Weegee Wednesday: “City’s Happiest Mother”

Weegee (1899-1968), “City’s Happiest Mother Cuddles Stolen Daughter,” March 14, 1943 (778.1993)

Weegee (1899-1968), PM, March 14, 1941, p. 16

City’s Happiest Mother Cuddles Stolen Daughter
Life will probably never hold a bigger thrill for Mrs. Martino Serdino than she got Saturday morning when police put her stolen baby, Marian, one month old, back in her arms. Search is on for a red-haired woman believed to have taken Marian from her carriage near the baby’s home at 65 W. 104th St. Detectives think the suspect can supply solution to another kidnapping. PM, March 14, 1941, p. 16

Weegee (1899-1968), [Mothers with three babies competing in Methodist Hospital’s fourth annual Perfect Baby contest, Brooklyn], May 14, 1941 (14878.1993)

PM, Photos by Weegee, May 14, 1941, p. 17

Meet Methodist Hospital’s Most Perfect Baby
1. One of these six babies, all of them born last year in the maternity ward of the Methodist Hospital, Sixth Street and Seventh Avenue, Brooklyn, will soon be named the most perfect baby of the year. The nurses are lining them up to be judged by pediatricians as part of the hospital’s fourth annual Perfect Baby Contest yesterday. The first baby on the left is making a grab for the first prize; perhaps it’s an omen. The others don’t seem to be very much interested. Which one of the six do you think should win?

2. The judging is going on. Here’s Barbara Sharpe, of 437 13th St. Brooklyn, born Nov. 27 and Brian N. Frawley, born Dec 26, being held by the mothers. They are the first and second babies from the left in the lineup above. Maybe that’s an omen too.

3. It was Barbara and Brian, No.’s 1 and 2 in the lineup above, who finished in that order. The judging was conducted on the basis of physical fitness, rate of weight increase over birth weight, and general development. Brian, on the right seems to be taking the decision very hard.” PM, May 14, 1941, Vol. I, No. 236, p. 17

Weegee (1899-1968), [Mrs. Marion O’Brien leaving Astoria Police Station after her kidnapped daughter had been returned, New York], March 18, 1943 (907.1993)

Mrs. Marion O’Brien shown leaving the Astoria Police Station yesterday with her 11 month old daughter kidnapped from her home at 605 Second Ave. and found later in Astoria. PM, March 18, 1943, p. 10

Weegee (1899-1968), [Woman holding a baby in front of a laundry], ca. 1940 (1098.1993)

Weegee (1899-1968), [Refugees from a fire waiting in front of Clinton Theatre, New York] ca. 1944 (20110.1993)

“Not waiting for the movie theatre [80–82 Clinton Street, between Rivington and Delancey Streets, east side of block] to open…but a refugee from a fire…waiting so the firemen will let her get back into her tenement flat…as soon as it’s safe.” Weegee. Naked City. New York: Essential Books, 1945, p. 70

Weegee (1899-1968), “Brooklyn Fire Rescue, at Tenement House,” ca. 1937 (19788.1993)

Weegee Wednesday is an occasional series exploring, or just enjoying, the life and work of Weegee.