Main

• Anne Bobby as Officer Vicki Quinn
• Barbara Bosson as Mayor Louise Plank
• David Gianopoulos as Officer Andy Campo
• Larry Joshua as Captain John Hollander
• James McDaniel as Officer Franklin Rose
• Ron McLarty as Detective Ralph Ruskin
• Mick Murray as Detective Joseph Gaines
• Peter Onorati as Detective Vincent LaRusso
• Ronny Cox as Chief Roger Kendrick
• Vondie Curtis-Hall as Commander Warren Osborne
• Paul McCrane as Detective Bob McIntire

Recurring

• William Thomas Jr. as Detective William Donald Potts
• Kathleen Wilhoite as Patricia Spence
• Teri Austin as Trish Vaughn
• Dennis Lipscomb as Sidney Weitz
• Jeffrey Alan Chandler as Ray Rodbart
• CCH Pounder as Willa Phelan

Development

In the early 1980s, a Broadway producer offered Steven Bochco a proposal to convert his series Hill Street Blues into a musical. As the plan was not practical, the proposal was declined, but Bochco kept the idea in mind and thought about doing the opposite instead, converting a Broadway show into a police procedural television series. In 1987, the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) gave Bochco a production commitment for ten of his future shows, and wanting to experiment, he developed Cop Rock as a "bold and adventurous" idea.^[1] The head of ABC Entertainment at the time, Bob Iger, was one of the only people willing to give him a chance, allowing the creation of the series.^[1] On the opportunity, James McDaniel stated that, "the media said it was impossible and that it was ridiculous, but nothing's impossible and ridiculous if you have the right pieces in place."^[1]

Casting

Over 200 people auditioned for Cop Rock; Peter Onorati, who portrays Detective Vincent LaRusso, was introduced to the series by his wife after she talked with Howard McGillin, who had also auditioned. Jokingly stating that he had experience singing at weddings, Onorati's agent, Kay Liberman, set up an audition, where Onorati performed Fats Domino's "Blue Monday".^[1]

One of the only actors with singing experience, Teri Austin graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and performed "Lover Man" and "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" at her audition. Kathleen Wilhoite, who portrays Patricia Spence, had a record deal at the time, and decided to audition with "Easy to Be Hard", finding her casting as a "good gig for me, because singing is kind of my thing".^[1] McDaniel, on the other hand, turned down an offer to join the series but changed his mind after finding out it was created by Bochco, who he had worked with on the last season of Hill Street Blues.^[1]

Mick Murray was searching for an acting job in New York and was going through multiple pilots from ABC before hearing about Cop Rock and Bochco's involvement. At his audition, the casting director was Alexa Fogel, who was not of fan of his following a failed audition for the film Young Guns. As a result, Murray decided to perform a cappella by Terence Trent D'Arby, which Fogel responded to with "the warmest smile". At night, Murray received a phone call from his agent and was told that the production crew had expanded a small role for him so he could join as a series regular.^[1]

Larry Joshua brought his own guitar to his audition and performed "When She Wants Good Lovin'" and "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye". During this time, David Gianopoulos heard about the series after running into Joshua near 42nd Street. Revealing to his agent that he had been secretly singing in several bands for over six years, Gianopoulos auditioned with Ben E. King's "Stand by Me" at Lincoln Center, where several other cast members also had their auditions. Originally, Gianopoulos had auditioned for the role of LaRusso before being told by Bochco to audition for the role of Officer Andy Campo. The following day, he performed Bruce Springsteen's "Hungry Heart" and received the part.^[1]

Ronny Cox was told by pilot director Gregory Hoblit that he would get the role of Chief Roger Kendrick whether or not he could sing. Broadway performer Anne Bobby, however, had to audition, doing so on a Saturday where she said she saw her friend Jane Krakowski. Furthermore, Paul McCrane was told by Hoblit and Bochco that they did not have a part for him at the moment and reassured him that they would write a new character once the show entered production; McCrane was later cast as Detective Bob McIntire.^[1]