Adam 12 Cast: Where Are They Now?

Adam-12 was an award-winning television police drama series broadcast on NBC from 1968 to 1975. The show chronicled the adventures of two Los Angeles police officers – Pete Malloy and Jim Reed – as they patrolled Los Angeles streets in their patrol car, codenamed 1-Adam-12. Adam-12 won critical acclaim for its realistic depiction of police work as well as its use of authentic LAPD language and procedures; its creators Robert A. Cinader and Jack Webb (Dragnet & Emergency!) produced all three shows as well.

Adam 12 Cast: What are They Doing Now?

Adam-12 featured an exceptional cast that brought its characters to life on screen. Here are some interesting facts about its main and recurring cast members as well as what happened after it ended.

1. Martin Milner will play Officer Pete Malloy

Martin Milner was the senior partner in their duo, a veteran officer who had seen it all. He was known for being composed, competent, and compassionate while still possessing an endearing dry sense of humor – which served him well when mentoring rookie partner Jim Reed into becoming a more effective police officer.

Milner was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1931 and began performing early. As an actor he appeared in several films and TV shows before landing the role of Malloy on Adam-12 with Jack Webb (Dragnet and Route 66) who also previously directed him in movies such as Columbo, Murder She Wrote, Airplane II: The Sequel, MacGyver as well as hosting his own radio show called Let’s Talk Hook-Up about fishing and outdoor activities.

Milner died at age 83 due to heart failure, leaving behind his beloved wife of 58 years Judith and four children.

2. Kent McCord plays Officer Jim Reed

Kent McCord was the junior partner in their duo, eagerly eager to learn from his experienced partner. Idealistic, enthusiastic and loyal to a fault, but often made mistakes which caused issues for them both; frequently clashing over different policing views as well as life choices.

McCord was born in Los Angeles, California in 1942. After taking up acting in high school and landing a role as an extra on Dragnet, he met Jack Webb (then acting director). Impressed by his professionalism and resemblance to Martin Milner (Martin Milner in Dragnet), Webb cast him as Reed in Adam-12. From there on out he continued acting roles including Galactica 1980, Airplane II: The Sequel, Predator 2, Farscape and JAG among many other roles – even serving as president of Screen Actors Guild from 1989-1995!

McCord is still active as of 2021, married to Cynthia Lee Doty since 1962 and having three children together.

3. William Boyett will play Sergeant MacDonald.

William Boyett was Malloy and Reed’s supervisor at Central Division Station. As an authoritative but fair sergeant, he would give them assignments, advice, and feedback about their performance – often joining them on patrol or backup missions as needed.

Boyett was born in Akron, Ohio in 1927. After serving in World War II he studied drama at UCLA. While on this path to stardom he appeared on several TV shows and movies before landing the role of MacDonald on Adam-12 (after working with Jack Webb on Dragnet and Emergency!).

Following Adam-12 he continued acting roles such as The Rockford Files, CHiPs, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Karate Kid Part II and Turner & Hooch among many others.
Boyett died at 77 due to complications associated with pneumonia and kidney failure in 2004 and was survived by Joan Reynolds (his wife for 52 years) and their two sons (Gary Crosby portrays Officer Ed Wells in this film).

4. Gary Crosby as Officer Ed Wells

Gary Crosby was a frequent figure on Adam-12 and often filled in for Malloy or Reed when they were absent or injured. He was known to be confident, playful, and full of mischief; making for an entertaining addition.
Crosby was an often boisterous cop who liked to tease his partners and challenge their authority, yet had an affection for animals and children alike. Born in Los Angeles in 1933.

Bing Crosby and Dixie Lee had six children together, the eldest being Daniel Crosby who became known for both singing and acting roles. Daniel began his career as a singer before transitioning into acting.
Prior to being cast as Wells, he appeared in several television and movies including: Dragnet and Emergency! whilst working alongside Jack Webb. Before Adam-12 he went on to star as Wells.
Reign continued his acting career by appearing on various TV series and movies such as M*A*S*H, The Dukes of Hazzard, The A-Team, and The Twilight Zone.
He published an eye-opening memoir, Going My Own Way, wherein he detailed his abusive relationship with his father.

Crosby died from lung cancer at age 62 in 1995 and was survived by Barbara Cosentino (his fourth wife) and their four children.

FAQ: The Ultimate Guide To Your Questions

Q: When did Adam-12 air on NBC?

A: It originally premiered from September 21, 1968 until May 20, 1975 with seven seasons and 174 episodes over those seven years.

Q: What Does Adam-12 Mean?

A: Adam-12 is the call sign for Malloy and Reed’s patrol car. It consists of three parts: (1) division number; type of unit (Adam for two-man patrol cars); and beat number (12).

Q: Is Adam-12 based on an actual event?

A: Adam-12 does not depict an exact account of police work and events from reality; rather it draws inspiration from real police work and incidents in Los Angeles. Produced with LAPD assistance and using actual officers as consultants, extras, technical advisors as well as real locations, equipment vehicles and radio codes made the show authentic to life.

Q: Where can I watch Adam-12?

A: Adam-12 can be watched on various streaming platforms such as Peacock, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube; DVD and Blu-ray versions can also be purchased separately.