1945 Vintage color film from Times Square New York

[wildtouch24740]

I'm a big Andrew Sisters fan, and to see their name lit up on that big Duffy's Tavern sign was absolutely amazing for me. You just don't see that kinda stuff anymore. Makes me wish I could have been there in that era. Awesome footage thanks for posting.

[nemoism]

Amazing, thank you for posting!

[NYBOY75]

Very nice!!

[Larce89]

@MrHack4Fun:

In the US, color film had been available since 1935 when Kodachrome was introduced.

[UltimateChase]

Yes, my grandfather was ahead of his time. He had one of the first ever color film cameras. This could be the first color film of NYC....?

[MrHack4fun]

Wait a sec, how is this in color? I don't even remember there being color in the 60's. Can someone elaborate?

[DavidfromBA]

This is from before my time but I find this film rather touching. Thank you for posting your grandfather's priceless footage.

[rob2049]

Wow,, I wonder if MTV was in the same spot as today?!

[MrFBCBSALES]

How could anyone dislike this. What a wonderful look at a much sweeter time and in ways more innocent time. Thanks for sharing this great slice of Americana.

[MrRedraider100]

I bet if these people are alive they probably miss this..

[Dollyfaceangel]

Loved the first part with that smoking advert for Camel. Never seen anything like that..

[malonious1]

This is fabulous. Thanks so much for posting.

[252564836]

Great video, thanks for posting and thanks to your grandfather for leaving us a great piece of history from our great city.

[ArmyDudeization]

@1:22 I see that no fencing is lining the upper look-out level of the Empire State Bldg. Looks better than having a fence surround it.

[ShadowCatNYC]

@ArmyDudeization That's not the Empire State Building. That's 30 Rockefeller Center, which now has glass walls surrounding it.

[BobsFriendGary]

good stuff, thankyoui!

[Narragansett55]

Great footage of when it really was Times Square. I like how he took footage from the top of the Times Building and then from the other end of Times Square. You can see the back of the Father Duffy statue at 0:27 which is still there. The soldiers appear to be at the top of 30 Rock as they show a view of St. Pat's. I was just there last October.

[jprince186]

ITS SCARY TO THINK ALL THOSE PIGEONS ARE DEAD TODAY! WOW

[suddendee]

The picture is so clear! 

[luckydi19]

BRILLIANT! Thank you for sharing!!

[siemenbakker]

beautiful footage !

[leedumett444]

wow, awesome, to see it in colour.

[MrPetenice09]

@onlythewise1 shame....should have been 2million

[onlythewise1]

wow just before the ww2 broke out and one million us white people died saving europe

[miltsar]

thanks for this.. Though I grew up in Queens in the 50's my family and I were often downtown and this footage brought back many memories. NYC is so different now ( what isn't ? )  Wish I had a time travel machine !

[Mrannihalator]

New York is so awesome because it has so much history

[Raikkza]

That is so freaking cool, thank you for sharing it!

[soapbxprod]

HUZZAH!

[pepndink68]

I always loved the 1940's when people used to dress up and everyone wore a hat.the fashions were so classy not like now with these men going around looking like bums and some women looking like prostitutes. its sooo sad I too wish I were around then

[oldkidsjonge]

@pepndink68 Me too. Tell me, how old are you? I ask this because I wonder if you wear a suit yourself?

[Vany18ful]

@pepndink68

youre so right !!!

[GreatAmericanSXtoy]

Wow. It's almost unrecognizable. I can't wait to see what NYC will look like in 30 years

[2much4mymirror]

Shame we can't get rid of that copyright logo.

[206funny]

they thought they had advanced technoligy

[leedumett444]

awesome footage, especially in colour. i wish i could go back to prohibition era.

[moroko07010]

NOT COOL HHHHHHHHHHH

[moroko07010]

LALALALALALALALALALA SELENA LALALALAALALALALLALALAL BYBYBYUBYBBYBY

[rectorman1]

SO COOL

[Chachx92]

I live in New York City in midtown, so when I see old pictures or movies depicting old New York it's still hard to imagine there ever being a time where things were like that. Seeing everything in motion like this and seeing people going about there day just like any other is so surreal.

[handal1973]

I love old America .

[Johnnyboy792]

Fantastic footage !!!

[ASaundersAccount]

Fascinating look at another era.

[Deezhan]

the time when smoking camels was healthy;)

[miamivicepastels83]

i love that camel billboard

[gho2t9933]

i loved old new york accent

[zilbiol]

aahh... I'd love to go back in time and just take a walk through that street

[UltimateChase]

@zilbiol Yea Me too !! That would be so cool !

[Ballplayer300th]

@zilbiol Yeah , i'll be walking in the streets with jeans and an ipod to listen to music . everyone would think im weird lol .

[modelearth]

@zilbiol yeah same! you know whats funny though? people will be saying the same about our "time" i.e 2012 etc when they see videos of it in 2060 and beyond. amazing is'nt it?

[ELconchesumare]

mind bottling

[darkkoolman1]

subbed cos of dis vid

[ElectricGuitarManPL]

seems at these times NY streets weren't so crowded as nowadays...

[caviper1]

Man that Camel spectacular is something...

[tvnetdude]

weaponexpert1@ Guess you haven't been to NYC recently.

[MRbombonel]

OBEY OBEY OBEY

[weaponexpert1]

@MRbombonel ?

[Garrett1974]

In color... awesome... was that postprocessed?

