EVERYBODY LOVED NEW YORK’S BEST MAYOR (1934-1945)

——————–20 Mar 1939, Manhattan, New York, New York, USA --- New York: Blockhead Calls On The Mayor. That brainless wonder, that inimitable blockhead, Charlie McCarthy, is shown as he called at New York's City Hall to present Mayor Fiorrello La Guardia with his invitation to the forthcoming Press Photographer's Ball. Charlie sits on the Mayor's knee as Edgar Bergen, left, the dummy's "voice," puts words in his mouth. Actress Dorothy Lamour gets a kick out of the proceedings. --- Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS——————–
In the book “Try and Stop Me,” written by Bennett Cerf, there is this anecdote about Fiorello H. LaGuardia, elected mayor of N.Y.C in 1934:

LaGuardia often officiated in municipal court. He handled routine misdemeanor cases, including, as Cerf wrote, a woman who had stolen a loaf of bread for her starving family. LaGuardia insisted on levying the fine of ten dollars.

Then he said “I’m fining everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a city where a person has to steal bread in order to eat!” He passed a hat and gave the fines to the defendant, who left the court with $47.50

Bio of his life and career…http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorello_H._La_Guardia


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