Täter unbekannt

This show had a rather leisurely aspect that I enjoyed on our first TV in the 50s. Dragnet was tenser. Suspect whines: Hey, I want to see a lawyer. Friday: Don't worry... Suspect: Huh? Friday: You'll need one! (Dum da dumb dumb) The Lineup featured a row of lowlifes on the police stage with an ironic Greb officiating: OK, next is Harry Jones... step forward, Harry. Take off your hat. Seems you got into a little trouble last night, Harry, got caught with your hand in a safe where it didn't belong. How'd that happen? Suspect: Ahh, it's a bum rap. Greb: Sure, Harry, that's what they all say...OK step back. The witness wasn't peeking through a one-way mirror, but sat in the audience, and the suspect was identified by name and crime. No way that would hold up today. Of course, like Dragnet terse justice was essential in a half-hour show. After the last commercial they had a a really short wrap-up: Victim: Lieutenant, what's going to happen to Smith? Guthrie: Oh, he was sentenced today. Gas chamber. The End. Followed by 20 years of appeals.

This series is a nostalgic monument to Old San Francisco;i.e., before the development of high rise buildings. One can hear the old fog horns and feel the dampness as Inspector Grebb and the Lt. walk about in Top Coats and Fedoras. They also frequently use the old Police Call Boxes(dedicated phone lines on the street), painted blue of course. After all, portable two-way radios were still less than reliable. The series also makes use of the old Hall of Justice building on Kearney Street. This elaborate old building was torn down to make way for a new hotel. It is a very different city depicted in this series than was shown in "The Streets of San Francisco" or the Harry Callahan/Clint Eastwood movies.

As a young boy,"San Francisco Beat" was my favorite TV show.I loved and still do, any film that uses pre-1970 San Francisco as a background.I still can remember the opening shot at the top of Hyde St. with the O'Farrell,Jones & Hyde cable car going down the hill as the old Ford squad car comes up and turns into Lombard St.Later when the show was renamed "Lineup" the scene was the same except a Dodge was used as the squad car and the cable car had changed to a Powell & Hyde car.Has anybody noticed the view outside their squad room window is not correct?It was impossible to get that view from the old "Hall of Justice".I think that shot was taken from the top of "Nob Hill".It was still a great show.I wish I could see this show again!!!

April, 2009

What I remember most about THE LINEUP is the final roll of credits. You'd see a slow dramatic panorama of San Francisco at that time, mid 1950's, as the theme song pounded over the view. At that time Coit Tower was the tallest point in the skyline. Then you'd hear the voice over express thanks to San Francisco Chief of Police, think it was Tom Cahill at that time--but I also recall that it may have been Patrick Duffy in the earlier days of the series.

My father had a jewelry store on Columbus Ave. in North Beach and the shop flashed by once in a scene from an episode.

Yes, the '49 Ford coming up the street in the opening sequence with Tom Tully driving and Warner Anderson looking out. And that theme song again.

I just watched a part of an episode on You Tube from 1958. But nothing comes up if you type in the series title: But you will get it by typing in "1957 Dodge and 1957 Plymouth." It features Richard Jeckel, Jr., as a kid; and a very young Eli Walach. Good chase scene that shows the Embarcadero under construction; Sutros near Playland; and shots of the bridge.

Dennis Caracciolo April, 2009

I remember seeing this show on Friday nights. What I remember best is that they were not kids shows but were still very enjoyable for the whole family. They were very tight half hour shows, in other words, it went by very quick. I wish these shows would be on some cable channel that would show programs of the fifties like this one.