Clarence Williams III, Peggy Lipton and Michael Cole of The Mod Squad. Photo courtesy Los Angeles Times
May 13, 2019 — Chicago, IL — DECADES TV Network will honor the life and career of the late actress Peggy Lipton with a weekend binge of The Mod Squad. The digital retro television network will air forty-two episodes of the groundbreaking series airing back to back beginning Saturday 5/18 at 10am ET 7am PT and continuing thru Monday 5/20 at 7am ET 4am PT.
In 1968, Lipton, a former teen model, landed the role of street-savvy Julia Barnes on The Mod Squad and was catapulted into stardom, becoming the ?It Girl? of the early 1970s with her authentic vibrancy, fresh take on the character, and of course, her signature long blond hair and hippie-chic style. Also starring Michael Cole and Clarence Williams III, The Mod Squad is remembered for being a modern riff on the police drama genre, attempting to reach a new, young audience who was turning off their parents? TV in favor of current movies, music and social movements. The formula of a young, interracial cast of outsiders taking on the establishment worked, and the show was a hit. At the time executive producer Aaron Spelling was quoted, “We’re telling it like it is. Somebody has to help adults understand young people. They’ve got so many hang-ups and nobody seems to care. Love is the answer. Those hippies are right. Those kids are so totally involved with life, they’ve involved me.”
Over five seasons, the series tackled hard-hitting, socially relevant issues in a new and more realistic way for TV, ranging from drugs and domestic violence, to police brutality and even complex aspects of the Vietnam War. Lipton earned four Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1971.
In 1974, Lipton married prolific music producer Quincy Jones and soon gave birth to two daughters, Kidada and Rashida Jones. Following their 1989 divorce, Lipton returned to the small screen in the role of Norma Jennings in cult hit Twin Peaks. Lipton?s most recent credits include films When in Rome and A Dog?s Purpose and appearances on TV series Alias, Crash, House of Lies and the 2017 revival of Twin Peaks 2017 revival.
For the complete schedule of this weekend’s Mod Squad weekend binge, or to find out where to watch Decades in your area, visit www.decades.com.
About Weigel Broadcasting Co.
Weigel Broadcasting Co. is a family-owned media company based in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to producing the new series Collector?s Call, the company owns and operates national television networks, as well as local broadcast stations throughout the country. Weigel is the leader in the multicast television network space with “MeTV,” Memorable Entertainment Television, the number-one rated and distributed multicast network, as well as the “Movies!” Network in cooperation with the Fox Television Stations, the “DECADES” Network, the “H&I” Network and the ?Start TV? Network in association with the CBS Television Stations. Weigel’s local stations include CBS, ABC, The CW, MyNet and Telemundo network affiliates. Weigel and its affiliate companies broadcast network and independent television stations in Los Angeles, Chicago, Seattle, St. Louis, Cedar City-St. George, Milwaukee, South Bend and Rockford. Weigel is also the creator of the nationally syndicated music format MeTV FM. For more information on Weigel, visit: https://www.weigelbroadcasting.com/
