Back in the 1970s it was unusual to see a gay person portrayed on television. Sure, there were shows like All in the Family and Maude that were daring enough to give it a shot, but that was very uncommon. So, you can imagine my surprise to find an episode of Kojak from 1973 with a gay character, “Requiem for a Cop” (Season 1, Episode 6, 1973). Kojak was a hard-boiled crime drama, not a show that tackled difficult social issues, so having LGBT inclusion wasn’t expected.
The episode revolves around a police officer, Tom Donnoly (John Pickard), who is shot dead and found to be carrying $10,000 dollars. Despite Donnolly’s clean record, it’s assumed the money was part of a bribe or some other shady dealing. Now Kojak (Telly Savalas) and his team have two days to find the killer and clear Donnoly’s name.
Although there’s nothing gay about the episode description, it comes out early on that Donnoly had recently discovered that his son, Jack (Michael Margotta), is gay. At first it seems like an aside but quickly becomes a major part of the story. Having a gay plotline casually dropped into the story back then was notable. Another plus is that Jack is not portrayed as a mincing queen, or even slightly effeminate. He’s no different than any other character on the show, complete with backstory and motive.
The episode does skirt around Jack’s sexuality for a while, giving small clues before revealing it. And how it comes out and the way it’s treated is an honest representation of the mindset of the time. When Kojak asks Sgt. Dobieski (Joe George) about Jack, Dobieski only hints that he’s gay. It’s not until Kojak makes him say it that it’s out in the open. That is how taboo it was to be LGBT back in the seventies.
What makes this a milestone episode is that Kojak never judges Jack for his sexual identity. He treats it like any other piece of information found during the investigation. And while this is clearly a big step for television, it happened because Jack is portrayed as just another person. Although Jack being gay is a big part of the story, its downplayed and kept safe for the “average” viewer.
If you enjoy gritty crime dramas, give Kojak a try. Savalas is perfect as the tough as nails, fast talking lieutenant. Below is a clip from the episode that doesn’t give anything away.