Since 1920, Philadelphia has gone without a Thanksgiving Day parade only twice — once because of poor weather, and once because of a global pandemic. But nearly four decades ago, another formidable foe — corporate sponsorship — threatened the city’s beloved holiday tradition.
That’s not a bad record for the country’s oldest Thanksgiving Day parade, which Gimbel Brothers Department Store launched with a humble procession through Center City. For more than 60 years, the festivities ended with Santa Claus climbing a ladder into the window of the Gimbels store at Ninth and Market Streets, signaling the start of the holiday season.
Until 1986, that is. Gimbels by then had fallen on hard times and, following its sale to the highest bidder, was liquidated. Its Philadelphia-area locations were to be converted into Stern’s department stores, and Gimbels hoped to pass the baton to that chain to keep the Thanksgiving Day tradition alive.
The problem was that Stern’s and its parent company, Allied Stores Corp., were not interested.
“I think the best we could do this fast is to buy the Mummers some T-shirts,” Allied Stores chairman Thomas Macioce told the Daily News in 1986.
The parade that year, however, became bigger and better than it had ever been. Here is how The Inquirer and Daily News covered it:
Article from Jun 18, 1986 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
‘We can’t be ready in time’
A deal in the Gimbels sale emerged in June 1986 and, right away, the Thanksgiving Day parade was on the chopping block, at least for that year. Allied officials claimed no planning had yet been done and there was no way to put it together in time.
That, it turns out, wasn’t true. Ann Stuart, a Gimbels executive, told the Daily News that parade organizers had been proceeding as though the parade would be held as scheduled. And Barbara Fenhagen, the city’s special events coordinator, said planning was going ahead as usual.
Either way, Stern’s and Allied’s lack of interest left the city in a tight spot. Aug. 15 was the last day orders could go in for the floats to be ready on time, marking a hard deadline to find a sponsor. Whoever took up the role would be expected to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars.
“We will do everything we can to make sure that [the parade’s] appearance is not interrupted, even for one year,” Fenhagen said at the time.
Article from Jul 16, 1986 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
‘Don’t rain on our parade’
As the controversy wore on, Philadelphians and the local press grieved and snarled at the potential loss of a holiday tradition. The Daily News seemed to plead for Stern’s to reconsider.
“Please don’t rain on our parade,” the People Paper wrote in an editorial. “To Philadelphians of all ages, it launches the holiday season in a special and heartwarming way.”
Business columnist Jack Roberts struck a more combative tone, likening Stern’s to a houseguest who begins a conversation “by spitting in your face.” He later suggested that readers send back Stern’s junk mail to the company’s “Scrooge” executives with the phrase “I want the parade” scrawled across it.
Special events professionals, meanwhile, warned that forgoing the sponsorship might create a bad name for Stern’s that would be difficult to overcome.
“Philadelphians have a way of remembering,” special events consultant Shelly Picker said.
Article from Nov 21, 1986 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
‘We’re delighted’
The search for a new lead sponsor was arduous, with city officials approaching “most every local company that breathes,” according to a Daily News report. A number of bigger local outfits — ranging from Meridian Bancorp to Kiddie City — bowed out over cost and branding concerns.
Then, after 56 days of limbo, the Thanksgiving Day parade was back on. And it was thanks to WPVI (Channel 6), better known today as 6abc.
“When it became clear that because of the time frame and other commitments most were unable to assume that mantle, we decided to do it — and we’re delighted,” said the station’s general manager, Rick Spinner.
The station had been airing the parade locally for 19 years and seemed to be a natural fit to take over. And, as the Daily News reported, the city had been pressuring Channel 6 to come up with a plan, seeing as the station benefited significantly from broadcasting the day’s festivities.
The parade would go on to be known as the “Channel 6 Thanksgiving Day Parade.” But that was not the only — or even the biggest — change afoot.
Article from Sep 24, 1986 Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
‘Establishing new traditions’
Channel 6 brought in the big guns straight away. Namely, by hiring a parade coordinator named Valerie Lagauskas, who previously managed the Macy’s parade in New York and wrote a book on parade planning.
A number of changes came under Lagauskas’ leadership, including a new route. Instead of starting at the Philadelphia Art Museum and marching toward City Hall, as had been tradition, the parade would reverse direction and end at the Art Museum. The route would allow for the use of larger balloons, bigger floats, and better camera angles for the parade’s telecast.
The full parade that year would also be broadcast nationally for the first time, appearing on the Lifetime network, in which ABC was part owner.
In total, there would be 20 bands, 20 floats, 8 gigantic balloons, and 40 other balloons that were merely very large, The Inquirer reported. A massive balloon of the cartoon cat Heathcliff would make its debut. The theme, fittingly, would be “We Love a Parade.” And leading it all as parade marshal would be Sixers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving,
“The old Philadelphia parade has been liberated from its commercial traditions and we’re on the way to establishing new traditions,” Lagauskas said.
