The series was born out of an unsold television pilot, "The Life and Times of Captain Barney Miller", that aired on August 22, 1974, as part of an ABC summer anthology series, "Just for Laughs". Linden and Vigoda were cast in their series roles; no other eventual cast members were present. Abby Dalton played Barney Miller's wife, Liz, while Val Bisoglio, Rod Perry, and a pre-"Hill Street Blues" Charles Haid rounded out the cast of the pilot. Guest stars included Mike Moore, Chu Chu Mulave, Henry Beckman, Buddy Lester, Michael Tessier and Anne Wyndham.