COPPING A FEEL IN TIMES SQUARE.

Show girls, moonlighting nurses, pickpockets and members of a fake marriage ring. Live Nude Girls 25¢ was the neon community catchphrase, and it was all about fast cash.

: Candy Staton was a worldly show girl who gave it her all in Times Square peep shows.

: Oxuzana–or Oh Susanna, if you prefer–came from Alabama with a banjo on her knee.

THE CATHOLIC CHURCH VS. TIMES SQUARE.

Three priests of Holy Cross Church witnessed the rise and fall of Times Square. Father Robert Rappleyea, pastor during the era of porn, saw the human condition reach bottom. He put up a bold front.

: Holy Cross Church, 329 W. 42nd Street (photo by Jeff Goodman for Tales of Times Square)

: A young Father Robert Rappleyea, pastor of Holy Cross in the 1970s and ‘80s

: Father McCaffrey. Darning his socks in the bar with the pimps and the whores. Everyone snores

: Father Francis Duffy, hero chaplain of the Fighting 69th in WWI

THE TOAST OF BROADWAY.

A lightweight contender in the 1920s, Manny Rosen worked in the kitchen of the Stage Delicatessen for 32 years—in charge of making toast. But he also wrote “King Heroin” for James Brown, after losing his daughter to heroin. He became the right-hand man of Bob Anthony, “Mr. Burlesk,” in the Melody Burlesk back office.

: Manny strikes familiar pose in front of Melody Burlesk box office. He gave them all a good schtup. (photo by Josh Alan Friedman)

: Bosom Buddies: Bob Anthony and Manny Rosen. Tough guys with hearts of gold, beloved by the strippers.

: The Toast of Times Square: Manny worked at the Stage Deli for 32 years–in charge of making toast.

#6: The Peeps

LIVE NUDE GIRLS 25¢.

Peep Shows were a phenomenon as common to Times Square as slot machines to Las Vegas. Live Nude Girls became the neon community catchphrase. We visit Roger K as he creates the technology in his private laboratory at Show World.

: Roger K’s peep electronics lab was upstairs, at 8th Ave. & 42nd St., in 1984. (photo by Jeff Goodman, for Tales of Times Square)

: panels from early comix by Josh and Drew Friedman

: A peep show dancer’s view, if you were to shine a light. (panels from early comix by Josh and Drew Friedman)

: Coin of the Realm: Live Nude Currency at many emporiums throughout the Square.

#5: Penny Arcade in Hell

WELCOME TO THE BOWELS OF 42ND STREET.

It’s 1983. Charles Rubinstein has run the penny arcade at 8^th Avenue and 42^nd Street since 1939. “This is the dumping grounds of 42^nd Street. But I’m not a-scared of any individuals that tries to threaten me. You have to use that nightstick, and I say let ’em use it.”

: Charles with Gypsy grandma fortune teller. “That machine is with me since 1920. It’s not makin’ any money, but I’m not givin’ it up.”

: Cops were rendered helpless outside the entrance to Charlie’s arcade.

: More ammo to shoot the bobbing plastic bears in 1953

: Charles Rubenstein in his penny arcade office, above the subway at 42nd St. & 8th Avenue.

#9: Oh Susanna!