Actor William Boyett (Adam-12's Sgt. "Mac" MacDonald) dead at 77

[sally343434]

William Boyett, a veteran stage, screen and television character actor best known for playing Sgt. "Mac" MacDonald on the TV series "Adam-12," has died. He was 77.

Boyett, a longtime resident of Studio City, died Wednesday of complications from pneumonia and kidney failure at Holy Cross Hospital in Mission Hills, said his daughter, Suzy Boyett.

(snip)

His work with actor-producer Jack Webb on both the 1950s and '60s versions of "Dragnet" led Webb to cast the barrel-chested actor with the gravelly voice to play the role of the low-key but authoritative Sgt. MacDonald on "Adam-12," the 1968-75 police drama that starred Martin Milner and Kent McCord.

"He's one of the last (members) of the Jack Webb stock company," McCord told The Times on Friday. "Bill was one of those steady performers you could count on. He was honest in his performance: He conveyed truthfulness, which is what Jack required from everybody who worked for him."

And, McCord added, "Bill was a delight to work with, and made it one of the greatest pleasures of being on a series for seven years where you had such compatibility among all of us. We had our own stock company (on "Adam-12"). It really was a fun show to be on."

More at: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-boyett1jan01,1,4500528.story

[henslee]

1. I loved A-12 and barely recall him.

[Historic NY]

2. He was the shift supervisor, the one they always called......drove....

the station wagon sometimes......it will come back to you.

[henslee]

3. There was a recent Mission Imposs. thread. I commented on how MI

really influenced me growing up. Same with A-12. I watched an awful lot of it. Those guys were so cool and level headed.