Quick! In the heart of little old New York, you’ll find a thoroughfare—what is it? Forty-second Street, of course! In this entertaining book, noted theater historian Mary Henderson traces the rise and fall and rise of the street that symbolizes the Broadway experience. The first theater went up in 1899, and by 1920, there were twelve stretching from avenue to avenue, plus a flow of trolleys, a subway stop at each end, and a never-ceasing bustle of activity in between. The 1920s and 1930s were the golden age, fueled by Hollywood movies and Damon Runyon stories; then there were the war years, when every American soldier and sailor paid a call. After the war, the slow decline of 42nd Street, lined with peep shows, symbolized decay. In the 1990s, as theaters were renovated, the street was miraculously reclaimed. The Story of 42nd Street captures the colorful characters, shows, scandals, and stories of this uniquely American dreamscape.
