Help us find and improve next week's Connection Finder profiles: TV Police [closed]

+25 votes
1.7k views

With the recent death of Lance Reddick, known for his roles of Lt. Cedric Daniels on "The Wire," Chief Irving in "Bosch", FBI detective Philip Broyles in "Fringe," and many other roles, we're looking at his connection to our tree in the Connection Finder next week. We're looking for others who have played police officers on television to feature alongside him.

Here's who we're getting started on:

  • Stana Katic, "Kate Beckett" on Castle (bio is just a Wikipedia copy and paste job, so attention needs taken there and she's unconnected)
  • Jack Webb, "Joe Friday" on Dragnet (needs a biography)
  • Andy Samberg, "Jake Peralta" on Brooklyn Nine-Nine (bio is Wikipedia copy and paste and needs updated)

Who else should we feature? We have room for eleven notables. We can't feature everyone who is nominated, but if we don't feature a profile you work on, we may use it sometime in the future. And, of course, all contributions help improve our shared tree.

Our choice of features will depend partly on the notable person's CC7, i.e. their connection count within seven degrees. The more connections they have, the more likely it is for all WikiTree members to find a close and interesting connection to them. So, if you nominate someone, please help grow their CC7.

We'll make a final decision on which ones to feature early next week.

Please reply here with what you're working on so that we don't duplicate our efforts. Thank you!

Take note that this is not the place to discuss why you think we shouldn't feature someone if those reasons are due to politics, actions, or opinions of those being suggested.  Mentioning things like their not being connected, their biography still needing work, erroneous information, etc. are all suitable for discussion here and an opportunity to correct those situations.

Help us plan Connection Finder themes for 2023 here.

closed with the note: Feature: https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1572230/which-tv-police-officer-are-you-most-closely-connected-to
in The Tree House by Abby Glann G2G6 Pilot (829k points)
closed by Abby Glann

22 Answers

+22 votes

Angie Dickinson portrayed Sergeant Pepper Anderson in the TV police series Police Woman.  The show was the first successful dramatic TV series to feature a woman in the title role. 

Dennis Weaver portrayed Deputy Marshal Sam McCloud in the police series McCloud.     

Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. portrayed Inspector Lewis Erskine in the police series The F.B.I.   

Jack Lord portrayed Detective Steve McGarrett in the police series Hawaii Five-O. 

by Russell Butler G2G6 Pilot (202k points)
edited by Russell Butler
Angie Dickinson for the win! One of the first female cops leads on American television.
And her portrayal made a difference - The Police Woman series resulted in a surge of applications for employment from women in police departments in the United States.
Thanks, Russell.
+19 votes

John Thaw played Inspector Morse and in The Sweeny

Dennis Waterman in The Sweeny, Minder and New Tricks

Geraldine McKeown played  Agatha Christie's Miss Marple

Joan Hickson also played Miss Marple

by D Grosvenor G2G6 Mach 5 (59.1k points)
edited by D Grosvenor

Dame Margaret Rutherford also played Marple (but it should be noted she (Marple) was not police).

I cannot see if Brenda Blethyn (née Bottle) has a profile, but she'd be wonderful to feature.  She is remarkable for her role as Detective Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope in the television series "Vera".
(I did look, but cannot see anything that might match her.)

haha you're right Melanie (but she was better at the job than the police wink ) I was just trying to balance my list but Vera is a very good suggestion.... which gets me thinking about Jane Tennison played by extremely well-known actress that has slipped my mind aarghh!!!

Helen Mirren
Thanks, D!
+17 votes

The Andy Griffith Show:

Car 54, Where Are You? 

(I haven't watched it yet, but my mom suggested it)

  • Joe E. Ross as Officer Gunther Toody - Roszawikz-1
  • Fred Gwynne as Officer Francis Muldoon - Gwynne-24
  • Al Lewis as Officer Leo Schnauser - No profile yet? Born as Abraham Meister 1923 - 2006.
  • Hank Garrett as Officer Ed Nicholson - No profile yet? Born as Henry Greenberg Cohen Sandler Weinblatt, October 26, 1931.
  • Paul Reed as Capt. Paul Block - No profile yet? Born as Sidney Kahn, June 16, 1909
  • Bruce Kirby as Officer Kissel - His profile needs work: Quidaciolu-1
  • Jimmy Little as Sgt. Jim McBride - Little-21108
  • Nipsey Russell as Officer Anderson - Not connected. Russell-26546
  • Ossie Davis as Officer Omar Anderson - Davis-81194
  • Frederick O'Neal as Officer Wallace - No profile yet? Born as Frederick Douglas O'Neal, August 27, 1905 – August 25, 1992.
  • Jim Gormley as Officer Nelson - Hard to find sufficient information.
  • Albert Henderson as Officer Dennis O'Hara - No profile yet? Born as Albert Horton Henderson, January 29, 1915 - Jan 23, 2004.
  • Nathaniel Frey as Sergeant Abrams - No profile yet? August 3, 1913 - November 7, 1970.
  • Jerome Guardino as Officer Antonnucci - No profile yet?  August 27, 1923 - January 4, 2020.
  • It looks like there might be more.
by Jennifer Fulk G2G6 Mach 6 (66.8k points)
I love Car 54, Where are You?  My dad was a police officer and he was paired with a tall guy named Greenwood.  So they were jokingly referred to as Toody and Muldoon. Fred Gwynne and AL Lewis teamed up later as Herman Munster and Grandpa in The Munsters.
Thanks, Jennifer.
+23 votes

