Kent McCord, a well-known American actor, has had a successful career in the film industry ever since gaining popularity in the TV series “Adam-12” in 1968. He tied the knot with his wife Cynthia and together they have three children.
Kent McCord was born on September 26, 1942, at French Hospital in downtown Los Angeles, California to Bert and Laura McWhirter.
When he was ten years old, the young boy began working at his father’s gas station in Richland. Later, in 1954, he got a job at Brackett Field Airport in La Verne, California.
At just under 12 years old, he was too young to receive payment legally. Instead, he was offered flying lessons in return for his work. Kent dedicated five years to this job before joining the football team at Baldwin Park High School.
After completing his studies, the young man joined Citrus Junior College and later moved to the University of Southern California in 1961. He aimed to become a physical education instructor and football coach.
Kent was invited to play touch football in February 1961 on a team with Ricky Nelson, facing off against Elvis Presley’s team.
Later on, he and Ricky became friends, and the older one gave him a role on the popular show “The Adventure of Ozzie and Harriet.” Kent also acted in some Elvis films, like “Viva Las Vegas” and “Roustabout.”
In the 1960s, he made an agreement with Universal Studios that resulted in his roles in “Dragnet” and “The Big Explosion.” His impressive acting in “Dragnet” caught the attention of creator Jack Webb, who then cast him in “Adam-12” alongside Martin Milner.
Kent’s character, Officer Jim Reed, in the series “Adam-12,” became widely recognized and contributed to the show’s immense success. The show aired from 1968 to 1975, with a total of 174 episodes.
Following the show’s conclusion, the actor portrayed Barry Van Dyke in the ABC show “Galactica 1980” and the NBC show “UNSUB” in 1989.
He was part of the Screen Actors Guild, serving on the board of directors and later becoming the Guild’s vice president for four years. Kent was also honored with the Ralph Morgan Award in 1999.
Kent McCord became famous for his role as Officer Jim Reed in the popular show “Adam-12,” which first aired in 1968.
Kent served as a reserve officer for the Los Angeles School Police department from 2005 to 2009 after his role in “Adam-12.” He received high praise for his exceptional performance.
The actor, famous for being humble and leading a simple life, always seizes the chance to engage with his fans. He invites them to have personal conversations through GalaxyCon’s virtual Meet and Greet.
Kent shared that he has organized a few online chats with his supporters in the past, which he finds enjoyable. However, he feels disappointed that they are unable to gather in big groups because of COVID-19.
Kent tied the knot with his high school sweetheart Cynthia Lee Doty on July 14, 1962, and they have three children together.
Kristen McCord, his eldest daughter, was born on February 28, 1963, in Los Angeles, California. Then, eight years later, Megan McCord, their second child, was born on April 21, 1971.
Kent’s daughters are actresses. Kristen acted with him in “Adam-12” and films like “Desperate” and “Glamazon: A Different Kind of Girl”, while Megan was in “Women’s Story” in 2000.
In the last season of “Adam-12,” Kent’s TV wife, Jean, was portrayed by Actress Kristin Harmon, who happened to be married to the actor’s close pal, Ricky Nelson.
Cynthia didn’t have a problem with Kristin playing her husband’s on-screen wife because it was all pretend and they were making good money from the show.
Kent and his wife became parents to their first son just three days prior to the last episode of “Adam-12.” This caused the actor to divert his focus from the series finale.
In the following year, the actor’s main priority was to ensure the well-being of his family and renovate his house according to his preferences. Kent clarified:
Prior to and following the major event, I worked on tasks that had accumulated at home. Renovating, painting, and gardening. I didn’t have the time to complete all the tasks I had planned for the house.
He later rejected acting opportunities to prioritize being with his family at home.
Kent, who has been involved in various movie projects in recent years, believed that his popularity among fans would remain unaffected even if he chose to temporarily step away from acting.
The actor purchased a bicycle for himself and Cynthia. They would load their bikes onto Route 66 in Santa Monica to go for a ride.
In addition to gaining recognition and wealth from his role in the popular show “Adam-12,” the Actor also formed lasting friendships with several members of the cast.
Kent and Martin Miller became friends, and the Actor and Cynthia would occasionally go to visit Martin and his wife, Judy.
The Actor made friends with singer Julie London, who was also close with Cynthia and their three kids. Kent and Julie had the same birthday and collaborated on “Adam-12” and “Emergency” in 1972.
Despite the 16-year age gap between Julie and Kent, they shared a strong bond and the Actor would always reach out to her on their birthday.
Additionally, renowned filmmaker John Ford was a supporter of “Adam-12.” He paid a visit to the cast members while they were filming. He was observed engaging in a conversation with Kent regarding various elements of the series, such as the actor’s role and the process of creating a television show.
Meanwhile, Kent has played his iconic “Adam-12” character of Officer Jim Reed multiple times on different shows, including “Dragnet,” “The D.A: People Vs. Saydo,” as well as “Emergency: The Wedsworth-Townsend Act.”
