"Naked City" (1958) TV series 1958-1963

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Release Date:

30 September 1958 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Plot:

A crime drama that focused on the lives of the detectives of New York's 65th Precinct. The emphasis...

Plot Keywords:

Police

Awards:

Won 4 Primetime Emmys. Another 2 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Harry Bellaver	...	Det. Frank Arcaro / ... (136 episodes, 1958-1963)
Horace McMahon	...	Lt. Michael 'Mike' Parker / ... (112 episodes, 1958-1963)
Paul Burke	...	Det. Adam Flint / ... (99 episodes, 1960-1963)
Lawrence Dobkin	...	Narrator / ... (99 episodes, 1960-1963)

Series Directed by
Stuart Rosenberg		(17 episodes, 1958-1963)
John Brahm		(15 episodes, 1959-1962)
William A. Graham		(11 episodes, 1961-1963)
David Lowell Rich		(9 episodes, 1961-1962)
Elliot Silverstein		(8 episodes, 1961-1962)
Robert Gist		(7 episodes, 1962)
George Sherman		(6 episodes, 1959-1963)
James Sheldon		(6 episodes, 1962-1963)
William Beaudine		(5 episodes, 1958)
Alex March		(5 episodes, 1961-1962)
Arthur Hiller		(5 episodes, 1961)
Paul Nickell		(4 episodes, 1961-1962)
Douglas Heyes		(3 episodes, 1958)
Paul Wendkos		(3 episodes, 1960-1961)
William Conrad		(3 episodes, 1961)
Ralph Senensky		(3 episodes, 1963)
Tay Garnett		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Buzz Kulik		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Lamont Johnson		(2 episodes, 1960)
Walter Grauman		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Irvin Kershner		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Denis Sanders		(2 episodes, 1962)
Paul Stanley		(2 episodes, 1962)
Robert Ellis Miller		(2 episodes, 1963)

Series Writing credits
Stirling Silliphant		(37 episodes, 1958-1963)
Howard Rodman		(26 episodes, 1960-1963)
Abram S. Ginnes		(13 episodes, 1962-1963)
Gilbert Ralston		(7 episodes, 1961-1962)
Ernest Kinoy		(6 episodes, 1961-1963)
Shimon Wincelberg		(6 episodes, 1961-1963)
Sam Ross		(5 episodes, 1958-1959)
Arnold Manoff		(5 episodes, 1962-1963)
Barry Trivers		(4 episodes, 1960-1961)
Sy Salkowitz		(4 episodes, 1961-1962)
Alvin Sargent		(3 episodes, 1962-1963)
Mark Hellinger		(2 episodes, 1958-1959)
Ed Lacy		(2 episodes, 1959-1962)
Louis Salaman		(2 episodes, 1959)
Ellis Kadison		(2 episodes, 1960-1961)
Betty Andrews		(2 episodes, 1961-1962)
Jay Dratler		(2 episodes, 1961)
Jo Pagano		(2 episodes, 1961)
Frank Pierson		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Lester Pine		(2 episodes, 1962-1963)
Ken Trevey		(2 episodes, 1962)
Arnold Perl		(2 episodes, 1963)

Series Produced by
Herbert B. Leonard	....	producer / executive producer (138 episodes, 1958-1963)
Stanley Neufeld	....	associate producer (70 episodes, 1961-1963)
Leo Davis	....	supervising producer / producer (53 episodes, 1962-1963)
Sam Manners	....	associate producer (41 episodes, 1958-1961)
Charles Russell	....	producer (35 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Barnwell	....	associate producer (9 episodes, 1960-1961)
Jerry Thomas	....	associate producer (4 episodes, 1960-1961)

Series Original Music by
Nelson Riddle		(51 episodes, 1961-1963)
Billy May		(43 episodes, 1960-1962)

Series Cinematography by
Jack Priestley		(82 episodes, 1960-1963)
J. Burgi Contner		(39 episodes, 1958-1959)
Ernesto Caparrós		(11 episodes, 1960-1963)
Andrew Laszlo		(10 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Film Editing by
Charles L. Freeman		(57 episodes, 1960-1963)
Hugh Chaloupka		(52 episodes, 1961-1963)
Aaron Nibley		(38 episodes, 1958-1960)
Jack Gleason		(4 episodes, 1960-1962)
Milton Shifman		(3 episodes, 1961)
Harry Coswick		(2 episodes, 1960)

Series Casting by
Marion Dougherty		(1 episode, 1960)

Series Art Direction by
Robert Gundlach		(136 episodes, 1958-1963)

Series Set Decoration by
Al Griswold		(57 episodes, 1961-1963)
Gene Callahan		(36 episodes, 1958-1959)
J.C. Delaney		(32 episodes, 1960-1961)

Series Makeup Department
Mike Maggi	....	makeup artist (76 episodes, 1961-1963)

Series Production Management
Sam Manners	....	production executive / in charge of production / ... (70 episodes, 1961-1963)
Lawrence Werner	....	post-production supervisor (64 episodes, 1961-1963)
John Clarke Bowman	....	production supervisor / production manager (37 episodes, 1958-1960)
Stanley Neufeld	....	production supervisor / production executive (26 episodes, 1960-1961)
Leo Davis	....	executive in charge of production (14 episodes, 1961-1962)
Robert Bassler	....	in charge of production (5 episodes, 1960)
Louis Klotz	....	production manager (4 episodes, 1958)
Hal Schaffel	....	production supervisor (3 episodes, 1960)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
William C. Gerrity	....	assistant director / second unit director (119 episodes, 1959-1963)
Stanley Neufeld	....	assistant director / second unit director (94 episodes, 1960-1963)
Domenic D'Antonio	....	second assistant director / assistant director / ... (47 episodes, 1962-1963)
John Clarke Bowman	....	assistant director (34 episodes, 1958-1960)
John Zane	....	assistant director (14 episodes, 1958-1959)
Robert Myhrum	....	second unit director (6 episodes, 1961)
Sam Manners	....	second unit director (5 episodes, 1960-1961)

