Fans of the iconic early ’70s police drama Adam-12 were recently treated to a nostalgic sighting of one of the show’s main stars in Los Angeles. 

At 80, the actor was seen running errands at a Staples store.

The afternoon errand was a far cry from the days of filming scenes patrolling the streets of the city alongside Martin Milner’s Officer Pete Malloy. 

Dressed casually in a black coverall and handkerchief, his laid-back look was a far cry from the iconic police uniform he wore for seven seasons, on a series hailed for its realistic portrayal of police work.  

It was also a stark contrast to his earlier role on The Ozzie And Harriet Show, where he played the fraternity brother of Ricky Nelson’s character, while being close friends with Ricky in real life. 

Can you guess who this actor is? 

Fans of the iconic early ’70s police drama Adam-12 were recently treated to a nostalgic sighting of one of the show’s stars, spotted out and about in Los Angeles 

At 80, the actor – best known as Officer Jim Reed, the younger half of the dynamic crime-fighting duo on the series – was seen running errands at a Staples store

If you guessed Kent McCord, you’re spot on!

McCord’s Hollywood story began unexpectedly in 1961, during a casual college touch football game where he was invited to play alongside two iconic figures: Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, per The Albany Herald.

This impromptu match led to a friendship with Nelson that became the catalyst for McCord’s enduring career in film and TV.

Read More Star of iconic 70s sitcom is unrecognizable with pointed political message on hat… can you guess?

‘I got a five-year role playing Rick’s fraternity brother in Ozzie and Harriet,’ McCord recalled to the outlet. 

Soon, he landed the role that would change his life. 

‘The charm of Adam-12 was its simplicity,’ McCord explained to the outlet.

‘Just two cops in a black-and-white patrolling the streets of Los Angeles. The moral of the stories was simply — crime doesn’t pay.’ 

The show left a lasting impact, even inspiring real-life law enforcement.

‘To this day, I get police officers telling me they became cops because of Adam-12,’ McCord said. 

The afternoon errand was a far cry from the days of filming scenes patrolling the streets of the city alongside Martin Milner’s Officer Pete Malloy

Dressed casually in a black coverall and handkerchief, his laid-back look was a far cry from the iconic police uniform he wore for seven seasons, on a series hailed for its realistic portrayal of police work

McCord’s Hollywood story began unexpectedly in 1961, during a casual college touch football game where he was invited to play alongside two iconic figures: Ricky Nelson and Elvis Presley, per The Albany Herald

It was also a stark contrast to his earlier role on The Ozzie And Harriet Show, where he played the fraternity brother of Ricky Nelson’s character, while being close friends with Ricky in real life

‘Others remember how kids approached them differently before and after the show aired. Its positive impact meant a lot to Marty and me.’

In addition to his acting career, McCord was actively involved with the Screen Actors Guild.

He served on the National Board of Directors for 11 years and becoming its first national vice president. 

His post-Adam-12 career saw him in roles on Baa Baa Black Sheep (1970s) and Galactica 1980 (1980), as well as a failed Dragnet reboot after Jack Webb’s death. 

He also appeared in Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) and Unsub (1989).

McCord continued to work well into the ’90s, reuniting with Martin Milner for Nashville Beat (1990), and appearing in Predator 2 (1990) and Return of the Living ᴅᴇᴀᴅ 3 (1993). 

His diverse career also included recurring roles on seaQuest DSV, JAG, Diagnosis: Murder, Farscape, and Renegade. 

Married to actress Cynthia Doty, he remains active in the industry today.