The Throwback: Ooh! Ooh! Remember 'Car 54, Where Are You?'

If the lyrics "There's a holdup in the Bronx, Brooklyn's broken out in fights..." mean anything to you, then you're one of the original fans of "Car 54, Where Are You?" (And/or one of its loyal viewers during its runs on Nick at Nite 25 years ago, and more recently on TV Land).

Before the towering visage of Fred Gwynne was known as the man behind the Herman makeup on "The Munsters" (or later, the judge in "My Cousin Vinny"), he was the timid Officer Muldoon on "Car 54."

And before Joe E. Ross drew laughs with his "Ooh! Ooh!" catchphrase on Saturday morning shows like "Hong Kong Phooey," he was the none-too-bright Officer Toody on "Car 54" (the story goes that "Ooh! Ooh!" came from the fact that Ross often had trouble remembering his lines).

There were many memorable supporting characters in the 53rd precinct (not to mention Toody's wife Lucille), but most memorable of all was Officer Leo Schnauser (Al Lewis, who would go on to play Grandpa Munster with Gwynne), as well as his wife, Sylvia (Charlotte Rae, pre-"Diff'rent Strokes" and "Facts of Life").

The ever-escalating situations each week, as well as the distinct New York flavor of the sitcom, were something of a precursor to "Seinfeld's" style of humor. Kramer and George Costanza would have fit right in "Car 54's" world.

People of Italian, Irish, Jewish and African-American heritage populated the 53rd precinct, as well, something rare for early 1960s television. (The constant references to President Kennedy, Soviet leader Nikita Kruschev and other aspects of early 1960s culture might have something to do with the fact that it was never a perennial, like, say, "The Andy Griffith Show" or "I Love Lucy.")

Both seasons of the short-lived but much beloved series are now on DVD, as it's been a while since the show was nationally televised. Here are five of the best episodes:

1. "Get Well, Officer Schnauser": A gift to an ailing Leo is accidentally switched with a fortune of stolen money. On top of that, Toody goes undercover as a beatnik.
2. "How High is Up": Muldoon becomes paranoid when he unwittingly hits a growth spurt, making him too tall for police force regulations.
3. "Toody and the Art World": Jokes at the expense of modern art were big in the 1960s, and here we see Toody as an accidental artistic genius.
4. "What Happened to Thursday?": Toody and Muldoon, knowing that the Schnausers always fight on Thursday, convince Leo that it's actually Friday.
5. "I've Been Here Before": Toody's TV viewing helps the precinct crack a case when a gang bases its crimes on one of his favorite shows.

It was tough narrowing it down to five. For longtime fans, it's great to see the shows available again. And for those of you who never caught it, check it out.

What are your favorite memories of "Car 54, Where Are You?" (I'm going to go ahead and guess none of them involve the 1994 movie with Rosie O'Donnell.)