Car 54, Where Are You - Opening & Closing Credits

[@susancaruso8937]

The announcer doing the "billboards" (opening and closing) for this great comedy was my dad, Carl Caruso.

[@hayleywaalen2612]

Wow, Lucky

[@RobertBee-fs8hv]

Thanks so much for speaking up for your dad.

[@AmericaSpeaks1]

I grew up and lived in the area of the Bronx where the series was filmed. The old studio ( now a sanitation garage) was on 175th street and the back lot on 176th. It was once the Biograph Studios until the late 60’s. To keep the car from being mistaken for a real police car, it was painted red instead of the green ( they became blue in the early 70’s) They shot in different locales (Pelham Parkway, Crotona Park, Marmion Ave, Southern Boulevard and Tremont Ave) Most of the shooting was indoors so I didn’t get to see the actors too often.

[@jeffmissinne3866]

When shooting on NYC locations, people sometimes mistook "Car 54" for an actual patrol car. To prevent this, the producers had the car painted bright red (NYC police cars were black-and-green.) Filmed in black and white, the car still appeared in the proper gray tones.

[@Musicradio77Network]

This theme song was used in an Atari commercial for "Mario Bros." If you remember this lyrics: "something's gumming up the plumbing, poor Luigi's right behind, giant turtles are to get you, creepy crabs are right behind, fireflies, cheaper chyps, they're all coming out the pipes, 'Mario, where are you?!"

[@TheFunkywhiteboy63]

"There's a holdup in the Bronx, Brooklyn's broken out in fights, There's a traffic jam in Harlem that's backed up to Jackson Heights, There's a Scout troop short a child, Khrushchev's due at Idlewild, Car 54 Where Are You?" -now I've got the theme in my head and can't get it out! LOL

[@notthepsychicyourelookingf2369]

TheFunkywhiteboy63 why would krushchev be due anywhere? i think it's cruise ship

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

Notthepsychic You'relookingfor - Idlewild is known today as JFK International Airport. Until Citi Field was built, I changed a couple of lines to "There's a ballgame over at Shea, the president's due at JFK!"

[@roryloganwhitley1867]

Front-page headline from the New York Daily News, September 17, 1959: Khrush Due Here Today --- Promises UN New Arms Plan.

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

@gayboyzig - Citi Field isn't that old!

[@lesa.4903]

@@OldsVistaCruiser I too have had thoughts about updating the lyrics for a potential remake. Last line could be "Cardi B is going wild" as she grew up in the Bronx. Because no Staten Island locale is mentioned in the original it could be "Staten Island's going wild" to cover all 5 boroughs.

[@dangelo1369]

As you look at the scene of the closing credits, the car is rolling down Southern Boulevard near East Tremont Avenue. In that area was the infamous Happyland Club fire in 1990 that took place at 1959 Southern Boulevard. 87 people died in the fire. In another opening sequence, you'll see them travelling west on East Tremont Avenue and they'll pass under the still running 3rd Avenue El at the Tremont Avenue stop where the Bronx Borough Hall still stood to the south of the underpass.

[@apersonnamedjune]

*MARRRIOOOOO WHERE ARE YOOOOUUUUUU-* wait wrong thing

[@mrmjb1960]

Later commercial.

[@fromthesidelines]

Procter & Gamble originally sponsored the series on NBC's Sunday night schedule at 8:30pm(et) during the two seasons it was produced (1961-'63); the sponsor's products were originally showcased in the lower left-hand corner of the closing credits.

[@lesa.4903]

I grew up in the neighborhood where the show was filmed. The police station in the opening and closing credits is the south side of the Biograph studio on E. 175th Street. The background of the closing credits at 0:54 shows the car filmed live southbound on Southern Boulevard crossing in front of a bus stopped on Tremont Avenue and passing the Kenny Cleaners at Elsmere Place. The opening at 2:52 is the most common one with the background on a projection screen taken from a vehicle traveling west on Tremont Avenue. At 3:01 the vertical sign for the Loews FAIRMOUNT is clearly visible. At 4:15 the projected background is Southern Blvd. with the trees on the right being the Bronx Zoo. At 4:25 the building on the left edge is at 181 St. and Southern Boulevard. It has been demolished. At 5:44 is the continuation of the westbound drive on Tremont which shows the now demolished Third Avenue El. I think this is the least used background.

[@gcfifthgear]

And if you look closely, after Car 54 passes the bus, you'll see Christmas decorations on the telephone and light poles!

[@lesa.4903]

Sharp eyes bongoman.

[@lylewiedeman8332]

My goodness - the commercials give me a fierce sense of nostalgia! Thanks for sharing.

