Before starring in Car 54, Where Are You?, Joe E. Ross was afraid of cops
It's ironic that Joe E. Ross, who spent much of his youth avoiding and fearing policemen, had a starring role and was cast as a cop in the 1961 series Car 54, Where Are You?.
Ross, who played the role of Officer Gunther Toody, gained a new appreciation for those in the profession. His character was loud, bumbling, loved to yap, and was, in many ways, clueless. Yet, he resonated with fans because he provided most of the comic relief in the series.
In other words, he humanized police officers.
While his character may have differed from real police officers, he learned a lot about the profession during his three seasons on the series, and he wanted his fans to do the same.
According to a 1962 interview with Chicago Tribune, Ross grew up in New York, and said cops would tend to make everyone feel a bit uneasy.
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"I didn't always have such a bond with the cops," Ross said. "Far from it. When I was a kid on New York's lower east side, I was afraid of them like most of the other guys. The less we saw them, the better. I wasn't in trouble that much, but I avoided the cops, anyway."
According to the interview, there was a lot of backlash that plagued the series because some thought Car 54, Where Are You? ridiculed the police. However, Ross didn't agree.
He said the series portrayed cops in a new light, one that would help make the average person less afraid. He even received a few letters and complaints from police officials.
"We've gotten one or two notes from police brass, but the main response has been very good," Ross said. "In poking good-natured fun at the police, I think we also show both the humor and pathos involved in law enforcement work."
Despite some opposition, Car 54, Where Are You? changed Ross's mind about cops. He began to trust them, in part because he felt he knew them on a deeper level. For someone who was initially uneasy around them, he had an impressive ease in his role as one.
"Everywhere I've gone, the rank and file police have been friendly and said how much they like the show," Ross said. "I made an illegal left turn in New York and when the arresting officer recognized me, he called his partner over. I gave them autographed pictures for the kids and we talked awhile. The best part was I didn't get a ticket."