Toma was based on the exploits of a real-life
big-city cop, Detective David Toma of the Newark,
New Jersey, police department. Toma was a loner,
continually bucking the system, and in many ways a
headache to his boss, inspector Spooner. But he was
also a master of disguise, and his quick-wittedness
and unorthodox meathods won him national
fame as a highly effective undercover agent. His
targets were usually crime syndicates, racketeers,
and the like. Patty Toma was his worried wife,
and Jimmy and Donna his young children.
When Tony Musante decided to quit the series, the
producers wanted to continue on with Robert Blake
in the lead role, but Blake didn't want to appear
on the series feeling like he was an understudy
to Musante and suggested a name change. The
producers changed the name, and also agreed
to rewrite the role to better fit Blake's true
character, and renamed the show "Baretta."