87th Precinct (TV series)
87th Precinct is an American crime drama starring Robert Lansing, Gena Rowlands, Ron Harper, Gregory Walcott and Norman Fell, which aired on NBC on Monday evenings during the 1961–1962 television season. Synopsis. The characters appeared in a series of novels and short stories written by Ed McBain. Lansing portrayed Detective Steve Carella, who worked in Manhattan's 87th precinct. The "87th Precinct" TV series differs from the books in that the series is explicitly set in New York. As well, the character of Roger Havilland in the books is violent, corrupt, and thoroughly disliked by the  other members of the squad; for the TV series, he was transformed into an honest and respected veteran officer. "87th Precinct" premiered on September 25, 1961 and ended on September 10, 1962. 1995 television film. On March 19, 1995, NBC broadcast "Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct", a two-hour television film. Randy Quaid portrayed Carella, with Alex McArthur as his partner, Bert Kling. Home media. Timeless Media Group released the complete series on DVD in Region 1 in August 2012.