James John Walker (June 19, 1881November 18, 1946), known colloquially as Jimmy Walker and Beau James, was an American attorney, lyricist, and
Democratic Party politician who served as the 97th
mayor of New York City
The mayor of New York City, officially mayor of the City of New York, is head of the executive branch of the government of New York City and the chief executive of New York City. The Mayoralty in the United States, mayor's office administers all ...
from 1926 until his resignation in 1932. A flamboyant politician, he was a liberal Democrat and part of the powerful
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...
machine. He was forced to resign during a corruption scandal in which he accepted large sums of money in exchange for municipal contracts.
Early life and political career
Walker was the son of Irish-born
William H. Walker (1842–1916), a carpenter and lumberyard owner who was very active in local politics as a Democratic assemblyman and alderman from
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
, belying certain accounts of Walker's childhood that stated he grew up in poverty. Walker was not the best student and dropped out of college, eventually graduating from
New York Law School
New York Law School (NYLS) is a private, American law school in the Tribeca neighborhood in Manhattan, New York City. The third oldest law school in New York City, its history predates its official founding in 1891 by Theodore William Dwight, T ...
in 1904. Walker's father wanted him to become a lawyer and politician, but he decided that he would rather write songs and be involved in the music industry. He wrote the lyrics for a 1906 hit, "Will You Love Me in December as You Do in May?" with songwriter
Ernest Ball. Walker entered politics in 1909 and subsequently passed the
bar exam
A bar examination is an examination administered by the bar association of a jurisdiction that a lawyer must pass in order to be admitted to the bar of that jurisdiction.
Australia
Administering bar exams is the responsibility of the bar associat ...
in 1912.
[Connolly, James. "Walker, James J.", '' American National Biography'', Oxford University Press, February 1, 2000.]
Walker was a member of the
New York State Assembly
The New York State Assembly is the lower house of the New York State Legislature, with the New York State Senate being the upper house. There are 150 seats in the Assembly. Assembly members serve two-year terms without term limits.
The Ass ...
(New York Co., 5th D.) in
1910,
1911
Events January
* January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory are added to the Commonwealth of Australia.
* January 3
** 1911 Kebin earthquake: An earthquake of 7.7 m ...
,
1912
This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15.
In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...
,
1913
Events January
* January – Joseph Stalin travels to Vienna to research his ''Marxism and the National Question''. This means that, during this month, Stalin, Hitler, Trotsky and Tito are all living in the city.
* January 3 &ndash ...
and
1914
This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...
. He was a member of the
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is the upper house of the New York State Legislature, while the New York State Assembly is its lower house. Established in 1777 by the Constitution of New York, its members are elected to two-year terms with no term l ...
from 1915 to 1925, sitting in the
138th,
139th,
140th,
141st (all four 13th D.),
142nd,
143rd,
144th,
145th,
146th,
147th and
148th New York State Legislatures (all seven 12th D.); and was Minority Leader from 1920 to 1922; Temporary President of the State Senate from 1923 to 1924; and Minority Leader again in 1925. In the Senate he strongly opposed
Prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic b ...
.
During his tenure as Temporary President of the State Senate, Walker was often seen on the floor accompanied by reformist activist, future urban planner, and key
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was the 42nd governor of New York, serving from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1923 to 1928. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party's presidential nominee in the 1 ...
ally
Robert Moses
Robert Moses (December 18, 1888 – July 29, 1981) was an American urban planner and public official who worked in the New York metropolitan area during the early to mid-20th century. Moses is regarded as one of the most powerful and influentia ...
. Moses, without an official position and therefore forced to kneel beside Walker's desk rather than sit in a chair, acted sort of as an advisor for Walker. He provided Walker with arguments and facts to be used against Republican adversaries on issues that, according to author
Robert Caro
Robert Allan Caro (born October 30, 1935) is an American journalist and author known for his biographies of United States political figures Robert Moses and Lyndon Johnson.
After working for many years as a reporter, Caro wrote '' The Power Bro ...
, "Walker had no patience to master." Moses also delivered messages to Walker on Governor Smith's behalf.
Walker was elegant and witty, but he was also willing to take down his opponents with no mercy.