Article from Nov 28, 1986 The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) <!— –>
‘The best ever’
On parade day, more than 500,000 spectators were expected to attend. And, according to reports from the time, they were not disappointed.
Not only were there better floats and a more picturesque route, but paradegoers also were met with unseasonably warm temperatures.
“It’s the first time we’ve been to a Thanksgiving Day parade where you could get a sunburn,” one attendee joked.
The parade itself seemingly went off without a hitch, concluding on the steps of the Art Museum as Santa Claus pulled up to a rendition of “Happy Holidays.” Musicians and dancers let go of green and white balloons that drifted out over the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to cheers.
And at least one Philadelphian didn’t forget who saved the day. Donna Harris, 30, of Audubon, who had attended the parade yearly since she was 5, was spotted holding a sign that read “Thank You WPVI.”
If you’re heading to grandma’s house ahead of Thanksgiving this week, you might want to pack an umbrella — but other than that, it looks like relatively smooth sailing for Turkey Day.
Forecasters at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly predict a period of rainy weather ahead of the holiday, with a warm, wet Tuesday and Wednesday giving way to a dry, breezy Thursday. The weekend, meanwhile, looks to be colder, with some potential rainfall Sunday, but no severe weather appears to be on tap, weather service meteorologist Nick Guzzo said.
“It looks to be just some rain and a possible isolated rumble of thunder,” Guzzo said.
Showers are expected to arrive in the Philadelphia region Tuesday afternoon, bringing periodic bouts of rain that will stick around through Wednesday, producing around a half-inch of rain, the weather service estimates. Forecasters do not expect any severe weather, but local rainfall totals could hit up to an inch in some areas, and some thunder in the morning is possible.
Along with the wet weather comes a warm front resulting in milder temperatures likely nearing 60 degrees that will continue through Wednesday evening.
By late Wednesday, forecasters predict, a cold front is likely to move in, dropping temperatures and drying out the rain. By Thanksgiving morning, high temperatures are expected to reach only the 40s, with breezy weather throughout the day that will likely bring wind chills in the 30s.
Thursday’s windy weather could bring gusts around 30 mph, Guzzo said. Representatives for Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving Day parade said they were keeping a close eye on the weather and anticipate the balloons will fly.
“But should the weather not cooperate, we have contingency plans in place,” said Mike Monsell, spokesperson for parade sponsor 6abc.
Balloons in Philly’s Thanksgiving parade were last grounded due to high winds in 2019 — though wind gusts that year reached high speeds of up to 50 mph. Before that, the parade’s balloons had not been grounded since 1997, when similarly high winds kicked up on Thanksgiving Day.
Friday and Saturday are expected to bring a preview of winter weather with morning lows in the upper 20s — roughly 4 to 6 degrees below average for this time of year. That is thanks to the cold front moving through the area, Guzzo said, which will keep highs in the low to mid-40s.
As for weekend rain, Saturday looks dry, but as milder conditions take hold, there is a slight chance of rain Sunday to close out the weekend.
Longtime Philly radio host Matt Cord will serve as the late Pierre Robert’s successor for WMMR’s midday slot starting next month, the station’s parent company, Beasley Media Group, announced Monday.
“Nobody replaces Pierre — let’s make that clear,” Cord said in a statement. “I promise to carry his amazing spirit into the studio bearing his name and do my best to make him proud.”
Cord will take on Robert’s former time slot starting Dec. 1, and leaves behind the morning slot at WMGK he took on in 2023 following fellow radio veteran John DeBella’s retirement. Cord previously helmed the midday time slot at WMMR briefly in the 1990s, when Robert switched to mornings, and his return to the rock station marks his third run there.
A replacement for Cord at WMGK is expected to be announced “in the coming weeks,” Beasley said.
A longtime friend of Robert’s, Cord has been appearing on the air in Philadelphia for about 40 years, and, in addition to stints at WMMR and WMGK, previously hosted mornings at BEN-FM and helmed the afternoon drive slot at Y-100. In addition to his radio work, Cord has served as the Sixers’ in-arena announcer for more than 20 years.
Despite his Philly radio pedigree, Cord, a Glen Mills native, noted that “no one can step into [Robert’s] sparkling high-top Converse and fill them.” Instead, he said, he hopes to “carry on” Robert’s role in tribute.
“Everyone at the station is so grateful that our longtime friend and radio family member Matt Cord is willing to take that on,” WMMR program director Chuck Damico said. “No one can replace Pierre, but I know that Matt can do him proud and Pierre would absolutely 100% approve of this. We will all continue to honor Pierre in everything we do forever.”
