Naked City 1958
“There are eight million stories in the Naked City.”
★ 5.7/10 TV-MA DramaCrimeAction & Adventure 4 seasons · 138 eps Ended
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Naked City is a police drama series that aired on the ABC television network from 1958 to 1963. Produced by Screen Gems, the show was inspired by the 1948 film of the same name and adopted its semi-documentary style, presenting stories rooted in realism. Each episode concluded with a narrator stating, “There are eight million stories in the naked city,” reflecting the vast and varied experiences of life in New York. The series focused on the cases investigated by the N.Y.P.D.'s 65th Precinct and featured an ensemble cast including Paul Burke, Harry Bellaver, and Horace McMahon. Known for its innovative blend of procedural elements and character-driven narratives, Naked City became regarded as one of the more influential drama series of its time. In 1997, the episode “Sweet Prince of Delancey Street” was recognized by TV Guide as one of the greatest episodes of all time, ranking at number 93.
Should you watch it?
“A gritty NYPD procedural shot on location in New York.”
Reasons to watch
- Pioneering semi-documentary style
- Strong ensemble cast
- Gritty portrayal of NYPD life
Keep in mind
- Dated production values
- Limited availability of episodes
You enjoy early police dramas with a noir edge.
Suitable for fans of classic crime television.
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Cast
Harry Bellaver
Frank Arcaro
Horace McMahon
Mike Parker
Paul Burke
Adam Flint
Lawrence Dobkin
Narrator (voice)
Nancy Malone
Libby Kingston
James Franciscus
Jimmy Halloran
☻
Herbert B. Leonard
Narrator (voice)
John McIntire
Daniel Muldoon
Charles Dierkop
Hood #1 (uncredited)
Sorrell Booke
Mr. Hawk
Johnny Seven
Carmine Tepperoni
Jack Klugman
Pete Kammik Episode guide
Season 1 · 39 episodes
- E1 Meridian Sep 30, 1958
- E2 Nickel Ride Oct 7, 1958
- E3 Line of Duty Oct 14, 1958
- E4 Sidewalk Fisherman Oct 21, 1958
- E5 The Violent Circle Oct 28, 1958
- E6 Stakeout Nov 4, 1958
- E7 No More Rumbles Nov 11, 1958
- E8 Belvedere Tower Nov 18, 1958
- E9 The Bird Guard Nov 25, 1958
- E10 The Other Face of Goodness Dec 2, 1958
- E11 Lady Bug, Lady Bug Dec 9, 1958
- E12 Susquehanna 4-7598 Dec 16, 1958
- E13 And a Merry Christmas to the Force on Patrol Dec 23, 1958
- E14 The Explosive Heart Dec 30, 1958
- E15 The Manhole Jan 6, 1959
- E16 Even Crows Sing Good Jan 13, 1959
- E17 Burst of Passion Jan 20, 1959
- E18 Goodbye, My Lady Love Jan 27, 1959
- E19 The Shield Feb 3, 1959
- E20 One to Get Lost Feb 10, 1959
- E21 Hey, Teach! Feb 17, 1959
- E22 Ticker Tape Feb 24, 1959
- E23 Fire Island Mar 3, 1959
- E24 Ten Cent Dreams Mar 10, 1959
- E25 The Bumper Mar 17, 1959
- E26 A Running of Bulls Mar 24, 1959
- E27 Fallen Star Mar 31, 1959
- E28 Beyond Truth Apr 7, 1959
- E29 Baker's Dozen Apr 14, 1959
- E30 The Rebirth Apr 21, 1959
- E31 Four Sweet Corners Apr 28, 1959
- E32 The Sandman May 5, 1959
- E33 Turn of Events May 12, 1959
- E34 A Little Piece of the Action May 19, 1959
- E35 The Bloodhounds May 26, 1959
- E36 The Scorpion Sting Jun 2, 1959
- E37 Saw My Baby There Jun 9, 1959
- E38 The Canvas Bullet Jun 16, 1959
- E39 A Wood of Thorns Jun 23, 1959
Season 2 · 32 episodes
- E1 A Death of Princes Oct 12, 1960
- E2 The Pedigree Sheet Oct 19, 1960
- E3 A Succession of Heartbeats Oct 26, 1960
- E4 Down the Long Night Nov 2, 1960
- E5 To Walk In Silence Nov 9, 1960
- E6 Killer with A Kiss Nov 16, 1960
- E7 Debt of Honor Nov 23, 1960
- E8 The Human Trap Nov 30, 1960
- E9 The Man Who Bit the Diamond In Half Dec 14, 1960
- E10 Bullets Cost Too Much Jan 4, 1961
- E11 Murder Is a Face I Know Jan 11, 1961
- E12 Landscape with Dead Figures Jan 18, 1961
- E13 A Hole in the City Feb 1, 1961
- E14 The Well-Dressed Termite Feb 8, 1961
- E15 The Day It Rained Mink Feb 15, 1961
- E16 Button in the Haystack Feb 22, 1961
- E17 Shoes for Vinnie Winford Mar 1, 1961
- E18 The Deadly Guinea Pig Mar 8, 1961
- E19 Vengeance Is a Wheel Mar 15, 1961
- E20 The Fault in Our Stars Mar 22, 1961
- E21 Tombstone for a Derelict Apr 5, 1961
- E22 A Memory of Crying Apr 12, 1961
