New York Offbeat Walks, page 19
On September 9, 1956, Elvis made his first appearance on the popular Ed Sullivan Show, and over 60 million people tuned in to watch. Elvis’s enormous popularity would help spread Rock’n’Roll’s global phenomenon. Oddly Sullivan did not present this seminal show—he was recovering from an automobile accident and British actor Charles Laughton stood in as host. Elvis was not actually here either—he was filming at the time in Hollywood, so was beamed in live from CBS’s West Coast studio.
On February 9, 1964, 72 million would watch The Beatles make the first of three appearances on the show that month. The band represented a revolution in how popular music was made, as they wrote and performed their own songs rather than relying on professional song-writers. Within a few months, The Beatles would be filling stadiums across America, giving rise to the modern era of rock and pop. Today, the theater is home to CBS’s The Late Show (at the time of writing hosted by Stephen Colbert).
Walk on, stopping outside 1678 Broadway—approximately where the parking sign is today. This venue has an equally important place in modern music culture as its basement was home to The Birdland Jazz Club from 1949 to 1965. It was named for jazz pioneer and saxophonist Charlie Parker (1920-1955), whose nickname was “Bird.” Birdland attracted all the great performers—Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Nina Simone. On a good night the finest jazz musicians of their generation performed in front of celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Joe Louis and Marlene Dietrich.
However, as with many jazz clubs, there were often racial tensions under the surface, and the police were often heavy-handed with Black performers. In August 1959 Miles Davis had just released the iconic album Kind of Blue, which would go on to become the highest selling jazz record in history. He was outside the club smoking a cigarette when a white policeman told him to move on. Miles refused, answering “Move on, for what? I’m working downstairs. That’s my name up there!” and pointed to his own name in lights above. He was attacked by two policeman and arrested, photographed covered in blood. Davis could handle himself, a keen boxer who was given boxing lessons by the great Sugar Ray Robinson in Harlem.
Head right up West 52nd Street—once the heart of the city’s jazz scene and part of it became known as “Swing Street” (originally, this term was used for 133rd Street in Harlem until the ending of Prohibition in 1933 encouraged jazz clubs to move here). In recent times only the 21 Club survived from this era (seen later). You are now very much in the Theater District. The first theaters appeared in Midtown in the 1880s, and despite ups and downs over subsequent decades, it remains a world-famous area for live entertainment. You will pass the August Wilson and Neil Simon theaters. The marketing blurb from an apartment block on this street boasts, “If you’re looking for that classic old New York feel, this is the place to be. From jazz clubs to gastropubs, this vintage area flaunts the dense urban vibe you crave.”
At the end, turn left onto Eighth Avenue. On the right is the Hampton Inn. It was at a hotel on this address that activist Angela Davis (b. 1944) was arrested by the FBI on October 13, 1970. She had been on the run for two months on murder and kidnapping charges. President Nixon thanked the FBI for its “capture of the dangerous terrorist Angela Davis.” Davis would eventually be found not guilty of the charges and would go onto pursue a high-profile and often controversial academic and political career. Reference to her arrest here is made in the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect (2021) and the Rolling Stones dedicated a song to her, “Sweet Black Angel,” on their famous 1972 album Exile on Main Street.
Now walk for a few minutes down Eighth Avenue, passing Worldwide Plaza on the right. This stands on the site of the old Madison Square Garden.
Now turn left onto 49th Street, stopping on the left at St. Malachy’s Roman Catholic Church. Known as The Actors’ Chapel, it was founded in 1902. From the 1920s it became known for attracting many people from the theater community. Thousands of people crowded the street outside when the New York funeral was held for 31-year-old movie sensation Rudolph Valentino in August 1926. Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson were among those in attendance.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Joan Crawford were married here in 1929 (he was 19, she was five years older). The marriage did not last long—Crawford’s affair with Clark Gable helped its demise. Others who have worshipped here include Spencer Tracy, Bob Hope and Perry Como.
