Let’s Examine This Vintage 1956 New York City Street Scene Photo

Gorgeous, isn’t it? Of course there are vintage cars and clothes aplenty, but let’s focus on some of the other details instead. Here’s what I can pick out from this picture, starting from the upper left:

  • Some kind of travel billboard, likely either for air or rail. This part is too blurry for me to tell anything else.
  • Giant ad for the Western movie Jubal, which according to IMDB was released on April 6, 1956. The ad plays up co-star Ernest Borgnine, who had just received the Academy Award for Best Actor a few weeks earlier for his starring role in Marty. The film was playing here at the historic Loews Mayfair.
  • Directly across W. 46th Street is the RKO Palace, now known as the Palace Theatre. For years the Palace was considered the premier venue for vaudeville in New York, and even at this late date you could still catch vaudeville shows there. I can’t make out the full name on the marquee, but it sure looks like it says Lloyd Bridges.
  • On the left of the theater building is a giant sign for Sylvania bulbs, and on the right is a sign for Buitoni spaghetti (lo-starch and lo-calorie!).
  • To the right of the RKO Palace is the Embassy Theater, showing both newsreels and more risque fare.
  • There’s a fantastic Planters Peanuts sign that probably looked spectacular at night. Above that is a beauty school — Banford? Branford maybe?
  • A large sign for the now-defunct Grand Union supermarket chain, and right under that a small sign for what I think is a Benhil clothing store.

If I’m off on any of this, feel free to correct me in the comments below.

Related Posts

First Look Teaser Trailer for ‘Teacup’ – A Sci-Fi Horror Survival Series

  “We are not in control.” Peacock has revealed the first look teaser trailer for an intriguing new series called Teacup, a sci-fi horror apocalyptic survival series arriving for streaming soon. Trapped…

𝐂𝐑𝐀𝐊𝐊: 𝐉𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐡 𝐉𝐢𝐲𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐚 – 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐫 | 𝐕𝐢𝐝𝐲𝐮𝐭 𝐉𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐰𝐚𝐥 | 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐚 𝐅 | 𝐀𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐲𝐚 𝐃

Crakk is an exhilarating motion movie that plunges viewers right into a world of high-stakes drama and relentless thrills. Starring Vidyut Jammwal, Nora Fatehi, and Aditya D,…

McLaren’s “Mini-DRS” Rear Wing Trick EXPOSED! ⚡🚀

McLaren has recently come under scrutiny after reports surfaced about a clever “Mini-DRS” rear wing trick that they’ve been utilizing. This innovative approach has reportedly given them…

THE CONJURING 4: LAST RITES – First Look Trailer (2025)

The Conjuring 4: Last Rites is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror films of 2025, and the first-look trailer gives fans a chilling…

LIVE ACTION TIANA!!!

Get ready for a magical leap into the bayou with Marsai Martin as the enchanting Tiana and Caleb McLaughlin lending his ribbiting charm as Prince Naveen/The Frog!…

Freddy vs. Jason 2 Official Trailer

Freddy vs. Jason is a 2003 American slasher film directed by Ronny Yu and written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift. It is a crossover between the…