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That was a real police dispatcher's voice on Adam-12
You hear her voice all the time, but do you actually know who she is?
The series Adam-12 took special measures to ensure that they were portraying an accurate depiction of the police force, with one of those very special measures sitting (or rather, speaking) right under your nose. The dispatcher that you're so used to hearing over the police radio is actually Shaaron Claridge, who worked as a real police dispatcher for the Los Angeles Police Department.
Speaking of her role on Adam-12 to the Fort Lauderdale News, Claridge said, "I try to be as authentic as possible when I'm reading my lines." She also added, "If the script doesn't ring true, then I change it."
At the time of the interview, only Claridge's voice appeared in the series, though she had aspirations for something greater. She said, "Naturally, I'd like to be seen [on the show] too. What girl wouldn't? But so far it hasn't even been discussed." However, Claridge was able to appear, albeit briefly, in the show's fifth season.
Claridge spoke of her profession and explained, "I communicate with the various patrol cars 600-800 times in an eight-hour watch." The role also required quite a bit of emotional investment, and she said, "My work at the police department is tense because you never know what horrible situation the officers are going to find waiting for them."
Luckily, the job isn't all stress all the time. Claridge added, "But it's not all drama and violence. Most of the calls are to settle family disputes — usually on Friday and Saturday nights."
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38 Comments
While I realize the stories are based on actual events, occasionally, the folks at any of the jack Webb-produced shows could have not done violence to the Los Angeles street layout. A few days ago, there was a show that mentions 5th Street and Ventura Blvd, and Vermont Avenue and Hoover Street. The first two streets run nowhere each other in real life, but run roughly the same direction, albeit miles away. Fifth Street runs through Downtown LA, then follows the street grid west. Ventura Boulevard is the southernmost east-west street in the San Fernando Valley, a few miles north of Hollywood. Vermont Avenue and Hoover Streets in fact run three blocks apart, and never meet.
"Claridge's voice appeared in the series, though she had aspirations for something greater. She said, 'Naturally, I'd like to be seen [on the show] too. What girl wouldn't? But so far it hasn't even been discussed.' However, Claridge was able to appear, albeit briefly, in the show's fifth season."
So, does the article give us a photo of Claridge (a frame blow-up from the episode in which she appeared would have done)? No, there's just shot of a patrol car, and we already know what those look like.
Nitwits.
So, does the article give us a photo of Claridge (a frame blow-up from the episode in which she appeared would have done)? No, there's just shot of a patrol car, and we already know what those look like.
Nitwits.
When Martin Millner died they got her to do an Official End of Watch dispach to the LAPD patrol like they do when real Police Officers die. That's how high the LAPD thought of him.
One Adam-12, see the hulking lunatic at...
.... Mar-a-Lago.
The White House
So who was the chase dispatcher. When there was a chase it changed to a male voice.
The male voice of the dispatcher was actor/ series producer Tom Williams. He was an assistant producer with Jack Webb on "Dragnet". When "Adam -13" debuted, was the assistant producer. Over the course of the series, he became producer with the voice over role. He was also the actor who portrayed Harry Morgan 's nephew dentist on the pilot for "Dragnet" 1966. Pretty cool.
She was a looker back in the day! R.I.P.
According to IMdB, Claridge played a police dispatcher on nine series, including Columbo, Rockford Files, and of course, Dragnet. I thought she was on screen once on Adam 12, but couldn't easily find the citation. Casting a real police dispatcher was a brilliant idea.
I forget the name of it, but it was the ep where Redd was put on suspension and Malloy was trying to clear his name. He went to the dispatcher a few times during the ep for her help.
That's the one, and she's on screen for only a moment, in what I think is called a 3/4-rear shot, halfway between profile and the the back of her head. While I have no doubt it's really her, it'd be almost impossible to recognize her if that's the only angle you'd seen her from.
I think she's on for 2 or 3 scenes. But yeah, we only see her from the back.
LOVE Adam-12! Proof you don't need naked shower scenes to tell a great police story!
Not that I have anything against a good naked shower scene.
Liked when Burt Mustin guest starred on the series, He always had an interesting perspective. :
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Reed and Malloy, do their best to impart some sense to Mr. Reardon. However he was most likely set in his ways. 🤣🤣
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Reed and Malloy, do their best to impart some sense to Mr. Reardon. However he was most likely set in his ways. 🤣🤣
It's probably Shaaron Claridge's voice as well.
Yes, I enjoy him on Adam-12 & Dragnet. I especially like the Dragnet where he was the main character kind of over-stepping helping to solve a murder, unbeknownst to Friday & Gannon that he was a retired chief of detectives & helps solve the crime. Good stuff.
That is Gus the fireman from Leave it to Beaver!
Yes Gus on LITB. One of many characters he played over the years. He was a great actor.
I love that episode. He was so cute in it.
Very interesting. I never knew that.
I like the episode when Jim and Pete had a different dispatcher and all they were doing was making remarks about the voice.
That was a good episode.
Pete especially wanted to find out who she was so he could ask her out, only to find out she was already married to another officer. LOL!
Always enjoyed episodes where Reed and Malloy got a call for a wild party and the music that played in the background. Unfortunately there are no youtube clips of those scenes, but there was a group that did a version of that music:
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Oh I forgot, there's also a groovy tune I like that always seems to be playing when Mannix goes to a hippie club looking for someone.
I also like the catchy mellow tune that's played when Cannon is en route usually in his car to find someone too.
I also like the catchy mellow tune that's played when Cannon is en route usually in his car to find someone too.
"there's also a groovy tune I like that always seems to be playing when Mannix goes to a hippie club"
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Not sure if this is the tune, but he is in Hippie Land.
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Not sure if this is the tune, but he is in Hippie Land.
Most likely the Wrecking Crew doing that music as they did most of the TV shows back then.
Haha yes, that's one of those groovy tunes!!! Dig those groovy dancers😄
Knew about Ms Claridge (including the odd spelling of her first name) for quite some time. Is this an old story that's being reposted?
They did a story a few years ago about her cameo on the series.:
https://www.metv.com/stories/the-voice-actor-who-played-adam-12s-dispatcher-actually-had-one-cameo-on-the-show
https://www.metv.com/stories/the-voice-actor-who-played-adam-12s-dispatcher-actually-had-one-cameo-on-the-show
Thanks for that story link, I read it & was glad to see the pic of Sharron Claridge in it to put a face with the voice since the above story didn't have one. The above story says she wanted to be seen onscreen but the story in the MeTV link to the other story said she didn't have a desire to be seen....MeTV writers are giving us conflicting reports haha!
Anyway, it was nice to learn about who she was from all the episodes of hearing her voice adding such realism & professionalism to Adam-12.
Anyway, it was nice to learn about who she was from all the episodes of hearing her voice adding such realism & professionalism to Adam-12.
Thanks for that story link, I read it & was glad to see the pic of Sharron Claridge in it to put a face with the voice since the above story didn't have one. The above story says she wanted to be seen onscreen but the story in the MeTV link to the other story said she didn't have a desire to be seen....MeTV writers are giving us conflicting reports haha!
Anyway, it was nice to learn about who she was from all the episodes of hearing her voice adding such realism & professionalism to Adam-12.
Anyway, it was nice to learn about who she was from all the episodes of hearing her voice adding such realism & professionalism to Adam-12.