Side-Pod: Barney Miller, Christmas Story - Exotic Yoxall

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus Christmas episode!

Many festive greetings unto you and yours from us and ours. We've finally taken the plunge and delved into the world of Barney Miller, as so many of you suggested that it seems very much like McBain's 87th Precinct tales. And what better episode to watch than Series 3, Episode 10 - Christmas Story. Broadcast over the holidays in 1976, this was on TV between the last book we looked at (So Long As You Both Shall Live) and the next one we'll do (Long Time No See). Sgt Yemana has some doubts about his date, Detective Fish has to get into the big red suit, Wojo helps a man survive a nervous breakdown and Detective Harris gets his presents from the drug-store. There's all sorts going on at the 12th Precinct on Christmas Eve, so here's what Paul, Morgan and Stevo think about it.

We also look at the Christmas Number 1s of 1976 and, of course, discuss that most festive of TV shows, Baywatch Nights. Join us again for our regular episodes in the New Year, but keep an eye open for more Bonus Content to keep you ticking over until then. Visit www.ko-fi.com/hark87podcast if you feel like dropping us a present! Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Bread - Book 29, Bonus: Mid-70s Derek Nimmo

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct podcast bonus episode.

We follow up our main episode's discussion of the 29th Book in the series, Bread, with our usual examination of the various editions of the original publication (and Paul does some Show & Tell for this!) and then delve deeper into the music, television and films of 1974, including some serious discussion on how the policy of OPEC might have affected the career of Perry Como.

Lastly, we sift through examples of those folk who've portrayed Detective Meyer Meyer on screen and who we could get to play him in our Fantasy Casting 87th Precinct series. Thank you for all your suggestions! Next time, we'll cast everyone's favourite lab guy, Lieutenant Sam Grossman.

See you soon for Book 30 - BLOOD RELATIVES. Fare thee well.

Ed McBain's Eighty Million Eyes - Episode 21, Bonus: Bees or Capsules?

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct Bonus Podcast!

Hullo again - here we are with our usual extra-slice of McBain-ing, where we take our usual look at the publishing history and the front covers of the first editions of the book, in this case 1966's Eighty Million Eyes, as well as letting you know what we've been reading and, most importantly, how they smell. Stevo is at his most huffingly poetic in this.

We then tackle a listener question about formats for adapting the 87th Precinct and then jump back to investigate the film "Morgan: A Suitable Case For Treatment". All this and spy crocodiles too!

Please rate, review and share, and then join us soon for the next book in the series, 1968's FUZZ. Until then - Fare Thee Well.

Ed McBain's Eighty Million Eyes - Episode 21: Full Hovercraft Details

Hark! It's the 87th Precinct Podcast.

Well, it's January 2019, but we want to drag you over the time-platters back to 1966 and the twenty-first entry into the 87th Precinct series, Eighty Million Eyes. The novel itself is made up of two intertwined 'novelettes' and we look at the publishing history of the stories in their original form and then explore some of the features that make up the published work. The on-screen death of a TV star sends Meyer and Carella into a Witness chasing frenzy and Kling is assigned guard duty.

Before we get going, we explore the media, music, sport and politics of '66, including a discussion of the Miranda/Escobedo cases which will definitely come to be relevant as the series continues. We share some listener thoughts on the story, explore contemporary reviews and generally get dreamy over air-cushion based transport systems.

We're now hosted by PODBEAN, but hopefully you shouldn't experience any interruption of service. We'll be back soon with the accompanying bonus episode for this story and then the next story in the sequence is 1968's FUZZ. Happy New Year and Fare Thee Well!

Side-Pod - 87th Precinct, Line Of Duty: Good Hat Acting

Hark! It's an 87th Precinct side-pod!

We jump time-streams from the 87th Precinct of the written-word to the 87th Precinct of the acted-world, as we explore the fifth episode of the NBC TV series (1961-62) based on Ed McBain's stories. McBain/Hunter himself only wrote three teleplays for the series. Two were based on books but this one, Line Of Duty, was an original story.

Paul shares what he's found out about the story and we speculate on how it relates to the broader concept and series of the 87th Precinct and we also say the word "Haberdashery" several times. You have been warned.

This december bonus episode has been enhanced by the amazing generosity of one of our listeners, thus providing us with ample book-huffing opportunities. Should you wish to gift us anything, then our hearts would be gladdened by a review or rating on whatever podcast platform you use - a share and a recommendation to others goes a long way too!

There's more extra pods coming soon, but we'll be back before too long with our main podcast and 1966's "EIGHTY MILLION EYES". See you soon, Merry Christmas and Fare Thee Well!

On-Screen Carellas (and Carella substitutes!)

Here, for your delight and wonder, is a selection of the actors who have played our favourite Detective (2nd Grade) from the 87th Precinct, Steve Carella. Remember that Carella is described as:

"[giving] the impression of great power...

a fine-honed muscular power. He wore his brown hair short.

His eyes were brown, with a peculiar downward slant that

gave him a clean-shaved oriental appearance. He had wide

shoulders and narrow hips." (Cop Hater, 1956)

It's clear that McBain had a vision for his leading-man and, as with the other cops in the squad, his description is oft-repeated through the years. One of the questions that crops up a lot when discussing the 87th Precinct is "Who would you cast to play....?" - so here are some of the answers given by various producers and casting directors over the years.

click to enlarge

Not all of these actors played an exact Steve Carella, though - Tatsuya Nakadai plays Chief Detective Tokura in Kurosawa's High & Low (1963). His character is the closest the film has to Carella, but also combines aspects of Lt. Pete Byrnes. Also, Vinod Khanna, is based on the character in High and Low, rather than Carella in the book King's Ransom, but he's our only Bollywood Cop (Chief Inspector Gill), so he counts!

There are (probably) some missing Carellas. Some of the Japanese TV productions are hard to trace and sites such as IMDB rarely have character names and when they do they're often renamed to make them realistic for the setting. Without seeing these films and TV plays, it's hard to tell who is who. 

Another interesting point is that Robert Loggia, in the 1958 film version of Cop Hater, is playing a character called "Carelli" - quite why the name is changed by one vowel it's hard to tell, although I suspect that Carelli sounds even more Italian than Carella, thus reinforcing the character's ethnic background. 

Let us know who's your favourite out of the image above and if you've any suggestions who you'd like to see (or have seen) in the role.