Scanners On TV
- Thread starter dispatch235
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Ubbe
Member
In the TV series Emergence the female sheriff used a SDS200 to monitor an aircraft frequency. It must had been just released when the episode where taped.
Emergence (TV Series 2019–2020) - IMDb
Emergence (TV Series 2019–2020) - IMDb
tvengr
Well Known Member
I remember that Kojak had a scanner in his car. Does anyone know which one it was?
The opening scenes of the TV show "SWAT" [1970s] had a Realistic brand scanner and a pretty cool bumper music:
wtp
Member
i think it was his brown buick...
tvengr
Well Known Member
I know it was a brown Buick. I was wondering if anyone remembered what kind of scanner was in it.
Brown Buick... Blue Buick... [both were in the series, as well as a second brown Buick with smaller hubcaps]
Here's the Electra Bearcat scanner in it:
Here's the Electra Bearcat scanner in it:
tvengr
Well Known Member
Thanks! That is an Electra Bearcat BCA. The BCA was the only one with a round speaker. Bearcat Electra was labelled in red below the squelch and volume knobs. Both the Bearcat III and IV had oval speakers. The Bearcat III had a black front panel like in the photo, but the white labels for the squelch and volume knobs were not immediately below the channel switches. Bearcat III in red was between the switches and white labels The Bearcat IV had a silver front panel with black labels with Bearcat IV in red in the same position as the Bearcat III.
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tvengr
Well Known Member
Later, I found there was an Electra Bearcat II which looks identical the to the BCA except for one thing. The BCA was designed for aircraft only and had a picture of a propeller on the speaker grill. If the speaker grill wasn't painted over, the scanner in Kojak's car would be an Electra Bearcat II. It could be either one.
On the EMERGENCY! tv show (72 -79), Rampart hospital had what looked like a Regency ACT E model desk scanner.
scannersnstuff
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In a scene from an episode where they operate on a goat <yes,a goat>, they wheel the cart into the exam room and act out punching a frequency into the scanner,to talk to the animal shelter. Very unrealistic. But tv back then.
In the Lou Grant television series of the 1970's, the newspapers photographer, "Animal" (played by Daryl Anderson) had several Regency (TMR 8 H/L vintage) scanners in his car. Anderson based parts of his character portrayal on (then) real life Los Angeles Times photographer Boris Yaro.
Anderson's portrayal of a photojournalist was controversial because of his deshelled appearance. I never met Anderson, but loved the show. Boris and I, while working for different papers in Los Angeles, were friends.
Anderson's portrayal of a photojournalist was controversial because of his deshelled appearance. I never met Anderson, but loved the show. Boris and I, while working for different papers in Los Angeles, were friends.
Weren't some PJs rather 'unique' characters?
Yes they are (were). I teach photojournalism and one of my favorites from yesteryear (way before my time) was "Weegee", a New York photographer in the 1930-40's. Joe Pesci portrayed a character loosely based on Weegee in the film, The Public Eye.
I haven't watched that episode, but it may have been the MHS335BT marine radio, which looks similar:
I wish the SDS200 used a drop-in charger like the MHS!
Neat trick using the rear brakes only on that van. A PD these days would rather walk to a scene than show up in something like that- you have to look stylish now- Bearcat, MRAP or similar.
Cognomen
♦
TV show Supernatural, in Bobby Singer's panic room, there's a Realistic scanner on the shelf. I think I saw it in one of the Season 4 or 5 episodes.
