Reading about the lives of our favorite stars really helps us get a new perspective on their lives. Kent McCord was perhaps one of the most loved faces on television at the time.
And this life outside the television screen was just as intriguing as that of the characters he played. Read more to find out exactly who Kent McCord was behind the scenes…
Kent McCord was born in Los Angeles, California on September 26, 1942. He was born to Bert and Laura McWhirter and his given name at birth was Kent Franklin McWhirter.
When he was only 10 years old, he started helping his father out by working at the gas station he owned by the name of Richland gas station. Soon after, he landed a job at Brackett Field Airport in La Verne, California. Since he was under the age of 12, and legally could not be paid by the airport, he was given flying lessons in exchange.
He worked at the airport for five years before he began playing football at Baldwin Park High School. After he finished high school, he enrolled at Citrus Junior College before transferring to the University of Southern California in 1961, where he pursued a degree as a physical education instructor and football coach.
In February of 1961, he was in the team captained by Ricky Nelson that played a touch football match against a team led by Elvis Presley.
He and Ricky formed a strong friendship because of their shared passion for sports. The friendship remained for a while and he cast him in “The Adventure of Ozzie and Harriet.” Kent also had roles in some Elvis movies, which included “Viva Las Vegas” and “Roustabout.”
In the same decade, he signed a deal with Universal Studios. The deal led him to appear in projects like “Dragnet” and “The Big Explosion.” He delivered stellar performances which led to him being cast in “Adam-12” opposite Martin Milner.
The show was a huge hit and the character of Officer Jim Reed was very well received. The show aired from 1968 till 1975 and had about 174 episodes.
After the show ended, he appeared as Barry Van Dyke in the ABC series “Galactica 1980” and in 1989 in the NBC series “UNSUB.”
Apart from his work as an actor, he was also heavily involved in the Screen Actors Guild, serving on its board of directors as well as becoming the vice president for the guild for four years. In 1999, he was awarded the prestigious Ralph Morgan Award.
But Kent McCord will always be known for his character Officer Jim Reed on ‘Adam-12.’ Perhaps because he played an officer on the show, he also served as a reserve officer for the Los Angeles School Police department from the years 2005 to 2009.
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The actor is known for how down-to-earth he is and how much he enjoys spending time with his fans and getting to know them. He even does one on one conversations during events like GalaxyCon’s virtual Meet and Greet.
The actor once talked about the adverse impact of COVID-19 which forced him to host meet and greets online instead of being able to have them in person, something he wishes he was still able to do.
As for his personal life, the actor has been with his high school sweetheart for over six decades at this point. He married Cynthia Lee Doty on July 14, 1962, and they have three children together.
Their firstborn is Kristen McCord who was born February 28, 1963 in Los Angeles, California. Eight years after, Megan McCord followed, she was born on April 21, 1971.
Both women are actresses, following in their father’s footsteps. Kristen has appeared alongside her father in “Adam-12” as well as movies like “Desperate” and “Glamazon: A Different Kind of Girl.” Megan has the movie “Women’s Story” in her acting credits.
In the final season of the famous ‘Adam-12’ Kent’s on-screen wife was Actress Kristin Harmon. At the time she was married to his best friend and co-star Ricky Nelson.
However, Cynthia had no objections to the on-screen pairing because she knew it was fictional and the series paid really well.
Just a few short days before the series finale for ‘Adam-12’ aired, the couple welcomed their third child and first son. His son and the rest of his family became his main focus once the show ended.
The actor said, “Before and after that big event, I tackled projects that had piled up at home. Remodeling, painting, and landscaping. I hadn’t had time to do half the things I wanted to do around the house.”
The actor decided to take a break form acting and rejected any projects that came his way. He was confident his popularity with fans would not suffer and he could focus on what was important to him at that time; his family.
His wife and him bought bikes and would load them up and take rides on the route 66 highway in Santa Monica.
‘Adam-12’ did not just afford the actor financial success but also led to him developing life-long relationships with his cast. His friendship with his co-star Miller went beyond the screen, and he and his wife Cynthia would often meet the other couple.
He also befriended his co-star Julie London. He shared the same birthday with her which helped them bond as they worked on “Adam-12” and “Emergency” together. The actor always made sure to call her on their shared birthday long after the show had ended.
The actor has truly led a wonderful life full of co-workers who turned into dear friends. His loving relationship with his wife and focus on his children are all inspiring.
Share this piece with your friends and family to show them what Kent McCord’s life has been like.
