The Musings of Ron Kapon: NYC TV & Movie Tour

I was bored. The coronavirus has closed the university where I have taught my wine course for the past 25 years. All Broadway shows are temporarily shuttered. Wine tastings, political meetings, senior classes are on hiatus. Dining out with friends became iffy. What was I to do? What am I to do? No NCAA or NBA games to watch. I suffered through several terrible Netflix movies. I did get out of the house when the weather warmed up to read a book on the local park bench. But then the gentlemen next to me began coughing and back home I went. I may be close to 85 years young, but I am a very active guy. Wait, there was an invitation from On Location Tours, the world’s largest TV & movie tour company for a comped ticket to one of their tours. Perfect- I booked Mrs. Maisel’s Marvelous Tour of NYC for Saturday at Noon. I had never watched the show but knew they filmed all over NYC.

The day before the tour date I received an e-mail- “Your reservation for Mrs. Maisel's Marvelous Tour of New York City on Saturday, March 14, 2020, at 12:00 PM, has been moved to NYC TV & Movie Tour at 10 AM on the same day.” I showed up at the opposite corner from the famed Ellen's Stardust Diner at 51 Street & Broadway & boarded the bus.

Benji Sills was our guide & Tony was our driver. Both get 5 Stars. The short videos showing the various movies whose shooting locations we were about to view or visit also were 5 Stars. Perhaps if I had been an out of towner (as were all the other 19 participants) I would have enjoyed the views & descriptions of the buildings better. I asked several of the other participants and they were having a ball.

Let the tour begin! We passed by the Gershwin Theater (1972), which seats over 1,900 people & has been hosting Wicked since 2003. It is the 2^ndhighest-grossing show to The Lion King. We also learned that the Phantom of the Opera is the longest-running show celebrating its 30^thyear. Next came the Hearst Building, home to the movie Spider-Man. We were soon in Columbus Circle with its world-famous statue. Smurf 2 was filmed there. Trump Tower (Tower Heist), The Time Warner Center (The Other Guy and Clover film where the towers collapse), Hotel Empire (Gossip Girl), Museum of Art & Design (Ghostbusters). We drove along 59^thstreet & Central Park where over 300 films have been shot. It is the #1 film location with Venice Beach, California as #2. The Plaza Hotel is the most filmed interior (Home Alone 2- Eloise lived there). Around the corner on Fifth Ave are the Pulitzer Fountains (Friends) and opposite the fountains is The Apple Store & what was the toy store- F.A.O Schwartz. Down 5^th Avenue, we passed Tiffany & Company (Breakfast at Tiffany). The Trump Tower had a major role in The Wolf of Wall Street. There are over 70 TV & motion pictures filmed in NYC. Blue Bloods & Law & Order SUV are my personal favorites.

There was St. Patrick Cathedral, welcoming anyone who wished to enter. Spider-Man was filmed on the roof garden opposite the Cathedral. Saks 5^th Avenue had a role in 30 Rock and then came Rockefeller Center with the ice-skating rink, Christmas tree, NBC headquarters and also the home of Saturday Night Live. Right past 42^nd Street & 5^th Avenue sits the NY Public Library & it’s world-famous lions. Spider-Man & Sex & The City used the library steps as a set. At 34^th Street we saw the Empire State Building, now the 3^rd the tallest building in the world. Think King Kong original movie & gossip girl. At Madison Square Park we saw the Flatiron Building that is 6 feet wide & was used for I Am Legend.

There was a 15-minute stop at Washington Square Park and its famous arch that was featured in Girls. The Mindy Project, Glee and Where Harry Met Sally. Our other stop was in Tribeca (Triangle Below Canal) and the 2^nd most expensive area in NYC. We took photos at Hook & Ladder Company 8 that was used as the firehouse in Ghostbusters. We then walked to Bedford & Grove Street and the building used as the home of Friends.

Driving north we passed Bryant Park at 42^nd Street & 6^th Ave that was featured in Sex & the City Movie, Divorce and White Collar as well as the Diamond District (47^th Street & 6^th Avenue) and world-famous Radio City Music Hall (Annie, The Godfather, Glee). We ended our 3-hour journey at 55^th between 7^th & 8^th Avenues at McGee’s Pub. All participants received a 15% discount for food & drink. I took advantage and had lunch there before catching the bus back home.