Police Story (1973 TV series)

Overview

Although an anthology, each episode centered on a police officer working for a branch of the Los Angeles Police Department in Los Angeles. Some characters recurred: Scott Brady appeared in 16 episodes as Vinnie, a retired cop who ran a bar and served as a Greek chorus. Tony Lo Bianco and Don Meredith each made five appearances as Robbery-Homicide Division partners Tony Calabrese and Bert Jameson, appearing together in four episodes. Vic Morrow played surveillance specialist Joe LaFrieda in the pilot and a first-season two-parter.

James Farentino played Charlie Czonka in two episodes, and John Bennett Perry played Officer Chick Torpey five times across the first two seasons. Chuck Connors and Jackie Cooper also appeared in various roles. The anthology format allowed depiction of a wide range of police experiences: detectives investigating major crimes, patrol officers on high-crime beats, cadets in the academy, women officers in a male-dominated field, traffic officers, officers with marital or alcohol problems, fingerprint technicians, high-ranking administrators, officers with permanent disabilities from on-duty injuries, and officers working two jobs to make a living.