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about the transformative societal change of New York during the first quarter of the twentieth century, had Minton been alive to read the published version of Whalen's autobiography, he might have been disappointed. For a man responsible for implementing much of New York City's policies working in the Mayor's office and later as NYPD police commissioner, Whalen offers a limited perspective into the implications of his professional career on the transformative social and cultural change happening within the city.
250:
book about New York during the 1920s. The publishing company provided Whalen with a staff of researchers responsible for validating stories and facts incorporated into the autobiography. Ted Purdy, the man in charge of editing Whalen's writing, took the 800 pages penned by Whalen and condensed it into a 300-page collection of personal accounts. Purdy and his team also provided the Mr. New York title for the collection of stories written by Whalen.
17:
280:
that Whalen was born to immigrant parents and eventually became a public figure, much of his success came from his connections with the
Tammany Hall political machine. The accuracy behind his Mr. New York identity represents the promises of opportunity and success put forth in Whalen's autobiography but also the quietly corrupt culture neglected by Whalen in his autobiography.
169:"Hundreds of policemen and detectives, swinging nightsticks, blackjacks, and bare fists, rushed into the crowd, hitting out at all with whom they came into contact, chasing many across the street and into adjacent thoroughfares and pushing hundreds off their feet. From all parts of the scene of battle came the screams of women and cries of men with bloody heads and faces."
589:, p. 170: "It was a play upon the guy who used to in the 30s, for some reason don't ask me why, I had some strange titles in my time, this guy was Grover Whalen and he was the official receptionist for New York. He was a well known name and people around who heard that title would have known who I was talking about, nobody would know it now."
279:
Also, in the last chapter he concludes by describing his fascination with New York, using the trajectory of his professional career as evidence of the proposed
American dream: "New York means to me a place where anyone can still rise to the top, no matter how humble his beginnings." While it is true
275:
In the beginning and ending chapters of the autobiography, Whalen provides valuable insight on the many things he values and loves about his city. In the first few chapters, Whalen writes with a nostalgic pen recollecting memories of the family culture of the close-knit neighborhood he grew up in on
262:
Furthermore, the autobiography ignores any corruption during his career in public service. Throughout his writings, he often refers to the advantages of political ambition under the wing of
Tammany Hall. However, he never admits to any moral wrongdoing of the political machine. Also, after the stock
253:
The bulk of his writing describes planning and execution of receptions, ceremonies, and civic projects under his direction. He provides vivid imagery and background information regarding specific events such as ticker-tape parades for
American heroes like Lindbergh after the completion of his flight
249:
In the acknowledgements before beginning his autobiography, Whalen gives credit to the late
Melville Minton, President of G.P. Putnam's Sons, for encouraging him to write a book about New York. During an interview with the New Yorker in November 1955, Whalen claims that Minton asked him to write a
258:
in June 1945. Although Whalen claims that he wrote extensively about those accounts because he thought his readers would find them most interesting, many accounts are a subtle way of documenting his accomplishments over the course of his career. Taking into account Minton's encouragement to write
276:
the Lower East Side. Contrasted against his writing emphasizing efficiency and organization regarding later years, particularly when working for the Mayor's Office and as Police
Commissioner, Whalen longs for his childhood days, when everyone in his neighborhood knew everyone by first name.
93:
After Hylan became Mayor in 1918, Whalen was appointed to be
Commissioner of Plants and Structures. In this position he supervised the city's transportation system. He also served as Hylan's Commissioner of Purchase and took part in greeting ceremonies, including the welcome of General
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240:
Whalen was known as the official greeter and organizer of many public events and celebrations taking place in New York during the first half of the 20th century. G.P. Putnam's Sons, the publisher of Whalen's autobiography, came up with
271:
that he had to advance Whalen $ 30,000 to cover his margin calls on the market. A few seconds later he said, "What could I do? We own him." Although Whalen omits this in his autobiography, he was a somewhat corrupt public figure.
245:
as the title of his autobiography. The name naturally gave birth to a new nickname for Whalen, as his experiences working in the public and private sector gave him a representative personality of New York.
254:
across the
Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris in 1927. Whalen also goes into great detail about the planning and intricacies behind the parades for returning World War II soldiers, most notably General
373:
novels (published between 1976 and 1999) is Sgt. Richard Whalen, who is consistently addressed by the mischievous Flynn as "Grover". Whalen has no idea why Flynn does this, and finds it annoying.
