Albert Seedman
A sharp-dressed NYPD detective who cracked the infamous 'French Connection' case and rose to the top of a historically insular bureau.
1918–2013 (age 95)·American law enforcement officer·Birthday: August 9·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Albert Seedman's three-decade career with the New York City Police Department was a study in gritty, headline-grabbing detective work. Born in 1918, he joined the force in 1942 and became a detective during a golden age of tabloid crime. Seedman cultivated a flamboyant persona, complete with tailored suits and a cigar, but his real talent was for methodical investigation. He led the probe into the 1972 'French Connection' heroin theft from an NYPD evidence locker, a scandal that rocked the department. His promotion to Chief of the Detective Bureau in 1971 was historic, making him the first and only Jewish officer to hold that prestigious post. His tenure was cut short in 1972 when he was forced to resign after publicly criticizing the department's handling of a restaurant firebombing. Seedman later parlayed his expertise into private security before retiring to Florida, leaving behind a legacy as a complex, media-savvy figure who operated at the highest levels of New York's crime-fighting world.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Albert was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Albert Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Albert's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2013Died at 95
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
Key Achievements
- Served as the NYPD's Chief of Detectives, the only Jewish officer to ever hold that position.
- Led the investigation into the infamous 'French Connection' evidence theft from within the NYPD.
- Solved the high-profile murder of mobster Joe Gallo at Umberto's Clam House in Little Italy in 1972.
- Authored a bestselling memoir, 'Chief!', detailing his career and famous cases.
Did You Know?
He was known for his sartorial style, often wearing custom-made suits and smoking large cigars.
After leaving the NYPD, he became the chief of security for the Alexander's department store chain.
His father was a tailor, which may have influenced his own attention to clothing.
He was a frequent guest on television talk shows, discussing crime and police work.
“I never met a cop who liked a mystery.”
