THE DEUCE (1985-1995)

The Deuce is a close look at 42nd St. and Times Square back in the so-called bad old days, and, along with places like the Grand Canyon or Brooklyn Bridge are amongst the world’s most photographed. Yet no one ever did the whole hog full-on book over many years, that would have “saved” the old Deuce for all time, to view, until, The Deuce, which captures it all in its last ten years of the infamous Deuce, 42nd Street and Times Square. The last cast of street characters was completely covered in the last 10 years of the old deuce that would include street performers, drug dealers, dealers, horses, prostitutes, dressing whores, pick pockets, red cad, dealers, thieves, whack, jobs, psychotics, picture men, as well as, the Harris, New Amsterdam, Selwyn Theatres, the porn shops – Peepland, Show World, places like the Grand Luncheonette, Playland, The Funny Store, and Nathan’s are captured before their disappearance or rehabiliatation. Read the introduction here. VIEW the slideshow.

42nd Street Between Eighth & Seventh Avenue

Shot high up in the Port Authority bus terminal where they park the buses.

Wayne leans on the wall of the 42nd St. subway entrance on the Deuce in the snow.

St. Paul's on West 46th Street, near Times Square.

On West 46th Street a neon crucifix at St. Paul.s warns about the dangers of Times Square and 42nd Street.

Tim at the Selwyn Theatre

Tim, a Deuce regular, could often be seen with Chill Town Girl.

Peepland

Inside Peepland one of the great features was a circular stage surrounded by booths with steel shutters that would open and shut by the quarters fed to it.

Louscious and Al at the Grand Luncheonette

Louscious and Al at the Grand Luncheonette. Al worked the counter nights and Louscious was the Selwyn's security guard.

Roxy Theatre, 42nd Street

Roxy Theatrre, 42nd Street

Adult Video World & The Roxy Theatre

Southwest side of 42nd Street. The Deuce

Small plain one stop shops made up the south west end of the Deuce.

Peepland & The Liberty Theatre

Al at the the Grand Luncheonette

Al Looking at the Street From the Grand Luncheonette. We hit it off pretty good, one of the ways was he came over from Hungary during the revolution in 1956 and I already had many friends from the circumstances.

TwoShoes at the Street Counter of the Grand Luncheonette.

The Owner of the Grand Luncheonette, Peter Hakim Working & Luscious Leaning

The Owner of the Grand Luncheonette, Peter Hakim works at the counter window while Louscious the Selwyn's security guard cops a lean outsise.

Menu, Cash Register & Beverages, Grand Luncheonette

Show World - Barker Wanted

The 42nd Street porn emporium communicated directly to the street, by a human with loud skills.

Carlos Belting Songs in Times Square

One of the great traditions, was folks who came into the area to express themselves, whether it be singing, dancing, speaking, shouting, praising, insulting, pontificating, preaching, politicizing or taking pictures.

Ernestine, in from Brooklyn, Yelling

God bless her, she came in from Brooklyn drunk as hell just wanting to belt out songs in public, that were more like screams.

Sweet Pea Inside the 42nd Street Subway Entrance

Sweet Pea was always ready with a sarcastic pose.

Carmella Begging in Times Square Singing, You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby

Carmella was, of course, a character, and she would beg with physical and verbal social commentary, here, sticking out her tounge while singing: You must have been a beautiful baby. You must have been a wonderful child When you were only starting to go to kindergarten I bet you drove the little boys wild And when it came to winning blue ribbons You must have shown the other kids how I can see the judges' eyes as they handed you the prize I bet you made the cutest bow Oh you must've been a beautiful baby 'Cause baby look at you now.

Wild man of the Deuce and Times Square

Everyone told me not to go near him. They all said he was too crazy. Sometimes I would see him, for instance, with 25 or 30 straws stuck in his hair and things like that.

But I thought I might like his picture in the collection so I just went up to him ion 42nd and asked if I could take care of that.

It was true. I would rate him as the second most wild person in Times Square, just behind a one eyed banshee crackhead that would do literally anything for a hit.

Wild man of the Deuce and Times Square 2

It turned out that he was very articulate, soft-spoken and respectful. He said immediately, sure take my picture.
It was the only time I had seen anyone talk to him and he was a pretty regular, but wild guy.

Freak

Found him roaming around the Deuce, in the typical unedited expressions of mumbling, tics and nervousness of the deranged.

Preacher Demonstration of Life's Possibilities

A Christian show and tell demonstration, from a preacher who realized the folks he was communicating to, needed special education.

John Watching His Television Plugged into 42nd Street Light Pole

From what John told me he was experiencing hard times. Once in the theatre union, IATSE, with a family, he knew better times. My recollection is that his wife had died of AIDS, and that he had it. This being the eighties, there still was no cure.
While taking the shot, two cops walked up and were thinking of arresting John. I asked what for. And they said, Stealing electricity.

Billy, Living and Drinking Under Scaffolding on 42nd Street

The corner near Eight Avenuw on the north side of 42nd is one of the most congested, and certainly, at this time, the most colorful of all corners in the city.

Billy Downing Wine

Drunk on the Deuce

Smashed on Sunday afternoon.

Bobby Begging on Eighth Avenue & 43rd Street

Said that he had a family out in New Jersey, was formerly an office manger in Manhattan, and had brain surgery, then ended up out here, with his sense of humor still in tact.

Man Arguing With Black Jews

Man Realizing His Situation