Martin Milner: R.I.P.

Martin Milner, star of 1960s TV series Route 66 and Adam 12, died on Sunday. He was 83. In 1960, Milner became a household name with his role as Tod Stiles on "Route 66.”

Route 66, inspired by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, the iconic TV drama reflected both the social issues of the day and the rise of the American car culture by featuring two men driving throughout the United States in a Corvette, assisting those in need.

Milner followed this success with another classic good-man role in 1968s police series Adam-12. As Officer Pete Malloy, Milner projected the same kind of tough compassion and realism that made sister-show Dragnet famous.

Both shows were produced by Jack Webb, a lifelong friend of Milner. Adam-12 is credited with introducing Americans to police jargon, and police officers, including current Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck, openly credit Milner's work as inspiring their decisions to join the force.

Watch an episode of Route 66.