Here are two slides (one good, one so-so!) from New York City - or more specifically, over at the United Nations headquarters in Turtle Bay. While we don't get a look at the distinctive exterior of the U.N. building, I really love this shot taken from out front, looking toward United Nations Plaza. I can't quite figure out the nearby cross street... unsurprisingly, many tall buildings have sprung up in this area in the intervening 50+ years. Maybe one of you is familiar with the area!
In any case, I just love it as a freeze-frame of a time and a place. All of the ladies and gentlemen (and even a few kids in the background) are nicely dressed, as if they were extras in Hitchcock's "North by Northwest" (filmed just 3 years earlier). The clothes, the trees in their autumn foliage (it was October)... the whole thing is fun.
From the same batch comes this unusual view from inside the U.N., looking Southwest toward a factory (or power plant?) that is long-gone today, though you often see it in vintage images.
Major, you are right, this is reminding me of North by Northwest.....or America The Beautiful at Disneyland.....or a comic book I had as a kid titled, "Yogi Bear Visits The U.N."....or something like that. The cover had a photo of the U.N. taken from that plaza area with Yogi superimposed over the photo.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Hitchcock, at first I thought the lady in the "Tippi Hedren" green tweed suit was holding hands with the gentleman to her right, but then I realized it wasn't their arms that I'm seeing. It's the legs of two other people in the background!
I specifically went to the United Nations because I'm a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's "North by Northwest". I visited every area that was in the film's U.N sequence and was surprised that it still looked just about the same as it did in the film. It turned out to be a wonderful visit even beyond the Hitchcock connection. 50's & 60's New York City must've been awesome! Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteMajor-
ReplyDeleteYou ain't kidding about those folks - so tidy, dressy and a bit too "formal" for me - although it does make for a great tableau.
In the second image, the black automobile at the bottom of the image is a Cadillac - probably a 1952 (or earlier) - it's a bit hard to tell. To its right, the light blue car appears to be a brand-new, 1963 Oldsmobile. And parked just behind the Cadillac, quite possibly a 1960 or 1961 Chevrolet.
Thanks, Major.
TokyoMagic!, those Hanna Barbera characters love to visit New York… the Flintstones went to the ’64 World’s Fair! And I confused those legs as arms too.
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, even though I’ve been to NYC multiple times, I’ve never even seen the U.N. building. Maybe next time; I wonder if it is still a cool place to see? I agree, New York in the 50’s and 60’s looks like it was amazing.
Nanook, those folks are more nicely dressed than I ever am, but that was probably de rigueur for the time. I’m impressed that you could ID those cars… they are so far away!
Major-
ReplyDeleteI use my Autronic Eye.
Major, to me it was a wonderful place to see. It's history and I enjoyed the exhibits and gifts on view from each country. There was a Nagasaki/Hiroshima A-bomb exhibit with atomic bomb damaged statuary and bomb pitted walls which was pretty sobering to see. Also the assembly hall and auditoriums were beautiful and pretty much the same as from early postcards I've seen. Each of the seats in the auditoriums even had old fashioned earphones for audio translation. I felt like I stepped back in time to another era.
ReplyDeleteNanook, I need one of those. Or two of them!
ReplyDeleteK. Martinez, I didn't know that they had exhibits an the U.N., though I guess it makes sense. They've got to give visitors something to see. Well, hopefully the next time I'm in NY I can check it out for myself.
Major-
ReplyDeleteWell then... LOOKIE here.