Al Pacino in a 1973 Paramount publicity portrait for Serpico, in the beard and long hair he started the shoot with. Paramount Pictures · Public domainAl Pacinoas Frank Serpico · 1973
New York · story 1959–1972 · shot July–August 1973
Serpico
Lumet shot it backwards, so the beard could come off a little at a time. Take the razor and go back with him.
One man in the rank is facing the wrong way.
51 days · July and August 1973
Shave it backwards.
The story runs from 1960 to 1971. Lumet shot it the other way round. Pacino began with long hair and a long beard, was shaved to a moustache, and finally had his hair cut and his face shaved for the opening scenes. Lumet decided each day how much more came off, and the crew kept false beards ready. Run the razor from right to left and each pass takes the story back a stretch.
Full lather. Pacino arrives with the long beard and hair of 1971, and Lumet starts at the end.
Where we read it
Shot in reverse: long beard and hair first, shaved to a moustache, then hair cut and clean-shaven for the start; Lumet decided daily and fake beards were kept ready. The four passes and the places in each follow the film’s story order as Phillips gives it; which day each place was shot is not recorded here.
Al Pacino, centre, in a 1973 Paramount publicity still from Serpico, released without a copyright notice. Paramount Pictures · Public domain
The envelope
Up the chain.
Early on, Serpico is handed an envelope of money he never wanted. The rest of the film is him trying to give it to someone who will act on it. Hand it up.
The envelope is still in Frank’s pocket.
Where we read it
Bob Blair, Lewisohn Stadium: Frank tells his friend about the envelope. Bob knows an honest inspector.
Inspector Kellogg, Suerken’s, 27 Park Place: Over a buttered lobster at Suerken’s, by City Hall, the inspector gives Frank the runaround. The restaurant closed in 1986.
The Times, Grove Street newsstand: The story is in the early edition. In life it ran on 25 April 1970, and within a month the mayor had set up the Knapp Commission.
The Chamber of Commerce Building, 65 Liberty Street, 2013. Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0
The city65 Liberty Street
Christopher Park, the triangle by Grove Street, 2013. Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0
The TimesGrove Street newsstand
Hell Gate Bridge from Astoria Park, 2023. Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY 4.0
The captainUnder Hell Gate Bridge
27 Park Pl.
Inspector KelloggSuerken’s, 27 Park Place
Lewisohn Stadium in September 1973, days before demolition began and a few weeks after Lumet filmed there. Bobster1985 · CC BY 3.0
Bob BlairLewisohn Stadium
Convent Avenue · City College
The stadium.
Frank and Bob meet in a crumbling Doric amphitheatre. A few weeks after the scene was shot, the wreckers arrived.
Lewisohn Stadium in September 1973, days before demolition began and a few weeks after Lumet filmed there. Bobster1985 · CC BY 3.0The North Academic Center, built on the stadium site, 2011. Jim.henderson · CC0
Serpico and his friend Bob Blair meet in the worn-out stadium, and Frank tells him about the envelope of money he has been given.
The stadium opened in 1915 with 8,000 seats and hosted games, concerts and plays.
It was demolished in the autumn of 1973, a few months after this scene was shot.
The North Academic Center replaced it. In 1985 a plaza outside was rededicated as Lewisohn Plaza.
The stadium is gone. The North Academic Center stands on the site; Lewisohn Plaza outside it keeps the name.
Where we read it
A witness before the Knapp Commission, with the commissioners at the dais behind; Bernard Gotfryd’s photograph, Library of Congress. Bernard Gotfryd (Library of Congress) · CC0
The Commission to Investigate Alleged Police Corruption
Knapp.
After the Times story of 25 April 1970, Mayor John Lindsay appointed a five-member commission under Whitman Knapp on 21 May 1970. It took private testimony for over a year and opened public hearings on 18 October 1971.
Serpico testified in October and December 1971: the first New York officer to come forward and testify openly about payoffs. The final report came out in December 1972.
Where we read it
Appointment, members, private testimony, public hearings from 18 October 1971, final report December 1972.
Officers who accept gratuities and small payments from contractors, tow-truck operators, gamblers and the like, but do not go looking for them. The Commission found many of them, learning it from older officers.
Where we read it
Officers who accept gratuities and small payments from contractors, tow-truck operators, gamblers and the like, but do not go looking for them. The Commission found many of them, learning it from older officers. Officers who spend a good deal of time looking for situations they can exploit for money, such as shaking down drug dealers, and who justify it by treating their victims as undeserving of protection.