The church has survived many changes in this area, particularly when many of its congregation drifted away as local streets became plagued by prostitution, crime, drugs, massage parlors and the sex entertainment business in the 1970s and 80s. In 1972 it was reported that this immediate area was home to 30 hotels such as The Raymona that “catered to” prostitution. There were also 41 massage parlors used by sex workers, six bars used by pimps, and around 50 adult movie cinemas. Things got even worse as the 70s continued, and if you watch Martin Scorsese’s bleak film Taxi Driver (1976) you will get a sense of how downtrodden this part of Midtown had become.
Continue along, passing the Ambassador and Eugene O’Neill Theaters, and turning left onto Broadway. On the corner is the art deco Brill Building constructed in 1931. It was originally the Alan E. Lefcourt Building. Alan was the son of property developer Abraham E. Lefcourt who had named other buildings for his family. It became known as the Brill Building after a haberdasher who later came to own the building. The Brill Building also became a byword for the music industry that grew up in this immediate area, and covered other offices (for example at 1650 Broadway).
From the 1930s to 1960s this was the heart of the country’s music industry, home to hundreds of music publishers, record pluggers, writers, lyricists and composers. These included Burt Bacharach, Gerry Goffin, Carole King, Neil Sedaka, Paul Simon, Neil Diamond, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller, Phil Spector, Frankie Valli, Liza Minnelli and The Drifters. So, what happened? The Beatles helped change the music industry, as teenagers now wanted to worship bands that wrote their own material. Almost overnight the Brill Building factory system became uncool. Brill Building stalwarts such as Carole King, Neil Sedaka, and Neil Diamond developed their own performing careers instead of writing songs for others.
The bust of a young man above the entrance carries a sad story. It depicts Alan Lefcourt, who died at age 17 in 1930. At the same time, his grieving father, Abraham, had to cope with the disastrous impact of the Wall Street Crash on his real estate empire. He died, possibly a suicide, in 1932, his multi-million dollar fortune having disappeared. The large bust up high is also believed to represent Alan.
Continue south down Broadway (the Brill at your back) and then turn left onto West 47th Street to stop outside the Hotel Edison. This is another art deco masterpiece, dating from 1931 and named for the famed inventor Thomas Edison (who switched on the lights at the opening). Why is this so important? Because no New York walk is complete without a Godfather connection. Luca Brasi walks along the rear entrance hallway before being murdered in The Godfather (1972). Scenes from Birdman (2014) and Woody Allen’s Bullets over Broadway (1994) were also filmed here.
Retrace your steps, now passing the global headquarters for Morgan Stanley on the left . On all sides you are surrounded by hotels, theaters, tourist shops and restaurants, so one of the world’s most powerful financial firms in such a busy area seems unusual.
When you reach Broadway again, turn right to continue into Times Square. Considered by many to be the heart of the city, it is also known as the “Crossroads of the World.” If you suffer from agoraphobia, you may need to calm yourself before carrying on.
Times Square was originally called Longacre Square. It was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved into a new headquarters at the Times Building—now called One Times Square. Why Longacre? Because this used to be the center of the city’s horse and carriage trade, and was named after Long Acre in London, which traditionally had the same role.
On the north side is Duffy Square, and walk over to see the statue of Father Francis P. Duffy (1871-1932). A Catholic priest and military chaplain, he served with the “Fighting 69th” in various conflicts, including World War I. Many of the soldiers he looked after were Irish-Americans from New York, and Duffy later worked as pastor of the Holy Cross Church near here. His reputation and fame ensured he was portrayed by actor Pat O’Brien in the movie The Fighting 69th (1940) that starred James Cagney.
By the 1890s, this area had already become a place for entertainment, but it really took off after World War I when cinemas began to open alongside grand theaters and restaurants. After the area became sleazy in the 1960s and 70s, it went into a major decline, reaching a nadir in the early 1980s. However, successive mayors, developers, politicians and corporations such as Disney, invested huge sums to revitalize Times Square. While this has certainly reduced crime and brought back tourists, for some New Yorkers the “Disneyfication” of the district in recent times has not been welcomed. In the last few years, however, Times Square has once again begun to appear in the media about the city’s growing crime problem, although it is nowhere near as bad as it used to be.