Series Art Department
Walter Stocklin	....	property master (38 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Sound Department
Ernest Zatorsky	....	sound mixer / sound (116 episodes, 1959-1963)
James Nelson	....	supervising sound editor (104 episodes, 1958-1962)
Sid Lubow	....	sound effects editor / sound editor (98 episodes, 1960-1963)
Dick Maier	....	sound effects editor / sound editor (26 episodes, 1962-1963)
Newton Avrutis	....	sound mixer (3 episodes, 1963)

Series Special Effects by
Daniel Hays	....	special effects (1 episode, 1963)

Series Visual Effects by
Milton Olshin	....	process projectionist / process technician (3 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Stunts
Max Kleven	....	stunt double: Paul Burke (16 episodes, 1960-1961)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Harold Lebow	....	chief electrician (47 episodes, 1958-1963)
Jack Priestley	....	camera operator / second unit photographer (44 episodes, 1958-1961)
Milton Moshlak	....	chief electrician / electrician (43 episodes, 1961-1963)
Fred Porrett	....	second unit cameraman (4 episodes, 1962-1963)

Series Casting Department
Marion Dougherty	....	casting executive / casting (67 episodes, 1961-1963)
Jess Kimmel	....	casting consultant (33 episodes, 1958-1959)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Ceil Chapman	....	gowns: Miss Lindfors (1 episode, 1961)
Milton C. Herman	....	furs (1 episode, 1961)

Series Editorial Department
Aaron Nibley	....	supervising film editor (98 episodes, 1960-1963)
Lawrence Werner	....	editorial supervisor (3 episodes, 1961)

Series Music Department
Ed Forsyth	....	music supervisor (99 episodes, 1960-1963)
Jack Lee	....	musician contractor / music contractor (98 episodes, 1960-1963)
Billy May	....	composer: theme music / conductor (49 episodes, 1960-1962)
Gil Grau	....	orchestrator (41 episodes, 1962-1963)
George Duning	....	composer: theme music (39 episodes, 1958-1959)
Ned Washington	....	composer: theme music (39 episodes, 1958-1959)
William Loose	....	orchestrator (36 episodes, 1961-1962)
Nelson Riddle	....	composer: theme music / conductor (13 episodes, 1962-1963)
Van Cleave	....	orchestrator (11 episodes, 1962)

Series Other crew
Hal Schaffel	....	production coordinator (107 episodes, 1958-1963)
Willetta Leonard	....	assistant to producer (98 episodes, 1960-1963)
Roger L. Smith	....	production assistant / in charge of second unit / ... (96 episodes, 1960-1963)
Stirling Silliphant	....	executive story consultant / executive story editor (95 episodes, 1960-1963)
Nicholas Sgarro	....	script supervisor / story supervisor (88 episodes, 1960-1963)
Howard Rodman	....	story supervisor / story editor (62 episodes, 1960-1962)
Albert T. Viola	....	production coordinator (12 episodes, 1959)
Dorothy Weshner	....	script supervisor (8 episodes, 1960-1961)
Jess Kimmel	....	assistant to producer (5 episodes, 1958)
Harold Schneider	....	production coordinator (2 episodes, 1959)

Series Thanks
Vincent A.G. O'Connor	....	filmed with the cooperation of commissioner/Department of Marine and Aviation, New York City / railroad office sequence filmed through the courtesy of City of New York Commissioner of Marine and Aviation (2 episodes, 1958-1961)

Production Companies

• Screen Gems Television
• Shelle Productions

Distributors

• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1958-1959) (1960-1963) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia Pictures Television
• Columbia TriStar Domestic Television (2001)
• Columbia TriStar Television
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Screen Gems
• Sony Pictures Television (2002-)

Also Known As:

"The Naked City" - USA (first season title)

Runtime:

30 min (1958-1959) (39 episodes) | 60 min (1960-1963) (99 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Filming Locations:

Biograph Studios, Bronx, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Screen Gems Television

Trivia:

John McIntire ("Lt. Dan Muldoon") left the series midway through the first season because, reportedly, he was tired of the New York location filming grind and wanted to return to his home in California. An earlier trivia statement claimed that McIntire couldn't stand working with series star James Franciscus. However, McIntire worked with Franciscus on at least two episodes of "Longstreet" (1971), including the 1971 television pilot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[first season only]
Narrator:Ladies and gentlemen, you are about to see "The Naked City." I'm Bert Leonard, the producer. This story was not photographed in a studio. Quite the contrary. The actors played out their roles in the streets and the buildings of New York itself.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 8 Million Ways to Die (1986)

Soundtrack:

Naked City Theme

Better than new shows

I remember this show quite well. I cannot remember any specific story lines but I do know that it was all filmed entirely in NYC the same way that the 1948 movie was. The black and white photography was as good as any theatrical movie of its time. I would venture to say that if this show would be rerun today in prime time, it would be as good any good cop shop being shown today. I would like to see this show put on video.