"Mod Squad" (1968) "The Mod Squad" (original title), TV series 1968-1973

Creator:

Buddy Ruskin
(more)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Release Date:

24 September 1968 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

One White, One Black, One Blonde

Plot:

Three young outsiders fight crime as undercover agents for the police.

Plot Keywords:

Undercover | Police | Policeman | Cult TV | Policewoman

Awards:

Won Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 17 nominations

Cast

Michael Cole	...	Pete Cochran / ... (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Clarence Williams III	...	Linc Hayes / ... (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Peggy Lipton	...	Julie Barnes / ... (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Tige Andrews	...	Capt. Adam Greer / ... (123 episodes, 1968-1973)

Series Directed by
Gene Nelson		(18 episodes, 1968-1971)
Robert Michael Lewis		(16 episodes, 1969-1972)
Earl Bellamy		(13 episodes, 1968-1971)
George McCowan		(11 episodes, 1968-1972)
Jerry Jameson		(10 episodes, 1969-1972)
Philip Leacock		(8 episodes, 1970-1972)
Richard Newton		(7 episodes, 1972-1973)
Don McDougall		(6 episodes, 1971-1973)
Lawrence Dobkin		(4 episodes, 1970-1972)
Seymour Robbie		(4 episodes, 1971-1972)
Michael Caffey		(3 episodes, 1968-1971)
Jack Arnold		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)
Lee H. Katzin		(2 episodes, 1968)
Barry Shear		(2 episodes, 1971-1972)
John Llewellyn Moxey		(2 episodes, 1971)
William Crain		(1 episode, 1970-1971)

Series Writing credits
Tony Barrett		(123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Harve Bennett		(123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Buddy Ruskin		(123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Sammy Hess		(97 episodes, 1968-1973)
Edward J. Lakso		(12 episodes, 1969-1971)
Steffi Barrett		(6 episodes, 1969-1972)
Rick Husky		(6 episodes, 1971-1973)
Gwen Bagni		(5 episodes, 1968-1970)
Paul Dubov		(5 episodes, 1968-1970)
Walter Black		(4 episodes, 1970-1971)
Jack Turley		(4 episodes, 1971-1972)
Arthur Weingarten		(3 episodes, 1968-1972)
Richard H. Landau		(3 episodes, 1969-1972)
Rita Lakin		(3 episodes, 1969-1970)
Mann Rubin		(3 episodes, 1971)
Skip Webster		(3 episodes, 1972-1973)
Robert Heverly		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)
Stephen Kandel		(2 episodes, 1968-1969)
Margaret Armen		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)
William Bast		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)
William Wood		(2 episodes, 1969-1970)
Margaret Schneider		(2 episodes, 1970-1973)
Paul Schneider		(2 episodes, 1970-1973)
Alvin Boretz		(2 episodes, 1970-1971)
Gene L. Coon		(2 episodes, 1970-1971)
Elroy Schwartz		(2 episodes, 1971-1973)
Robert C. Dennis		(2 episodes, 1971-1972)
Ernie Frankel		(2 episodes, 1971-1972)
Don Ingalls		(2 episodes, 1971-1972)
S.S. Schweitzer		(2 episodes, 1971-1972)
Robert Hamner		(2 episodes, 1972-1973)
Sandor Stern		(2 episodes, 1972-1973)
Dirk Wayne Summers		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Aaron Spelling	....	executive producer / producer (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Danny Thomas	....	executive producer (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Richard Newton	....	associate producer (65 episodes, 1970-1973)
Tony Barrett	....	producer / series producer (61 episodes, 1968-1973)
Harve Bennett	....	producer / series producer (39 episodes, 1968-1971)
Shelley Hull	....	associate producer (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Anthony Spinner	....	producer (12 episodes, 1971-1972)
Sandor Stern	....	producer (12 episodes, 1972-1973)
Peter Dunne	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Original Music by
Earle Hagen		(25 episodes, 1968-1972)
Billy May		(23 episodes, 1968-1971)
Carl Brandt		(4 episodes, 1970-1972)
Shorty Rogers		(2 episodes, 1968)
J.J. Johnson		(1 episode, 1970-1973)