Ellwood Rabenold was a reformist elected to the State Senate as a Democrat. He was independent-minded and put the party's one-vote majority in 1923 in jeopardy. When Rabenold refused to support a bill that Democrats considered vital and then attacked Walker's character, Walker pledged he would "ruin" Rabenold and dedicated the rest of the term to forcing Rabenold out of politics. Walker would eventually succeed, showing no remorse for destroying his career.
Running for mayor, 1925
After his years in the Senate, Walker set his sights on the 1925 election for
Mayor of New York
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well as ...
. Beginning with the 1925 Democratic primary for mayor, Walker knew that to ultimately win the mayoral election he had to defeat the mayor,
John Francis Hylan. Walker's reputation as a flamboyant man-about-town made him a hero to many working-class voters; he was often seen at legitimate theaters and illegitimate speakeasies. Walker was a
clothes horse: his valet packed 43 suits for his trip to Europe in August 1927. On the other hand, his reputation for tolerating corruption made him suspect to middle-class and moralistic voters. Governor
Alfred E. Smith was his mentor.
Smith was a staunch supporter since Walker backed many social and cultural issues that were considered politically important, such as social welfare legislation, legalization of boxing, repeal of
blue laws
Blue laws (also known as Sunday laws, Sunday trade laws, and Sunday closing laws) are laws restricting or banning certain activities on specified days, usually Sundays in the western world. The laws were adopted originally for religious reasons ...
against Sunday baseball games, and condemning the
Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...
. Their mutual opposition to Prohibition was especially important in their political relationship.
Smith knew the secret to how Walker could win the mayoral race and overcome his tarnished reputation was for Smith to guide Walker's every move. Smith used his base in the strong political machine of
Tammany Hall
Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was an American political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789, as the Tammany Society. It became the main local ...
to secure victory. Finally, Walker himself had to be willing to change some of his more unscrupulous ways or at least provide a cover for his indiscretions. As with many things in Walker's life, he chose the latter. Instead of ending his visits to
speakeasies
A speakeasy, also called a beer flat or blind pig or blind tiger, was an illicit establishment that sold alcoholic beverages. The term may also refer to a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies.
In the United State ...
and his friendships with chorus girls, he took those activities behind the closed doors of a penthouse funded by Tammany Hall.
[Young, Greg]
"Mayor Jimmy Walker: a finer class of corruption"
'' The Bowery Boys: New York City History''. Retrieved May 27, 2009.
Walker defeated Hylan in the Democratic primary, and after defeating
Republican mayoral candidate Frank D. Waterman in the
general election
A general election is an electoral process to choose most or all members of a governing body at the same time. They are distinct from By-election, by-elections, which fill individual seats that have become vacant between general elections. Gener ...
he became mayor of New York.
Mayor, 1926–1932

In his initial years as mayor, Walker saw the city prosper and many public works projects gain traction. In his first year, Walker created the
Department of Sanitation, unified New York's public hospitals, improved many parks and playgrounds, and guided the
Board of Transportation to enter into contract for the construction of an expanded
subway system (the
Independent Subway System
The Independent Subway System (IND; formerly the ISS) was a rapid transit rail system in New York City that is now part of the New York City Subway. It was first constructed as the IND Eighth Avenue Line, Eighth Avenue Line in Manhattan in 1932. ...
or IND). Under Walker's administration, new highways and a dock for superliners were also built. He even managed to maintain the five-cent subway fare despite a threatened strike by the workers.
Walker's term was also known for the proliferation of speakeasies during Prohibition. It is a noted aspect of his career as mayor and as a member of the State Senate that Walker was strongly opposed to Prohibition. As mayor, Walker led his administration in challenging the
Eighteenth Amendment by replacing the
police commissioner
A police commissioner is the head of a police department, responsible for overseeing its operations and ensuring the effective enforcement of laws and maintenance of public order. They develop and implement policies, manage budgets, and coordinate ...
with an inexperienced former state banking commissioner. The new police commissioner immediately dissolved the Special Service Squad. Since Walker did not feel that drinking was a crime, he discouraged the police from enforcing Prohibition law or taking an active role unless it was to curb excessive violations or would prove to be newsworthy. His affairs with "chorus girls" were widely known, and he left his wife, Janet, for showgirl
Betty Compton. The first U.S. arrival in New York City of the best known
Anastasia Romanov impostor,
Anna Anderson, in 1928 and the eventual public denial of her by the exiled
Romanov
The House of Romanov (also transliterated as Romanoff; , ) was the reigning dynasty, imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after Anastasia Romanovna married Ivan the Terrible, the first crowned tsar of all Russi ...
s and return to Germany in 1931 also occurred during Walker's mayoralty.
Walker was re-elected by an overwhelming margin in 1929, defeating Republican
Fiorello H. La Guardia and
Socialist
Socialism is an economic ideology, economic and political philosophy encompassing diverse Economic system, economic and social systems characterised by social ownership of the means of production, as opposed to private ownership. It describes ...
Norman Thomas. Walker's fortunes turned downward with the economy after the
stock-market crash of 1929.
Patrick Joseph Hayes, the Cardinal Archbishop of New York, denounced him, implying that the immorality of the mayor, both personal and political in tolerating "girlie magazines" and casinos, was a cause of the economic downturn. It was one of the causes that led to Tammany Hall's pulling its support for Walker.
[Jackson, Kenneth T., Keller, Lisa; Flood, Nancy, eds. ''The Encyclopedia of New York City'' 2nd ed. Yale University Press, 2010.] Walker's image was further solidified by quotes like "A reformer is a guy who rides through a sewer in a glass-bottomed boat."
Walker endorsed
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith (December 30, 1873 – October 4, 1944) was the 42nd governor of New York, serving from 1919 to 1920 and again from 1923 to 1928. He was the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party's presidential nominee in the 1 ...
for the
Democratic nomination during the
1932 presidential election.
Scandal and resignation
Increasing social unrest led to investigations into corruption within Walker's administration, and he was eventually forced to testify before the investigative committee of Judge
Samuel Seabury
Samuel Seabury (November 30, 1729February 25, 1796) was the first American Episcopal bishop, the second Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, and the first Bishop of Connecticut. He was a leading Loyalis ...
, the
Seabury Commission (also known as the Hofstadter Committee). Walker caused his own downfall by accepting large sums of money from businessmen looking for municipal contracts.
One surprise witness in the Seabury investigation was Vivian Gordon. She informed the investigators that women were falsely arrested and accused of
prostitution
Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
by the
New York City Police Department
The City of New York Police Department, also referred to as New York City Police Department (NYPD), is the primary law enforcement agency within New York City. Established on May 23, 1845, the NYPD is the largest, and one of the oldest, munic ...
. Police officers were given more money in their paychecks. After her testimony, Gordon was suspiciously found strangled in a park in the Bronx. The incident demonstrated to New Yorkers that corruption could lead to terrible consequences, and led to suspicion that Walker might ultimately, in some way, have been responsible for her death.
[Golway, Terry]
"The Making of F.D.R., 1932: A Rollicking New York Tale"
''The New York Observer
''The New York Observer'' was a weekly newspaper established in 1987. In 2016, it ceased print publication and became the online-only newspaper ''Observer''. The media site focuses on culture, real estate, media, politics and the entertainment ...
'', October 1, 2000. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
With New York City appearing as a symbol of corruption under Mayor Walker, Governor
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...
knew he had to do something about Walker and his administration. Knowing that the state constitution could allow an elected mayor to be removed from office, Roosevelt felt compelled to do so but risked losing Tammany Hall's support for the Democratic nomination for president. On the other hand, if Roosevelt did nothing or let Walker off, the national newspapers would consider him weak.
Facing pressure from Roosevelt, Walker eluded questions about his personal bank accounts, stating instead that the amounts he received were "beneficences" and not bribes.
He delayed any personal appearances until after
Roosevelt's nomination was secured. It was then that the embattled mayor could fight no longer. Months from his
national election, Roosevelt decided that he must remove Walker from office. Walker agreed and resigned on September 1, 1932.
Later life and legacy
Walker went on a grand tour of
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
with Compton, his
Ziegfeld girl.
He announced on November 12, 1932, while aboard the
SS ''Conte Grande'', that he had "no desire or intention of ever holding public office again." Walker stayed in Europe until the danger of criminal prosecution appeared remote.
There, he married Compton while in
Cannes, France.
