Most of the street scenes were shot on location in New York without the public's knowledge. Photographer William H. Daniels and his uncredited assistant Roy Tripp filmed people on the streets using a hidden camera from the back of an old moving van. Occasionally, a fake newsstand with a hidden camera inside was also set up on the sidewalk to secretly film the actors. Director Jules Dassin hired a juggler to distract the crowds and also hired a man to occasionally climb up on a light post and give a patriotic speech, while waving an American flag to get the crowd's attention.
Although since the 1980s it has been the norm rather than the exception, this is one of the first films to list technical (non-acting) credits at the end of the movie.
Producer Mark Hellinger, who narrates the movie, died of a heart attack before the film was released. Following his death, Universal Pictures executives were ready to scrap the movie. They had no idea how to market it and feared it would be a box-office failure. However, Hellinger's family reminded the studio that his contract for the film included a "guarantee of release" clause from Universal. Having no choice, Universal released the film in theaters and was surprised when it became a hit and received two Oscars. In addition, Hellinger has been such a beloved New York journalist that a Broadway theater on West 51st Street was re-named for him.
A young Stanley Kubrick was sometimes present on the set taking photographs for Look magazine. Eight years later, when he directed his first major film The Killing (1956), its cast included "Naked City" cast member Ted de Corsia. Also on the set then was Arthur 'Weegee' Fellig, the photographer whose own "Naked City" book had inspired this movie. And 16 years later, when Kubrick made Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), WeeGee served not only as a special effects advisor., but even more importantly, his unique voice served as the source for the creation of the accent of the iconic film's title character, played by Peter Sellers.
Shot in 84 days during the summer of 1947.