Ever since I saw the film version of Mart Crowley's stage hit "The Boys in the Band" I've wondered about the location of the apartment where most of the movie's action takes place. It's indicated that it's on the Upper East Side and the exterior shots of the apartment building always looked very familiar. A lot of the early scenes take place on location in a roof terrace on top of a brownstone. The apartment used was owned by Broadway star Tammy Grimes who was friendly with people in the production. With some diligent internet sleuthing I discovered that the apartment in question is very near my building. It's on East 61st Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues.
Here's a still of the movie and a closeup:
And here are some shots I took of the street today. Look at the building across the street from the scene.You can see the Baptist church that's still there and it's brick detailing on the left of the movie frame, there's no mistaking the shapes of the windows.
You can also see that the brownstones across the street haven't changed much, except for the colors!
Here's a shot of the apartment building from street level, you can still see the various aluminum vents off the side.
Compare them to the movie still:
In the movie the apartment belongs to the main character Michael. He's shown arriving and going through the street level front door. Here's a still of that scene:
This is NOT the building on East 61st Street. For this scene they used a different location, an exterior on East 65th street between 3rd Avenue and Lexington.
Here's how that building looks today, a lot has changed in almost 50 years. There's enough detailing here, especially around the windows, to see that it's the same location.
Coincidentally that East 61st Street block is also the street where the famous (and doomed) Hollywood star Montgomery Clift lived. You can read about that building here.
Thanks so very much. My concern with the location arises from my little obsession with compass directions. It always seemed they were looking southward from the patio, then, after many viewings, I noticed that the sun (though the afternoon seemed quite hazy) seemed to be coming from the left, which would make that the west at that time of day, and that would mean the patio faced north. But it seems clear now that I had it right all along.
ReplyDeleteI am obsessed with this play/ film. I’m grateful you found the location. I always thought it would be cool to own this apartment. I searched and found your article by googling Tammy Grimes apartment. This is so great.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, I have always been fascinated by this film and this apartment as well. However, after looking at the photos, I'm not convinced the apartment noted is actually the correct one. From the stills in the movie, the apartment is directly across the street from the first building to the right of the church. On the street level view on Google Maps, the building directly across the street from that first building to the right of the church, does not correspond with the building that is stated as the match for the movie apartment. Moreover, the aluminum vents don't match. The ones in the movie are at 4 different heights that vary, the one in the current street view picture has a high one to the right and then 3 that ascend from low to high, which is not consistent with the vents in the movie. The bldg. you mentions as being the correct apartment appears to be 237 E. 61st St., but the aerial view looks nothing like what would have been the actual apartment aside from a passing similarity with the vents. The building at 241 E. 61st St. appears that it would be the building that would align with the film stills and from an aerial view on Good Maps, and appears to be more likely to have been the correct one. Even 239 E. 61st seems like it could possible be it if they re-did the outside, but the bldg. at 237 E. 61st, does not appears to align with the movie still.
ReplyDeleteGreat derective work ! Looks to me from street view & Satellite image, chimney stack placement, outline of structure of flat etc that the balcony is the top of 241 East 61st Street. Fascinating!!
ReplyDeleteGreat detective work! Looks to me from street view & satellite image, chimney stack placement, outline of structure of flat and, position to buildings opposite etc that the balcony is the top of 241 East 61st Street. Fascinating!!
ReplyDeleteOnly the patio scenes were filmed at Tammy's actual apartment. A replica of the apartment was built at Chelsea Studios to allow for movable walls and capturing camera angles. The hotel room in which Alan calls Michael is in the Sherry Netherland at the corner of 59th and 5th.
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