After his return to the United States, Walker acted as head of
Majestic Records, which included such popular performing artists as
Louis Prima
Louis Leo Prima (; December 7, 1910 – August 24, 1978) was an American trumpeter, singer, entertainer, and bandleader. While rooted in New Orleans jazz, swing music, and jump blues, Prima touched on various genres throughout his career: he ...
and
Bud Freeman.
He and Compton would adopt two children, Mary Ann Walker and James J. Walker.
In 1940 he had his own radio series on
WHN, ''Jimmy Walker's Opportunity Hour'', with
Henry Gladstone serving as announcer. The same year, Compton began divorce action against Walker, with the divorce becoming official on March 15, 1941.
He died on November 18, 1946 at the age of 65 of a brain hemorrhage. He was interred in the
Gate of Heaven Cemetery in
Hawthorne, New York.
When Walker was a member of the New York State Senate, he sponsored the "Walker Law" to legalize
boxing
Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...
in New York. He was honored a number of times over the years by the boxing community. Walker is a member of the
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF), located in Canastota, New York, right next to exit 34 of the New York State Thruway, honors boxers, trainers and other contributors to the sport worldwide. Inductees are selected on ballots cre ...
and was given the
Edward J. Neil Trophy in 1945 for his service to the sport.
He also spent many summers in
Atlantic Beach, New York, sometimes during his term as mayor, and afterward, for he was friends with its founder, William Austin.
A 1993 survey of historians, political scientists and urban experts conducted by Melvin G. Holli of the
University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) is a public research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, adjacent to the Chicago Loop. The second campus established under the Universi ...
ranked Walker as the third-worst American big-city mayor to have served between the years 1820 and 1993.
In popular culture
A romanticized version of Walker's tenure as mayor was presented in the 1957 film ''
Beau James
''Beau James'' is a 1957 American drama film directed by Melville Shavelson and starring Bob Hope, Vera Miles, Paul Douglas (actor), Paul Douglas and Alexis Smith. It is based on a non-fiction book of the same name by Gene Fowler. The film featu ...
'', starring
Bob Hope
Leslie Townes "Bob" Hope (May 29, 1903 – July 27, 2003) was an American comedian, actor, entertainer and producer with a career that spanned nearly 80 years and achievements in vaudeville, network radio, television, and USO Tours. He appeared ...
. This was a somewhat accurate depiction of Walker, who during his time as mayor had become a symbol of the jazz age romanticism.
The film was based on a biography of Walker, also titled ''Beau James'', written by
Gene Fowler. A song by
Dean Martin
Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor, and comedian. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Cool", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of ...
, similarly titled "Beau James", presented a highly idealized and romantic interpretation of his tenure as mayor. A book was also the basis of ''
Jimmy
Jimmy may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Jimmy'' (2008 film), a 2008 Hindi thriller directed by Raj N. Sippy
* ''Jimmy'' (1979 film), a 1979 Indian Malayalam film directed by Melattoor Ravi Varma
* ''Jimmy'' (2013 f ...
'', a stage musical about Walker that had a brief Broadway run from October 1969 to January 1970. The show starred
Frank Gorshin as Walker and
Anita Gillette as Betty Compton. There is also a song about Walker in the stage musical ''
Fiorello!'', "Gentleman Jimmy".
See also
*
List of mayors of New York City
The mayor of New York City is the chief executive of the Government of New York City, as stipulated by New York City's charter. The current officeholder, the 110th in the sequence of regular mayors, is Eric Adams, a member of the Democratic ...
*
List of covers of ''Time'' magazine (1920s) – January 11, 1926, May 20, 1929.
*
New York City mayoral elections
References
Works cited
*
Further reading
* Mitgang, Herbert. ''Once Upon a Time in New York: Jimmy Walker, Franklin Roosevelt, and the Last Great Battle of the Jazz Age'' (Cooper Square Press, 2000)
External links
Tammany Hall Links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walker, Jimmy
1881 births
1946 deaths
Burials at Gate of Heaven Cemetery (Hawthorne, New York)
American people of Irish descent
Majority leaders of the New York State Senate
Mayors of New York City
Democratic Party members of the New York State Assembly
New York Law School alumni
Democratic Party New York (state) state senators
Songwriters from New York (state)
Xavier High School (New York City) alumni
People from Greenwich Village
American people of English descent
20th-century American songwriters
20th-century mayors of places in New York (state)
20th-century members of the New York State Legislature