Times Square
Continue down Seventh Avenue, turning right onto West 43rd Street. Continue along to The Lyric theater at No. 214. The story of The Lyric is typical of this area, opening in 1903 in the golden age of new theater construction. In the 1920s its shows involved famous composers and performers such as Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Fred and Adele Astaire and the Marx Brothers. However, it went into decline and was a movie theater from 1932 to 1992. In the film Taxi Driver, this is where Bickle (Robert de Niro) takes Betsy (Cybill Shepherd) to see a porno film on a date. The date was not a success.
This area was revitalized in the 1990s through investment in modernizing (and demolishing) many of the old theaters. The Lyric building was pulled down although the façade was retained for the new theater constructed here.
Retrace your steps, passing One Times Square. This iconic building, underneath the neon signs, has at its core the landmark skyscraper built in 1903 for The New York Times. The newspaper’s owner Adolph Ochs persuaded the city authorities to rename Longacre Square as Times Square, and it was during this era the famous “New Year’s Eve ball drop” tradition began.
Follow the map to turn right (east) along West 43rd Street, passing on the left at No. 123 The Town Hall performance space. Look up to see signage on the exterior that recalls a very different purpose for this building. It refers to The Town Hall being founded by the League for Political Education.
The League was founded in 1894 to support the cause of women’s suffrage and democratic values. The 19th Amendment that gave women the vote was ratified in 1920 and The Town Hall opened the following year. The auditorium was used for speeches and gatherings by the League and associated causes, but over time it became better known for the artistic events held here.
The rather plain Georgian Revival style of the design was specifically chosen because it was felt at the time to symbolize the League’s grassroots democratic ideals. The Town Hall Club, which promoted political discourse among the public was also based here. For decades many famous people performed or talked at The Town Hall, including Sir Winston Churchill, Paul Robeson, Marian Anderson and the Von Trapp family (immortalized in The Sound of Music). Famous jazz concerts were also held here too, including one in June 1945 that involved Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Charlie Parker and others that would become a milestone in the emergence of bebop, and Billie Holiday making her first solo concert performance the year after.
Continue up, turning left up Sixth Avenue then right onto West 44th Street. At the time of writing, there are 41 “Broadway” theaters, usually understood to be theaters within Manhattan’s Theater District that can seat 500 or more people. Five date from 1903-1910, eleven from 1911-1920, nineteen from the 1920s, and only six were built after 1965. That gives an idea of when theater construction was at its more frenzied. By one estimate, there are around 85 “Off-Broadway” theaters (defined as seating 100 to 499 people) and 120 “Off-Off-Broadway” theaters (99 seats or less).
This stretch contains some of the most prestigious clubs in the city, but first you pass the Algonquin Hotel that opened in 1902. Under Frank Case, it became popular with guests from the entertainment world, and hosted what became to be known as the Algonquin Round Table. During the 1920s, some of the city’s most influential writers, critics, actors and journalists met over lunch to exchange gossip, news, and ideas and impress each other with sparkling witticisms. Regular members included Dorothy Parker, Harpo Marx, Ruth Hale, Harold Ross, and Tallulah Bankhead. The Round Table members were also keen poker players and even staged their own revue, “No Sirree!” in 1922.
Other regulars at the hotel included William Faulkner (he wrote his acceptance speech for the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature while staying here). Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe wrote songs for the musical hit My Fair Lady while staying in suite 908 in 1956.
Next you pass The Iroquois Hotel on the same side (where James Dean lived on an off between 1950-53) before stopping at The New York Yacht Club. It will be forever associated with the America’s Cup (the club had the longest winning streak in sports history from 1851 until 1983). The club was founded in 1844 and has been based here in this fantastic Beaux-Arts building since 1901 (it also has a base in Newport, Rhode Island). Look for the three windows designed to resemble the bows of 17th-century Dutch yachts.
This is another private invitation-only club. Past members include the great and the good of New York, including J. P. Morgan, various Astors, Vanderbilts, Rockefellers, Kennedys, Roosevelts and some the club would prefer not to celebrate (Bernie Madoff).
