What Happened On 23rd Street, New York City

A street level view from the sidewalk, looking along the length of 23rd Street. Following actuality footage of pedestrians and street traffic, the actors, a man in summer attire and a woman in an ankle-length dress, walk toward the camera. As they cross a grate on the sidewalk they pause, and the escaping air blows the woman's dress to her knees.

From a contemporary Edison film company catalog: WHAT HAPPENED ON 23d STREET, NEW YORK CITY. Unbarbour [code for telegraphic orders]. This is a winner and sure to please. The scene as suggested by the title is made on 23d street, New York City. In front of one of the large newspaper offices on that thoroughfare is a hot air shaft through which immense volumes of air is forced by means of a blower. Ladies crossing these shafts often have their clothes slightly disarranged, (it may be said much to their discomfiture). As our picture was being made a young man escorting a young lady, to whom he was talking very earnestly, comes into view and walks slowly along until they stand directly over the air shaft. The young lady's skirts are suddenly raised to, you might say an almost unreasonable height, greatly to her horror and much to the amusement of the newsboys, bootblacks and passersby.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• NYC
• Edison
• actuality

[maddogspc]

H...o...r...r...i...b..l...e video

[Narragansett55]

@maddogspc thanks for posting.

[Narragansett55]

More likely, they were headed for a nice big steak at Delmonico's.

[cocgle]

23rd street near Broadway was famous for it's wind and the effect it had on women's skirts. Boys and men would hang out there to catch a peak and the police kept an eye out for loiterers and chased them away. This gave rise to an expression whenever you got a thrill "23 SKIDOO!"

[RupesM]

Young men used to cluster on 23rd Street near the air vents in the sidewalk to see the women's dresses blown up over their knees (and higher!) as they passed by. The policeman on foot patrol would break up any crowds of by shouting "23-skidoo!"

[ThleTruth]

son of bitch, im 25 and am merged with technology in every way, but just looking at that makes me wish i could live back then, so slow and steady, worksmanship was at a high level, for example look at the worksmanship of egyptians, the further from technology, the more natural life's events were.

[ThleTruth]

@cocgle looks like we got a wise guy

[ThleTruth]

@Narragansett55 HEY!!!...forgetuhbout it

[Fryitonapanandstuff]

...Looks like a lovely impressionistic painting at 1:07.

[dietrich10441]

What does this video?.

[ceddyced39]

@RaptorsNBA12 asked are those people still alive?

As far as I know, I am the only person still alive. You see that little kid standing in the middle of the sidewalk, with the black pants and white shirt? That was me.

As some other posters stated, this was all staged for the camera, unbeknown to the young lady. I was paid 1 bit to stand there as a reference for the guy, who walked his girlfriend over the vent. I remember this like it was yesterday.The chap conjured this scheme to see her legs.

[scottkrys]

I was waiting for a screamer.

[rashturner]

hey that guy made an illegal u-turn!!..lol