[@fromthesidelines]

Joe E. Ross and Beatrice Pons (as "Gunther Toody" and "Lucille Toody") also appeared in a print ad for Tide in 1962- it's currently available for viewing on E-Bay...

[@mhbbej1]

One of the best theme songs in the history of TV.

[@kingbee1500]

Excellent audio and video quality on these clips! I think it's great when DVD sets use the "network strip" reels with this original footage and sponsor tags- adds to the historical feel...these on "Car 54" were very well done integrating the credits and theme music with the plug. BTW, for the younger set, "Idlewild" is the flat, marshy plain area around Jamaica Bay. NYC. Acres were reclaimed to build what is now JFK International Airport....originally New York Idlewild Airport, changed to JFK in January, 1964.

[@starey1]

and Khrushchev was Nikita Khrushchev; the prime minister of Russia in the 60s

[@ronaldkrurk3424]

I really love this show never get tired of watching it, it is a real classic

[@SoshiTheYoshi]

Something’s gumming up the plumbing, poor Luigi's in a bind, Giant turtles out to get him, creepy crabs are right behind, Fighter flies, jeepers! Yipes! They’re all coming out the pipes! MARIO WHERE ARE YOU?!?

[@poitrenaud]

Whomever posted this, I want to Hug them! This was one of my favorite shows, and I had a lovely childhood. America was so, so much better then than today

[@charmaineboyd8370]

I love this so much. Genuine comedy. Yes, we all use Tide and notice, back then they were starting to use the word "Improved". For some reason i doubt Fred is the voice over. I watched an Amos & Andy Video which showed the announcer actually in the commercials for the Kaiser Car, Camel Cigarettes & more. Amos & Andy is plentiful and just as precious but few commercials & credits.

[@mcfrdmn]

This was an excellent television show.

[@mcfrdmn]

This was an excellent television show.

[@mcfrdmn]

This was an excellent television show.

[@ronaldkrurk3424]

Michael Friedman you're right about that

[@rockvilleraven]

@@ronaldkrurk3424 Don't waste your time with the movie version.

[@cityhawk]

@@rockvilleraven How bad are we talking?

[@tonycanabal1659]

Idlewild Airport would be renamed JFK International Airport a year after the show ended.

[@jalowe1957]

The vintage openings and closings are on the DVDs. You are far more likely to find the sponsor tags on the Season 2 set than you will on the Season 1, though two of the episodes in the Season 1 set do have sponsor tags.

[@deykuzor]

I'm 23 now, but my father would sit me in front of the television as a 7 year old (in 2001) and say that I would love this..... and he was right.

[@AldenRDavis]

There a hold-up in the Bronx, Brooklyn's broken out in fights; There's a traffic jam in Harlem That's backed-up to Jackson Heights; There's a scout troop short a child, Khrushchev's due in Idlewild ... Car 54, where are you?

[@DucNguyen0131]

In 1962, The Adventures of Sir Francis Drake, a British import was shown there in the timeslot with the same sponsor. Will the same ever repeated in 1965 for Buckskin reruns as a summer replacement for season 1 of Branded, 1967 for Let's Make a Deal as a summer replacement for the failed sitcom Hey Landlord and 1971 for Red Skelton reruns as a summer replacement for the second and final season of Bill Cosby Show (by the breaking point, Bill Cosby moved this summer to Julia's Tuesday timeslot by participating advertisers)?

[@joelholmes1260]

A very different era! (Bill O'Reilly's grandfather was a New York City Police officer.)

[@susancaruso8937]

Hi Paul, dad was a freelance announcer in the late 50's and early 60's. The sponsors of the shows hired him. He was based in NYC, never on the West Coast for his work.

[@charmaineboyd8370]

I love the fact that back then the cast was part of a kind of "theater group" I'm sure there's proper verbage for this, but they all played multiple roles. Like Katz the Butcher is also the orthopedist in Sols gift for retirement party (Gerald Hiken) I watch this so much, these people are like friends and I get to see the New York I never really understood because I was between 5-7 when it came on.

[@DucNguyen0131]

The advertisers from Car 54, continued to be used on Grindl, possibly season 2 of The Bill Dana Show and possibly earlier episodes of Branded, until both Lilt and Gleem was most likely possibly written out starting with (possibly) original airings of season 2 of Branded.

[@jehobden]

Procter & Gamble sponsored all the shows in this time period from 1961 to 1972, Sunday nights 8:30-9 PM ET on NBC. This went from CAR 54 to THE JIMMY STEWART SHOW and all the shows & summer replacements in between.

[@fromthesidelines]

It's been established that Carl Caruso was the sponsor I.D. announcer (as his daughter Susan has graciously pointed out, Charmaine).

