Jackson Heights Life

Mercedes Ruehl was born in Jackson Heights.

Here's a recent article about her.

The history of Jackson Heights includes residents named Mary Picford and Douglas Fairbanks (in the Towers). There was also talk about the Marx Brothers. This was in the days of Kaufman Studios and actors lived here while shooting films at the studios.

Susan Sarandon would not put up with ctown!

Gene Simmons graduated from Newtown High - like many of us who grew up in Jackson Heights.

Alfred Eisenstaedt was the famous Time Life photographer who snapped the infamous Time Square V day photo. he lived in the Salem on 37th Ave.

Wow!  Great finds here - I guess we all had to do a little digging.  I've also found that Les Paul and Mary Ford lived in Jackson Heights in 1953 and in fact, invented the 8-track tape recorder (not the 8-track tape player)

Now, that is news to me!  For all those out there who may not know, Les Paul also invented the solid-body electric guitar.

I came across the following PBS video of Les Paul reminiscing about the "homemade" radio station, Booger Brothers Broadcasting System, he put together and operated out of an apartment located in Jackson Heights.  He talks about jam sessions with Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Fred Waring and other notable musicians of the 1930s and 40s.

Follow the link and then click on Booger Brothers Broadcasting.

American Masters:  Les Paul

The building address as shown in the video would indicate that the building was located in Elmhurst rather than Jackson Heights.  Anyone know the boundaries?

Good friend of my sister and he used to jam in my basement, John Genzale aka Johnny Thunders (R.I.P.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Thunders