The Canada Project nominates actor Leslie William Nielsen who played police officer Frank Drebin in the Naked Gun movie franchise and the Police Squad! television series.

by Dave Rutherford G2G6 Pilot (160k points)
He was also in a series back in the early 60s called The New Breed. One of his co-stars was former Major League Baseball player, John Beradino, who was better known for playing Dr Steve Hardy on General Hospital.

Leslie is a great suggestion!
Yes, before becoming a comedic icon, he was a dramatic actor. I remember him starring in "The Swamp Fox", which I guess dates me pretty well!
Thanks, Dave.
+15 votes

The Barney Miller guys!

Abe Vigoda is connected. Detective Fish

Jack Soo Sgt Yemana

Ron Glass Sgt Harris

Hal Linden -Barney Miller  has no profile

Gregory Sierra  Detective Sergeant Chano Amengual

Max Gail but he has no profile!

by Natalie Trott G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
I love Barney Miller.  Only Wojo and Barney are alive now.  Great choice! Not to mention Steve Landesberg (Sergeant Arthur Dietrich) and Linda Lavin. But Landesberg and Lavin are not on Wikitree.
Yeah, I thought of them too but I got tired of typing has no profile, and there would not be enough time to get them connected (possibly). Loved that show.
I forgot James Gregory as the clueless, crusty, and morose Inspector Frank Luger.  But he too is unconnected.
Thanks, Natalie!
+14 votes

Martin Milner - who played Officer Pete Milloy from Adam-12 - he's connected and ready to go

Herschel Bernardi - who played Lieutenant Jacoby on the B&W crime noir drama Peter Gunn. - he will need a connection first.

James Arness - who played Marshall Matt Dillon in Gunsmoke. - he's connected and ready to go.

John Schuck - who played Sgt. Charles Enright on MacMillan and Wife. - He's connected, but could use a decent biography.

Joe Ross - who played Officer Gunther Toody on Car 54 Where Are You? - but he's going to need a lot of help...

Fred Gwynne - who played Officer Toody's partner, Officer Francis Muldoon on Car 54 Where Are You? - he's connected but could use a better biography.

by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.6m points)

Also from Gunsmoke, there is Buck Taylor who played Deputy Newly O'Brian. (Too late for the year of the rabbit nomination)

I don't think he qualifies here, but James Arness' brother is Peter Graves who starred in Mission Impossible. 

Thanks, Scott and Russell.
+17 votes
a couple more to add are

Clarence Williams of the Mod Squad (cc7=89)

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williams-99712

Epatha Merkerson of Law and Order (cc7=886 Wow!)

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Merkerson-2
by Emma MacBeath G2G Astronaut (1.3m points)
Thanks, Emma!
+16 votes

William Shatner for his role in T. J. Hooker. Another from the T J Hooker show include Heather Locklear

by Darren Kellett G2G6 Pilot (563k points)

For a bit of a chuckle, I found this on the C.H.I.P.S. Wikipedia...

So I guess technically he could qualify too...
Thanks, Darren and Scott.
+19 votes

Perhaps consider the great Magnum, P.I. (Tom Selleck)

Ferrari 308 driven by Tom Selleck in Magnum PI at auction | This is Money

by Brian Quesnell G2G6 Pilot (112k points)
More recently, Selleck's "police" role has been as Police Chief Jesse Stone (beginning in 2005 with "Stone Cold") in a series of film adaptations of novels by Robert B. Parker.

If the nomination include private detective roles, Stacy Keach portrayed the iconic Mike Hammer and Cheryl Ladd portrayed Kris Monroe in Charlie's Angels on television. 

I guess Abby will have to adjudicate whether or not private detectives can be included!
Selleck qualifies as a police officer.
Tom Selleck is chief of police in Blue Bloods. Playing his two sons, also on the police force, are Donnie Wahlburg & Will Estes, with Len Cariou as his father, the retired police commissioner.
If I recall correctly, Cheryl Ladd was indicated as being a rookie in the police academy in the opening credits of Charlie's Angels, but I'd have to go back and re-watch to be certain. If she is, then even if secret agents and PI's are not "technically" allowed, she might qualify on a technicality.
All the original girls plus Ladd were LEOs before being recruited by Charlie.
Thanks, Brian!
+14 votes

David Wayne, born Wayne James McMeekan, played Inspector Richard Queen in The Ellery Queen Mysteries. He's connected, but there's a lot to fill in in his tree and the connection can likely get tighter.

