The Jets. The Sharks. The many, many vocal dubs. Ten-time Academy Award winner West Side Story is a modern day Romeo and Juliet with an unforgettable score and soundtrack. The cinematography and musical numbers are mesmerizing. And I still find it difficult during the rumble scene to stay cool, boy. Reeeeal cool.
West Side Story was filmed in New York, NY
Location: Playground/Here Come the Jets
Address: 110th St between 2nd and 3rd Ave, NY, NY
Location: The Dance
Address: W 60th St and Columbus Ave, New York, NY St. Paul the Apostle Church
Most of the street scenes were filmed on West 68th Street between Amsterdam and West End Avenue. Those tenements were all torn down to make room for The Lincoln Towers, which stand between 66th and 69h Streets.
Locations Visited: December 2015, January 2016
My Family stayed at the old St Paul Hotel directly across Columbus from the St Paul Church for a week in August of 1953. We were in a corner room which had windows facing both 60th and Columbus Av. My Mother woke up in the early morning to hear a young Hispanic man singing a song about Maria. This was in 1953, the song wasn't even published until 1956. She recognized the song when the movie came out in 1961, but We never figured who could have been singing that song in 1953. I took photos out buth dirrections from out Hotel but unfortunately not a shot of the Hotel. Now I can't find any photos of the St Paul except a 1910 post card.
ReplyDeleteWow, cool story! I hope you're able to locate the photos one day.
DeleteThanks,
ReplyDeleteWe were from Missouri so just being in NYC was a big deal to us.
I actually just did find a later post card postmarked 1946 on the card cow web site. I had done numerous searches, over the last few years, but tried the address 44 West 60th Street and the result came up. It was a magnificent old Hotel. The City of New York also took pictures in 1940 of every building in the City for Tax purposes, I could get an 8X10 of the Hotel for $35 from the City of New York.
Thanks, Vaiybora!
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