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Was watching "The Apartment" which was mainly shot and supposedly set in New York City of the 1950's.
Jack Lemmon's character was making about $95/week as some sort of accountant. The rent for his apartment was $100/month. That apartment by the way is just off CPW on West 67th Street. His favourite local bar was shot at the "Emerald Inn" on Columbus which closed recently due to high rents.
So rent/income wise at least for JL things were really almost like today compared to the 1950's. One weeks pay should/could cover his rent.
Notice also Shirley Mclaine's lover gives here $10 for a Christmas present in the film. That would certainly have made her a high priced call girl in the 1950's. Elevator operators in the 1950's made $40-$50 per week.
I always wondered if anyone foresaw the 30-year crime wave that was about to sweep NYC beginning in the late 1960s under Mayor John Lindsay. Was anyone sounding the alarm bells in the 1950s and early 1960s? If only William F. Buckley Jr. were elected mayor in 1965. Things might have been different.
Unfortunately the murder stats by year don't seem to be available for 1937-1959. However, you can see from this chart that murders started to skyrocket in the late 1960s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_...urders_by_year
Poor John Lindsay, he just couldn't catch a break as mayor could he?
The last good looking and WASP/patrician mayor of New York City.
Wasn't around then but learned, read and have heard from those that were and it seems as if the City began to start going down hill (or at least things were coming to a boil) about the time Lindsay came into office.
Was watching "The Apartment" which was mainly shot and supposedly set in New York City of the 1950's.
Jack Lemmon's character was making about $95/week as some sort of accountant. The rent for his apartment was $100/month. That apartment by the way is just off CPW on West 67th Street. His favourite local bar was shot at the "Emerald Inn" on Columbus which closed recently due to high rents.
So rent/income wise at least for JL things were really almost like today compared to the 1950's. One weeks pay should/could cover his rent.
Notice also Shirley Mclaine's lover gives here $10 for a Christmas present in the film. That would certainly have made her a high priced call girl in the 1950's. Elevator operators in the 1950's made $40-$50 per week.
I've never seen that movie....but I think most people are paying way more than one weeks pay for rent and those who don't either have roommates or they make way more than the average accountant. I know Im paying more than one weeks pay and I know plenty of other people in the same situation as me. I don't think the rents are anywhere close to being comparable to 1950s rent rates/incomes.
I've never seen that movie....but I think most people are paying way more than one weeks pay for rent and those who don't either have roommates or they make way more than the average accountant. I know Im paying more than one weeks pay and I know plenty of other people in the same situation as me. I don't think the rents are anywhere close to being comparable to 1950s rent rates/incomes.
I've never seen that movie....but I think most people are paying way more than one weeks pay for rent and those who don't either have roommates or they make way more than the average accountant. I know Im paying more than one weeks pay and I know plenty of other people in the same situation as me. I don't think the rents are anywhere close to being comparable to 1950s rent rates/incomes.
Notice the only persons living on their own in "The Apartment" were those with "good" incomes. There was the Jewish doctor and his wife who lived next door to Jack Lemmon's character.
Now doctors then didn't all make the vast sums today. Also this particular doctor taught at university IIRC. But still JL making $100/per week would be well off enough to afford his own apartment in the 1950's. Secretaries, clerks, elevator operators (like Fran) and others either lived at home or with family/friends (Fran lived with her sister and brother-in-law), or roommates.
Back then hospitals still had residences to provide housing for nurses but in general many single women unless they were kept or otherwise on the game (and even then only if very good it at) seemed to live with roommates.
There were other options such as the YMCA or YWCA and of course various single sex only hotels such as the Barbizon.
The styles were quite formal by today's standards. My father who worked in Midtown wore a suit, tie and hat every day. In winter he added an overcoat. For shopping in the area, my mother and grandmother did not get particularly dressed up (although indoors they always wore "housedresses"). But when they went to Midtown, they put on their hats and gloves -- and so did we girls! This was in the mid to late 50s.
Did people back then find it inconvenient or uncomfortable to be dressed formally most of the time? I always love to see old photos and movies of the nicely dressed people on the streets. Even the homeless beggars were shown to wear leather shoes and what's considered classic jackets that can only be bought from boutiques on Fifth Avenue
My understanding. 1950's apartments had couples who had access to housing but moved into apartments. Then the college students came in. 1960's was the downfall of everything. Because of racial tensions, and people not wanting to lose tenants. Soon the divorce/separation rates hit and boom we are in the 1980's.
1980's was the restoration age ( and is where we are right now!!!! ). With fem-nazi's marching on the rights of men. Non-heterosexuals taking advantage of pacifist. Then the leftovers ( most non-europeans ) who come in and out of jail. Not bad people just stupid. People are the same as ever but the youth and elderly are disconnected. The police was more together a for liberal law then now.
Nobody lived ( like live live ) in Manhattan as you see it now. People commuted. You notice all the stores with rainbows and bright colors that are now faded. It was real nice to see everything. It was clean and beautiful. Some buildings are being restored by owners due to age and laws.
It is not right to see people move to Manhattan and try to call it home. People moved there for business and pleasure. Mainly tourists. Seriously forget about that, the trains was something to see. If you want to see how 1950's was just hang out with anybody over sixty. All of that 1950's attitude is inside them. Even the elderly over eighty are awesome. 1950's is your parents. They have so much more energy and enthusiasm then most people. Sadly they are ignorant in most cases.
Damn outsiders come in and change up apartment housing. They try to make it look futuristic instead just restoring the building. They have god forsaken door men around every corner. Some buildings now have door men with fire-arms. It feels stupid when one of them harasses you when you enter a building even if you have the key.
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