James J. Walker
97th Mayor of New York City[1]
In office
January 1, 1926 – September 1, 1932
Preceded by John F. Hylan
Succeeded by Joseph V. McKee
Personal details
Born (1881-06-19)June 19, 1881
New York City, United States
Died November 18, 1946(1946-11-18) (aged 65)
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Janet Walker (1st wife); Betty Compton (2nd wife)
Religion Roman Catholic

James John Walker, often known as Jimmy Walker and colloquially as Beau James (June 19, 1881 – November 18, 1946), was the mayor of New York City from 1926 to 1932. During a corruption scandal he was forced to resign.

Contents

Life and career [link]

Walker was the son of Irish-born William Walker, a Democratic assemblyman and alderman from Greenwich Village, belying certain accounts of Walker's childhood that stated he grew up in poverty. Before entering politics, the young Jimmy Walker worked as a songwriter, his most popular composition being "Will You Love Me in December (as You Do in May)?" He attended Xavier High School (New York City), and New York Law School.

Walker was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1910 to 1914, and of the New York State Senate from 1914 to 1925. He was President pro tempore of the New York State Senate from 1923 to 1924.

In 1926 he became Mayor of New York City, having defeated incumbent John F. Hylan in the 1925 Democratic primary with the help of Governor Alfred E. Smith and Tammany Hall. The initial years of his mayoralty were a prosperous time for the city, with many public works projects. However, Walker's term was also known for the proliferation of speakeasies during the Prohibition era. His affairs with "chorus girls" were widely known, and he left his wife, Janet, for showgirl Betty Compton without impairing his popularity. He managed to maintain the five-cent subway fare despite a threatened strike.

Walker won re-election by an overwhelming margin in 1929, defeating Republican Fiorello La Guardia and Socialist Norman Thomas. Walker's fortunes turned downward with the economy – due to 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.

Increasing social unrest led to investigations into corruption within his administration, and he was eventually forced to testify before the investigative committee of Judge Samuel Seabury, the Seabury Commission. He was accused of accepting large bribes from businessmen seeking contracts or favorable legislation.

Facing pressure from Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Walker resigned from office on September 1, 1932, and promptly fled for Europe until the danger of criminal prosecution appeared remote. There, he married Betty Compton.

The grave of Jimmy Walker in Gate of Heaven Cemetery

After his return to the United States, for a time Walker acted as head of Majestic Records. He died at the age of 65, in 1946.[2] 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" which legalized boxing 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 and was given the Edward J. Neil Trophy in 1945 for his service to the sport.

In popular culture [link]

A romanticized version of Walker's tenure as mayor was presented in the 1957 film Beau James, starring Bob Hope.[3] The film was based on a biography of Walker, also titled Beau James, written by Gene Fowler. This same book was also the basis for Jimmy a stage musical about Walker that had a brief Broadway run from October 1969 to January 1970, starring Frank Gorshin as Walker and Anita Gillette as Betty Compton.[4] There is also a song about Walker in the stage musical Fiorello!, "Gentleman Jimmy".[5]

Footage of Jimmy Walker is used in the 1983 Woody Allen film, Zelig, with Walker being one the guests during Zelig's visit to Randolph Hearst's mansion, San Simeon.

The novel It Can't Happen Here, by Sinclair Lewis, lists the exiles in Paris as "Jimmy Walker, and a few ex-presidents from South America and Cuba."[6]

Mayor Walker was referenced in the December 6, 2010 episode of the ABC (USA) television series, Castle.

The political and criminal activity surrounding Walker's 1929 campaign features heavily in Tom Bradby's 2009 novel 'Blood Money'.

See also [link]

References [link]

Notes

External links [link]


New York Assembly
Preceded by
John Eagleton
New York State Assembly, New York County 5th District
1910–1914
Succeeded by
Maurice McDonald
New York State Senate
Preceded by
James McClelland
New York State Senate, 13th District
1915–1918
Succeeded by
John J. Boylan
Preceded by
Jacob Koenig
New York State Senate, 12th District
1919–1925
Succeeded by
Elmer Quinn
Political offices
Preceded by
James A. Foley
Minority Leader of the New York State Senate
1919–1922
Succeeded by
Clayton R. Lusk
Preceded by
Clayton R. Lusk
President pro tempore of the New York State Senate
1923–1924
Succeeded by
John Knight
Preceded by
Clayton R. Lusk
Minority Leader of the New York State Senate
1925
Succeeded by
Bernard Downing
Preceded by
John F. Hylan
Mayor of New York City
1926—1932
Succeeded by
Joseph V. McKee
Awards
Preceded by
Benny Leonard
Edward J. Neil Trophy
1945
Succeeded by
Tony Zale

https://wn.com/Jimmy_Walker

Jimmy Walker (basketball, born 1913)

James Edwin "Jimmy" Walker (1913 – December 22, 1943) was an American football and basketball coach. Walker played both basketball and football for the University of Alabama before he took his first coaching job upon graduation at El Dorado High School. After only one year at El Dorado, Walker went on to serve as head basketball and as an assistant football coach at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI). During his tenure as head coach of the Keydets, Walker compiled an overall record of 27–39. In 1942, Walker resigned his coaching positions and joined the United States Navy. Walker died at the age of 30 in Brazil on December 22, 1943, as a result of injuries sustained as part of his military service.

