The Only Major Actors Still Alive From Adam-12

When it comes to naming (and, let's be honest, blaming) the TV shows that created a romanticized, wildly unrealistic version of policing, "Dragnet" is often at the top of the list. The show gets mentioned for good reason; while previous shows had portrayed cops as bumbling and imperfect, "Dragnet" was made with the direct input — and, importantly, approval — of the Los Angeles Police Department. Thus, as cultural critics including Vox's Constance Grady have pointed out, "Dragnet" all but invented "copaganda," normalizing the myth that most cops are inherently heroic, caring, quick to act, and justice-oriented. You know, all the things that we know are totally true about the LAPD.

If "Dragnet" tops this hypothetical list, "Adam-12" shouldn't be far behind. The series was co-created by Jack Webb, who had also made "Dragnet." It takes place inside the same fictional universe, and it was also reportedly made with input from the LAPD. Its squeaky-clean view of the police is apparent as early as its pilot, when one of the two leads describes a cop car in awe-inspiring terms as if it's his trusty steed. Perhaps unsurprisingly, audiences dug "Adam-12," which premiered in 1968. The drama would run for seven years, inspire its own slang term (cops are sometimes called "12"), and returned for a sequel series in the '80s. Today, most of its major stars have passed away, but one of the lead detectives is still with us — and still working.

A young Kent McCord played rookie cop Jim Reed, one half of the crime-fighting duo opposite the late Martin Milner's Pete Malloy, for all 7 seasons of "Adam-12." The actor had originated the role on "Dragnet 1967" a year before taking the lead on "Adam-12," and had been taking small roles in films and TV shows since 1964. After "Adam-12," McCord continued acting for decades, appearing movies as wide-ranging as "Predator 2," "Airplane II: The Sequel," and "Illicit Behavior."

On television, McCord never again took on lead roles that lasted for years, but he did choose interesting projects, like the "Battlestar Galactica" spinoff "Galactica 1980," the sci-fi cult favorite "Farscape" (in which he played both a human man and his alien counterpart), and "Unsub," a short-lived 1989 series that — as "Criminal Minds" fans may have guessed — follows a group of FBI forensics experts. McCord reprised the role of Jim Reed in "The New Adam-12" in 1990, though the show only lasted two seasons. He's also popped up as a guest star on several popular shows, including "21 Jump Street," "The Love Boat," "Macgyver," and "Murder, She Wrote."

These days, McCord seems to be largely retired, though he voiced a character in the 2023 game "Starfield." In an interview with Harvey Brownstown last year, McCord spoke positively about the experience, and said he's proud to have been able to use his Screen Actors' Guild card for seven decades and counting. McCord previously served in a leadership position on SAG's National Board of Directors, and he won SAG's Ralph Morgan Award for positive contributions to the community in 1999 (per Variety).