On this day in Old New York - Old NY Tours

The Odd Couple opens on Broadway

3/10/2015

On this day, March 10th, 1965, Neil Simon's The Odd Couple opened on Broadway. The play, about a mismatched pair of room-mates, later went on to be made into a highly successful movie, and then TV series.

The Broadway show starred Art Carney, and Walter Matthau as Felix Ungar (changed to Unger in the TV series) and Oscar Madison, respectively. The play won several Tony awards, including Best Actor (play) by Walter Matthau, and Best Author (play).

Barbie Doll born

3/9/2015

On this day, March 9, in 1959 the Barbie Doll was revealed at the American International Toy Fair in New York City. That date is used by Mattel as Barbie's official birthday.

Barbie, now an American icon, actually has German roots, being loosely based on a German Doll called Bild Lili, originally aimed at adults as a tie in to a newspaper comic strip.

Ruth Handler, wife of Elliot Handler, a co-founder of Mattel, had conceived of such a doll after watching their daughter play with paper dolls in adult capacities. In the early 1950s, most if not all dolls were representations of infants. Elliot and the other directors of Mattel were not enthusiastic of the idea. In 1956, Ruth took a trip to Europe and saw the Bild Lili doll, and bought 3, one for her daughter, and two to show Mattel. The doll was reworked by Mattel engineers, and now, at 53 years old, Barbie is still a best-seller, and does not look a day older.

New York Stock Exchange Founded

3/8/2015

New York Stock Exchange

New York Stock Exchange Facade at Dusk, January 18, 2012 by Old NY Tours

On this day, March 8th, in 1817 the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was founded.

The NYSE traces is origins to May 17, 1792 when the Buttonwood Agreement was signed by stockbrokers outside of 68 Wall Street. On March 8, 1817, the organization drafted a constitution and renamed itself the New York Stock & Exchange Board. The name was changed again in 1863, when it took its modern name.

Jacob K. Javits Dies

3/7/2015

Jacob K. Javits, Republican senator from New York, seated at desk, sometime between 1947 and 1956. Courtesy Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-136832

On this day, March 7th, 1986, Jacob K. Javits died. Javits was born in New York City on May 18, 1904, and was raised in a Lower East Side tenement.

Javits eventually attended Columbia University at night, and in 1923 enrolled in New York University Law school earning his J.D. in 1926. Upon admission to the bar, he joined his brother as a partner to form Javits and Javits, specializing in bankruptcy, and stockholder suits.

Javits's fater had been a ward heeler for Tammany Hall, and experienced the corruption associated with the notorious political machine. After WWII, in 1946 Javits was nominated as the candidate for the Upper West Side's 21st Congressional District (since re-districted), and won. In 1954, he resigned his seat and took office as the New York State Attorney General after running against Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jr. In 1956, Javits ran for the US Senate against Robert F. Wagner, beating Wagner by nearly 500,000 votes. Javits remained in the senat for 24 years.

In 1979, Javits was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. This caused a primary challenge in 1980 by a little known Long Island politician Alfonse D'Amato, who won the primary 54.7% to Javits's 44.3%. Javits then ran for the same seat as the Liberal Party Candidate in the general election, and split the Democratic base vote, giving D'Amato a plurality victory.

Javits died in 1986 in West Palm Beach Florida, and was interred at Linden Hill Jewish Cemetery, Queens, NY.

Javit's has been honored with a New York City Playground at the southwester edge of Fort Tryon Park, the building at 26 Federal Plaza, a lecture hall at SUNY Stony Brook, and of course the Javits Center, all named after him. There is also a fellowship by the United States Department of Education awarded in his honor.

Trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Begins

3/6/2015

[Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, separated by heavy wire screen as they leave U.S. Court House after being found guilty by jury] / World Telegram photo by Roger Higgins. 1951. Courtesy of Miscellaneous Items in Demand, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-117772

On this day, March 6th, 1951, the Trial of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg began in the US District Court for the Southern District of NY (including Manhattan).

The Rosenbergs were tried for and eventually convicted of espionage, specifically for passing secrets relating to the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union.

They were executed on June 19th, 1953, in Sing Sing Prison.

The Rosenbergs were the first US Civilians to be tried for espionage and were the only two American civilians to be executed for espionage during the Cold War.

James Merritt Ives Born

3/5/2015

On this day, March 5th, 1824, James Merrit Ives was born in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. Ives is known for being half of the firm Currier and Ives. Ives encouraged the firm to produce the idealized images of middle class America for which the firm became famous.

Ives was raised in NYC, his father was superintendent of Bellevue Hospital, and Ives, frequented the art galleries, and Astor Library. Ives was a self taught artist, and though his formal education ended at age 12, he excelled at art and business.

In 1852, Ives was hired by his wife's Brother-in-law's brother, Nathaniel Currier, as bookkeeper for Currier's firm, N. Currier, Lithographer. In 1857, Currier offered Ives a full partnership, and made Ives general manager.

Ives died in 1895, in Rye, NY, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetary in Brooklyn, NY.

Currier and Ives continued to be managed by the two men's sons until the firm was liquidated in 1907. The prints produced by the firm, continue to be sought after by collectors.

Avery Fisher born

3/4/2015

On This day, March 4th, 1906, Avery Fisher was born.

Avery Fisher invented the first Transistorized amplifier, and the first Stereo Radio-Phonograph. His company was eventually sold first to Emerson Electric Company, and then to Sanyo. Fisher served as a consultant to both companies.

Fisher used the money he made from his inventions, and sale of his company to various philanthropic ends. Fisher is best remembered for his significant donation of $10.5 Million to the New York City Philharmonic, and Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center in 1973. This donation led to the auditorium at Lincoln Center to bear his name.

American Telephone and Telegraph Company Incorporated

3/3/2015

"Telephone a nuisance - radio a joy to Alexander Graham Bell" Alexander Graham Bell in 1922. Courtesy Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-76777

On this day, March 3, in 1885, American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) was incorporated in New York. The company was the first of its kind, creating a nationwide long distance network. It was formed by the managment of American Bell, which was founded by ALexander Graham Bell, and various financiers. By the end of 1899, AT&T had bought the assets of American Bell. AT&T eventually became a national monopoly, after it began purchasing competitors.

King Kong Opens

3/2/2015

Radio City Music Hall (originally called International Music Hall) December 9, 1932 - Courtesy of Gottscho-Schleisner Collection, Prints & Photographs Division, Library of Congress, Digital ID#: gsc 5a02027

On this day, March 2, in 1933, King Kong, Starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot, opened at Radio City Music Hall, and across the street at the RKO Roxy. The official world premiere was March 23, 1933 at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California.

On opening day, patrons lined up around the theater to see the movie.The tickets were priced at $0.35-0.75 and audiences were also given a stage show before the movie called, Jungle Rythyms. In the first four days after the movie opened, it grossed nearly $90,000. This was no doubt due to the fact that the movie was shown 10 times per day and every showing sold out in those first four days.

Isabella Goodwin made detective

3/1/2015

Police Women - Capt. Edyth Totten and women police reserve. New York City, June 25, 1918. Courtesy Bain Collection, Library of Congress, LC-USZ62-53865

On this day, March 1st, 1912, Isabella Goodwin was the first female made to be made a First Grade Detective in the NYPD