Whatever Happened to the Cast of ‘The Kids From C.A.P.E.R.’?

If you grew up in the ’70s, you probably remember waking up early on Saturday mornings, pouring a big bowl of some sort of sugary cereal and then planting yourself right in front of your family’s 19-inch TV set for hours of entertainment.

One of the shows that aired way back then was The Kids from C.A.P.E.R., a live-action show with a nutty mix of crime-solving, slapstick comedy, and bubblegum pop music. The series followed four teenage boys who worked for the 927th Police Precinct in the fictional town of Northeast, Southwestern. The letters in the title actually stood for the Civilian Authority for the Protection of Everyone, Regardless.

Filmed in Southern California, the show aired on NBC during 1976, and if memory serves correctly, it was at the end of their Saturday morning lineup. It served as the perfect bridge between cartoons and the sports programming that would take over the TV for the rest of the day.

Beyond the kid-centered comedic silliness, one of the best things about the show was the music. As the website Nostalgia Central points out, “The Kids from C.A.P.E.R. were the natural descendants of The Monkees.” The producers of the show, including Don Kirshner, were hoping that these guys would spawn massive hits just like that TV-originated band, so they made sure that a song would find its way into each and every episode.

The title song for the show was written by Ron Dante and Jeff Combes. Dante was a huge figure in pop music at the time. He worked closely with artists like Barry Manilow and was actually the uncredited lead singer on the massive 1969 hit song “Sugar, Sugar” by the animated band The Archies. Having him involved gave the show instant musical credibility.

As good as some of the songs were, the biggest strength was the natural chemistry and charm of its four young leads. So, with that said, let’s take a look at each of them and find out where their lives took them after the show ended.

Going in alphabetical order, let’s start with Steve Bannino; he played P.T., a kid who had a superhuman sense of smell and who was known for breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the audience at home. Bannino began playing guitar at age eight and played everything from bass to keyboards. He took his immense musical talents and built a lifelong career as a progressive rock musician and composer. While he had a few acting parts in movies like Three Days of the Condor and some television guest spots, he really dedicated his life to music. He became a respected figure in the world of rock, releasing numerous concept albums and playing in popular bands around the West Coast.

Cosie Costa played Bugs, who was the tough guy on the show with super strength who absolutely hated, of all things, bananas. He would go into a blind rage if anyone simply mentioned the word. After the show wrapped up, Costa continued working steadily as a reliable character actor on television. He became a familiar face to TV fans in the ’80s and ’90s, popping up on shows ranging from Eight Is Enough to the science-fiction series Babylon 5.

Everett Collection

John Lansing played Doc, the serious and incredibly smart leader of the group. He was a native of New York who loved Manhattan and considered acting to be his true first love. Lansing had a few more acting roles on shows like Laverne & Shirley and Magnum, P.I. However, he eventually transitioned into a very successful career behind the camera as a TV writer and an executive producer. Viewers might recognize his name from the credits of the hit CBS series Walker, Texas Ranger, where he served as a co-producer for many years.

Finally, Bill Warren played Doomsday, a sweet-natured feller who had the incredible ability to talk to animals. Warren was originally from Mississippi and had already landed guest spots on shows like The Waltons and Shazam! before joining the cast. Unlike his three co-stars who stayed in the entertainment industry in one way or another, Warren chose a much more private life instead, completely away from the Hollywood spotlight.

Sadly, The Kids from C.A.P.E.R. only lasted 13 episodes. At the end of the day, it wasn’t the huge hit that everyone hoped it would be. Because of that, it is really hard to find episodes of the show to watch today. It was never released on DVD or even VHS, and the only place one can find it streaming is on YouTube, where a couple of episodes have been uploaded by a channel called The Caper Project.

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1976 Top TV Moments

September 2026

Look back 50 years ago celebrating all the stars, musicians, TV shows and athletes who made 1976 memorable.

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