This area around 43nd and 44th Streets has long been known as Clubhouse Row, and popular with Ivy League private alumni clubs in particular.
Next door is the Harvard Club, founded in 1865 and based here since 1894. Past members include John F. Kennedy, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt, Reginald Lewis, and Major Michael Bloomberg. The club fought hard to stop women from becoming members, but its membership finally agreed by a vote in 1973 to change its historic policy in the face of anti-discriminatory legislation.
Opposite the Harvard Club is the Penn Club, an alumni club of the University of Pennsylvania. Another private alumni club, The Williams Club, is also based here.
Next door is The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of the City of New York. Founded by, and for the benefit, of skilled tradesmen in 1785, it mirrors other trade organizations that existed in America and Europe at this time. As labor practices changed in later years, many trade bodies became obsolete, however, the Society survived by becoming focused on charitable and educational endeavors. Andrew Carnegie supplied funds for the clubhouse building, expanding the existing building in 1903. If you have time, visit the John M. Mossman Lock Museum inside, with its unique collection of locks, keys, and tools from all eras of history.
Within a short walk of here are other exclusive clubs such as the Cornell Club, Yale Club, Dartmouth Club, Columbia University Club of New York, and the Princeton Club. Look out for confident-looking, well-heeled club members strolling these streets on their way to their club—probably going to a cocktail party.
Follow the map to reach Fifth Avenue. On the right at is the approximate site of the Colored Orphan Asylum. Founded by Quakers in 1836, it was located near here in 1863 when one of the most shameful episodes in the city’s history took place here during the Draft Riots.
The riots were triggered by the anger felt by many working-class New Yorkers against draft laws that allowed rich residents to escape serving in the Union Army by paying $300. However, the mob contained a significant racist element and a white mob attacked the orphanage, setting it on fire. Around 233 children were lucky to be led away just in time to escape with their lives. The riots resulted in around 120 people being killed over several days, including many African-Americans who were murdered. Many traumatized African-Americans would flee Manhattan for safer districts, a reminder that the Confederate South was not the only place where deep-seated racist attitudes could be found in America.
Head north up Fifth Avenue, turning left onto West 45th Street. On the right is the half-acre MMC Plaza, where you can sit and rest, while admiring the Japanese pagoda trees and Tony Smith’s sculpture Throwback. Smith (1912-1980) was a major figure in the early days of American minimalist sculpture. Trivia lovers may also appreciate the fact that Tennessee Williams was the sole witness at Smith’s wedding to opera singer Jane Lawrence in 1943.
Carry on to No. 128. The car park entrance is approximately the site of the Peppermint Lounge, a legendary disco that operated between 1958-65, and which was frequented by The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Truman Capote, Norman Mailer, Jackie Kennedy and even the reclusive Greta Garbo. Many came because of the club’s fame as the birthplace of the “Twist” dance that swept the world in the early 1960s.
The Peppermint Lounge was Mob controlled and run by Johnny Biello, capo of the Genovese crime family. Biello was murdered in Miami in 1967 after opening a Peppermint Lounge there.
Retrace your steps, and turn left (north) up Sixth Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas. You pass the offices of News Corporation and Fox News, part of the media empire controlled by Rupert Murdoch and his family. Murdoch, like Pulitzer and Hearst before him, has done much to shape the political discourse in this country.
Continue north up Sixth Avenue, passing on the east side the famous Diamond District that dominates West 47th Street between here and Fifth Avenue.
Next head down West 48th Street to No. 62 on the right , occupied by Pronto Pizza. It is notable because in September 2021 a lucky person went in for a slice of pizza and ended up buying a Mega Millions lottery ticket. The ticket happened to be a winner—for $432 million. Pronto Pizza also got a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket and the place must be lucky—another ticket sold here by the same member of staff was worth a $3 million prize. The mystery buyer has not been publicly identified but may just about be able to buy an apartment on Billionaire’s Row. You might want to buy a ticket here before you carry on.