Early years

Walker was born in 1913 in Anniston, Alabama. In 1925, he moved with his family to Holt where he became a star athlete at Holt High School. After high school, Walker enrolled at the University of Alabama where he would play on both the basketball and football teams. As a member of the football team, he was a substitute on the 1934 squad that won both the Rose Bowl and national championship. In his senior season, Walker was selected as captain of the 1935 squad. As a member of the basketball team, Walker played forward and was named All-SEC for both the 1933–34 and 1934–35 seasons and as Kellogg All America in 1934–35. He was also named captain of the 1934–35 squad.

Jimmy Walker (golfer)

James William Walker (born January 16, 1979) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. After playing in 187 events without a win on the PGA Tour, Walker won three times in the first eight events of the 2014 PGA Tour season.

Early life

Walker was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. After high school, he attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he played on the varsity golf team, the Baylor Bears. Walker turned professional in 2001, at age 22.

Professional career

Nationwide Tour

Walker played on the Nationwide Tour full-time in 2003 and 2004. In 2004 he won the first two professional events of his career at the BellSouth Panama Championship and the Chitimacha Louisiana Open. Walker ended the 2004 season as the Nationwide Tour's leading money winner and won Player of the Year honors, while in the process earning his PGA Tour card for the first time.

PGA Tour

Walker only played in nine PGA Tour events in 2005 due to injury, making only three cuts and a best finish of 17th at the MCI Heritage. He played his first full season on the PGA Tour in 2006, where he played in 21 events. He did not enjoy a very successful season, making nine cuts and recording only one top-25 finish. He ended the season 202nd on the money list, which was not enough to retain his playing rights. Walker went back to the Nationwide Tour in 2007, where he added a third title to his name at the National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic and finished in 25th place on the Nationwide Tour's money list, which qualified him for a PGA Tour card for the 2008 season. Again, Walker endured a difficult season, making 13 cuts in 24 events, but with only three top-25 finishes. He ended the year 192nd on the FedEx Cup Standings and entered the year end Q-school to try and regain his card. He finished in a tie for 11th, which was enough to regain his card for the 2009 PGA Tour season.

James Walker

James, Jim, Jimmie, or Jimmy Walker may refer to:

Politics

  • Sir James Walker, 2nd Baronet (1829–1899), British politician from Beverley
  • James Walker (Alberta politician) (1874–after 1907), Canadian politician from Alberta
  • James Walker (Australian politician) (1841–1923), Scottish-born Australian banker and politician
  • James Walker (Canadian judge) (1756–1800), English-born Canadian lawyer, judge and politician in Lower Canada
  • James Walker (MP) (c. 1635–1692), English politician from Exeter
  • James Walker (New South Wales politician) (1785–1856), member of the New South Wales Legislative Council
  • James Walker (Labour politician) (1883–1945), British politician from Newport and Motherwell
  • James A. Walker (1832–1901), American military officer and politician
  • James B. Walker (1812–1877), American politician in Michigan
  • James D. Walker (1830–1906), American politician from Arkansas
  • James Edgar Walker (1911–1989), Canadian politician from Ontario
  • James H. Walker (died 1954), Canadian politician in Alberta
  • Jimmy Walker (footballer, born 1973)

    James Barry "Jimmy" Walker (born 9 July 1973) is an English professional football goalkeeper who is currently goalkeeping coach at Gillingham.

    Early life

    Walker was born on 9 July 1973 at 3.00am in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, weighing 7lbs 13oz. His father, Barry, was employed as a miner before working in an office, while his mother ran her own hairdressing salon. He has a younger sister, Elizabeth. When Walker was eleven years old, his parents divorced, and he continued to live with his mother. Within a year, his father married again to his step-mother, Hilary.

    Club career

    Walsall

    Walker joined Notts County as a trainee in July 1991, but failed to make a first appearance and moved to Walsall in August 1993, making his debut in the same month. He went on to make 475 appearances in all competitions for Walsall in eleven years, the most by any goalkeeper for the club, and became a cult hero at Bescot Stadium. While at Walsall, he was a key player in three promotion seasons, and won their Player of the Season award twice. He was awarded a testimonial in the summer of 2003. Walker's popularity proved such that an autobiography was commissioned to coincide with his testimonial season; ghosted by Walsall programme editor, Andrew Poole, it proved to be a relative success with fans of Walsall and of West Ham United.

    Jimmy Walker (footballer, born 1925)

    Jimmy Walker (born 1925) was a Scottish footballer, who played as a winger for Renfrew, Hearts, Partick Thistle and Third Lanark. Walker represented Scotland once, in January 1946. He was born in Detroit.

    References


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