Edward Burns stars in “Public Morals”

Twenty years ago, native New Yorker Edward Burns wrote, directed and starred in his debut film, "The Brothers McMullen" (1995), and he's been chewing on the idea for his latest project ever since.

"The Brothers McMullen" is just the first work on what's become a diverse resumé, with starring roles in everything from rom-coms to war dramas to horror flicks, many of which Burns also wrote and directed. "Public Morals," his recently launched police drama, has been hovering around through it all -- in the back of his mind, in photos taken on his iPhone as he walked around Manhattan and in a stack of unproduced scripts that never quite made it to the screen -- until now.

Set in 1960s New York City, "Public Morals" is a gangster story with a look at both sides of the law through the eyes of a family of cops and an Irish mob family, connected through marriage and an upbringing on the streets of Hell's Kitchen. The small-screen drama, which premiered last month, gives an authentic look at the life of a cop in Old New York. Catch the newest episode when it airs Tuesday, Sept. 15, on TNT.

In his new series, Burns plays Officer Terry Muldoon of the NYPD's Public Morals Division, which deals with vice crimes in the city. An Irish-American (like Burns himself), Muldoon grew up on the West Side, which is now being torn up by the war within two factions of the Irish-American Mob. While he's determined to make the city a safe place, his wife, Christine (Elizabeth Masucci, "Shame," 2011), wants to get out for good.

As far as material goes, Burns, who also wrote and directed all 10 episodes of the freshman season, has a lot to draw from. His dad and uncle were both NYPD cops themselves, and a lot of his upbringing as a cop's son has made its way into the show in one form or another -- most notably in the relationship between Burns' character and his own sons.

"I wanted to pull from my memories as a kid, growing up in a cop family and culture," he said in an interview for "Newsday." "In the pilot, that scene about my son being the school fool and dad having to deal with the nuns -- that's completely autobiographical. That's me and my dad, word for word, down to that talk in the bedroom where the father says: 'There's a fork in the road, and you need to make a decision.'"

While working on the set of "Saving Private Ryan" (1998), Burns was visited by his dad and uncle, who struck up a conversation with director Steven Spielberg -- who's also one of "Public Morals'" executive producers -- and regaled him with stories of being a New York cop in the late '50s and '60s. The conversation struck a chord with Spielberg, and after wrapping the film, he set Burns to work writing a screenplay with the two guys in mind.

Edward Burns and Michael Rapaport as seen in “Public Morals”

That film was called "On the Job," and though it never got off the ground, it served as a foundation for "Public Morals." "It was my attempt at an Irish-American 'Godfather,' set against the NYPD," Burns said as reported by "The Buffalo News." "I could never get that film made, but I never gave up hope that I would make it."

Eighteen years and a whole heap of roles later, here it is. His dad, also named Edward, who first really provided the spark, is still involved in the project, working as a consultant on the series. The characters have jobs and see action Edward's really experienced, so he knows what sounds authentic and what doesn't. "He kind of will read a script and tell me: 'That's not how cops talk. Back then, this was the vernacular,'" Burns explained in a "Hitfix" interview.

The showrunners' concern with authenticity is evident in the visuals as well. Burns himself has scoured the streets of Manhattan, snapping pictures of locales that still bear the look of Old New York. "We didn't want a show to exist just on a soundstage. We are out in the street making as much use of New York City as we can," he said.

For the same reason, Burns also drew from New York and New Jersey at casting time. Starring alongside Burns, who was born in Queens, are fellow New Yorkers Michael Rapaport ("Prison Break"), who plays Muldoon's partner Charlie Bullman; Wass Stevens ("The Wrestler," 2008) as mustachioed detective Vince Latucci; and Queens boy Keith Nobbs ("The Black Donnellys") as Pat Duffy. The "Jersey Girls" include Masucci, Katrina Bowden ("30 Rock") and Michele Hicks ("The Shield"), so the accents and overall Jersey-ness are the real thing.

Look for some big names outside of the main cast, as well. Early guest stars and recurring cast members this season include Academy Award winner Timothy Hutton ("Leverage"), stage and film vet Brian Dennehy ("First Blood," 1982) and Burns' "Mob City" co-stars Neal McDonough ("Band of Brothers") and Robert Knepper ("Heroes").

To say that Burns' new series is a long time coming is an understatement. Twenty years after the seed first sprouted in his mind, the actor-writer-director's dream project has finally made it to the screen. Catch the newest episode of "Public Morals" when it airs Tuesday, Sept. 15, on TNT.