Naked City

I remember this show quite well. I cannot remember any specific story lines but I do know that it was all filmed entirely in NYC the same way that the 1948 movie was. The black and white photography was as good as any theatrical movie of its time. I would venture to say that if this show would be rerun today in prime time, it would be as good any good cop shop being shown today. I would like to see this show put on video.

Naked City is an anthology series. Its stories are realistic and filled with compassion, pathos and immense human interest. The characters honestly portray the ambitions and emotions of people, rich and poor, living in New York.

The city is as much the star of the show as the actors. Filmed in black and white on location, the show visually captures the New York cityscape in the early 1960's, before the major building boom began.

The excellent cinematography, the forthright performances of the cast and guest performers, and the first-rate writing and direction make Naked City a gem to watch.

The IMDb lists Paul Frees as the narrator of "Naked City" - the series. But it was my understanding that actor Lawrence Dobkin was the voice behind "There are eight million stories in the Naked City...This has been one of them".

The discs of the show are excellent. You get the rare chance, not only to see some of the talent of yesterday like Roddy MacDowall, Carroll O'Connor, and Maureen Stapleton, but actors doing early roles, some only walk-ons, like Dustin Hoffman as a thief in BAREFOOT ON A BED OF COALS or Peter Falk in a tiny role as a gun man in DEATH OF PRINCES or Gene Hackman as a nervous reporter in PRIME OF LIFE.

The series seemed to be approached by it's writers as New York theater, people talking a bit more emotionally than you would see on LAW AND ORDER. Their characters were delved in, rather than simply being shelved as "good" or "evil" as they do on today's series.

There have been several discs on the show from Image Entertainment and I hope they continue to release them.

I wholeheartedly agree with everything said about the show.It was absolutely one of the best ever, cop or no cop TV show. Even the title of each show was original and brilliant IMO. The show stands out even more after being subjected to all the drivel shown nowadays.Even though color hadn't come full circle at that time, I think the b/w format just added to the whole personality of the show and characters. I've got to add to my collection.Stirling Shilliphant was one of the geniuses behind the show's success no doubt.Someone mentioned that Leonard was the narrator but I think Paul Brees narrated most of the shows.His voice-over was a perfect fit too. In fact I can't think of anything that wasn't "perfect". The casting was terrific, the story lines, the on- location shots of Gotham,the title of each show...I could go on and on. The regular detectives actually looked and acted like real detectives compared to what they show today. It may be partly nostalgia but watching the video reminded me of why I liked it so much even back then.

I came across "Naked City" three years ago when the series was aired on German television for the first time, to my knowledge. Since it was shot in black-and-white, the show got only a dismal slot in the early morning hours, running always between three and five a.m. Thank God for videotape recorders. Not knowing what to expect, I was stunned the very first time I watched a "Naked City" recording. Here was a crime drama show that was intelligently written, expertly produced, with first-class acting and excellent on-location photography. A show with actors that look like real people, a show that keeps you glued to your chair without having to resort to the eternal mindless shootouts and car chases modern TV series seem unable to do without. Even after being dubbed in German, which normally detracts from the qualities of a show, it was still a joy to watch. Whenever the show was on, I went to great lengths to record it, gladly adding another episode to my video archives. "Naked City" is a real treasure that proves that television does not necessarily cater only to the needs of people unable to follow an intricate plot. I will keep these "Naked City" videos forever.