BusTalk

[W.B. Fishbowl]

As we're on Koch, here's a pic of him next to a 1977 'Dangerfield' in 1979, looks like then-Queens Borough President Donald Manes at left:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/laguardiaandwagnerarchives/4158242560/

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

GREAT pic; thanks for posting!

Mayor Koch was also hilariously spoofed in the "New York, New York" segment of the 1986 "claymation" special, "My Friend Liberty".

"Koch" sang the song, along with other "claymation" character spoofs from "Noo Yawk", including Governor Cuomo (Sr.), Ms. Bellamy, Rodney "No Respect" Dangerfield, Officers "Toody" and "Muldoon" ("CAR 54"), and even "Ol' Blue Eyes" (at the controls of the Space Shuttle!) and Pearl Bailey!

I used to watch this every time it aired, and, also had it on VHS.......many, many years ago......

"NYO"

"How'm I doin'""

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

I think you'll be interested in these 1950's photos (an interesting SURFACE image is on top, in "Living Color"!)

Quite a few other buses can be seen in these beautiful photos depicting a long-lost "Noo Yawk" (BEAUTIFIL depictions of the old "Spectaculars" as a bonus....!

www.vintagenewsdaily.com/55-fascinating-photos-that-capture-street-scenes-of-new-york-city-in-the-1950's/

[W.B. Fishbowl]

One of the photos - taken in 1953, when From Here To Eternity was playing at the Loew's Capitol Theatre (and at 4:35 P.M.) - had a partial view of the then-Mutual Life (later MONY) Building (now known by its address of 1740 Broadway). There are very few photos taken between 1950 and 1961 that showed the clock above the roof of that building to good advantage. Either the sun was out as seen in that, or it was daytime, or if at night it was too blurry. Each numeral lamp bank at that original state was 12 x 18, with each numeral double-lined and only told the time, never showed the temperature readings in that original state despite the already-by-then iconic "Weather Star." A scale rendition of that clock as it appeared between 1950 and 1960 for sure is at:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24498044@N03/51349604326/

Even in this elaborate layout, 7's looked like 7's and not upside-down L's. I only know of two other places (not counting the 1948-54 Bond clock which unfortunately had upside-down L's) which had that type of numeral layout: above the roof of the original IBM building on Madison Avenue in the East 50's (again, photos especially of that area are extremely rare) prior to its late 1960's demolition, and above the roof of their Chicago regional office at 618 South Michigan Avenue prior to their moving to the new office tower at One IBM Plaza in the late '60's.

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Those "spectaculars" that so many of us took for granted, back in the day, truly WERE spectacular; those huge, monstrous screens in Times Square today look far too "alien" and "cold" from my point of view.

Give me the Times Square of 60-70 years ago, anyday!

Oddly, there was indeed a sign of "things to come" in a late 1940's sci-fi novel, "The Big Eye".

It was set in New York, just prior to what was thought to be an atomic attack from Russia (sound familiar?) in the then-distant year of 1960.

The story itself deals with a massive, unknown planet on a collision course with Earth (many echoes of "WHEN WORLDS COLLIDE", here; the 1951 sci-fi classic was based upon a 1930's novel of the same name)

Prior to the "Big Eye's" discovery, its presence was made known via a destructive earthquake that causes much damage the largely-empty city.

One individual believed that it was some sort of Russian radioactive device, planted somewhere in the subways.

This story was quite gripping.....and telling.

In the story, a huge, overhead television screen has been erected in Times Square, where the old CAMEL sign had been located.

This huge screen televised important events, the news, cartoons, and commercials........

"NYO"

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

This one is a CLASSIC; here's the iconic CAMEL sign along with a rather scruffy-looking SURFACE bus (MACK)*......

https://i.redd.it/dok7grppvlt11.jpg

*["RIDE THE SCRUFFY WAY!"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

Not just the shopworn Surface Mack, but the fact it was headed uptown dates this to before 1957 definitely (the year Broadway from Columbus Circle to Herald Square was converted to one-way southbound, the first of a total of four such one-way conversions along that famous road from then to Jan. 14, 1966).

Interesting that the last of the rest of Broadway's one-way conversion (between 23rd and 14th Streets) came around the same time the Camel sign finally came down from the Claridge after a remarkable 25-year run, replaced by a series of promos for coming movies that came and went up to the point that fabled hotel was demolished in 1970 (one of the last advertised up there being the infamous film version of Paint Your Wagon with Lee Marvin warbling "Wand'rin' Star").

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

It would be interesting to compare bus travel times prior to the conversion(s) of traffic direction on a number of streets.

One can easily see the changing traffic patterns in any of a number of vintage photos and postcards; it had to have been interesting to see how the "Tee-Yay"/FACL/SURFACE/NYO made adjustments to their scheduling and headways......

"NYO"

["FACL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Note, here, the elderly square-window Old Look (ex-FACL?) passing by Radio City Music Hall; going by the other vehicles in this old postcard view, it would appear that this scene dates to about 1963/1964.

Look closely, and a few 4104's and a Fishbowl can also just be glimpsed......

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/86553624077659548/

["FACL"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here we are once again in front of Radio City Music Hall, this time, 1967 (note that "BAREFOOT IN THE PARK" is playing)

Two "Tee-Yay" Fishbowls are seen here; note the unusual "message" carried on the batwings of the trailing bus........

https://c8.alamy.com/comp/M4HCK4/pedestrians-in-rain-cross-street-filled-with-cars-in-front-of-the-M4HCK4.jpg

["NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY"]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[W.B. Fishbowl]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

Talk about the proverbial "font of knowledge"; once again, thanks for taking the time to post more interesting historical info!

You know your stuff in a BIG way, my friend!

"NYO"

["NEW YORK CITY TRANSIT AUTHORITY"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

W.B.:

You mentioned MSBA.........

In this long-ago view from 1973, we see a MSBA Fishbowl trailed by two "Em-Tee-Ay" Fishbowls, still wearing "Tee-Yay" green.

The lead green Fishbowl is signed for the "4A" (note the "old-school" neighborhood Chinese restaurant, complete with vintage electric signage, in the background)......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156509

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

"A TALE OF TWO DANGERFIELDS"

In this classic scene from 1978, we see a MSBA "Dangerfield" with one of its "Em-Tee-Yay" brothers on its tail......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156573
___________________________________________________________

165th St. Terminal, 1981.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156547
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188th St., 1981 (note three-piece rear window on Fishbowl heading away from the camera)......

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156514

(all photos courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["MSBA"]