By the mid-1960s that stretch of Broadway had become quite seedy.
The Claridge, which Ol' Whitey mentions as Floyd King's NYC base of operations, was also the building where a billboard for Camel Cigarettes blew smoke rings. Today that corner is home to ABC's Times Square Studios, where Good Morning America originates.
The decline of Times Square and the Claridge is evident in the film Midnight Cowboy. As a location in the film, Jon Voight is kicked out of the Claridge when he doesn't pay his bill.
Another piece of circus history associated with this location is quite tragic. It was literally steps from where this picture of Gerard Soules is standing that Ringling-Barnum clown Paul Jung was murdered in 1965. He was beaten to death by a heroin-addicted prostitute and her pimp at the Forrest Hotel, about a half block from the old Garden during the circus' run 50 years ago this spring.
I am his niece and it is wonderful to see pictures of him. If you have any others would love to see them and share with my mom. I have her a copy of this one and she started crying about how happy and carefree he look. Thanks do a beautiful memory
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That pic was taken looking south on Broadway between 49th and 48th Streets - about a block from the old Madison Square Garden at 49th and Eighth Ave.
I can see the old Claridge where Mr King sipped many a Coke.
By the mid-1960s that stretch of Broadway had become quite seedy.
The Claridge, which Ol' Whitey mentions as Floyd King's NYC base of operations, was also the building where a billboard for Camel Cigarettes blew smoke rings. Today that corner is home to ABC's Times Square Studios, where Good Morning America originates.
The decline of Times Square and the Claridge is evident in the film Midnight Cowboy. As a location in the film, Jon Voight is kicked out of the Claridge when he doesn't pay his bill.
Another piece of circus history associated with this location is quite tragic. It was literally steps from where this picture of Gerard Soules is standing that Ringling-Barnum clown Paul Jung was murdered in 1965. He was beaten to death by a heroin-addicted prostitute and her pimp at the Forrest Hotel, about a half block from the old Garden during the circus' run 50 years ago this spring.
I am his niece and it is wonderful to see pictures of him. If you have any others would love to see them and share with my mom. I have her a copy of this one and she started crying about how happy and carefree he look. Thanks do a beautiful memory
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