One of the most underrated crime drama shows of the mid-to-late 1960's, "N.Y.P.D.",ran for two seasons on ABC-TV from September 5,1967 until September 16,1969. Produced by Talent Associates/Paramount Television. A total of 49 episodes were produced. This was a brilliant series that was filmed on location in various parts of New York City and was shown in full color with full cooperation of the New York Police Department and it was based on actual cases. Created by David Susskind and Arnold Perl("Naked City","East Side/West Side")this was a grand detective/crime drama series that shows the gritty side of New York and the cops who confronted it. Since much of the filming was done on location,the series showed a darker sinister side of the city's underworld denizens are realistically portrayed. This was a show that went totally beyond the norm and it set the standard for the police shows that emerged during the mid-1960's and was the forefront of other great detective shows that would follow it.
The series focused on three N.Y.P.D. plain detectives who were assigned various cases within the department. Detective Lt. Mike Haines (Jack Warden)was the oldest of the trio,with more than 18 years on the force and the more experience;his counterpart African-American officer Jeff Ward(Robert Hooks),and the young fresh behind the ears rookie Detective Johnny Corso(Frank Converse),fresh from the Police Academy and his first taste of police work. Together,they tracked the worst of the scum of the city--murderers,extortionists,corruption within the ranks,drug pushers,bombers,rapists and other thugs that terrorized the city. From locations that consisted of The Bowery,Hell's Kitchen to Wall Street to Shubert Alley all the way to Times Square to Broadway to the Empire State Building to the slums of the East Side and West Side of the city and Harlem. Spectacular production values from producers Bob Markell,Daniel Melnick and George Goodman since some of the writers who wrote for "Naked City" and "East Side/West Side" were behind the scripts of the short-lived series from the mid-1960's.
And speaking of the guest stars that were on this show--came on board or just starting out that really made there mark on this series which consisted of Denise Nicholas,William Devane,Victor Arnold,Ralph Waite, Tony LoBianco,James Earl Jones,Ossie Davis,Verna Bloom,Jon Voight,not to mention Robert Forester,Beverly Todd,Nancy Marchand,Jean Stapleton, and Richard Dreyfuss. Some of the episodes really stick out as some of the best out of the series' two year run on ABC. Brilliant episodes that are astounding to behold which was breathtaking drama at its finest which included "Shakedown","Walking Target","Money Man", "The Bombers","The Witness","To Catch A Hero","Naked In The Streets", "Which Side Are You On?","The Face Of A Dart Board","Candyman",and so much more. When it premiered in September of 1967,it was one of ABC's new shows for the 1967-1968 season,and since the show ran a half-hour it was placed opposite CBS' short-lived comedy series "Good Morning World",and "The NBC Tuesday Night Movie". It was placed at the 9:30 time slot after the Quinn Martin produced Science Fiction series "The Invaders",and it did very well in the ratings. When it came back for a second season for the 1968-1969 season,it was placed opposite CBS' "The Doris Day Show",and "The NBC Tuesday Night Movie",and came on after the Robert Wagner espionage series "It Takes A Thief". When it was cancelled in September of 1969,the show that ABC replaced with became one of the surprise hits of the late-1960's,early-1970's-the medical drama "Marcus Welby,MD" starring Robert Young.