[PistolP0et]

Wow this is awesome. Many thanks to your grandfather, and of course you for uploading this amazing footage.

[Tomsouthrock]

before the drugs and third world people who dont give a dam about this once

great country

[gear29]

fukinng ay those street are jampacked

[OliseForel]

this is amazing footage! wow! thanks for sharing! and bless your grandpa!

[ExorFILMS]

1980s camera in 1940s? Damn your magician.

[OliseForel]

@ExorFILMS what are you talking about?

[ExorFILMS]

@OliseForel Theres good quality colour cameras.

[Soulthinker2007]

Thank you. I did not know it was 1945 until I saw that title in that theater. Oh yes, if someone researches the news on Mayor LaGuardia's end to meatless days you will find the real date.

[Angelzofblue]

Great..Tks



[JasonDTube]

Oh, wow. This is some truly amazing footage. <3

[pettyofficer30]

This footage is great!

[ElizabethTorres18]

I love the footage of the two soldiers looking out from the Top of the Rock. I was there not too long ago. It's so great to compare!

[captinseperoth]

The smoker billboard is so classy

[tvnetdude]

No traffic and no people. Where was everyone in 1940?

[weaponexpert1]

@tvnetdude HAHA WTF are you talking about??? just look at 0:38

[azncommie97]

I wish skyscrapers today were still in Art Deco...

[TheMmorpgmaniac]

Wow... This is just amazing. Great video.

[davidlee110]

Before the big screens.

[betterversionn]

Funny how those that cry out for the "old" new york are crying for grimy, dangerous, crime-ridden NY of the 70's and 80's. Oh yeah, those living in THAT NY are the "REAL New Yorkers". psssst. New York is ever changing and no one person/group owns it, no matter what Boro or in what decade one was born. PS great vid!

[nycolombian91]

@betterversionn all were sayin is we miss when NY was owned by NYers. man u just dont understand that genuine ny feel. now times square better yet manhattan is owned by out of towners it feels plastic it doesnt have that spice to it

[mrsid45]

Fantastic! Thanks very much for posting this!

[skittlesareyum48]

I love films like this, especially from places I know, like NYC. It's amazing to me to think that for all I know, my grandmother could have been in one of these shots, and she, nor I'd ever know it. Seeing the old cars is really interesting as well.

[OleVanDole]

Man i'd love to restore this!

[DIZZYDUSTYx]

This is amazing video! Such a great & interesting time period. Thank you for sharing it with us all (:

[Dreambro1]

alot of those brick and mortar buildinga are gone now and replaced with steel and glass ones ! ;-(

[johnson1095]

I LOVE old color film! <3

I wish they had a color version of EVERY old home movie ever made!!!

[Allsparkwars999]

Please upload more of theese films. Beautiful.

[Allsparkwars999]

Amazing. No other words today it's so different

[Fourteen88SoCal]

very cool!

[kyolym]

the quality of this color film is outstanding! what a gen to see really puts you in the fortys

[cruz488]

Wow...knowingly or not, your grandfather was capturing a really genuine moment in time...The Astor movie theater showing "Wonder Man" (0:35) happens to be the world premiere (June 8, 1945). At Wikipedia, it is listed with the same release date for the movie, starring Danny Kaye...

[UltimateChase]

@cruz488 Thanks for the kind words. Yes, he was a great photographer and had the latest film equiptment during the times. Thanks for looking up the world premiere of "Wonder Man", this confirms the date better. We have a few of these film reels but nothing is dated or titled so it's been fun playing detective and trying to figure all this out....

[irish89055]

@cruz488 you think like i do... was going to look it up... hey, i think i see frank sinatra on top of the RCA building...

[UltimateChase]

@theemystichuntress What do you mean ?? I am sharing it for free ? Did you pay to watch it ?

[theemystichuntress]

nice, too bad you can't share it for free.. ;)

[giovannimartinezm5]

wow a not so packed new york city with alot less cars must have been nice back in those days

[GeorgeVreelandHill]

Excellent video of a great era in New York history.

This is a rare gem.

George Vreeland Hill

[at1212b]

wicked cool vid. Thanks for blessing, and bless your Grandfather.

[CrazyEurazion]

Great video!

[sallysimpson7]

that was wonderful!!!! thank you for sharing that with the world

[lpvcrcd]

This is terrific priceless video--The movie" Wonder Man" as seen on one of the theater marquis was premiered in NYC on June 8 1945--Since the weather looks warm and the soldiers look like they are on leave I'd say it is very close to that date- Fabulous !! The Camel sign is legendary!!-- This is before my time but the old footage of NYC is great![and I love NYC] Thanks for the nostalgia

[bigcity233]

@lpvcrcd I agree - Great footage! This is summer of "45. The War was over in Europe and about to end in Japan. The GI's are taking pictures from the observation deck of the RCA Bldg (now GE- aka 30 Rock Plaza). You can see streetcars on Bway and on 42nd St. Buses replc'd all streetcars in Mar 46. The last shot is the marquee of the NY Paramount -a movie/stage show palace. This is NY at the end of the old pre-tv/pre suburb era. NYC was at its peak at this time.

[danaus]

Nice footage. Thanks for posting. Color home movies must be fairly rare from that period.

[TrackHurricanes]

Thanks for sharing this video.... Its amazing to see how New York looked in the 1940's

[boazrg]

@TrackHurricanes