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102:, in 1919. In 1922, he proposed the creation of a radio station owned and operated by the city, a plan that came to fruition with the first broadcast of
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Howard McMains, "The Guest of the Nation: Politics and
Charles Lindbergh’s Return to the United States in 1927," New York History 66(1985): 3
20:
From left to right, José Gonzalez, Grover Whalen, and Dennis Nolan looking over plans for the Puerto Rico pavilion at the 1939 World's Fair.
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in the operation of the
Wanamaker department stores, serving as general manager. Wanamaker named him Vice President of Operations for the
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77:
Whalen ran his father's ash and garbage disposal business for a time before becoming involved in politics, working for the election of
645:
661:
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59:, who was married on the same day that their child was born. His father, Michael Whalen, was a successful trucking contractor and a
220:'s Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to the City of New York." In 1935, he became president of the
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361:'s 1940 novel Quick Service, the character J.B. Duff's false moustache is compared disparagingly to that of Grover Whalen.
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Sharply criticized for the escalation of violence by the police, Whalen was forced to resign his post within two months.
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demonstration on March 6, 1930, in New York City, in which an impromptu march of 35,000 or more demonstrators down
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193:, and became a public celebrity easily recognized by his exquisitely groomed moustache and carnation
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74:'s department store, with which he would long be associated. He married Anna Dolores Kelly in 1913.
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197:. In this capacity, in which he served until the early 1950s, he officially welcomed everyone from
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laws. Whalen was famously quoted as saying, "There is plenty of law at the end of a
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365:'s 1955 jazz tune "Groover Wailin'" is a pun on Whalen's name. A character in
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332:
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Chairpersons of the Mayor's Committee on Receptions to Distinguished Guests
117:, a new airline flying Curtiss seaplanes between New York and Florida.
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In 1928, he returned to civic life when he was appointed by Mayor
15:
47:
Whalen was born on July 2, 1886, in New York City, the son of an
545:
Grover Whalen, Mr. New York (New York: G.P. Putnam:s Sons, 1955)
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103:
634:
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Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program NEA Jazz Master interview
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406:"Grover A. Whalen Dies at 75; Made City's Welcome Famous"
502:
The Heyday of American Communism: The Depression Decade.
109:
In 1924, Whalen left the Hylan administration to assist
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and afterwards studied law. He then joined the staff of
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Mayor's Committee on Receptions to Distinguished Guests
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The brutal scene was described by a reporter from the
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554:"Mr. New York," New Yorker, November 26th, 1955, 42
144:Whalen came under fire for police handling of the
307:Here is Grover Whalen, unveilin' the Trilon...
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156:was set upon by 1,000 baton-wielding police.
55:mother. They named their son after President
8:
288:He died at the age of 75 on April 20, 1962.
133:. He was known to be a ruthless enforcer of
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576:(New York: Infobase Publishing, 2005), 127
218:The Hundred Year Association of New York
504:New York: Basic Books, 1984; pp. 33-34.
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376:Whalen titled his 1955 autobiography
357:'s essay "The World of Tomorrow." In
339:. Grover Whalen is also mentioned in
209:to New York and became master of the
7:
451:"Whalen Quits City to Aid Wanamaker"
989:New York City Police Commissioners
662:New York City Police Commissioners
14:
984:DeWitt Clinton High School alumni
353:in 1930. He is also mentioned in
131:New York City Police Commissioner
224:and put a familiar face on the
222:New York World Fair Corporation
969:Politicians from New York City
146:International Unemployment Day
115:American Trans-Oceanic Company
1:
328:The Prizefighter and the Lady
100:American Expeditionary Forces
325:as well as in the 1933 film
39:during the 1930s and 1940s.
27:(1886–1962) was a prominent
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226:1939 New York World's Fair
181:He was later appointed by
68:DeWitt Clinton High School
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228:. He was on the cover of
216:In 1933, Whelan received
263:market crashed in 1929,
514:"In Mr. Whalen's Image"
302:Lydia the Tattooed Lady
291:He is mentioned in the
66:Grover Whalen attended
51:immigrant father and a
574:The Mafia Encyclopedia
471:"High over Palm Beach"
191:William Francis Deegan
171:
89:Political appointments
25:Grover Aloysius Whalen
21:
267:was recorded telling
167:
19:
598:Police appointments
345:, a play written by
256:Dwight D. Eisenhower
623:Edward P. Mulrooney
203:Richard Evelyn Byrd
185:as Chairman of the
183:Fiorello La Guardia
129:to the position of
121:Police Commissioner
98:, commander of the
31:, businessman, and
456:The New York Times
411:The New York Times
342:Once in a Lifetime
211:ticker tape parade
154:New York City Hall
22:
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945:
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628:
620:Succeeded by
613:NYPD Commissioner
414:. April 21, 1962.
