S.W.A.T. (TV series)

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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 Californian city. It was a spin-off of The Rookies (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 Columbia Studios.

Its short life span (thirty-odd episodes) was in part because it was considered too violent at the time, although the violence it depicted is actually mild by today's television standards.

The show 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 an early starring role by Robert Urich as Jim Street, one 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.

The first season of S.W.A.T. was released on DVD in 2003 to tie in with the release of the feature film. There has been no release date announced for season two.

1 Cast
2 Episode Titles
3 Trivia
4 External links

[edit] Cast

Steve Forrest as Lt. Dan "Hondo" Harrelson
Rod Perry as Sgt. David "Deacon" Kay
Robert Urich as Officer Jim Street
Mark Shera as Officer Dominic Luca
James Coleman as Officer T.J. McCabe
Ellen Weston as Betty Harrelson (recurring role)

[edit] Episode Titles

Episode Titles:

0. Pilot: S.W.A.T.

1. The Killing Ground

2. A Coven of Killers

3. Death Carrier

4. Pressure Cooker

5. Hit Men

6. Jungle War

7. Death Score

8. The Bravo Enigma

9. The Steel-Plated Security Blanket

10. Omega One

11. Blind Man's Bluff

12. Sole Survivor

13. Deadly Tide (Part 1)

14. Deadly Tide (Part 2)

15. Kill S.W.A.T.

16. Dealers in Death

17. Time Bomb

18. The Vendetta

19. Criss-Cross

20. Vigilante

21. Courthouse

22. Ordeal

23. Strike Force

24. The Swinger

25. Terror Ship

26. Murder by Fire

27. Silent Night, Deadly Night

28. The Running Man (Part 1)

29. The Running Man (Part 2)

30. Lessons in Fear

31. Deadly Weapons

32. The Chinese Connection

33. Dragons and Owls

34. Any Second Now

35. Soldier on the Hill

36. Officer Luca, You're Dead

37. Dangerous Memories

[edit] Trivia

Though filmed in the Los Angeles area, the city in the series is otherwise unnamed. Shoulder patches show "W.C.P.D." and car door shields show "W.C. POLICE DEPARTMENT". In the movie, the officers are clearly identified as LAPD.
All five members of the tv SWAT team get into the rear of their van when a call-out occurs. The driver "Hank" is an uncredited, non-speaking role. At the end of the movie, Steve Forrest has a cameo role as the officer who drives the van.
In the movie Rod Perry also has a cameo as the uncle of "Deacon" Kay character.