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S.W.A.T. (TV series)
Encyclopedia
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S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of the WCPD's Olympic Division Special Weapons And Tactics
(S.W.A.T.) team operating in an unidentified California city.
A big-screen adaption
of the series starring Colin Farrell
and Samuel L. Jackson
was released in 2003. A direct-to-DVD sequel titled S.W.A.T.: Firefight
, which has very little connection to both the series or the 2003 film, was released in 2011.
as Jim Street, and Mark Shera
as Dominic Luca, two of the young team members.
The series is most famous for its fast tempo theme song which became a number one hit single in 1976 for Rhythm Heritage
. The title sequence
that used that piece was also familiar with the principal characters responding to a muster signal, grabbing their weapons and proceeding in lockstep to their specially-equipped transport van driven by "Sam," an uncredited, non-speaking role.
(1972–1976) another police drama airing on ABC, and was a mid-season replacement, running on ABC from February 1975 to April 1976. Also, like The Rookies
, it was produced by Aaron Spelling
and Leonard Goldberg
. Its short life (thirty-odd episodes) was in part because it was considered too violent at the time.
As with The Rookies, Starsky & Hutch, and a later Spelling/Goldberg cop series, T.J. Hooker, the setting was rarely, if ever, specified and the shoulder patch the team members wore on their uniforms said, "L.C.P.D.". Richard Kelbaugh, a former member of LAPD's
S.W.A.T. team
, was the technical advisor
for the series.
At the end of the film adaptation
, Steve Forrest has a cameo role as the officer who drives the van. Rod Perry also has a cameo in the film as the uncle of "Deacon" Kay character.
As of March 2009, the show can be purchased on iTunes
, and can be streamed for free in the US on Crackle
. As of 1 October 2011, S.W.A.T. can be seen Saturdays on Antenna TV
.
Season Two's episode "Time Bomb" was actually produced for Season One and, as such, "Time Bomb" is Episode 8 on the Season One DVD set. The Season One DVD set has a total of 13 episodes.
S.W.A.T. is a 1970s American television series about the adventures of the WCPD's Olympic Division Special Weapons And Tactics
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
(S.W.A.T.) team operating in an unidentified California city.
A big-screen adaption
S.W.A.T. (film)
S.W.A.T. is a 2003 action-crime film directed by Clark Johnson, and is based on the 1975 television series of the same name. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. It was produced by Neal H...
of the series starring Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell
Colin James Farrell is an Irish actor, who has appeared in such film as Tigerland, Miami Vice, Minority Report, Phone Booth, The Recruit, Alexander and S.W.A.T....
and Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
was released in 2003. A direct-to-DVD sequel titled S.W.A.T.: Firefight
S.W.A.T.: Firefight
S.W.A.T.: Firefight is a 2011 American action crime thriller film directed by Benny Boom, and sequel to the 2003 film S.W.A.T., based on the 1975 television series S.W.A.T..-Plot:...
, which has very little connection to both the series or the 2003 film, was released in 2011.
Synopsis
S.W.A.T. starred Steve Forrest as the unit's leader, Lt. 'Hondo' Harrelson, and Rod Perry as Hondo's second-in-command "Deke." The show also featured early starring roles by Robert UrichRobert Urich
Robert Urich was an American actor. He played the starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire...
as Jim Street, and Mark Shera
Mark Shera
Mark Shera is an American actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as J.R. in the popular television series Barnaby Jones His brother is CBS Evening News director Eric Shapiro.-Roles:...
as Dominic Luca, two of the young team members.
The series is most famous for its fast tempo theme song which became a number one hit single in 1976 for Rhythm Heritage
Rhythm Heritage
Rhythm Heritage was a 1970s American disco-funk band, best known for their 1976 US #1 single "Theme from "S.W.A.T.". It sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc by the Recording Industry Association of America in February 1976...
. The title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
that used that piece was also familiar with the principal characters responding to a muster signal, grabbing their weapons and proceeding in lockstep to their specially-equipped transport van driven by "Sam," an uncredited, non-speaking role.
History
S.W.A.T. was a spin-off of The RookiesThe Rookies
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It followed the exploits of three rookie police officers in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department .-History:...
(1972–1976) another police drama airing on ABC, and was a mid-season replacement, running on ABC from February 1975 to April 1976. Also, like The Rookies
The Rookies
The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It followed the exploits of three rookie police officers in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California Police Department .-History:...
, it was produced by Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling
Aaron Spelling was an American film and television producer. As of 2009, Spelling's eponymous production company Spelling Television holds the record as the most prolific television writer, with 218 producer and executive producer credits...
and Leonard Goldberg
Leonard Goldberg
Leonard J. Goldberg is an American film producer and television producer. He has his own production company, Mandy Films. He served as head of programming for ABC, and was president of 20th Century Fox...
. Its short life (thirty-odd episodes) was in part because it was considered too violent at the time.
As with The Rookies, Starsky & Hutch, and a later Spelling/Goldberg cop series, T.J. Hooker, the setting was rarely, if ever, specified and the shoulder patch the team members wore on their uniforms said, "L.C.P.D.". Richard Kelbaugh, a former member of LAPD's
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
S.W.A.T. team
LAPD Metropolitan Division
The Metropolitan Division of the Los Angeles Police Department is an elite division within the department that is most notable as the unit that operates LAPD's SWAT teams. Captain John N...
, was the technical advisor
Technical advisor
A technical advisor is an individual who is expert in a particular field of knowledge, hired to provide detailed information and advice to people working in that field...
for the series.