The Chamber of Commerce Building, 65 Liberty Street, 2013. Beyond My Ken · CC BY-SA 4.0
65 Liberty Street, Financial District
In the film: Chamber of Commerce Building
Serpico’s speech to city officials near the end of the film was shot in the building’s Great Hall, then hung with portraits.
Where we read it
Sixth Avenue at 32nd Street in August 1973, while Lumet was shooting across town. Dan McCoy (EPA Documerica) · Public domain
New York · summer 1973
104 places in 51 days.
104Locations, for 107 speaking parts
51Shooting days, on budget
35Set-ups in a day, at most
3Moves a day, on average
Lumet came in late, after John G. Avildsen left the picture, and had little time to choose locations. Shooting began in early July 1973 for a Christmas release.
The winter scenes were made in July: the crew stripped leaves from trees and cut back shrubs, and the cast wore winter coats with their skin made up a bluish tone. Scenes set in the 1960s were hard to place, because graffiti had spread across the city since 1970. Every street was cleared of cars too new for the period.
The NYPD let Lumet film in four working police stations. As Serpico grows more isolated the costumes grow darker, until everyone in the hearing scene is in dark tones; Lumet said he was trying to negate colour.
Where we read it
Avildsen’s exit, Lumet’s short notice, July start for Christmas, faked winter, graffiti, period cars, four active stations, darkening costumes.
Frank waits outside NYU’s building at 100 Washington Square East for Leslie, then rides her on his motorcycle along Washington Square North, past the Arch.
Where we read it
Washington Square Hotel
Washington Square Hotel
The Village · Rates on the hotel’s booking page
An Art Deco hotel at 103 Waverly Place, on the corner of the square where Frank waits for Leslie, and a short walk from Minetta Street. It has taken guests since 1902.
Al Pacino in a 1973 Paramount publicity portrait for Serpico, in the beard and long hair he started the shoot with. Paramount Pictures · Public domainAl PacinoFrank Serpico · 1973
Sidney Lumet in a 1970 publicity photograph, three years before he made Serpico. Maron Films (photographer unknown) · Public domainSidney LumetDirector · 1970
Mikis Theodorakis arriving in Helsinki on his world tour, February 1972, the year before he wrote the Serpico theme. Hugo Sundström · CC BY 4.0Mikis TheodorakisMusic · 1972
The real Frank Serpico in 2013. No free photograph of him from the early 1970s has turned up, so this later one stands in. Joeyjojo86 · CC BY-SA 3.0Frank SerpicoHimself · 2013
Sidney Lumet directed; Waldo Salt and Norman Wexler wrote it from Peter Maas’s book; Dino De Laurentiis and Martin Bregman produced. Arthur Ornitz shot it and Dede Allen cut it, getting each day’s scenes straight from the set. Around Pacino: Tony Roberts, John Randolph, Jack Kehoe, Biff McGuire, Barbara Eda-Young and Cornelia Sharpe. Lumet first wanted no score; Mikis Theodorakis, newly out of prison in Greece, flew in from Paris the next day and offered a piece of his own.
It opened in New York on 5 December 1973. Pacino won the Golden Globe; Serpico went to the premiere and left before the end.
Perry Street, Greenwich Village, 2018: the street only. Spencer Means · CC BY-SA 2.0
The real one
Frank Serpico
Born in Brooklyn on 14 April 1936, the son of immigrants from Marigliano, near Naples. He joined the NYPD on 11 September 1959, reported corruption in 1967 to no effect, and helped with the Times story of 1970. He was shot on duty on 3 February 1971, testified to the Knapp Commission that year, and retired on 15 June 1972, a month after receiving the Medal of Honor. Then he left for Europe.
His own apartment was on Perry Street in the West Village, a few streets from where Lumet filmed. It is a private home: the street only, please.
Where we read it
Birth, family, NYPD dates, 1967 report, the Times story, 3 February 1971, testimony, retirement and Medal of Honor, Europe.
14 places you can visit, all in New York City, and one home on Perry Street you can only walk past.
Pins mark public places; private homes are named but not pinned.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: building · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A working public high school. See it from Pleasant Avenue and the park; the building is not open to visitors.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: site · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. A public park with basketball courts, a track and a pool. Enter from East 114th Street, as Pacino does.
General reference · Public access · Coordinate precision: site · Not an exact scene or camera position; not a visitor route. The stadium is gone. The North Academic Center stands on the site; Lewisohn Plaza outside it keeps the name.
1The Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics on Pleasant Avenue, 2022. Deansfa · CC BY-SA 4.0
280 Pleasant Avenue at East 116th Street, East Harlem, Manhattan
Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics
The first scene of Serpico’s career, his police academy graduation photograph, was shot behind this building.
