January 1953
Weegee and Cheeta, star of the Tarzan films, become good friends on a movie lot in Hollywood. Both “actors” like to mug for the camera.
“BILLIE HOLIDAY…”
PM, March 28, 1948, p.17
“The Strange Case of Murder Inc.”
Life, April 15, 1940, pp.96-99
The Strange Case of MURDER INC.
Huge ring dealing in depth for profit is cracked by new Brooklyn prosecutor.
In Brooklyn last week there unfolded a horror tale, bigger and more odious than any ever imagined by any detective dreamer or amateur of crime…
“Hurry… it’s my car!”
May 1943
“Weegee,” alias Arthur Fellig, admits that he looks like a 40 year old Dead End Kid…
“The Hard Life of Billie Holiday”
Billie Holiday, Joe Guy, her trumpeter-husband, and Mister, her dog, photographed in Billie’s dressing room at the Downbeat Club. Photo by Skippy Adelman.
Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit. Billie says: “It depresses me every time I sing it. It reminds me of how Pop died. But I have to sing it. Things are still going on in the south.
PM, 1945, Photos by Skippy Adelman.
PM, 1945, Photos by Skippy Adelman.
“One of the these days things will get better,” she sighed. “They’ll get better for everybody. We’ll all have a chance to eat and sleep in peace. I just know it will come about. It will take a long time, but it will come about. It won’t be in my lifetime, though. Oh, no, I’ll never profit by it.” PM, 1945.
Billie Holiday (April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959).
“Marlon Brando…”
“Blues for Brando”, Leith Stevens’ All Stars; Leith Stevens, Decca, 1954
PM, September 4, 1947
Marlon Brando has been signed…
Born 100 years ago today…
“The Wild One”, Leith Stevens’ All Stars; Leith Stevens, Decca, 1954
“…the picture became greater and greater…”
Jim Bishop, The Mark Hellinger Story, 1952, pp. 330-331
…He showed the producer a new picture book of New York City entitled The Naked City. The author of it was Weegee, a fat little cigar-smoking photographer who literally slept in his car near a short-wave radio. He picked up all the police calls and, because he was already on the road when an exciting call came in, Weegee very often was at the scene of a crime before the police. His book of photos was stark and hard…
…When Hellinger decided to use it he phoned Weegee. He explained that there was no value in the book, as such, for a motion picture. But that he liked the title. Instead of buying the name outright, Mark said, he’d put Weegee on the payroll at a hundred a week as still photographer for the period during which the picture was being shot. Weegee accepted. Hellinger explained that the photographer wouldn’t be expected to give up his regular daily work at all; in sum, the hundred [$100 in April 1947 had the same buying power as $1,408.30 in January 2024] a week would be side money…
Jim Bishop, The Mark Hellinger Story, 1952, pp. 330-331
Mark Hellinger (March 21, 1903 – December 21, 1947)
“Autopsy of the Spectacle”
Screenshots from henricartierbresson.org
“Weegee, Autopsy of the Spectacle,” January 30 – May 19, 2024, Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson.
An excellent catalogue accompanies the exhibition.
“Happy New Year”
Weegee, Naked City, p.76
Happy New Year
Tavern on ground floor of burning building is shelter for firemen overcome by smoke New Year’s Eve. Customers also had a hot time. PM Photos by Weegee.
PM, January 2, 1945, p.13
Celluloid factory provides Fourth of July welcome for 1945.
“…it’s Christmas.”
Weegee, Naked City, 1945, pp.158-159
Not so long ago I, too, used to walk on the Bowery, broke, “carrying the banner.” The sight of a bed with white sheets in a furniture store window, almost drove me crazy. God… a bed was the most desirable thing in the world.
In the summer I would sleep in Bryant Park… But when it got colder I transferred to the Municipal Lodging House… I saw this sign on the wall there. A Sadist must have put it up. I laughed to myself… what Cash and Valuables… I didn’t have a nickel to my name, but I was a Free Soul… with no responsibilities…
Slumber-time in a mission… it’s Christmas.
Weegee, Naked City, 1945, p. 159
WEEGEEWEEGEEWEEGEE 