351:George S. Kaufman
323:Sweet Bye and Bye
207:Douglas MacArthur
199:Charles Lindbergh
83:Mayor of New York
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617:1928–1930
606:Joseph A. Warren
603:Preceded by
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473:. Archived from
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367:Gregory Mcdonald
284:Death and legacy
232:on May 1, 1939.
111:Rodman Wanamaker
96:John J. Pershing
57:Grover Cleveland
33:public relations
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477:on May 26, 2012
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459:. July 2, 1924.
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359:P.G. Wodehouse
315:Let's Fly Away
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265:Frank Costello
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162:New York Times
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72:John Wanamaker
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363:Johnny Mandel
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79:John F. Hylan
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37:New York City
34:
30:
26:
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817:M. J. Murphy
750:
673:M. C. Murphy
611:
581:
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559:
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523:May 1, 1939.
517:
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479:. Retrieved
475:the original
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454:
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433:. Retrieved
420:
409:
378:Mr. New York
377:
375:
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340:
326:
322:
314:
306:
300:
293:Harold Arlen
290:
287:
278:
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261:
252:
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243:Mr. New York
242:
239:
236:Mr. New York
215:
180:
177:Later career
172:
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158:
143:
127:Jimmy Walker
124:
108:
92:
76:
65:
61:Tammany Hall
46:
24:
23:
964:1962 deaths
959:1886 births
933:(2023–2024)
927:(2022–2023)
921:(2019–2021)
915:(2016–2019)
909:(2014–2016)
903:(2002–2013)
897:(2000–2001)
891:(1996–2000)
885:(1994–1996)
879:(1992–1993)
873:(1990–1992)
867:(1989–1990)
861:(1984–1989)
855:(1978–1983)
849:(1974–1977)
837:(1970–1973)
831:(1966–1970)
825:(1965–1966)
819:(1961–1965)
813:(1955–1961)
807:(1954–1955)
801:(1951–1953)
795:(1950–1951)
789:(1949–1950)
783:(1945–1949)
777:(1934–1945)
759:(1930–1933)
753:(1928–1930)
747:(1927–1928)
741:(1926–1927)
735:(1918–1925)
729:(1914–1917)
717:(1911–1913)
711:(1910–1911)
705:(1909–1910)
699:(1906–1909)
693:(1904–1905)
331:, starring
319:Bobby Short
311:Cole Porter
297:Yip Harburg
201:to Admiral
195:boutonniere
135:Prohibition
63:supporter.
43:Early years
953:Categories
739:McLaughlin
355:E.B. White
317:, and the
139:nightstick
29:politician
835:P. Murphy
823:Broderick
793:T. Murphy
781:Wallander
775:Valentine
757:Mulrooney
679:Partridge
426:"History"
384:Footnotes
347:Moss Hart
333:Myrna Loy
106:in 1924.
979:Greeters
799:Monaghan
481:June 30,
435:June 30,
337:Max Baer
150:Broadway
35:guru in
913:O'Neill
907:Bratton
883:Bratton
853:McGuire
811:Kennedy
787:O'Brien
733:Enright
709:Cropsey
697:Bingham
309:), the
937:Donlon
925:Sewell
865:Condon
843:(1973)
841:Cawley
771:(1934)
769:O'Ryan
765:(1933)
751:Whalen
745:Warren
723:(1914)
691:McAdoo
687:(1903)
685:Greene
681:(1902)
675:(1901)
931:Caban
901:Kelly
895:Kerik
889:Safir
877:Kelly
871:Brown
829:Leary
805:Adams
763:Bolan
727:Woods
721:McKay
715:Waldo
703:Baker
371:Flynn
321:song
313:song
299:song
49:Irish
919:Shea
859:Ward
847:Codd
483:2012
437:2012
430:WNYC
349:and
335:and
104:WNYC
369:'s
205:to
152:to
141:."
81:as
955::
528:^
516:.
491:^
453:.
428:.
408:.
391:^
380:.
213:.
85:.
654:e
647:t
640:v
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485:.
439:.
305:(
295:/
164::
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