A working public high school. See it from Pleasant Avenue and the park; the building is not open to visitors.
Where we read it
2Thomas Jefferson Park, East Harlem, 2022. Deansfa · CC BY-SA 4.0
First Avenue to the FDR Drive, East 111th to 114th Streets, East Harlem
Thomas Jefferson Park
Serpico walks in from East 114th Street, finds two suspects on the basketball courts and calls the station from a payphone at 114th and Pleasant Avenue. The film says Brooklyn.
A public park with basketball courts, a track and a pool. Enter from East 114th Street, as Pacino does.
Where we read it
3Lewisohn Stadium in September 1973, days before demolition began and a few weeks after Lumet filmed there. Bobster1985 · CC BY 3.0
Convent Avenue at West 136th Street, City College of New York
Lewisohn Stadium site
Serpico and his friend Bob Blair meet in the worn-out stadium, and Frank tells him about the envelope of money he has been given.
The stadium is gone. The North Academic Center stands on the site; Lewisohn Plaza outside it keeps the name.
Where we read it
Stay
On the square.
A 1902 hotel on Washington Square, a walk from Minetta Street.
Washington Square Hotel
Washington Square Hotel
The Village · Rates on the hotel’s booking page
An Art Deco hotel at 103 Waverly Place, on the corner of the square where Frank waits for Leslie, and a short walk from Minetta Street. It has taken guests since 1902.
Village walking tours and tickets for the Intrepid at Pier 86.
Viator · Ad / affiliate
Greenwich Village on foot
The Village
Live marketplace results for Greenwich Village walking tours. None is built round this film; check each route for Washington Square and Minetta Street.
Dates, prices, rooms and stock change: confirm with the provider before you travel or buy. A stay or tour is described as a filming location only where the card says so.
Precinct log
Every place and moment behind this page, with sources.
15 of 15 places · 15 of 15 Moments
Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics
280 Pleasant Avenue at East 116th Street, East Harlem, Manhattan
Graduation
Frank graduates from the police academy and poses for a photograph behind the school.
Thomas Jefferson Park
First Avenue to the FDR Drive, East 111th to 114th Streets, East Harlem
The courts
Serpico makes an arrest on the basketball courts, in a park the film calls Brooklyn.
Lewisohn Stadium site
Convent Avenue at West 136th Street, City College of New York
The stadium
Frank tells Bob Blair about the envelope in an empty stadium that is weeks from demolition.
Minetta Street
Minetta Street, off Sixth Avenue, Greenwich Village
The Village
Frank moves into a small Greenwich Village apartment on Minetta Street.
Washington Square Park
Washington Square, Greenwich Village
Washington Square
Frank meets Leslie outside NYU and rides her past the Arch.
Christopher Park and Grove Street
The triangle of Christopher, Grove and West 4th Streets, Greenwich Village
The early edition
Frank and his team read the Times on the subway stairs at Christopher Street.
675 Hudson Street
Hudson Street at West 13th Street and Ninth Avenue, Meatpacking District
Stakeout
Undercover as a meat worker, Frank watches a bookie’s drop on Hudson Street.
Perry Street
Perry Street, West Village. A private home
The real home
The real Serpico lived on Perry Street; the film used Minetta Street.
240 Centre Street
Centre Street to Centre Market Place, Broome to Grand Streets, Little Italy
Headquarters
Frank asks his captain about the Bronx outside the old academy, beside police headquarters.
The Horseshoe Bar (7B)
108 Avenue B at East 7th Street, East Village
The bagman
In a bar meant to be in the Bronx, Frank is introduced to Al, the bagman.
Chamber of Commerce Building
65 Liberty Street, Financial District
The speech
Serpico speaks to city officials in the Great Hall at 65 Liberty Street.
Pier 86 and the Intrepid Museum
Pier 86, West 46th Street and Twelfth Avenue, Hell’s Kitchen
The boat
Serpico walks to Pier 86 for a boat to Europe as the credits roll.
Former 80th Precinct station house
Grand Avenue at Park Place, Brooklyn
First precinct
Frank arrives for his first day at a station house dressed as the 83rd Precinct.
Astoria Park, under Hell Gate Bridge
Astoria Park by Hell Gate Bridge, Queens
Under the bridge
The captain storms off and leaves Frank alone under Hell Gate Bridge.
Joyce Kilmer Park
Grand Concourse at East 161st Street, the Bronx
The Bronx
Crooked plainclothesmen gather in a park by Yankee Stadium.