- E23 New York to L.A. Apr 19, 1961
- E24 A Very Cautious Boy Apr 26, 1961
- E25 An Economy of Death May 3, 1961
- E26 C3H5(NO3)3 May 10, 1961
- E27 Make-Believe Man May 17, 1961
- E28 To Dream Without Sleep May 24, 1961
- E29 A Kettle of Precious Fish May 31, 1961
- E30 Sweet Prince of Delancey Street Jun 7, 1961
- E31 The Day the Island Almost Sank Jun 14, 1961
- E32 Take and Put Jun 21, 1961
Season 3 · 33 episodes
- E1 Take Off Your Hat When a Funeral Passes Sep 27, 1961
- E2 Dead on the Field of Honor Oct 4, 1961
- E3 The Corpse Ran Down Mulberry Street Oct 11, 1961
- E4 The Fingers of Henri Tourelle Oct 18, 1961
- E5 A Wednesday Night Story Nov 1, 1961
- E6 The Tragic Success of Alfred Tiloff Nov 8, 1961
- E7 Which Is Joseph Creeley? Nov 15, 1961
- E8 Show Me the Way to Go Home Nov 22, 1961
- E9 The Hot Minerva Nov 29, 1961
- E10 Requiem for a Sunday Afternoon Dec 6, 1961
- E11 Ooftus Goofus Dec 13, 1961
- E12 Bridge Party Dec 27, 1961
- E13 The Face of the Enemy Jan 3, 1962
- E14 Portrait of a Painter Jan 10, 1962
- E15 The Night the Saints Lost Their Halos Jan 17, 1962
- E16 The Contract Jan 24, 1962
- E17 One of the Most Important Men in the Whole World Jan 31, 1962
- E18 A Case Study of Two Savages Feb 7, 1962
- E19 Let Me Die Before I Wake Feb 14, 1962
- E20 To Walk Like a Lion Feb 28, 1962
- E21 Today the Man Who Kills Ants Is Coming Mar 7, 1962
- E22 A Run for the Money Mar 14, 1962
- E23 The One Marked Hot Gives Cold Mar 21, 1962
- E24 Without Stick or Sword Mar 28, 1962
- E25 Lament for a Dead Indian Apr 11, 1962
- E26 The Sweetly Smiling Face of Truth Apr 25, 1962
- E27 ...And If Any Are Frozen, Warm Them... May 9, 1962
- E28 Strike a Statue May 16, 1962
- E29 The Multiplicity of Herbert Konish May 23, 1962
- E30 The King of Venus Will Take Care of You May 20, 1962
- E31 The Rydecker Case Jun 6, 1962
- E32 Memory of a Red Trolley Car Jun 13, 1962
- E33 Goodbye Mama, Hello Auntie Maud Jun 20, 1962
Season 4 · 34 episodes
- E1 Hold for Gloria Christmas Sep 19, 1962
- E2 Idylls of a Running Back Sep 26, 1962
- E3 Daughter, Am I in My Father's House? Oct 3, 1962
- E4 And By the Sweat of Thy Brow... Oct 10, 1962
- E5 Kill Me While I'm Young So I Can Die Happy Oct 17, 1962
- E6 Five Cranks for Winter... Ten Cranks for Spring Oct 24, 1962
- E7 Go Fight City Hall Oct 31, 1962
- E8 Torment Him Much and Hold Him Long Nov 7, 1962
- E9 Make It Fifty Dollars and Add Love to Nona Nov 14, 1962
- E10 A Horse Has a Big Head -- Let Him Worry! Nov 21, 1962
- E11 Dust Devil on a Quiet Street Nov 28, 1962
- E12 The Virtues of Madame Douvay Dec 5, 1962
- E13 King Stanislaus and the Knights of the Round Table Dec 12, 1962
- E14 Spectre of the Rose Street Gang Dec 19, 1962
- E15 Don't Knock It Till You've Tried It Dec 26, 1962
- E16 Her Life in Moving Pictures Jan 2, 1963
- E17 Robin Hood and Clarence Darrow, They Went Out with Bow and Arrow Jan 9, 1962
- E18 The Apple Falls Not Far from the Tree Jan 23, 1963
- E19 Beyond This Place There Be Dragons Jan 30, 1963
- E20 A Man Without a Skin Feb 6, 1963
- E21 Prime of Life Feb 13, 1963
- E22 Bringing Far Places Together Feb 20, 1963
- E23 The Highest of Prizes Feb 27, 1963
- E24 Alive and Still a Second Lieutenant Mar 6, 1963
- E25 Stop the Parade, a Baby Is Crying! Mar 20, 1963
- E26 On the Battlefront, Every Minute Is Important Mar 27, 1963
- E27 Howard Running Bear Is a Turtle Apr 3, 1963
- E28 No Naked Ladies in Front of Giovanni's House! Apr 17, 1963
- E29 Carrier Apr 24, 1963
- E30 Color Schemes Like Never Before May 1, 1963
- E31 The S.S. American Dream May 8, 1963
- E32 One, Two, Three, Rita Rakahowski May 15, 1963
- E33 Golden Lads and Girls May 22, 1963
- E34 Barefoot on a Bed of Coals May 29, 1963
Frequently asked questions
Is this related to the 1948 movie?
Yes, it's based on the same film and uses a similar semi-documentary style.
Where was it filmed?
On location in New York City, giving it a realistic urban feel.
How many seasons are there?
The series ran from 1958 to 1963.
Who stars in the show?
The main cast includes Paul Burke, Horace McMahon, and Harry Bellaver.
Is it available to stream?
Some episodes are available, but availability varies by region and platform.