from 1960 to 1961) and Edd Byrnes (billed as Edward Byrnes). Each epis ...
'' and
Micky Dolenz George Michael Dolenz Jr. ( ; born March 8, 1945) is an American musician and actor. He was the drummer and one of two primary vocalists for the pop rock band the Monkees (1966–1970, and reunions until 2021), and a co-star of the TV series ''T ...
of
The Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones (musician), Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees (TV series), Th ...
as bikers. * Episode 104, "The Late Baby", guest-stars both Tina Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Jr. as unrelated characters. * Episode 105, "Airdrop", guest-stars singer
Al Martino Jasper Cini (October 7, 1927 – October 13, 2009), known professionally as Al Martino, was an American traditional pop and standards singer. He had his greatest success as a singer between the early 1950s and mid-1970s, being described as "one o ...
of ''
The Godfather ''The Godfather'' is a 1972 American Epic film, epic crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who co-wrote the screenplay with Mario Puzo, based on Puzo's best-selling The Godfather (novel), 1969 novel. The film stars an ensemble cast inc ...
'' who portrayed "Paul Stocker", a drug smuggling private plane pilot. * 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, ...
'' and ''
Truth or Consequences ''Truth or Consequences'' is an American game show originally hosted on NBC radio by Ralph Edwards (1940–57) and later on television by Edwards (1950–54), Jack Bailey (1954–56), Bob Barker (1956–75), Steve Dunne (1957–58), Bob Hi ...
.'' * Episode 131, "Venice Division", guest-stars Laurette Spang of the original ''
Battlestar Galactica ''Battlestar Galactica'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Glen A. Larson. It began with the original television series in 1978, and was followed by a short-run sequel series, '' Galactica 1980'', a line of book adaptat ...
'' 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 originated the r ...
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 attempt ...
'' 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 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 filmed in black-and-white and broadcast on ABC during its first five seasons, before moving to CBS for the remaining seve ...
''. * Episode 150, "Clinic on Eighteenth Street", guest-stars
Sharon Gless Sharon Marguerite Gless (born May 31, 1943) is an American actress known for her television roles. She portrayed Maggie Philbin on ''Switch'' (1975–78), Sgt. Christine Cagney in the police procedural drama series '' Cagney & Lacey'' (1982–88 ...
, 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 (or simply USA) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports ...
and Frank Sinatra Jr. in his third role on the show. * Episode 151, "Camp: Part 1" and Camp: Part 2", guest-star
June Lockhart June Lockhart (born June 25, 1925) is an American retired actress, beginning a film career in the 1930s and 1940s in such films as A Christmas Carol (1938 film), ''A Christmas Carol'' and ''Meet Me in St. Louis''. She appeared primarily in 1950 ...
, 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. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 J ...
'' as the widowed mother of a son who is on the edge of being a full-blown juvenile delinquent. * 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 ''Di ...
as the 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 Bra ...
, later of ''
Eight Is Enough ''Eight Is Enough'' is an American comedy-drama/sitcom television series that aired on ABC from March 15, 1977, to May 23, 1981. The show was modeled on the life of syndicated newspaper columnist Tom Braden, a real-life parent with eight childre ...
'' fame, as a belligerent drunk who believes himself to be
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
. * 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, playing hopscotch when Reed pulls up behind Malloy's abandoned car. * Episode 171, "Gus Corbin", guest-stars
Mark Harmon Thomas Mark Harmon (born September 2, 1951) is an American actor, writer, producer, television director and former American football, football player. He is best known for playing the lead role of Leroy Jethro Gibbs on ''NCIS (TV series), NCIS'' ...
, the star of ''
NCIS NCIS or N.C.I.S. may refer to: Law enforcement * National Criminal Intelligence Service, the predecessor to the Serious Organised Crime Agency of the United Kingdom * Naval Criminal Investigative Service, a United States law enforcement and intelli ...
'' since 2003. * Episode 172, "Dana Hall", features
Jo Ann Pflug Jo Ann Pflug (born 1940) is a retired American film and television actress. Early life and education Pflug was born to J. Lynn and Kelly Pflug. She was raised in Winter Park, Florida, where her father was elected mayor in 1958 and she graduat ...
of the movie ''
M*A*S*H ''M*A*S*H'' (an acronym for 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 Richa ...
'' as Officer Dana Hall, a probationary police officer, Acting Watch Commander Malloy, teams with Reed in 1-Adam-12.


Episodes


Home media

Universal Studios Universal Studios may refer to: * Universal Studios, Inc., an American media and entertainment conglomerate ** Universal Pictures, an American film studio ** Universal Studios Lot, a film and television studio complex * Various theme parks operat ...
released Season 1 of ''Adam 12'' on DVD in Region 1 on August 23, 2005. In fall 2008,
Shout! Factory Shout! Factory, LLC, doing business as Shout! Studios (formerly doing business as Shout! Factory, its current legal name), is an American home video and music distributor founded in 2002 as Retropolis Entertainment. Its video releases, issued i ...
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

From January 5, 2015 to December 27, 2019, episodes of ''Adam-12'' aired 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 1950s to the 2000s. The network originat ...
. 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 progra ...
from May 2013 until January 1, 2015, when its place in the network's weekday afternoon lineup 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 operatio ...
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 t ...
, 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 PM (''Dragnet'' aired periodically in the morning at 6/5C AM). On April 3, 2023, ''Adam-12'' started to air on FETV. As of 2024, ''Adam-12'' airs in the early morning on MeTV weekdays from 6am to 7am EST and late nights on FETV every night at 10:30pm and 11:05pm EST and early evenings weekends at 5:40pm and 6:20pm EST.


Internet

All episodes from ''Adam-12'' are available for online streaming on
Amazon Prime Amazon Prime (styled as prime) is a paid subscription service of Amazon which is available in many countries and gives users access to additional services otherwise unavailable or available at a premium to other Amazon customers. Services inclu ...
's
Freevee Amazon Freevee (stylized as freevee and fv, also shortened as Freevee, formerly known as IMDb Freedive and IMDb TV, and sometimes spelled FV) is an American ad-supported video-on-demand (VOD) streaming service owned by Amazon, with original an ...
streaming service.


References


External links


The Official Kent McCord Archives: Adam-12
*
''Adam-12''
at ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media In mass communication, digital media is any media (communication), communication media that operates in conjunction with various encoded machine-readable data formats. Digital content can be created, vi ...
'' {{Jack Webb/Mark VII Limited 1960s American crime television series 1960s American mystery television series 1960s American police procedural television series 1968 American television series debuts 1970s American crime television series 1970s American mystery television series 1970s American police procedural television series 1975 American television series endings American English-language television shows American Motors Television series about the Los Angeles Police Department NBC crime dramas Television series by Mark VII Limited Television series by Universal Television Television shows filmed in Los Angeles Television shows set in Los Angeles Fictional portrayals of the Los Angeles Police Department