Main Cast: John P. McIntyre, Horace McMahon, James Franciscus, Paul Burke, Harry Bellaver
Release Year: 1958
Country: US
Run Time: 60 minutes
Plot
"There are eight million stories in The Naked City...This has been one of them." These words were intoned by producer Mark Hellinger at the conclusion of The Naked City, a 1947 detective film lensed in its entirety in New York City (quite an innovation in those Hollywood-dominated years). The same words were heard as the coda in each episode of the TV series Naked City, which like its movie predecessor was entirely shot in the Big Apple. Technically, there were two TV series bearing the title Naked City. The first, which aired on ABC from September 30, 1958 through September 29, 1959, was a weekly, half-hour endeavor, starring John McIntire as veteran NYPD lieutenant John Muldoon and James Franciscus as his youthful partner, Detective Jim Halloran. While Muldoon spent virtually every hour of his day tracking down the various robbers, muggers and two-bit hoodlums in his jurisdiction, Halloran divided his time between his job and his home life with wife Janet (Suzanne Storrs). In a startling plot development, Muldoon was killed in a car chase on the episode originally telecast March 17, 1959, whereupon another seasoned veteran, Lt. Mike Parker (Horace McMahon) took over as Halloran's partner. Also seen during Naked City's initial run was Harry Bellaver as patrolman Frank Arcaro. After a year-long hiatus, Naked City returned to the ABC schedule on October 12, 1960, this time as an hour-long series with several new cast members. Horace McMahon was back as Lt. Parker, as was Harry Bellaver as Frank Arcaro, who in the interim had been promoted to sergeant. New to the series was Paul Burke in the "young partner" slot as Detective Adam Flint, while Nancy Malone was seen as Flint's loyal, ever-patient girlfriend, Libby. Both incarnations of Naked City were outfitted with bluesy, evocative theme songs, with George Duning composing the theme of the 1958 version and Billy May and Milton Raskin handling the 1960 theme. And both were overflowing with familiar faces in their supporting casts, with such actors as Sandy Dennis, Dustin Hoffman, and Jon Voight making their earliest filmed TV appearances. The hour-long version of Naked City ended its ABC run on September 11, 1963. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Herbert B. Leonard - Executive Producer, Billy May - Composer (Music Score), George Duning - Composer (Music Score), Milton Raskin - Composer (Music Score), Stirling Silliphant - Show Creator
Episodes
Naked City: Hold for Gloria Christmas Naked City: Season 01 Naked City: Season 02 Naked City: Season 03 Naked City: Season 04
Avenue Blue's Naked City is a laid-back, mellow jazz and soul fusion, highlighted by blues flourishes. The main distinguishing feature of the group is guitarist Jeff Golub, whose fluid playing dominates the record, even when he is accompanying such guest stars as Phoebe Snow and Bob James. ~ David Jehnzen, All Music Guide
Rick Braun (Keyboards), Roger Squitero (Percussion), Lincoln Goines (Bass), Steve Gaboury (Keyboards), Daniel Ray (Photography), Steve Gaboury (Engineer), Bob James (Piano), Cliff Hugo (Bass), Don Harris (Trumpet), Phoebe Snow (Vocals), Rob Eaton (Engineer), Rick Braun (Trumpet), Jeff Golub (Guitar), Rick Braun (Flugelhorn), Jeff Levine (Organ (Hammond)), Kevin Savigar (Keyboards), Steve Barbuto (Drums), Ed King (Engineer), Lincoln Goines (Bass (Acoustic)), Rick Braun (Producer), Jeff Golub (Performer), Jim Biggins (Flute), Bill Harris (Sax (Tenor)), Ken Freeman (Engineer), Rick Braun (Arranger), Jeff Golub (Producer), Richard Evans (Design), Steve Hall (Mastering), Bill Harris (Sax (Baritone)), George Fullan (Assistant), John Fumasoli (Trombone), Rick Braun (Percussion), Scott Breadman (Percussion), Don Harris (Arranger), Rafael de Jesus (Percussion), John Billingsley (Assistant), Richard Evans (Art Direction), Jim Biggins (Sax (Tenor)), Ed King (Mixing), Lincoln Goines (Bass (Electric)), Steven Miller (Engineer)
Filmed on location in New York City, the series centers on the detectives of NYPD's 65th Precinct, but episode plots were often focused more on the criminals and victims portrayed by guest stars. Primary writer Stirling Silliphant nurtured a focus on intelligent drama with elements of comedy and pathos, leading to significant critical acclaim for the series, and leading film and television actors of the time sought out guest-starring roles. In addition to Silliphant, who went on to win an Academy Award for his script of In the Heat of the Night, writers of Naked City episodes included veteran TV writer Howard Rodman and blacklisted screenwriter Arnold Manoff, writing under the pseudonym "Joel Carpenter."
In addition, extensive location shooting made New York as much a star of the series as any of the actors. Many scenes were filmed in the south Bronx near Biograph Studios, where the series was produced, and in Greenwich Village and other neighborhoods of Manhattan. The exterior of the "65th Precinct" was the Midtown North Precinct at 306 West 54th Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.
Naked City first aired in 1958 as a half-hour series starring James Franciscus and John McIntire playing, respectively, Detective Jimmy Halloran and Lt. Dan Muldoon — the same characters as in the 1948 film. While critically acclaimed, the series did not garner high ratings and was cancelled by ABC after its first season. One of the show's sponsors (Liggett & Myers), along with production staff, successfully lobbied the network to revive the show as an hour-long series, which premiered in 1960.
The 1960 version of the series featured Paul Burke as "Detective Adam Flint", a sensitive and cerebral cop in his early thirties who does much of the legwork in the episodes. The preceding season, Burke had appeared with David Hedison in the short-lived NBCespionage drama, Five Fingers. Horace McMahon portrayed his seasoned and crusty superior, Lieutenant Mike Parker, and Harry Bellaver played his older, mellow partner, Sgt. Frank Arcaro. Both McMahon's and Bellaver's characters were also regulars in the earlier half-hour format series.
Also in 1960, Stirling Silliphant went on to create Route 66 using the same semi-anthology format of building the stories around the guest stars rather than the regular cast.
There are eight million stories, in the Naked City. This..has been one of them.
DVD release
In 2005 Image Entertainment released a box set of the series on Region 1 DVDs featuring 12 episodes,[1] followed by an additional box set of the series later that year.[2] In March 2006, a third box set of the series was released.[3]
