87th Precinct (1961–1962)

Manhattan's 87th precinct forms the backdrop for this grim and gritty police drama based on the long-running series of novels by Ed McBain. Storylines focus on neighborhood crime, and the ... See full summary »

Creator:

Evan Hunter

Stars:

Robert Lansing, Ron Harper, Norman Fell

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Robert Lansing	...	Det. Steve Carella (30 episodes, 1961-1962)
Ron Harper	...	Det. Bert Kling (30 episodes, 1961-1962)
Norman Fell	...	Det. Meyer Meyer (30 episodes, 1961-1962)
Gregory Walcott	...	Det. Roger Havilland (30 episodes, 1961-1962)

Storyline

Manhattan's 87th precinct forms the backdrop for this grim and gritty police drama based on the long-running series of novels by Ed McBain. Storylines focus on neighborhood crime, and the lives of the officers of the 87th and their families: Steve Carella and his deaf/mute wife, Teddy; rookie Bert Kling; long-time veteran Roger Havilland and the wryly philosophical Meyer Meyer.

---

Plot Keywords:

police | detective | number in title

---

Genres:

Drama | Crime

---

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 September 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

87. piiri

Filming Locations:

Revue Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hubbell Robinson Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (30 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on the detective novels of Ed McBain (pen name of Evan Hunter).

---

Connections

Referenced in Showbiz Today: Episode dated 11 January 1997 (1997)

User Reviews

87th Precinct-A Forgotten Classic

This was an excellent program that should have run longer. Robert Lansing was an excellent Steve Carella and the other characters were also good. The only thing different from the novels was Roger Havilland portrayed by Gregory Walcott. On the show, he was a tough but likable person whereas in the novels he was a brutal jerk. The earliest episodes were the best in my opinion. Especially the very first two, The Floater and Lady in Waiting. I was lucky enough to find VHS copies on eBay. In another episode, The Very Hard Sell, Leonard Nimoy of Star Trek fame appears as a very nasty drug pusher while Arte Johnson later of Laugh-In appears as a desk clerk at a fleabag hotel.

This would make an excellent DVD collection, but of course, it is probably not well remembered although McBain's series of novels are very popular.