Series Cinematography by
Fleet Southcott		(49 episodes, 1968-1971)
Tim Southcott		(47 episodes, 1971-1973)

Series Film Editing by
Leon Carrere		(16 episodes, 1969-1973)
David McCann		(12 episodes, 1969-1972)
George W. Brooks		(12 episodes, 1971-1972)
Bob Lewis		(11 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jason H. Bernie		(10 episodes, 1968-1969)
Hugh Chaloupka		(9 episodes, 1970-1971)
Les Green		(8 episodes, 1970-1971)
Bill Mosher		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)
Dick Wormell		(5 episodes, 1972-1973)
Richard V. Heermance		(4 episodes, 1970-1971)
Art Seid		(4 episodes, 1971-1973)
James Moore		(3 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jim Faris		(3 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Casting by
Harvey Clermont		(71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Betty Martin		(26 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Art Direction by
Tracy Bousman		(81 episodes, 1968-1973)
William J. Creber		(13 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Set Decoration by
Donald E. Webb		(71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Ned Parsons		(25 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Costume Design by
Madeline Sylos		(91 episodes, 1968-1973)
W.T. Zacha		(48 episodes, 1970-1972)
Harald Johnson		(25 episodes, 1968-1969)
Robert Fuca		(25 episodes, 1972-1973)
Della Fox		(4 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Makeup Department
Howard Smit	....	makeup artist (96 episodes, 1968-1973)
Joyce Morrison	....	hair stylist (71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Donna McDonough	....	hair stylist (25 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jan Van Uchelen	....	hair stylist (9 episodes, 1968)

Series Production Management
Norman Henry	....	executive production manager / production supervisor (97 episodes, 1968-1973)
Al Kraus	....	production manager (71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Ronald Jacobs	....	executive in charge of production (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jack Voglin	....	production manager (25 episodes, 1968-1969)
Jerry Jameson	....	production supervisor (24 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Bondelli	....	assistant director (34 episodes, 1970-1973)
Victor Vallejo	....	assistant director (24 episodes, 1970-1973)
Jack Barry	....	assistant director (13 episodes, 1968-1969)
Fred Giles	....	assistant director (11 episodes, 1972-1973)
Wesley Barry	....	assistant director (8 episodes, 1968-1969)
John Anderson Jr.	....	assistant director (4 episodes, 1969)

Series Art Department
Bob Henderson	....	property master / prop master (96 episodes, 1968-1973)
Gordon Kirschbaum	....	construction coordinator (71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Jesse Stone	....	construction coordinator (26 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Sound Department
John D. Hall	....	sound editor (73 episodes, 1968-1972)
Victor Guarnier	....	sound editor (27 episodes, 1969-1972)
Barry Thomas	....	sound engineer (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
William A. Phillips	....	sound editor (24 episodes, 1968-1969)
John Speak	....	sound engineer (24 episodes, 1970-1971)
Bill Flannery	....	sound engineer (24 episodes, 1971-1972)
Glenn E. Anderson	....	sound engineer (22 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Special Effects by
Joe Lombardi	....	special effects (65 episodes, 1968-1972)
Dutch Van Derbyl	....	special effects (23 episodes, 1972-1973)

Series Stunts
Ronnie Rondell Jr.	....	stunt coordinator (90 episodes, 1968-1973)
Denny Arnold	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Carol Daniels	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Gary Epper	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Peaches Jones	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Troy Melton	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Doug O'Dell	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Alan Oliney	....	stunt double (unknown episodes)
Regina Parton	....	stunts (unknown episodes)
Walter Scott	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Betty Martin	....	casting supervisor (14 episodes, 1970-1971)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jack Taylor	....	men's fashions (25 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Editorial Department
Elby Cuniberti	....	editorial supervisor (48 episodes, 1970-1972)
Jerry Jameson	....	editorial supervisor (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Russel Wiles	....	post-production coordinator (16 episodes, 1972-1973)
Jim Allen	....	post-production coordinator (6 episodes, 1972)

