<P> McCord was born Kent Franklin McWhirter in Los Angeles, California to Bert and Laura McWhirter . Using the stage name Kent McCord, he first appeared on television in 1962 The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet . He became a close friend of Ricky Nelson and made a total of 44 appearances on the program over the next few years . He also landed small parts in three Elvis Presley films . He also appeared as a motorcycle courier in a McHale's Navy episode titled "Monkey Business 007" under the name Kent McWhirter . </P> <P> After working in a variety of secondary roles, he got his big break in 1968 when he was given a lead role next to Martin Milner as rookie LAPD police officer James A. "Jim" Reed on Adam - 12, a police drama television series created by Jack Webb . The popular show ran on NBC from 1968 - 75 . In the first season of Jack Webb's Dragnet 1967, he appeared twice . The first appearance, in the episode "The Big Explosion", saw him credited under his legal name . </P> <P> In the second episode, "The Interrogation", McCord was credited under his stage name, and he played the role of a Los Angeles Police Department officer who had allegedly robbed a store while working an undercover narcotics detail fresh out of the police academy . McCord went on to appear five additional times in the second season, three times as unnamed officers and twice as his eventual Adam - 12 character Jim Reed . He appeared one more time on Dragnet as Reed before the character became exclusive to Adam - 12 . </P> <P> In 1972, McCord was elected to the National Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild and served on the board for 11 years . He served as the first national vice president while on the National Board of Directors . </P>

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