[@tomservo56954]

I do identify Carl's voice with ABC more than anything else...

[@jeffmissinne3866]

Paul Duca I always associated Carl Caruso's voice with the old Mutual Broadcasting System on shows like "The Mysterious Traveler" myself; he was a great "old school" announcer. I'm not sure if he was "on staff" there or a freelancer.

[@mhbbej1]

NYC was a great place to grow up in the 60s.

[@KevinKenna-wv6qx]

yes no longer !!

[@tonydaniel8509]

Why not? ​@@KevinKenna-wv6qx

[@Megadrive-pf1ko]

MARIO WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!!!!!!

[@jalowe1957]

A note for you, Paul: Seasons 1 & 2 of "Car 54" are available on DVD via Amazon.com.

[@eddiecarter2486]

Hi John, Thanks for posting these, it brings back wonderful memories of one of my favorite comedies. Could you upload the entire episodes that match these credits? That would be awesome and give us watchers a complete classic tv experience from the golden days of television. Thank you so much again, Eddie Carter

[@jatigre1]

OMG! What a show!

[@trevorkeyes1694]

Catchy theme song

[@mikedoran9851]

Since nobody else mentioned it: The theme song is being sung by members of Mitch Miller's Sing Along Gang. The title line is sung by Sing Alonger Earl Rogers, IDed as such in a TV guide profile of Mitch Miller. Check out the Mitch Miller videos here on KZbin: Earl Rogers is the guy who looks a little like Ed Wynn.

[@tnawcwvictoria]

I use to watch this series in reruns on Nick @ Nite back when Nick @ Nite aired CLASSIC TV, not the stuff that they air today

[@remaxgp1858]

Mario where are you? :D

[@mcfrdmn]

Car 54, Where Are You - Opening & Closing Credits

[@poitrenaud]

Thanks for taking the time with me, Susan- Tell me, did your dad actually meet the Actors in that Great Show? WOW! I liked Fred Gwynn-- He had a small role in "On the Waterfront" ! 1954-He was a lovely man--AND of course Joe E. Ross!! ooooh Ooooh--Jumpin' Jehoshephat!

[@gcfifthgear]

Interesting that the opens and closes show 1962 and 1963 Plymouth police cars (with the clever graphics between products), but the interior shots show a six-window four-door Plymouth sedan built between 1957 and 1959 (the dip at the top of the dashboard and the side windows give it away!)

[@MikeLutton]

this theme song is really hard to get out of your head once u hear it a few several times lol

[@Volare-1952]

The theme song was written by Nat Hiken and John Strauss 🎼

[@tomservo56954]

Lava is now made by the WD-40 people...

[@gidzmobug2323]

Paul Duca I remember Lava Soap. Had pumice in it.

[@tomservo56954]

The car silhouette is still the 1961 Plymouth first used...

[@mrmjb1960]

Pre-Munsters show for Gwynne and Lewis.

[@jhzenor61481]

My dad loves this show, in fact, he sends me text messages sometimes when he wonders when I'm coming home with the show title in his message.

[@JoeL-zi2zd]

James Zenog

[@176questions]

"Something's gumming up the plumbing, poor Luigi's in a bind. Giant turtles out to get him, creepy crabs are right behind. Fighter Flies, jeepers, yipes!" "Mario, where are you!?"

[@starey1]

if you turn on the closed captioning on this, it gets a few of the words wrong LOL

[@fromthesidelines]

Philip Morris sponsored "I LOVE LUCY" from 1951 through '55. In the fall of '54, Procter & Gamble [Cheer, Lilt] became their "alternate sponsor". In the fall of '55, General Foods [Sanka] replaced Philip Morris as their "primary sponsor"....and they continued to sustain the series until it ended in 1957.

[@kingbee1500]

+Barry I. Grauman from '57-60 (in the hour-long Lucy-Desi format), they were totally sposnored by Westinghouse, right? Or was that a split sponsorship in the old style with another company?

[@fromthesidelines]

The first five "LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW" specials {in the 1957-'58 season} were sponsored by Ford. From 1958 through '60, they alternated with "WESTINGHOUSE DESILU PLAYHOUSE" (as "THE WESTINGHOUSE LUCILLE BALL-DESI ARNAZ SHOW"). In post-1962 repeats, they were retitled "THE LUCY-DESI COMEDY HOUR"........

[@joelholmes1260]

Toody: Joe Biden. Muldoon: John Kerry. Capt. Block: Samuel Alito. Khruschev: Vladimir Putin.

[@agentfungus9742]

Joel: Too funny! But can you imagine a shirtless Khruschev??? Ugh! A mental image I am now unable to shed...