Series Music Department
Earle Hagen	....	composer: theme music (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Ken Johnson	....	music editor (95 episodes, 1968-1973)
Walter Popp	....	music coordinator (26 episodes, 1968-1969)
Toni Roelofsma	....	music editor (2 episodes, 1968-1969)

Series Transportation Department
Chris Haynes	....	driver / production driver (9 episodes, 1969-1970)

Series Other crew
Buddy Ruskin	....	technical advisor / technical director (123 episodes, 1968-1973)
Doris DeHerdt	....	script continuity / continuity (92 episodes, 1968-1973)
Ronald Jacobs	....	production executive (71 episodes, 1970-1973)
Rick Husky	....	executive story consultant / executive story editor (39 episodes, 1971-1973)
Shelley Hull	....	executive producers' coordinator / executive producers coordinator / ... (24 episodes, 1970-1971)
Peter Dunne	....	assistant to producer (17 episodes, 1972-1973)
Robert Foster	....	executive story editor (12 episodes, 1970-1971)
Rita Lakin	....	executive story editor (10 episodes, 1970-1971)
Arthur Weingarten	....	executive story editor (8 episodes, 1971-1972)
Helen Parker	....	script continuity (3 episodes, 1968-1969)

Production Companies

• Thomas/Spelling Productions

Distributors

• Worldvision Enterprises (1973) (worldwide) (TV)
• Paramount Television (1999) (worldwide) (TV)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1968-1973) (USA) (TV) (original airing)

Special Effects

• Howard Anderson Company, The (photographic effects) (as Howard A. Anderson Co.)

Other Companies

• Chrysler Corporation  automobiles furnished by
• Glen Glenn Sound Company  recorded by

Also Known As:

"The Mod Squad" - USA (original title)

Runtime:

60 min (123 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Thomas/Spelling Productions

Trivia:

Series creator Buddy Ruskin, a former Los Angeles police officer, used his experiences with a special L.A.P.D. youth squad as the basis for this show.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: Humanoid Woman (#1.11)" (1989)

Most unique cop show of the late 60s.

The Mod Squad centered around three youthful cops, that were recruited to the LA police force in the late 60s. This show was truly cutting-edge as a concept back then. Three cool, under thirty hipsters as cops?? Yep! And it worked, because this was one of the most popular crime dramas of all-time.

The Mod Squad included Pete Cochran, a rich kid looking for kicks, who runs afoul of the law. Then there's Linc Hayes, a black ghetto youth who's struggling to survive, and gets himself busted. Lastly, there's Julie, a gorgeous young woman who suffers from a sad home life, and flees it. She too gets wrapped-up in law-breaking. Instead of throwing these three offenders in the clink, Capt. Greer has the idea of making them undercover cops, as long as they all agree to obey the law from then on.

Linc, Pete, and Julie were the coolest cops on TV in the late 60s. They all dressed in the latest 60s youth fashions, used hip lingo, and had the street-smarts necessary to do their jobs, as cops in the urban jungle of LA. The three were almost like a family, with Capt. Greer looking out for them like a kindly father would.

By working together in harmony, the Mod Squad showed that the societal chasms of race, class, gender, and even generational strife, could be overcome. It may have been an idealistic vision, but then the 60s were an idealistic period. It was so positive to see the three very different Mod Squad members, have a cooperative working relationship, despite their differences. They set an example, that folks could strive to follow in real life.

I highly recommend the Mod Squad, and not only for those who are nostalgic for the 60s. It's simply a quality show, enjoyable for all ages. Like Linc Hayes would say, it's 'solid man'.