Home · Maps · About
Home > SubChat

[ Post a New Response | Return to the Index ]

(1481044)

view threaded

Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by andy on Mon Jul 16 10:56:32 2018

Monday, July 16, 1956: Over the previous two days, a disastrous fire destroyed the vacant Wanamaker Department Store building at 8th Street and Fourth Avenue, Manhattan. Water used to fight the fire spilled onto adjacent subway tracks under Broadway (BMT, today’s N, Q, R and W lines), and under Fourth Avenue (IRT, today’s #4-5-6 lines). The IRT tunnel was flooded badly, with a train marooned in the Astor Place station. This was the first weekday after the fire. No Lexington Avenue Express service operated between Grand Central and Brooklyn Bridge, as trains were turned back at those locations. Local service (#6) operated between 23rd St. and Pelham Bay. Subway riders were instructed to use West Side IRT, IND, and BMT lines between Midtown and Lower Manhattan.

It was not until Friday, July 20 that full IRT Lexington service was restored. Amazingly, Transit Authority crews repaired the damaged tunnel and trackbed, and removed the stranded train, within six days.

Post a New Response

(1481066)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by randyo on Mon Jul 16 16:25:32 2018, in response to Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by andy on Mon Jul 16 10:56:32 2018.

I remember that fire. When I was a youngster, my mother and I would go shopping at Wanamakers and at least during Christmas season if not all year round, there was a slow moving monorail for children to ride that was accessed from the mezzanine and circled the main floor. When we heard about the fire, my mother and I went down and watched the firefighters putting out the fire. If I recall it was on a Sunday that the fire started.

Post a New Response

(1481068)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Wallyhorse on Mon Jul 16 17:20:12 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by randyo on Mon Jul 16 16:25:32 2018.

And it's amazing to think the building itself was saved (today's it's I believe AOL's New York building).

Post a New Response

(Sponsored)

iPhone 6 (4.7 Inch) Premium PU Leather Wallet Case - Red w/ Floral Interior - by Notch-It

(1481073)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Mon Jul 16 18:26:36 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by randyo on Mon Jul 16 16:25:32 2018.

This building also served as a studio for a lot of the Dumont Networks early programming, like Captain Video.

Post a New Response

(1481076)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by northshore on Mon Jul 16 18:57:42 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by Wallyhorse on Mon Jul 16 17:20:12 2018.

The Wanamaker building was NOT saved. It was a cast iron structure that was originally the Stewart Dept Store. It was being demolished to be replaced by an apartment house, which was completed.
The building you are referring to the the Wanamaker larger second "annex" building that was attached by a walkway south od the original store.. It is a newer steel and masonry building that now also houses a K-Mat store.

Post a New Response

(1481090)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by IRTRedbirdR33 on Mon Jul 16 22:38:35 2018, in response to Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by andy on Mon Jul 16 10:56:32 2018.



Andy: I remember that fire. My mother took me down to see the building a day or so later. We had to stand a block away but it was some sight.

Larry, RedbirdR33

Post a New Response

(1481091)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by IRTRedbirdR33 on Mon Jul 16 22:39:13 2018, in response to Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by andy on Mon Jul 16 10:56:32 2018.



Andy: I remember that fire. My mother took me down to see the building a day or so later. We had to stand a block away but it was some sight.

Larry, RedbirdR33

Post a New Response

(1481168)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by randyo on Tue Jul 17 16:33:57 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by northshore on Mon Jul 16 18:57:42 2018.

If I remember the “walkway” was a covered bridge very similar to the bridge between Saks 34 St and Gimbels crossing 33 St.

Post a New Response

(1481169)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by randyo on Tue Jul 17 16:35:06 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Mon Jul 16 18:26:36 2018.

And if you didn’t have a TV, you would listen to Captain Audio on the radio!

Post a New Response

(1481185)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by northshore on Tue Jul 17 17:20:11 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by randyo on Tue Jul 17 16:33:57 2018.

Yes, exactly

Post a New Response

(1481286)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by gbs on Wed Jul 18 23:52:35 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by Chris R16/R2730 on Mon Jul 16 18:26:36 2018.


There may have been Dumont studios in that building, but the classic 39 Honeymooners episodes (including Captain Video) were filmed in midtown, according to Wikipedia:

All 39 episodes of The Honeymooners were filmed at the DuMont Television Network's Adelphi Theatre at 152 West 54th Street in Manhattan, in front of an audience of 1,000.

Post a New Response

(1481299)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Wallyhorse on Thu Jul 19 09:25:11 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by northshore on Mon Jul 16 18:57:42 2018.

Oh okay, didn't realize that.

That "annex" was about the size of the actual Flagship Wanamaker's in Philly that is now Macy's (first three floors) and court offices above Macy's.

Post a New Response

(1481337)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by northshore on Thu Jul 19 16:19:59 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by Wallyhorse on Thu Jul 19 09:25:11 2018.

Yes, the "annex" was actually much larger than the original Wanamaker store

Post a New Response

(1481338)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by randyo on Thu Jul 19 16:20:23 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by gbs on Wed Jul 18 23:52:35 2018.

I’m not exactly sure, but I seem to recall that many of the Honeymooners episodes were actually skits that were part of the larger Saturday night Jackie Gleason variety show.

Post a New Response

(1481347)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Avid Reader on Thu Jul 19 16:59:45 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by randyo on Thu Jul 19 16:20:23 2018.

Earlier shows had: the POOR SOUL, Reggie Van Gleason III, Ralph Cramden, and Joe the BarTender.
Did I miss any?

Post a New Response

(1481348)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Thu Jul 19 17:00:01 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by gbs on Wed Jul 18 23:52:35 2018.

IIRC The ending Honeymooner credits list "Jackie Gleason Enterprises...Park Sheraton Hotel"
I wonder if that was the Midtown location where they were filmed?

Post a New Response

(1481352)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by qveensboro_plaza on Thu Jul 19 17:11:51 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Thu Jul 19 17:00:01 2018.

Gleason lived at the Park Sheraton and rehearsed the show in the hotel’s ballroom. They filmed it a couple of blocks away on West 54 Street, at the no longer extant Adelphi Theater (later called the George Abbott). I am referring to the mid-1950s half-hour “Honeymooners” series, not the skits that were part of Gleason’s longer variety show

Post a New Response

(1481354)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Thu Jul 19 17:14:22 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by qveensboro_plaza on Thu Jul 19 17:11:51 2018.

I too was referring to the mid 50s half hr shows. Thanks for the info!

Post a New Response

(1481432)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by randyo on Fri Jul 20 17:25:43 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by qveensboro_plaza on Thu Jul 19 17:11:51 2018.

As I mentioned in my other post, weren’t some of those skits from the variety show made into the half hour episodes?

Post a New Response

(1481440)

view threaded

Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16

Posted by Fisk Ave Jim on Fri Jul 20 18:08:18 2018, in response to Re: Andy's Almanac - July 16, posted by randyo on Fri Jul 20 17:25:43 2018.

Yes. The Honeymooners was a spin-off of a Gleason Show bit.

Post a New Response


[ Return to the Message Index ]