Code R (TV series)
Encyclopedia
Code R is an American action-adventure television series that aired on CBS from January 21 to June 10, 1977. It focuses on the emergency
services (police, fire, and ocean rescue) of the California Channel Islands. The series stars James Houghton, Martin Kove
and Tom Simcox
and ran for a single season of thirteen episodes.
Simcox was cast as Walt Robinson, the island police chief. Joan Freeman
played his wife, Barbara, and Robbie Rundle appeared as their young son, Bobby. Former professional footballer Ben Davidson played Walt's police deputy, Ted Milbank. Houghton was cast as Rick Wilson, chief of the island's fire services, and Kove was George Baker, the chief of beaches and ocean rescue. As all of the Island's Emergency Services were based in the same building, Susanne Reed played Suzy, their dispatch operator. WT Zacha played Harry, the owner and bartender of the Lighthouse Bar where the rescue teams often went whilst off-duty.
Code R was a midseason replacement
for another, equally short-lived action-adventure series, Spencer's Pilots
. In his book Total Television, television historian Alex McNeil wrote that Code R was "an unimaginative imitation of NBC
's Emergency!
", another midseason offering that began in January 1972. McNeil also noted that the "8 p.m. Eastern Time slot" was the weakest on the entire schedule in the 1976-1977 season for CBS.
Code Rs competition was The Donny and Marie Show on ABC
and two situation comedies
on NBC, Sanford and Son
and Chico and the Man
. Due to low ratings, the show was cancelled after only thirteen episodes.
The program was produced by Edwin Self for Warner Brothers. Despite being short-lived, Code R was screened in various countries around the world and was shown by ITV
in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s in a late afternoon slot.
Two years after Code R, Houghton was cast as Kenny Ward in CBS's long-running prime-time drama, Knots Landing
. Kove was later cast as Detective Victor Isbecki in CBS's Cagney and Lacey.
Emergency
An emergency is a situation that poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or environment. Most emergencies require urgent intervention to prevent a worsening of the situation, although in some situations, mitigation may not be possible and agencies may only be able to offer palliative...
services (police, fire, and ocean rescue) of the California Channel Islands. The series stars James Houghton, Martin Kove
Martin Kove
Martin Kove is an American actor who has appeared in feature films and television series.-Film appearances:His best-known roles may have been on the 1980s hit CBS television series Cagney & Lacey as Detective Victor Isbecki and in the 1984 hit film The Karate Kid as Cobra Kai Sensei John Kreese...
and Tom Simcox
Tom Simcox
Thomas William Simcox, known as Tom Simcox is a former actor who resides in the unincorporated community of Leona Valley west of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California....
and ran for a single season of thirteen episodes.
Simcox was cast as Walt Robinson, the island police chief. Joan Freeman
Joan Freeman
Joan Freeman is an American actress.Freeman was a child actor, having appeared in her first film in 1949 at the age of seven...
played his wife, Barbara, and Robbie Rundle appeared as their young son, Bobby. Former professional footballer Ben Davidson played Walt's police deputy, Ted Milbank. Houghton was cast as Rick Wilson, chief of the island's fire services, and Kove was George Baker, the chief of beaches and ocean rescue. As all of the Island's Emergency Services were based in the same building, Susanne Reed played Suzy, their dispatch operator. WT Zacha played Harry, the owner and bartender of the Lighthouse Bar where the rescue teams often went whilst off-duty.
Code R was a midseason replacement
Midseason replacement
In American and Canadian television, a midseason replacement is a television series that premieres in the second half of the traditional television season, usually between January and May...
for another, equally short-lived action-adventure series, Spencer's Pilots
Spencer's Pilots
Spencer's Pilots is an American adventure series that aired on CBS from September 17 to November 19, 1976. Created by Larry Rosen, the series stars Gene Evans.-Synopsis:Evans stars as Spencer Parish, the owner of Spencer Aviation...
. In his book Total Television, television historian Alex McNeil wrote that Code R was "an unimaginative imitation of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Emergency!
Emergency!
Emergency! is an American television series that combines the medical drama and action-adventure genres. It was produced by Mark VII Limited and distributed by Universal Studios...
", another midseason offering that began in January 1972. McNeil also noted that the "8 p.m. Eastern Time slot" was the weakest on the entire schedule in the 1976-1977 season for CBS.
Code Rs competition was The Donny and Marie Show on ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
and two situation comedies
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
on NBC, Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son
Sanford and Son is an American sitcom, based on the BBC's Steptoe and Son, that ran on the NBC television network from January 14, 1972, to March 25, 1977....
and Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man
Chico and the Man is an American sitcom which ran on NBC for four seasons, from September 13, 1974 to July 21, 1978. It stars Jack Albertson as Ed Brown , the cantankerous owner of a run down garage in an East Los Angeles barrio, and Freddie Prinze as Chico Rodriguez, an upbeat, optimistic Chicano...
. Due to low ratings, the show was cancelled after only thirteen episodes.
The program was produced by Edwin Self for Warner Brothers. Despite being short-lived, Code R was screened in various countries around the world and was shown by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s in a late afternoon slot.
Two years after Code R, Houghton was cast as Kenny Ward in CBS's long-running prime-time drama, Knots Landing
Knots Landing
Knots Landing is an American primetime television soap opera that aired from December 27, 1979 to May 13, 1993 on CBS. Set in a fictitious coastal suburb of Los Angeles in California, the show centered on the lives of four married couples living in a cul-de-sac, Seaview Circle...
. Kove was later cast as Detective Victor Isbecki in CBS's Cagney and Lacey.