A Walk Through Queens with Barry Lewis and David Hartman:
a behind the scenes look with Channel 13 WNET producer James Nocoloro
On Monday, March 7, at the Greater Astoria Historical Society, James Nicoloro, producer of the acclaimed documentary, A Walk Through Queens (Channel 13 WNET), told a capacity crowd of his exploits in putting together what critics herald as the outstanding documentary on the borough.
In the video, Queens native Barry Lewis is at home as he proclaims that, as in London, Queens boasts dozens of neighborhoods in an area the size of Manhattan, Staten Island, and the Bronx combined!
The documentary starts in Astoria/Long Island City which is quickly getting the reputation of Williamsburg or Hoboken as a haven for young people. The video went through the older image of the area, as a home for immigrants, by pausing briefly in the Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern, and Bohemian communities (and at New York’s last authentic beer garden.) The documentary examines the area’s deep tradition as a home to creative ideas with stops in PS1, Noguchi Museum, Astoria-Kaufman Studio (with the largest sound stage between London and Los Angeles), and Steinway & Sons, home of the piano.
The documentary examined the fascinating homes of two ladies whose unique flair made their houses distinctive destinations. The Lent-Riker-Smith House, dating from 1654, is the oldest dwelling in the borough. Marian Duckworth Smith has lovingly restored the house and created a private garden that embraces Queens’ largest colonial cemetery. In Corona, Lucille Armstrong, wife of jazz great Louis Armstrong, designed a unique contemporary home that is both a museum and shrine to one of the outstanding musicians of the twentieth century.
Producer James Nicoloro was not only inspired in choosing as a co-host, Barry Lewis, a local historian, but when he gave Barry free reign to share his knowledge of urban studies, the documentary cut new ground for Queens. The special uniqueness of planned communities in Jackson Heights, Sunnyside Gardens, Forest Hills Gardens, and Douglaston, were examined and explained in terms understandable to the general public.
The documentary explored such diverse aspect of the borough as the Asian population in Flushing (here it was pointed out that New York was the only one of the 13 colonies where English was not the official language), Broad Channel and the Rockaways (with the second longest boardwalk on the county), downtown Jamaica (the former county seat) and the African-American community in southeastern Queens (where the average income of blacks in the borough is higher than the borough’s white community).
Perhaps the most poignant segment came when Barry examined his family’s roots in Woodhaven. He said, "When I could hear the el, I knew that things were good in the world," a statement that resounded with the local audience.
Producer Nicoloro gave the audience unique behind the scenes perspective on putting the project together. The 90 minute video was done in shot in just eleven days. Only six were accompanied by on camera hosts David Hartman and Barry Lewis. More than 95% was original footage. From initial research to final product, it took less than five months to complete.
The secret to getting things done, he said, is to find people that know and love their neighborhood and are anxious to share it with the world.
The entire documentary process has changed greatly over time. Today, budgets are a fraction of what they used to be, and the pace of production has much speeded up.
His greatest satisfaction is to meet people, learning about an area, and doing research.
After knowing little about the borough before he started, he certainly realized that Queens has a lot to discover.
This borough has the largest concentration of planned communities in the county and the lack of public education about our urban heritage is glaringly apparent. This video should be a must see for anyone in Queens who is interested in learning about their borough.
The next talk will be April 4, at 7:00 PM when Marion Smith will give a slide lecture on the Lent-Riker-Smith homestead. She will also sign copies of her best selling book, "The Secret Garden," a photographic portrait of the house and its luxurious grounds. The event will be at Quinn’s Gallery, 35-20 Broadway, LIC, NY. For further info, call the Greater Astoria Historical Society at 718-278-0700.
