Adam-12

Did You Know?

• The slang nickname "12" for police likely originated from Adam-12, similar to "five-O" from Hawaii Five-O.
• A revival titled The New Adam-12 aired in syndication from 1990 to 1991, starring Ethan Wayne and Peter Parros.

Premise

Set in the Los Angeles Police Department's Central Division, Adam-12 follows officers Pete Malloy and Jim Reed as they patrol Los Angeles. Episodes depict them handling a range of calls, from intense incidents such as pursuits, standoffs, shootouts, hostage-takings, gang violence, terrorism, and undercover assignments, to routine happenings like traffic stops, disputes, disturbances, narcotics crimes, DUI arrests, fights, and thefts. At the series' start, Malloy intends to resign after his previous partner's death but is assigned to train rookie Reed. After Reed disobeys orders yet singlehandedly arrests armed suspects during a shooting call, Malloy sees potential and stays to guide him through his nine-month probationary period. The first two seasons are not chronological, with Reed's stated time in the LAPD varying per episode. From the third season onward, the series is organized chronologically, and Reed completes his probation, remaining Malloy's partner. In later seasons, the pair patrol other divisions and take on different assignments, such as airport detail, Metropolitan Division, Air Support Division, and desk duty. Malloy sometimes fills in as watch commander in the final season, while Reed partners with probationary officers. In the series finale, Reed receives the Medal of Valor for saving Malloy's life and becomes a detective, while Malloy is promoted to sergeant.

Cast

Martin Milner plays Officer Pete Malloy, a seasoned LAPD officer who decides to put off his planned resignation in order to shepherd rookie Jim Reed through his training. Malloy knows many of the officers in Central Division and some of the regular citizens in his patrol sector. By the seventh season, he is working toward a sergeant’s promotion and occasionally fills in as watch commander. He is unmarried but actively dating, a theme that appears in several episodes. His badge number is 744. Kent McCord plays Officer Jim Reed, the new officer assigned to Malloy for field training. After completing his probation, Reed stays on as Malloy’s partner. A running gag is that Malloy refuses to let Reed drive the patrol car. Near the end of season seven, Reed applies for a detective position. He is married to Jean, and they have a son named Jimmy. His badge number is 2430. Shaaron Claridge plays herself, a police dispatcher and desk clerk. She is heard but almost never seen, appearing on camera only once in season five, episode twenty. Claridge was a real LAPD dispatcher who performed this role as a side job until her 1990 retirement. William Boyett portrays Sergeant William “Mac” MacDonald, the watch commander at Central Division. He oversees officers like Malloy and Reed, assigning them cases. His call sign is 1-Lincoln-20, and he drives a station wagon equipped with a Federal Riot Gun for tear gas. He has a wife named Mary, a son named Billy, a daughter named Elizabeth, and a brother named Bryan. Gary Crosby plays Officer Ed Wells, a friend of Malloy’s. Early on, Wells is hot-headed and reckless, but later seasons soften him into comic relief, often playing pranks. He was considered as a replacement for Malloy in a never-produced eighth season.

Production

Universal Studios co-produced the show with Mark VII Limited. The first episode, "Log 1: The Impossible Mission", was filmed in September 1967, a year before the pilot was picked up. Production aimed to show correct police procedures, and many elements changed to reflect new LAPD policies; for example, when the LAPD switched from the 6-inch Smith & Wesson Model 14 to the 4-inch Smith & Wesson Model 15 in 1970, the service revolvers in the show changed starting in the fourth season. Police cruisers played a central role, as Jack Webb wanted the vehicle itself to be considered a character. The show's routine use of police radio communications and jargon reinforced the sound of radio as an anti-crime technology. Police vehicles were purchased from local dealerships and outfitted by the prop department to accurate LAPD cruiser specifications. 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 remote-controlled cameras that rolled simultaneously. For the pilot, Webb disliked sky reflections on the windshield, so the windshield was removed, but this caused the actors' hair to blow and audio issues. The prop department reinstalled the windshield and built an overhead shield extending over the hood and windshield to block reflections, with sides added to create a large "black box" over the front of the vehicle. During filming, the script supervisor lay on the floor in the back of the car to read radio dialogue, while the director and sound man sat in a rear-facing seat in the station wagon towing the police car.

Notable guest-star actor and actress appearances

Many famous performers appeared in various episodes of Adam-12. Episode 2, "Log 141: The Color TV Bandit", stars Cloris Leachman and Melody Patterson. Episode 8, "Log 72: El Presidente", guest-stars James Sikking as an armed robber. Episode 10, "Log 132: Producer", stars Karen Black and James McEachin, who also appeared in five additional episodes in different roles. Episode 12, "Log 61: The Runaway", features real-life brothers Jerry Mathers and Jim Mathers. Episode 16, "Log 62: Grand Theft Horse?", guest-stars Tim Matheson as a horse thief. Episode 19, "Log 51: A Jumper, Code 2", stars Hal Smith. Episode 22, "Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone", stars Barry Williams. Episode 25, "Log 92: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard", guest-stars Dick Sargent and Jacqueline Scott. Episode 26, "Log 22: So This Little Guy Goes into This Bar, and..." guest-stars Harry Dean Stanton as a welfare hustler. Episode 43, "Log 24: A Rare Occasion" stars David Cassidy. Episode 53, "Loan Sharks", guest-stars Eve McVeagh. Episode 57, "Cigarettes, Cars, and Wild, Wild Women", features Tony Dow as a young United States Marine. Episode 58, "Log 55: Missing Child", guests stars Jodie Foster as the playmate of a missing child. Episode 60, "Log 105, Elegy for a Pig" guest-stars Mark Goddard as Officer Tom Porter. Episode 66, "Log 115: Gang War", guest-stars Trini Lopez as a local Latino priest; Lopez also appeared the following year in Episode 95: "The Parole Violator".