[@Sheri451]

Did you know that you can still find Gleem in dollar stores? Washday miracle? At our house, every day is a washday.

[@fromthesidelines]

Gleem was officially discontinued by Procter & Gamble at the end of 2014.

[@Sheri451]

Oh I didn't know that But I know they still sell Pepsodent.Thank you for the information.

[@fromthesidelines]

Which is now marketed by Church & Dwight.

[@Sheri451]

Thank you for the information.When I was little , I used to think that in the sing Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer. "And they shouted out with glee!" was "And they shouted out with Gleem!"

[@jehobden]

Pepsodent is owned by Unilever, back then Lever Bros. It sponsored shows like HERE'S LUCY in the past.

[@poitrenaud]

Your Father had the most pleasant voice--Caruso! Must run in the Family! The Announcers were not necessarily part of the Local Bronx Film Crew, but rather for the Sponsors; yes? Was your dad located in California?

[@charmaineboyd8370]

Can anyone identify the white car the lady is driving in "Paint Job". Boy, she was stylin'. The lady who wa zig-zagging. I see an emblem over the right head light but can't tell what car. Credits say cars provided by Chrysler, but were all done by them?

[@tomservo56954]

That is a 1957 Oldsmobile...

[@kbobdonahue1966]

I only thing missing is the nbc presents snake logo at the beginning of each episode during black and white programs.

[@prausch65]

I give a lot of credit to the creators of this intro, great theme, but with variations on the actions of the two, the most hilarious is when Joe Ross drops the ice cream cone in his crotch!!!

[@JJJBRICE]

Does anyone notice a similarity between Joe E Ross and Shemp Howard?

[@gidzmobug2323]

No--but Fred Gwynne and Al Lewis were in one other program together: The Munsters.

[@BLKBRDSR71]

Secret been around so long when god said "Let their be light", Secret flipped the switch.

[@Neville60001]

Where did you get this?

[@freddyrichards878]

🎵Cary bary car, where are you?🎵

[@tonymanzo3766]

E Tremont ave or e 180 st, crossing third ave at

[@jehobden]

Was that Fred Gwynne reading the sponsor plugs for a good number of the plugs?

[@markjeffries3684]

Is Andre Baruch the voiceover?

[@hangemhigh2000]

They retired it for the Ford Crown Victoria.

[@ikewasgen45]

Krushchev? Comercial pitchman is Truman Bradley. Host of Science Fiction Theater in the 50s'. Cop car is a 63'' Plymouth Chryslers CHEVY challenger. Bradley was on camera foe Sci Fi theater. Did'nt like this show but liked the theme!

[@DAVIDSTAFFTEAMMOD]

Car 54

[@jalowe1957]

As I recall, by then Procter & Gamble and General Foods became alternate sponsors...

[@gcfifthgear]

Am I the only one to have noticed that, in the '61-'62 season, that Car 54 is parked, idling, next to a fire hydrant? (And in the '62-'63 season, it pulls away from that same fire hydrant?)

[@lesa.4903]

Stopped with driver in car and engine running = Standing = No ticket, even for a civilian. I do see from your other comment that you are way more of a car expert than I am.

[@priestessmikokikyo77]

If that show was soo popular why did it only last two seasons?

[@mrmjb1960]

Announcer is Fred Gwynne himself.

[@bobjersey]

There was a guy working back in Manhattan at WABC with a similar voice to Fred. Carl Caruso, ISTR.

[@MichaelSattler-f8d]

I like mashups. How about Herman as Toody's partner, and Grandpa taking Schnauzer's place?

[@fromthesidelines]

Actually, that's an NBC announcer whose name I can't quite place at this moment...

[@famoustvstarr]

Sloopy editing..Would have sound better if you didnt chop off the last few notes of each end credits...must redo

[@nannyboo1368]

(wonders if you meant to type, sloppy? How sloopy of you.)

[@booberry349]

The Green Giant without makeup

[@hifidistortion27]

Sounds like Fred Gwynne as the voiceover

[@Ralphie_Boy]

*Dam I remember dead days with my partner!!!!*

[@cumcockproductions6433]

Mario

[@joelholmes1260]

They sure would have needed to re-write the theme song, if the series had been renewed for a third (or fourth) season (which it was NOT)!

[@OldsVistaCruiser]

I actually came up with alternate ending lyrics for that: There's a ball game over at Shea The president's due at JFK Car 54, where are you? (Idlewild became JFK)

[@JJJBRICE]

Anyone notice a resemblance between Joe E Ross and Shemp Howard?

[@emmanuelmccullough8661]

8:11

[@susancaruso8937]

Hi Paul,

[@1963eamonn]

God in Heaven!...I still use Tide!