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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35 Comments

MichaelGreene 10 months ago
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.
Avie 10 months ago
"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.
Adamtwelvia 10 months ago
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.
AgingDisgracefully 11 months ago
One Adam-12, see the hulking lunatic at...
.... Mar-a-Lago.
The White House
reynolds1415 11 months ago
So who was the chase dispatcher. When there was a chase it changed to a male voice.
BlueRabbit20 reynolds1415 10 months ago
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.
Kevin 11 months ago
She was a looker back in the day! R.I.P.
WordsmithWorks 11 months ago
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.
Adamtwelvia WordsmithWorks 11 months ago
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.
Adamtwelvia 11 months ago
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Adamtwelvia daDoctah 11 months ago
I think she's on for 2 or 3 scenes. But yeah, we only see her from the back.
Adamtwelvia 11 months ago
LOVE Adam-12! Proof you don't need naked shower scenes to tell a great police story!
Adamtwelvia 11 months ago
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LoveMETV22 11 months ago
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. 🤣🤣
LoveMETV22 LoveMETV22 11 months ago
It's probably Shaaron Claridge's voice as well.
IndianaRockz LoveMETV22 11 months ago
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.
ArchieB LoveMETV22 11 months ago
That is Gus the fireman from Leave it to Beaver!
LoveMETV22 ArchieB 11 months ago
Yes Gus on LITB. One of many characters he played over the years. He was a great actor.
Adamtwelvia IndianaRockz 10 months ago
I love that episode. He was so cute in it.
tootsieg 11 months ago
Very interesting. I never knew that.
Andybandit 11 months ago
I like the episode when Jim and Pete had a different dispatcher and all they were doing was making remarks about the voice.
LoveMETV22 Andybandit 11 months ago
That was a good episode.
Adamtwelvia Andybandit 10 months ago
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!
LoveMETV22 11 months ago
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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IndianaRockz LoveMETV22 11 months ago
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.
LoveMETV22 IndianaRockz 11 months ago
"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.

joebradley62 LoveMETV22 11 months ago
Most likely the Wrecking Crew doing that music as they did most of the TV shows back then.
IndianaRockz LoveMETV22 10 months ago
Haha yes, that's one of those groovy tunes!!! Dig those groovy dancers😄
Deleted 11 months ago
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LoveMETV22 11 months ago
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
IndianaRockz 11 months ago
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.
IndianaRockz 11 months ago
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.
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