Why do so many characters on Quincy, M.E. sound like they’re from the East Coast if the show was set in California?

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.