MISTER NEW YORK

this chapter mister in New York the story of Grover Whalen New York's fabulous ticker tape parades Joburg Whalen wrote in Moorabbin and any other man he was the big town's official greeter of celebrity he was also the inventor and organizing genius of the great welcoming pageants creating New York's ticker tape parades for distinguished visitors I had in mind one thing greatness the greatness of the queen of cities the majesty of her Harbor the beauty of her towering skyscrapers the power of her millions of people and most of all the warmth and lavishness of her welcome to me a New York ticker tape parade is the truest symbol of the town I love the world's most magnificent and open hearted City the last decade at the nineteenth-century marks the beginning of Grover Weyland love affair with New York City his parents were immigrants he was born and raised on the Lower East Side proud of the melting pot and it's mixtures of peoples and customs [Music] young Grover was a good student intelligent ambitious graduating from a New York College he wanted to study law and would have made a fine lawyer but his father died suddenly in kweilyn went to work for several years he ran the family's construction business [Applause] by 1918 Grover Whalen was happily married a good husband and father with a keen interest in local politics at New York City Hall Grover was a familiar figure with his help John Hyland had become mayor and Highland was grateful he showered Whelan with jobs soon Grover was practically running the city [Music] when the doughboys returned from the first world war Whalum was with General Pershing a member of the welcoming committee it was the start of his career as a greeter of celebrity [Music] by 1926 with the welcome for Admiral Byrd Whelan's breeding technique was perfect fire boat spraying mortar a flotilla sailing to meet the hero Grover Whalen to escort him to the city [Music] nothing left to chance Weyland timed the parade to start at noon when crowds were on the sidewalks [Applause] [Music] the ticker-tape confetti was ready thus Robert Whelan welcomed Queen Marie of Romania in the days when Romania had a queen it was spectacular showmanship the same royal treatment for Gertrude Ederle first woman to swim the English Channel Whelan was called a greater showman and PT Barnum bigger and better welcomes for this one for Charles Lindbergh tons of ticker tape for Palin that was all a labor of love the grape greeter worked in the department store on ordinary days he was general manager a successful executive he'd worked his way to the top starting behind the counter then in 1928 a new job Police Commissioner of New York City sworn in by Mayor Jimmy Walker it was a tough assignment [Music] Gover kweilyn became New York police commissioner during the Prohibition era and pledged to clean up the crime ridden city [Music] declaring war on bootleggers and rocketeers he sent raiding squads to round up the city's underworld bosses no mollycoddling of gangsters Whalen's orders freedom rough kweilyn didn't succeed in stamping out crime in New York completely no police commissioner ever did but when he left office the Big Town was a far safer place in which to live now it was 1933 Grover Whalen was NRA director of New York and organized a huge parade to launch the National Recovery Act he led the city's fight against the depression meanwhile he planned a great new project the New York World's Fair [Applause] [Music] ground was broken at the fare site three years later but his Grover Whalen laid the cornerstone he was worried the fare was in danger because European governments were reluctant to take part in the exposition lost to Europe he flew to convince European leaders to buy space in Rome he arranged a meeting with dictator Benito Mussolini he'll do chair was no match for Weyland super salesmanship he heard grover remark not so innocently that russia had taken space at the fair that made him decide that italy must also be represented the deal was closed for five million dollars after that it was easy to sign up the other European nations the World's Fair of 1939 it's magnificent pavilions bore the stamp of Grover Whalen shunka opened officially by President Franklin Roosevelt the fair drew tremendous crowds visitors came from near and far to gape at its wonders but kweilyn was unhappy although he had created an artistic success financially it was a failure the cost of transforming marshland into wonderland had been enormous one hundred and fifty five million dollars another reason for the failure the Second World War had begun the wartime civilian defense Corps of New York City was Whelan's next assignment he organized firefighting teams with the same energy he'd applied to ticker tape parades it was a time of ever-present danger New Yorkers had to be trained to handle the emergencies of an enemy air attack and learned their duties under flailings direction that job done he flew to Alaska six months Whelan served in the Alaska as civilian adviser to the army sharing its hardships then with the victorious end of the war back to the ticker tape parades the work Weiland loved Beth for General Dwight Eisenhower returning triumphant from Europe he arranged a stirring welcome that not shown anything ever seen before [Applause] [Music] for Prime Minister Winston Churchill grand old man of England another memorable reception [Music] [Applause] kweilyn took special precautions in the welcome for General Douglas MacArthur his dismissal from his Korean command had caused high feelings [Applause] [Music] but there were no incidents the general was cheered by seven million New Yorkers as the years went on Grover Palin's love affair with New York grew more intense he built scale models of the city of the future he planned best projects a fashion center to make New York the style mecca of the world a great convention hall to honor the war death [Music] dreams of a dream city Whalen's plans were highly praised but they were pigeon-holed because they cost money [Music] New York's 50th anniversary celebration was the same story of frustration Weiland was chairman and had to settle for a parade of old-time relics his plans were considered too expensive but New York appreciated his efforts from Mayor William O'Dwyer in 1950 Whelan received a gold medal for public service he deserved it mr. New York had earned his title back in the Roaring Twenties the years had passed Grover Whelan's hair had turned gray but he still looked forward one day I firmly believe the dreams I've had for New York will come true she will be the fashion an artistic centre of the world commercially she will reach new heights our skyscrapers will rise ever higher that a ticker tape parades will continue truly a mighty monument to the creative powers of freemen and democracy Dover Whelan mr. New York [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause]