Before he was one of Hollywood’s most glamorous stars, Tony Curtis was Bernard Schwartz, born in Manhattan in 1925 to Hungarian-Jewish emigrants, and an active member of The 92nd Street Y. The not-yet Tony Curtis participated in athletics, clubs, and performances, and on February 7, 1941, made his acting debut in the Y Playhouse production of Thunder Rock. During World War II, Schwartz served in the US Navy, and following his deployment, made his way to LA. In 1948, Bernard Schwartz signed with Universal Pictures and changed his name to Tony Curtis.
Curtis’ first box office hit was The Prince Who Was a Thief. Tracing the rising star’s local roots, the New York Post ran a piece recalling his humble introduction to acting a decade prior, playing “the lighthouse keeper’s idiot son” at the Y (New York Post, July 8, 1951). Curtis would return to 92NY twice, first for a talk in 1993, and again a year before his passing. His conversation with Budd Mishkin on November 12, 2009, “Some Still Like It Hot,” was in celebration of the 50th anniversary of that iconic film – on the very stage that was the site of Bernard Schwartz’s theatrical debut.
Over the past 150 years, 92NY has grown into one of New York City’s — and the world’s — most unique and influential cultural institutions. Some of the most fascinating thinkers, artists, writers and entertainers of the 20th and 21st centuries have come here to develop new work, teach, learn and share ideas. That Time When … spotlights favorite moments from the annals of The 92nd Street Y, New York.