The cinematic trick used to fake a New York police car
In short: In the 1960s, filming a realistic police car in New York City presented a logistical hurdle: actual NYPD vehicles were black and green. To solve this, the producers of Car 54, Where Are You? used a clever optical workaround that relied on the limitations of black-and-white film technology.
The sitcom, which aired on NBC from September 1961 to April 1963, featured officers Gunther Toody and Francis Muldoon patrolling the fictional 53rd precinct in The Bronx. While the show was filmed in black and white, the production team had to ensure the patrol car looked authentic to viewers. At the time, real NYPD cars were painted black and green with a white roof and trunk. To replicate this specific look on orthochromatic black-and-white film, the production team painted the cars used for the series dark red and white.
This specific color choice was a calculated technical decision. Because of how orthochromatic film reacted to different hues, the dark red and white combination appeared as the proper shade of gray on screen, successfully mimicking the era's actual police vehicles. This allowed the show to maintain a sense of realism while navigating the constraints of 1960s cinematography. The series utilized three different vehicles over its run: a 1961 Plymouth Belvedere for most of the first season, followed by 1962 and 1963 Plymouth Savoy models.
Beyond the technical tricks, the show was a product of the military comedy scene. Series creator Nat Hiken recruited many alumni from his previous production, The Phil Silvers Show, including several recurring cast members. Hiken's work on the series earned him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Comedy. While the show was a staple of 1960s television, its legacy eventually led to a 1994 film—which was delayed for four years due to studio bankruptcy—and various parodies, including a notable reference in the 1966 film Munster, Go Home!
The show's cultural footprint remained significant enough to be featured in an Atari commercial for Mario Bros., where its theme song was parodied as “Mario, Where Are You?” It has continued to circulate in various formats, from early cable runs in the 1980s to modern streaming platforms, maintaining its status as a classic of New York-based television.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Car 54, Where Are You?
- Also: Wikidata — Car 54, Where Are You? · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Car 54, Where Are You? · CC0
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