The 1970s were an incredible time in television. Indeed, many of the television shows from that decade still hold up to this day and are watched by millions!
One of the best television genres in the ’70s was the crime fighting shows. Fans loved watching their favorite heroes take down criminals, and look great doing it!
That’s why we’ve compiled ten of the best crime fighting 1970s TV characters. Scroll through below and see if your favorite made the list!
Jill Munroe – ‘Charlie’s Angels’
One of the most iconic crime fighting 1970s TV stars has to be Jill Munroe. Though Farrah Fawcett only played her on Charlie’s Angels for one season from 1976-1977, the character is still remembered to this day.
Jill was a member of the LAPD who was trained at the Los Angeles Police Academy. She was known for her playful and social attitude, and she was one of the more extroverted angels on the series.
Jill was never afraid to put herself in danger in order to protect others. She also loved the thrill of taking down a bad guy.
On top of all that, Jill was known for her beauty. Who could forget that blonde hair?!
Jim Rockford – ‘The Rockford Files’
Jim Rockford, who was played by James Garner on The Rockford Files from 1974-1980, was a private investigator in Los Angeles. He ran his private investigation service out of his beachside mobile home in Malibu, California.
Jim’s specialties were cold cases, missing person cases, and insurance scams. His unique investigative style involved using his wits to get important information out of whoever he was talking to.
Jim was usually unarmed, as he preferred to get himself out of trouble with logic and reason. Occasionally, however, he had to resort to a fistfight when things got out of hand with a criminal.
Jim’s clever mind won over millions of fans in the 1970s. If you haven’t seen his show, it’s worth checking out!
Sgt. Suzanne “Pepper” Anderson – ‘Police Woman’
Sgt. Pepper Anderson, who was played by Angie Dickinson on Police Woman from 1974-1978, was an undercover cop with the LAPD. Her team investigated everything from murders, to rapes, to drug crimes.
Pepper would go undercover in a variety of different roles, including turns as a prostitute, nurse, teacher, flight attendant, prison inmate, dancer, waitress, and more. Her goal was always to get close enough to her suspects so that she could arrest them and bring them to justice.
Pepper was the only female in her department, but she more than held her own. She was an inspiration to millions of female fans in a decade when women were showing the boys that they really can do anything!
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Det. Ken “Hutch” Hutchins – ‘Starsky & Hutch’
While there would be no Hutch without Starsky, it’s Hutch who has made our list. Hutch is the Minnesota native who is more reserved compared to his counterpart Starsky.
While Starsky was moody and intense, Hutch was more intellectual with his policing strategy. This made them compliment each other perfectly.
Hutch was played by David Soul on Starsky & Hutch from 1975 until 1979. He’s a calm and controlled character whose stoicism made him feel like someone that could be counted on by those around him. In the end, he was one of the best parts of this classic show!
Diana Prince – ‘Wonder Woman’
Princess Diana of Paradise Island, also known as Wonder Woman, was played by Lynda Carter on Wonder Woman from 1975 until 1979.
While Diana started off naive, she was also well equipped to defend herself. Her main goal was always peace, and she often showed mercy towards offenders once she had defeated them.
Diana’s powers included immortality and superhuman strength. She also had reflexes and stamina that were each superhuman.
Diana’s Wonder Woman costume continues to be iconic to this day. Indeed, you can expect to see many Wonder Womans running around every Halloween. That’s just a testament to how beloved this character continues to be!
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Dr. R. Quincy, M.E. – ‘Quincy, M.E.’
Jack Klugman starred as Dr. R. Quincy on the beloved television show Quincy M.E. from 1976 until 1983. The character was a renowned Medical Examiner (forensic pathologist) for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
Dr. Quincy would often outsmart both the LAPD and his argumentative boss Dr. Robert Asten (John S. Ragin) to solve his cases himself.
Dr. Quincy was also quite a ladies man, having various love interests throughout the show’s run. This program wasn’t afraid to tackle heavy social issues, making it a thought-provoking program to watch. It was also the first show of its kind to look at the law enforcement process from the perspective of a medical examiner.
Be sure to check out Quincy M.E. if you’re a fan of television crime shows!
Sally McMillan – ‘McMillan & Wife’
McMillan & Wife was a police procedural show that ran from 1971 until 1977. It told the stories of Stuart “Mac” McMillan (Rock Hudson), a former criminal defense attorney who becomes San Francisco police commissioner, and his wife Sally (Susan Saint James).
Sally quickly became a fan favorite. She was a playful character who also adored her older husband. Sally had her own opinions on things, but she also always stuck by her husband and supported him.
Sally enjoyed a glamorous life with Mac that many Americans envied at the time. Indeed, each episode would typically feature Mac and Sally attending fashionable parties and ritzy charity benefits before solving crimes together. This show is definitely worth a revisit if you haven’t seen it in years!
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Columbo – ‘Columbo’
Columbo ran from 1971 until 1978, and it starred Peter Falk as Lieutenant Columbo. This is the show that popularized the inverted detective story format, which is when the episode begins by showing the crime and the perpetrator. It then follows Columbo as he tries to apprehend the person, whose identity is known to the audience, but not to him.
As a lieutenant with the LAPD, Columbo investigates murders that were committed by highly intelligent people. He is known for having a great deal of intelligence himself, and for his keen eye for detail.
These traits are shielded from the world by Columbo’s unassuming personality and seemingly clumsy manner. He typically uses this to his advantage, as it allows him to get closer to his suspects while they underestimate him.
Columbo is arguably one of the most beloved crime fighting television characters of all time. It’ll take watching just one episode for you to see why!
Christie Love – ‘Get Christie Love!’
Get Christie Love! only ran for one season in 1974, but it has become a cult classic in the decades since. It starred Teresa Graves as the undercover NYPD detective Christie Love. Let’s just say you did not want to mess with her!
Christie was a no-nonsense New Yorker who was afraid of nobody. She even had her own catchphrase. Whenever she would arrest a bad guy, Christie would always say, “You’re under arrest, Sugah!”
Christie had a sassy and bold style, but she also had a friendly side that endeared her to audiences. If you check out an episode of Get Christie Love! , you’ll wish it went on for more than one season!
Lt. Theo Kojak – ‘Kojak’
Finally, there’s Lieutenant Theophilus “Theo” Kojak, an NYPD detective who was portrayed by Telly Savalas on Kojak from 1973-1978.
Kojak was a tough and dapper New York policeman who had a soft spot for the candies known as Dum-Dums. He had various catchphrases that included, “Who loves ya, baby?” “Quit ya bellyaching”, and “Cootchie-coo!”.
In investigating his crimes, Kojak was both stubborn and determined. He also exhibited a dark but hilarious sense of humor that made fans everywhere adore him.
In the end, Kojak was always ready to bend the rules when it came to bringing a criminal to justice. That perfectly sums up not only Kojak, but all ten of the crime fighting ’70s heroes on this list!
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