User Reviews

IT IS CERTAINLY no secret that the TV series, CAR 54 WHERE ARE YOU?, was a unique entry into the video sweepstakes. That it made its audience laugh by basically using the talents of "New York" actors was really nothing new; for creator/producer Nat Hiken had already been highly successful in that area with his PHIL SILVERS SHOW (YOU'LL NEVER GET RICH). Many of those in cast (such as Fred Gwynne, Hank Garrett, Joe E. Ross and Jimmy Little*) were (among others) veterans of Broadway or other legitimate stage venues.

ONE UNIQUE ELEMENT of the series was its centering the entire storyline around the Police. Up until this point, the Cop was the heavy; being portrayed as authoritarian, close minded and strictly stoic. It would be another thirty years or so before dramas such as HILL STREET BLUES, LAW & ORDER and HOMICIDE would portray Police in a truly 3 dimensional characterization.**

IN CONSIDERATION OF the central theme of premise of this episode is tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, it could have very well been received in very different spirit. With this "Cold War" at perhaps its peak and the fears of a Thermo Nuclear exchange a real fear, many would find nothing funny.***

AS FOR THE episode, its plot is very basic even simple, in the best sense of the word of course. Simply put, Officers Toody & Muldoon (Joe E. Ross and Fred Gwynne) are assigned to personally escort a Russian Commissar and a female Army General (Jules Munshin and Mara Lynn) around NYC prior to some appearance at the United Nations. Comic complications soon intervene.

DIFERENCES IN CULTURE, political ideologies and customs become the focal point of the gags, with Muldoon being assigned to the Lady General and Toody to the Commissar. Incidents at Yankee Stadium, a Striptease show and Toody's Brother in Law's plumbing supplies business are highlighted. (Heywood Hale Broun portrayed Gunther Toody's brother in law/proprietor).

THE EPISODE WITH the Commies, if not won over to our sire, at least being a little more understanding. This would make this installment a most unusual specimen; in that it both has a sort of morale to its story as still being most palatable to our funny-bone.

NOTE * Both Joe E. Ross and Jimmy Little had previously been regulars on the PHIL SILVERS SHOW as Sergeants Rytszik and Grover respectively and had been in Burlesque as comedians.

NOTE ** One obvious exception to this was in Mack Sennett's KEYSTONE KOPS Series (Silents); but even then, the focus wasn't on lifelike characterization, but rather on the comedy value of upsetting authority, dignity and propriety.

NOTE *** We've found that many of our contemporaries of the "Post War Baby Boom" generation had some deep seated fears about never getting to adulthood because of nuclear weapons systems being used.

This is a nice companion episode to the one about President Kennedy. An important session of the United Nations is being held, and some high level Russians (Gerald Hiken and Jules Munshin) are scheduled to speak. But both men are determined to get more facts about the American people to use in their presentation. So they take advantage of their being assigned to a police car to travel around and ask their police drivers (Toody and Muldoon) about the inequalities of capitalism and American society.

Fred Gwynne's Muldoon (if you watched the series) was the more careful, thoughtful, and usually smarter member of the pair, but he could develop ticks and nervous reactions that rendered him less a control over Joe E. Ross's Toody. Here he has been briefed to be careful about what he says - but he barely can restrain Gunther in what he says. Gunther is full of comments for all the questions, much to Francis's dismay.

But this is not necessarily good for Munshin - determined to find the information to expose the lie of American life. How to do this when the man you are hoping will give you the key thinks that Karl Marx is a forgotten member of the comedy team with Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo, and Gummo. In the end, a day of driving with Gunther Toody's chatter has it's effect. Munshin is last seen listening to a Yankees baseball game in the U.N. during the debate!