Car 54, Where Are You? (1961–1963)

The misadventures of two of New York's finest (a Mutt and Jeff pair) in the mythical 53rd precinct in the Bronx. Toody, the short, stocky and dim-witted one either saves the day or muffs ... See full summary »

Creator:

Nat Hiken

Stars:

Joe E. Ross, Fred Gwynne, Paul Reed

Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 4 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Joe E. Ross	...	Officer Gunther Toody (60 episodes, 1961-1963)
Fred Gwynne	...	Officer Francis Muldoon (60 episodes, 1961-1963)
Paul Reed	...	Captain Paul Block (54 episodes, 1961-1963)
Al Lewis	...	Officer Leo Schnauser (44 episodes, 1961-1963)
Beatrice Pons	...	Lucille Toody (29 episodes, 1961-1963)

Storyline

The misadventures of two of New York's finest (a Mutt and Jeff pair) in the mythical 53rd precinct in the Bronx. Toody, the short, stocky and dim-witted one either saves the day or muffs things up much to the chagrin of Muldoon, the tall, lanky and smart one.

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Plot Keywords:

sitcom | question in title | bronx new york city | irish american | police officer | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 September 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

De wijkagenten

Filming Locations:

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

Company Credits

Production Co:

Eupolis Productions, National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min (60 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Was William Faulkner's favorite TV show.

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Goofs

In some versions of the opening credits, most notably the version in which Toody and Muldoon are playing checkers in the car, the bubble light atop the squad car jumps when the car shakes. It should be bolted in place.

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Quotes

Officer Francis Muldoon: Here's your milk!

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Connections

Referenced in For Those Who Think Young (1964)

User Reviews

Riotous TV comedy series

"There's a holdup in the Bronx. Brooklyn's broken out in fights. There's a traffic jam in Harlem that's backed up to Jackson Heights. There's a scout troop short a child. Kruschev's due at Idlewild. Car 54, Where Are You?"

In the mixed Jewish and Italian 53rd precinct of the Bronx, two mismatched police officers, Gunther Toody and his partner, Francis Muldoon, patrol their section in Car 54. Gunther, a married man, is short, heavyset, and, a dummy. Francis, a bachelor living with his mother, is tall, skinny, and cultured. Practicing an early form of community policing, these two kind-hearted, childish men are beloved in the neighborhood. But their efforts to circumvent stern law usually backfire and embarrass their precinct commander, Captain Block.

This program, a gem of Jewish humor, packed a half-hour of riotous laughter into every show. Each character in it was well-formed and extreme. The guest stars were just as hilarious. Although "I Love Lucy" is remembered as the premier TV comedy series of the 1950's, "Car 54, Where Are You?" extracted more humor out of normal situations. One cannot watch it without getting a belly-ache. It was the funniest show on television.