QME FAQ

In the opening credits of Quincy, M.E., there’s a brief shot of a blonde woman sunbathing on Quincy’s sailboat — but she’s never identified or seen again in the show. Who was she, and what was her connection to Quincy?

The identity of the blonde-haired woman seen sunbathing on Dr. Quincy’s sailboat during the show’s opening title sequence has intrigued viewers for decades — and for good reason. She never speaks, is never named, and doesn’t appear in the show’s storyline. In fact, her appearance is purely visual — a stylish snapshot meant to reflect Quincy’s lifestyle rather than a character with a narrative role.

As of today, her identity remains officially unconfirmed in production credits. She was most likely a model or extra hired specifically for the opening sequence, which was filmed at Marina del Rey as part of a broader effort to portray Quincy as a bachelor living an enviable coastal life. The image of a woman sunbathing on his boat subtly reinforced Quincy’s image as a free-spirited, independent man with both brains and a touch of Hollywood cool.

Why is she never mentioned in the show? The early seasons of Quincy, M.E. leaned more into his bachelor persona, but as the series progressed, Quincy’s character became more focused on forensic justice and social issues — and less on swinging single life. The woman’s presence in the credits stayed for a while simply as part of the established montage, even after it no longer reflected the evolving tone of the show.

In many lab scenes, Sam is seen using a calculator that looks like an old-school Hewlett-Packard. Was it really an HP, and do we know the model?Great catch — and yes, the calculator Sam Fujiyama frequently used in the Los Angeles Coroner’s lab does appear to be a vintage Hewlett-Packard (HP) model. Fans and vintage tech sleuths have identified it as likely being from the HP-67/97 series — two legendary programmable calculators designed for professional use.

The HP-67 was a handheld scientific calculator, introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 1976 and discontinued in 1982. Its counterpart, the HP-97, was introduced in 1977 and discontinued in 1984. The HP-97 was a desktop version of the 67, complete with a built-in thermal printer and a larger keypad. Both calculators featured magnetic card readers for program storage and used Reverse Polish Notation (RPN) — a system embraced by engineers and scientists for its efficiency but considered puzzling to the uninitiated.

Collectively referred to as the HP-67/97 series, these models were widely used in laboratories, hospitals, and universities throughout the late ’70s and early ’80s, making them a realistic and era-appropriate choice for Sam’s character — the lab’s meticulous forensic assistant.

Though the show never provides a clear close-up, scenes showing the calculator’s distinctive red LED display and keypad layout strongly suggest it was either an HP-67 or HP-97, both emblematic of high-end technical equipment of the time.

Fun Fact: The HP-67/97 line was among the most advanced personal computing tools available before desktop computers became mainstream — yet another detail that subtly underscored Sam’s role as Quincy’s sharp, scientifically-minded right hand.

Bonus trivia: HP calculators of this era used Reverse Polish Notation (RPN), a distinctive input method favored by scientists but confusing to most casual users — yet another subtle nod to Sam’s deep technical knowledge and precision!

Given the last name and the timing, was Garry Walberg — who played Lt. Frank Monahan on Quincy, M.E. — related to Donnie or Mark Wahlberg of New Kids on the Block fame?

It’s a reasonable guess — especially since Garry Walberg and the Wahlbergs share a similar-sounding surname — but the answer is no, actor Garry Walberg was not related to Donnie, Mark, or any of the famous Wahlberg siblings from the New Kids on the Block dynasty.

Garry Walberg was born Gerrit Christian Walberg Jr. in Buffalo, New York, in 1921 — decades before the boy band era exploded. He had a long and respected career in television, appearing in shows like Perry Mason, The Odd Couple, and of course, his iconic role as the world-weary but loyal Lt. Frank Monahan on Quincy, M.E.

The Wahlberg family, including Donnie and actor/entrepreneur Mark Wahlberg, hail from Boston, Massachusetts, and rose to fame in the late 1980s and early ’90s. While they share a similar last name (with slightly different spelling), there’s no family connection between Garry Walberg and the music-acting Wahlberg clan.

So, next time you see Monahan questioning a suspect or sharing coffee with Quincy in the coroner’s lab, you can appreciate him for what he was — a talented character actor with no need for a pop star connection!

Great observation — and you’re not alone in noticing! While Quincy, M.E. was unmistakably set in Southern California (complete with marina scenes and LA County references), many of the show’s regular and guest stars, including Jack Klugman, brought unmistakable Northeastern flair to their performances. Klugman himself hailed from Philadelphia, and his gruff, no-nonsense delivery gave Quincy a distinct East Coast edge.

This wasn’t necessarily a deliberate move by the producers to portray a transplanted East Coast community, but rather a byproduct of casting veteran character actors — many of whom had roots in New York theater or the broader Northeast acting scene. In fact, Universal Studios in the 1970s often drew from a talent pool that overlapped heavily with Broadway, off-Broadway, and TV dramas shot in New York before production hubs shifted more fully westward.

For Klugman, his East Coast identity wasn’t something he tried to shed. Instead, it became an integral part of Quincy’s character — tough, passionate, outspoken, and deeply driven by principle. Whether challenging bureaucrats or standing up for the underdog, Quincy’s voice (both literally and figuratively) had a distinct Northeastern ring to it.

So while it may not have been a purposeful choice in the writing room, the melting pot of accents ended up adding layers of authenticity and grit to the show’s ensemble — helping Quincy feel like the kind of guy who could’ve been a streetwise New Yorker, even if he was working the LA docks.

Jack Klugman was born on April 27, 1922, and he brought the tenacious medical examiner Quincy to life beginning with the show’s premiere in 1976. At the start of Quincy, M.E., Klugman was 54 years old. Over the course of the series’ seven-year run — which aired from 1976 to 1983 — he portrayed Dr. Quincy from age 54 through to 61.

This period marked some of Klugman’s most celebrated work, where his portrayal of the determined and often stubborn medical examiner captured the attention of millions. His mature age lent gravitas and authenticity to the role, helping to ground the series in realism during an era when medical dramas were just starting to gain popularity on television.

Jack Klugman’s performance on Quincy, M.E. not only defined his career but also left a lasting legacy on the genre, influencing future crime and medical shows for decades to come.