"Car 54, Where Are You?" (1961) TV series 1961-1963

Creator:

Nat Hiken

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

17 September 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

The misadventures of two of New York's finest (a Mutt and Jeff pair) in the mythical 53rd precinct in the Bronx...

Plot Keywords:

Sitcom | Question In Title | Bronx New York City | Irish American | Police Officer

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 4 nominations

Cast

 (Series Cast Summary - 4 of 74)

Joe E. Ross	...	Officer Gunther Toody (60 episodes, 1961-1963)
Fred Gwynne	...	Officer Francis Muldoon (60 episodes, 1961-1963)
Paul Reed	...	Captain Martin Block / ... (31 episodes, 1961-1963)
Al Lewis	...	Officer Leo Schnauser / ... (25 episodes, 1961-1963)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

30 min | 30 min (60 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Eupolis Productions

Trivia:

For the black-and-white location shots, the patrol cars were painted red so as not to confuse the local populace.

Quotes:

Officer Francis Muldoon:Here's your milk!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis: Now I Lay Me Down to Steal (#4.28)" (1963)

Car 54, Where did you go?

I was much too young to enjoy this when it was on (I was 3 when it went off the air) but was blessed to see it on Nick at Night. I wish they would bring it back again or if it's on DVD, I must have it! This show about two 'hard working' New York City cops was witty and intelligent. Many of my generation think of the sitcoms of the 1950s and early 1960s and picture simple, basic and not terribly funny humor. Picture "Small Wonder" in black and white. This show had heart and some very clever writing. The simplest of everyday situations that a cop can face were turned into comedy gold. It was the "Barney Miller" of it's day. If any of you dear readers ever get a chance to see any of these episodes, check out the one where Toody and Muldoon have a chance to go out fishing on a boat. The lengths they go to to arrange their schedule so as to be free to go out, and the ONE thing that fouls it up are complex and hilarious.

The cast was wonderful as well, and of course they would be, otherwise this terrific writing would have been wasted. It's not.