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Weegee's Grisly Crime Scene Photos From 1930s and 1940s New York
By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 4, 2012
Modified Jan 4, 2012
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Jan 4, 2012
Modified Jan 4, 2012
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These photographs were all shot by Arthur Fellig and are said to have highly influenced the film noir genre. In fact, in 1945 he published a book of his photographs, called Naked City, which inspired the 1947 film of the same name. He also collaborated with Stanley Kubrick, who he knew when they were both struggling photographers in the city.
The press photographer, who also went by Weegee, covered the police beat on the Lower East Side from 1935 to 1946 (his nickname was a nod to Ouija boards, since he often showed up at a crime scene before the cops). He said, "The easiest kind of a job to cover was a murder. The stiff would be laying on the ground." It's not for the faint of heart, however, click through for a look at the bad old days, or see them up close and personal.
From January 20th through September 2nd of this year, the International Center of Photography in New York will be displaying his photographs, which they say "draws upon on the extensive Weegee Archive at ICP and will include environmental recreations of Weegee's apartment and exhibitions."
Here's a cheerier look at the city in the 1940s (and all that jazz), if you need to cleanse your palate.
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1930
1940s
arthur fellig
crime scene
film noir
naked city
photography
weegee
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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