Joe Franklin, local TV legend and good Samaritan.
I met New York City TV legend Joe Franklin, who died this weekend at the age of 88, under very special circumstances.
Independence Day weekend, 1999, I was working on my own at FAIR’s Chelsea office, when I took a break on the 8th floor fire escape–only to have the door blow closed behind me, trapping me outside in the blazing July sun. After trying all the doors I could, up and down the fire escape, and calling for help without success in the isolated back alley, I became a little freaked out about the possibility of sun stroke, so I tried to kick in the security grate on FAIR’s conference room window.
All I managed to do was give myself a deep cut on my lower leg, which was bleeding fairly badly. I took off my T-shirt to use as a makeshift bandage and resumed shouting into the alley. Finally, a voice came from the building next door.
So I went down a couple of floors, jumped from FAIR’s building to his, scurried down his fire escape and got into his apartment. I could see the guy had second thoughts about helping me when he saw me, and I don’t blame him–I really was a fright: hair matted, streaked in sweat, wearing shorts with no shirt, one white sock saturated in blood.
Back on the sidewalk and approaching FAIR’s building at 130 West 25th Street, there was Joe Franklin, small and nattily dressed, standing by the door on his own. Somewhat dazed, I said something like “Hey–Joe Franklin!” and he immediately extended his hand and started chatting.
It was only after a minute that he really looked me over and said, “Hey, you all right?”After a brief explanation, Joe got very concerned and offered to take me to his doctor. But all I wanted to do was get back into the building, get my keys and wallet, and get down to St. Vincent’s Hospital for stitches.
Joe was like he was on TV, earnest and down-to-earth. When I got down to 7th Avenue and caught a cab downtown, there was as always in those days a taped safety message from a NYC celebrity message. And on this trip the celebrity was…Joe Franklin, talking about how great New York City is and don’t forget to buckle up.
So, yeah, I was pretty impressed. I had just seen Joe Franklin offer to take care of a ragged and bloody stranger that day.
Great story Steve. Why didn’t you climb down first, before trying to kick in the security grate?
Well, you don’t have St. Vincent’s Hospital to run off to, anymore. Thank you, Christine Quinn.
Joe Franklin was a NYC legend. I think I remember Abbie Hoffman once on his show, filled with both Hollywood stars and occasional activists. All were part of the NYC landscape for Joe, and he treated everyone fairly and with much genuine curiosity. Seeya, Joe!
The alley behind the building didn’t open onto the street–climbing down the fire escape, which I believe would have required releasing a ladder, would still have left Steve trapped in the alley.
Great story Steve. Touching.
(Hi Jim. It’s been a while)
God bless his soul. Joe Franklin was a paragon of kindness. He was no fake.
Thank you Fair for your unfeigned dedication to the truth. Reagan did real damage to the U.S. when he gutted the FCC back in the 80’s.
Very good article. I certainly appreciate this site.
Keep writing!