At the end of the film adaptation
S.W.A.T. (film)
S.W.A.T. is a 2003 action-crime film directed by Clark Johnson, and is based on the 1975 television series of the same name. It stars Samuel L. Jackson, Colin Farrell, LL Cool J and Michelle Rodriguez. It was produced by Neal H...
, Steve Forrest has a cameo role as the officer who drives the van. Rod Perry also has a cameo in the film as the uncle of "Deacon" Kay character.
As of March 2009, the show can be purchased on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
, and can be streamed for free in the US on Crackle
Crackle
Crackle is a digital network and studio, featuring commercially supported streaming video content in Flash Video format. It is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment, and its content consists primarily of Sony's library of films and television shows...
. As of 1 October 2011, S.W.A.T. can be seen Saturdays on Antenna TV
Antenna TV
Antenna TV is an American digital broadcast television network, primarily featuring classic television series from the 1950s to the 1990s, along with some feature films. It is owned by Tribune Broadcasting, a division of the Chicago-based Tribune Company...
.
Cast
- Steve Forrest as Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson (team leader)
- Rod PerryRod Perry (actor)Rod Perry is an American actor best known for his role as Sgt. David "Deacon" Kay in the 1970s TV series S.W.A.T.....
as Sgt. David "Deacon" Kay (second in command) - Robert UrichRobert UrichRobert Urich was an American actor. He played the starring roles in the television series Vega$ and Spenser: For Hire...
as Officer Jim Street - Mark SheraMark SheraMark Shera is an American actor, who is perhaps best known for his role as J.R. in the popular television series Barnaby Jones His brother is CBS Evening News director Eric Shapiro.-Roles:...
as Officer Dominic Luca - James Coleman as Officer T.J. McCabe (scout/sniper)
- Ellen WestonEllen WestonEllen Weston is an American actress, producer, and writer. Born Ellen Weinstein in New York City, Ellen Weston appeared on Broadway in Toys in the Attic, A Far Country, and Mary, Mary, among other productions.Her first notable television role was a stint as Robin Fletcher on soap opera Guiding...
as Betty Harrelson (Hondo's wife) (recurring role) - Rose MarieRose MarieRose Marie is an American actress. As a child performer she had a successful singing career as Baby Rose Marie....
as Hilda (brought donuts to the team room) (recurring role)
Season 1 (1975)
12 episodes:| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Killing Ground" | 1975·Feb·24 |
| 2 | "A Coven of Killers" | 1975·Mar·03 |
| 3 | "Death Carrier" | 1975·Mar·10 |
| 4 | "Pressure Cooker" | 1975·Mar·17 |
| 5 | "Hit Men" | 1975·Mar·24 |
| 6 | "Jungle War" | 1975·Mar·31 |
| 7 | "Death Score" | 1975·Apr·07 |
| 8 | "The Bravo Enigma" | 1975·Apr·28 |
| 9 | "The Steel-Plated Security Blanket" | 1975·May·05 |
| 10 | "Omega One" | 1975·May·12 |
| 11 | "Blind Man's Bluff" | 1975·May·19 |
| 12 | "Sole Survivor" | 1975·May·26 |
Season 2 (1975-1976)
25 episodes:| № | Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | "Deadly Tide (Part 1)" | 1975·Sep·13 |
| 14 | "Deadly Tide (Part 2)" | 1975·Sep·13 |
| 15 | "Kill S.W.A.T." | 1975·Sep·20 |
| 16 | "Dealers in Death" | 1975·Sep·27 |
| 17 | "Time Bomb" | 1975·Oct·04 |
| 18 | "The Vendetta" | 1975·Oct·11 |
| 19 | "Criss-Cross" | 1975·Oct·18 |
| 20 | "Vigilante" | 1975·Oct·25 |
| 21 | "Courthouse" | 1975·Nov·01 |
| 22 | "Ordeal" | 1975·Nov·08 |
| 23 | "Strike Force" | 1975·Nov·15 |
| 24 | "The Swinger" | 1975·Nov·22 |
| 25 | "Terror Ship" | 1975·Nov·29 |
| 26 | "Murder by Fire" | 1975·Dec·06 |
| 27 | "Silent Night, Deadly Night" | 1975·Dec·13 |
| 28 | "The Running Man (Part 1)" | 1976·Jan·24 |
| 29 | "The Running Man (Part 2)" | 1976·Jan·24 |
| 30 | "Lessons in Fear" | 1976·Jan·31 |
| 31 | "Deadly Weapons" | 1976·Feb·21 |
| 32 | "The Chinese Connection" | 1976·Feb·28 |
| 33 | "Dragons and Owls" | 1976·Mar·06 |
| 34 | "Any Second Now" | 1976·Mar·13 |
| 35 | "Soldier on the Hill" | 1976·Mar·16 |
| 36 | "Dangerous Memories" | 1976·Mar·20 |
| 37 | "Officer Luca, You're Dead" | 1976·Apr·03 |
DVD release
The first season of S.W.A.T. was released on DVD on June 3, 2003 to tie in with the release of the feature film. There has been no release date announced for Season Two.Season Two's episode "Time Bomb" was actually produced for Season One and, as such, "Time Bomb" is Episode 8 on the Season One DVD set. The Season One DVD set has a total of 13 episodes.
External links
- S.W.A.T. at Jump the SharkJump the Shark"Jump the Shark" is the 197th episode and the ninth season's fifteenth episode of the science fiction television series The X-Files. The episode first aired in the United States and Canada on April 21, 2002 on Fox, and subsequently aired in the United Kingdom. It was written by executive producers...