!Happy Birthday Weegee!

June 12, 2026
1941


“Happy Birthday”; Eddie Davis and his Orchestra; Sittin’ In With (520); 1949


PM, March 2, 1941


“Happy, Happy Birthday Baby”; The Tune Weavers; Frank Paul’s Orch.; M. Sylvia; G. Lopez; Checker (872); 1957


PM, March 9, 1941

A picture with somebody in it sells better than a picture of a lifeless object. So Weegee sometimes puts himself in his picture-shooting them by “remote control.” Here he is posing as a “curious passerby” looking at the body of a Brooklyn murder victim found in trunk near the Gowanus Canal.
PM, March 9, 1941


“Happy Birthday To You”; Raymond Scott and his New Orchestra; Clyde Burke; M. J. Hill; Columbia (35864); November 29, 1940


“Happy Birthday”; Craven Edwards And his Lazy K-Ranch Boys; Len Stokes; Hill; Diamond (2007-A); June 1946


PM, March 9, 1941

Weegee makes friends readily. On a Chinatown assignment he got this New Year’s lucky wish from a Chinese girl. He has a photo of her painting it pinned above his bed (see picture on next page). It is characteristic of him to have his picture taken this way. The cigar is standard equipment.
PM, March 9, 1941


“Today Is Your Birthday”; The Enchanters; Buddy Lucas and his Band of Tomorrow; Bernstein; Levine; Odom; Geritz; Jubilee (5072); 1952


“Happy Birthday Father (From)”; Harry Tush and his Society Orchestra; Rondoliers; Avalon (502A)


PM, March 9, 1941

Weegee’s room shows his devotion to his job. On top of his regular radio is a police short-wave radio and a loudspeaker attached to it dangles over his bed. On the floor are his special “murder shoes” – at left – and his “snow shoes.” He keeps his “fire shoes” in his car. The wall decorations are examples of his work and certificates of awards for prize-winning pictures. The cardboard boxes at the extreme right are his disorderly “files.” The typewriter is his latest acquisition. He has recently taken up writing – a field in which he shows rather startling talent. We don’t know what the Flit is for.
PM, March 9, 1941


“Birthday Party”; Sil Austin; J. CollinsMercury (71027); December 25, 1956

Happy Birthday Weegee!!!

“…fifteen to thirty years…”

June 3, 2026
1942


New York Times, June 3, 1942, p.14

Gunman’s Aide Gets 15 Years

General Sessions Judge Owen W. Bohan sentenced yesterday Paul Vaccaro, 26 years old, to a State prison term of fifteen to thirty years on his recent conviction of being a confederate of a gunman who was shot and killed by a patrolman in plain clothes on Feb. 2, when four men started to hold up a billiard room at 344 Broome Street. Vaccaro previously had served a term in Elmira Reformatory and another imposed in Malden, Mass., for hold-ups.
New York Times, June 3, 1942, p.14

No Parking

May 9, 2026
1939


New York Times, May 9, 1939, p.25

Detail Carrying Out Valentine
Order Finds Good Hunting
Near Headquarters

The squad cars of several detectives, parked in Center Market Place, immediately behind Police Headquarters, were caught yesterday in the net of Commissioner Valentine’s drive against overtime parking, as were the automobiles of Mr. Valentine’s own confidential secretary and a patrolman in ɩne Bureau of Information whose job is giving information on license numbers.

The latter two got summonses. The detectives, having a better excuse for parking more than one hour behind headquarters, merely had their license numbers checked so reports may be sent to their commanders to see if they really had to park there that long.

While Patrolman Peter Coyle, the information bureau man, was busy checking the numbers of the automobiles standing in a solid phalanx along the east side of Center Market Place, which might be more accurately described as an alley, some one came in and informed him about a piece of paper that was stuck on his own windshield. Patrolman Frank Clancy, the commissioner’s confidential stenographer, got the news about the same time.

Although newspaper reporters assigned to headquarters have their offices just across the street, it turned out after the summons squad from Elizabeth Street had swept through the block that no reporters’ cars had been tagged. One press photographer received a summons- Arthur Fellig, a freelance.

The drive is an outgrowth of the blocking of Commissioner Valentine’s automobile last week on Center Street south of headquarters by a double-parked truck. Ten patrolmen with summons books covered the entire area for several blocks around headquarters yesterday. A total of thirty summonses was said to have been issued.
New York Times, May 9, 1939, p.25

“…Valor”

April 19, 2026
1943


New York Times, April 19, 1943, p.12

20 MEDALS WILL GO TO POLICE HEROES; Valentine Announces Names of Members of Department to Be Honored for Bravery…

Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association Medal for Valor

Patrolman ELIGIO SARRO, Seventy-first Precinct-On Feb. 2, 1942, while off duty and in civilian clothes, encountered four men holding up a Broome Street store. While the victims were being searched Patrolman Sarro fired at the bandit standing guard near the door. The holdup men fled and the patrolman pursued. During an exchange of shots the armed bandit fell, mortally wounded. Both he and an accomplice taken into custody later had criminal records. The accomplice was convicted and was sentenced to a long term in State prison.

“…covered with newspapers …”

April 17, 2026
1942

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NY Daily News, April 17, 1942 (All NEWS fotos by Engels and Amy)

1. Stanely Sandler, 23, and Francis Whelan, 32, both of Astoria, lie on pavement of Third Ave., near 42d St., after car driven by Whelan crashed into El pillar. Sandler is dead.
2. After recovering from first shock of accident, Whelan went berserk, battled with police. Bystander fans him with newspaper as police hold the struggling driver
3. Clothes torn and his face covered with blood, Whelan gains his feet, continues his struggles with cops, who hold him firmly.
4. His face covered with newspapers, the dead Sandler receives last rites from Father Thomas McNulty. Sandler was riding in rear seat. Another passenger, Joseph Mahoney, was injured.
5. Whelan lies on floor of ambulance, still held by police. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital for observation.
6. After caroming off two El pillars the car came to a stop and burst into flames. Driver of car escaped death miraculously in accident, which occurred at 5 o’clock yesterday morning.
7. The fire’s been put out and here’s all that remains of the car. It hit pillars between 41st and 42d Sts. while making U-turn.
8. Carmine DeNote and Pvt. Arthur Hayden examine axle and wheel which landed 40 feet from where car hit. Technical charge of homicide was lodged against Whelan.
New York Daily News, April 17, 1942

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New York Herald Tribune, April 17, 1942 (Herald Tribune – Acme)

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PM, April 17, 1942, p.7 (No photo credit)

1. Few minutes before photo, this car was going north on Third Ave., near 42d St. It smashed into L pillar, burned to this wreck.
2. Wheel of car rammed curb 40 feet from car body. Stanley Stanley, Astoria, died in wreck. Car was driven by Frank Whalen, Astoria.
3. Whalen, injured, battled with cops after recovering from shock of crash. He was handcuffed, forced into ambulance by officers.
4. Under double-bill movie marquee, body of Stanley was covered with newspapers and coats by policeman. Technical charge of homicide was lodged against Whalen, who was taken to Bellevue Hospital for observation. Another passenger, Joseph Mahoney, also was hurt.
PM, April 17, 1942, p.7

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Weegee, Naked City, 1945, p.89

This man covered up with newspapers was killed in an auto accident. The driver of the car was arrested, but he put up such a terrific battle… cops had to put handcuffs on him.
Weegee, Naked City, 1945, p.89

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Weegee, Weegee’s Secrets, 1953, p.32


Weegee’s World, p.61 (Joy of Living, 1942)

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Not the Naked City, p.89, 2015

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April 16, 2015