I would love to have Lestrade, Sally, or Anderson from Sherlock represented, but Rupert Graves, Vinette Robinson, and Jonathan Aris don't have profiles, and I'm not sure how easy it would be to connect them.

by Sharon Casteel G2G6 Pilot (180k points)
Thanks, Sharon.
+17 votes

So many good ones to choose from

  • Peter Falk (Falk-268)
  • Telly Tsavalas  (Tsavalas-1)
  • Andy Griffith (Griffith-1258)
by Mack Morrison G2G6 Mach 8 (88.4k points)
Thanks, Mack.
+14 votes

This is such a good subject and Lance Reddick along with Titus Welliver (his profile is locked) really made Bosch a great show.

I had some suggestions that were a little off beat or not as well known in the US but either the profiles are locked, aren’t fleshed out or just don’t exist. (Angie Harmon/Sasha Alexander from Rizzoli and Isles, Robert Carlyle from Hamish MacBeth, Douglas Henshall from Shetland, Robert Forster as Nakia, Zahn McClarnon as Lt. Joe Leaphorn and Adam Beach as Sgt. Jim Chee from different versions of the same series, Essie Davis from Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries - ok, she wasn’t a cop but…..)

Anyway, here are my picks.

Kyra Sedgwick in The Closer: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sedgwick-172

Helen Mirren as Det. Jane Tennison: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mironoff-1

Lee Marvin in M Squad: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Marvin-839

Broderick Crawford in Highway Patrol: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pendergast-289

Pat Morita in Ohara: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Morita-21

Paul Sorvino was the star in 2 police series, Bert DeAngelo, Superstar and The Oldest Rookie, plus he played Phil Cerreta on Law and Order: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sorvino-2

Lloyd Bridges as Joe Forrester: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bridges-1389

Robert Stack played Eliot Ness on The Untouchables: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stack-511

I’ll hush and go away now. wink

by Donna Lancaster G2G6 Pilot (120k points)
edited by Donna Lancaster

Essie Davis doesn't really count, but Nathan Page and Hugo Johnstone-Burt (Detective Inspector Jack Robinson and Constable Collins) would; they don't have profiles, though.

Thanks, Donna.
+14 votes
I am close to connecting Chris Noth (Law & Order) on his mother's side.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Noth-17
by Mark Burch G2G6 Pilot (233k points)
Thanks, Mark!
+14 votes

Gene Barry - profile needs some tlc.  Played US Marshall Bat Masterson, also Los Angeles Police Captain (of homicide) Amos Burke.

For a "detective" who was not police -- 

Dick Van Dyke (Living) played a doctor (Mark Sloane) who just couldn't keep his nose out of his son's cases.  Said son (Lieutenant Detective Steve Sloan) was played by his real-life son, Barry (who does not seem to have a profile as Dick's profile says [children unknown]).  Barry is also Living.  (He had roles in TJ Hooker, and Magnum PI)
The Van Dyke father-and-son duo also acted together in the Murder 101 series (which also had a slew (if three counts as a slew) of other Van Dyke family as cast members).

edited to add closing parenthesis

by Melanie Paul G2G6 Pilot (455k points)
edited by Melanie Paul
Thanks, Melanie.
+16 votes

Not sure people outside of Canada will remember, but I loved Donnelly Rhodes' portrayal of Detective Leo Shannon on Da Vinci's Inquest. Would be great if he were featured.

by Matthew Sullivan G2G6 Pilot (183k points)
I loved Davinci’s Inquest.
Thanks, Matthew.
+14 votes
  1. Garry Walberg who played Lt Frank Monahan on Quincy ME.
  2. Tom Bosley who played Sheriff Amos Tupper on Murder, She Wrote.
  3. Danny Glover
  4. Bruce Willis
  5. Eddie Murphy
  6. Judge Reinhold
  7. Sharon Gless
  8. Tyne Daly
  9. Telly Savalas
by Liza Gervais G2G6 Pilot (529k points)
Thanks, Liza.
+11 votes

The very first television cop was actor J.B. Rowe who starred as Inspector Holt on the BBC television show Telecrime (1938-1939). I have created a profile for him but he is currently connected only to his South African wife. 

by David Randall G2G6 Pilot (474k points)
edited by David Randall
Thanks, David.
+11 votes

How about the members of the 1975 show S.W.A.T.?

Robert Urich

Steve Forrest (looks like we'd need to get his profile opened up)

Rod Perry (no profile)

Mark Shera (no profile)

Richard O'Brien (no profile)

by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.6m points)
Thanks, Scott.
+14 votes

Either Bruno Cremer or Jean Richard, who both played Inspecteur Maigret for television (14 years for Cremer, 20 years for Richard).

by Isabelle Martin G2G6 Pilot (609k points)
Thanks, Isabelle.
+11 votes

A few more:

George Peppard - played in Banacek

Robert Blake - Baretta

Claude Akins - Sherrif Lobo from B.J. and the Bear

Buddy Ebsen - Retired police detective Barnaby Jones

Gene Barry - Burke's Law

Jack Warner - Dixon of Dock Green (he's not connected)

Bruce Seton - Fabian of the Yard

by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.6m points)

One more:

Barry Morse - Lietenant Gerard in The Fugitive

Thanks, Scott.

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