The story of 42nd Street

by Mary C. Henderson

"From its humble beginnings as a small parcel of colonial farmland surrounded by underbrush, rock encrustations, and hills, Forty-second Street rose to be the most important entertainment center in the United States, making its name synonymous with flashing marquees, tabloid scandals, fame and betrayal." "Once motion pictures and television became the preferred means of entertainment for most Americans after the Second World War, Forty-second Street entered a period of rapid decline. Thankfully, with the help of theatre foundations, private donations and public money, Forty-second Street finally received the spark it desperately needed in the late 1980s, renewing itself and reclaiming its rightful reputation as the theatre capitol." "With archival images documenting its heyday, decay, and reconstruction, theatre historians Henderson and Greene givey ou the unadultrated history and inside scoop behind the theaters, actors, producers, characters and productions that wrote a story like no