As the BBC America original crime drama COPPER shows, 1860s New York was full of random and unspeakable violence. And this murder, which took place in what is now the posh Manhattan neighborhood of Sutton Place, was exactly that.
James Smith, William Rabitaille and a small group of men and women had been picnicking in Jones’ Wood, a popular spot (on what’s now the Upper East Side) for the working-class to drink beer, wave flags, play music and participate in other activities that were banned in Central Park. Smith and his group left by taking a boat on the East River—and they decided to take the oars from another boat. A fatal decision.
Watching Copper, you’d think that New York in the 1860s was all about brass-knuckle brawls in bordellos, opium-fueled sex romps, and chasing criminals with names like Buzzy Burke through seedy Five Points. But there was a lighter side—in an era where finding the next cat with eyebrows wasn’t so easy, P.T. Barnum was the public’s point of entry to the world of the bizarre and extraordinary. Yes, the same man behind the famous circus…
Last season on Copper, we got a good look at the way 1860s New Yorkers lived. We discovered their fashion, pastimes, slang, and gruesome water cooler talk. Lately, New Yorkers have been spending their time loving—and hating—Citi Bike and everything it brings to the table. But that obsession with the bicycle dates all the way back to its invention in the 19th century and, later, the Golden Age of Bicycles. Those early bikes were…
Sipping a cocktail may be about enjoying the moment, but shouldn’t you pause to appreciate its origins once in a while? America has a storied past when it comes to mixed drinks, but we owe a lot of the classics to Jerry Thomas, our very first mixologist. He was also the first to write down his recipes, publishing The Bar-Tender’s Guide in 1862 and giving us sugar- or salt-rimmed drinks, dramatic flaming cocktails, and…
While today’s news are filled with shocking crimes with awful details, they are as random and senseless as the ones of the 19th century. Starting on Sunday, June 23, BBC America’s critically-acclaimed original crime drama, COPPER, returns, set in the tumultuous year of 1865 with Detective Kevin Corcoran examining the evil that lurks in Five Points and beyond. Today, through June 24, we’re giving you a chance to exercise your skills of detection and win an iPad Mini and a copy of Gotham at War: New York City, 1860-1865. Five runners-up will receive COPPER’s first season on DVD.
Finding himself in South Central L.A. in the early ’90s, working as a janitor and seeking sobriety through volunteer work, Donal Logue wasn’t really thinking of acting. He’d been in a couple TV movies before moving to California, sure, but the hopelessness of the Hollywood scene had put him in a bad enough place that a turkey sandwich at the end of the day was a blessing.
Whodunit it? Find out!
This Sunday, Academy Award®-winner Barry Levinson and Emmy® Award-winner Tom Fontana’s intriguing and eagerly anticipated new cop drama, COPPER, premieres on BBC America at 10/9c. The 1860s New York-set series follows Detective Kevin Corcoran trying to bring justice in the lawless outpost of Five Points. And, to help you with your immersion in old New York, here’s a handy guide below: Molly Stuart (Tanya Fischer) in COPPER (BBC America)…
The second half of the 19th century was a tumultuous one for Washington D.C., as the Civil War ripped apart the country and actually contributed to the city’s growth: With soldiers coming into the city to defend it and other government agencies needed to handle the war effort, the population grew from 75,000 in 1860 to over 130,000 in 1870. By 1890, there were nearly a quarter of a million residents—the Capitol Building’s expansion…
While today’s news are filled with shocking crimes with awful details, they are as grisly and lurid as they were in the 19th century. Starting this Sunday, August 19, BBC America’s intense new crime drama, COPPER, delves into the underworld of 1860s New York with Detective Kevin Corcoran examining the evil that lurks in Five Points and beyond. Today, through August 21, we’re giving you a chance to exercise your skills of detection and…