Robert, 70, was found dead in is home in Gladwyne on Oct. 29, prompting an outpouring of grief from friends and fans. A Northern California native, Robert joined WMMR as an on-air host in 1981, and quickly became one of Philadelphia’s most distinctive and well-liked radio personalities.
Following Robert’s death, hundreds of fans and friends flooded Rittenhouse Square, one of the late radio host’s favorite spots in Philadelphia. Among those who showed up to honor him were WXPN host Jim McGuinn, B101 host and former Preston & Steve cohost Kathy Romano, a slew of WMMR staffers, and Cord himself, The Inquirer previously reported.
Next month, WMMR plans to host a tribute concert for Robert dubbed Pierre Robert: A Show of Life. Set to take place at the Fillmore on Dec. 17, the show will feature appearances from the Hooters, Brent Smith and Zach Meyers of Shinedown, Lizzy Hale and Joe Hottinger of Halestorm, and Ed Roland of Collective Soul.
“We will sing, dance, and celebrate in the way Pierre would have wanted us to,” Damico said of the concert.
Philadelphia International Airport will reopen two U.S. Transportation Security Administration-run security checkpoints that were closed two weeks ago amid the government shutdown.
PHL’s Terminal A-West and Terminal F security checkpoints are slated to reopen Thursday, the airport announced via social media. Once opened, the checkpoints will operate on their regular schedules, with Terminal A-West running from 5 a.m. to 10:15 p.m., and Terminal F running from 4:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
“We appreciate your patience as we collaborated with the TSA to maintain efficient security operations,” the airport said. “And thank you to our staff for supporting travelers throughout the closure.”
The airport closed those terminals on Nov. 5 at the request of the TSA, which was affected by the then-ongoing shutdown of the federal government. Amid the shutdown, which began Oct. 1, roughly 800 TSA officers continued screening luggage and staffing airport checkpoints without pay, and employees with the agency missed their first full paychecks on Oct. 24, The Inquirer reported.
The checkpoints’ closures, airport officials said, were temporary, though no date for their return was provided at the time they were shuttered. Checkpoints at Terminals A-East, B, C, and D/E remained operational.
The shutdown also brought a flight-reduction order from the Federal Aviation Administration, which required airlines to, in phases, eliminate 10% of their scheduled trips at 40 of the nation’s busiest airports — PHL included. Designed to ease pressure on air traffic controllers, who were experiencing staffing shortages, that order caused a number of flight delays and cancellations at PHL and other airports around the country.
The flight-reduction order was lifted Sunday, when the FAA retracted its mandate following the end of the shutdown last week. Federal legislators on Nov. 12 reached a deal to fund the government through at least Jan. 30, stopping the shutdown after 43 days — the longest stoppage in history.
Flight schedules at PHL were expected to return to normal quickly. That return to normal, as well as the reopening of the two formerly closed TSA checkpoints, comes just ahead of the holiday travel season, which the airport expects to bring about 1 million passengers through its gates between Friday and Dec. 2.
Philadelphia police have arrested a man suspected of killing one person and injuring another in a shooting last month near the sports complex at Broad Street and Packer Avenue in South Philadelphia.
Abou Keita, 22, was arrested Monday on the 2200 block of South Felton Street in Southwest Philadelphia, where police found him inside a parked vehicle. He was taken into custody and has been charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, and other offenses in connection with the Oct. 9 shooting, officials said.
That incident unfolded just after 6:10 p.m., when police responded to reports of a shooting near the intersection of Packer Avenue and Broad Street. Responding officers found an Audi sedan with 15 bullet holes just south of the intersection, police said.
Police also discovered Hasson Mason, 23, laying in the street with multiple gunshot wounds to his face and body just north of the intersection on Broad. He was taken to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Another victim, also a 23-year-old man, was found in front of Chickie’s & Pete’s, a popular restaurant near the sports complex on the 1500 block of Packer Avenue, with gunshot wounds to the torso. The victim, whom police did not identify, was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition.
Officials previously told The Inquirer that spent shell casings and a discarded ammunition magazine were discovered near the two shooting scenes. The Audi sedan police discovered struck another car on Broad Street, but the driver in the second vehicle was not harmed, police said.
Police have not said what may have led to the shooting.
Following a cybersecurity breach at the University of Pennsylvania last month, an anonymous hacker claimed that they had compromised data for some 1.2 million students, donors, and alumni — a figure that the school now says is inaccurate.
The university said that a forensic investigation into the breach remains ongoing and that a “precise number” for the amount of records that were improperly accessed was not yet available.
A timeline of when that investigation would be concluded was not provided, with the school noting that analysis of the breach would “take time to complete.”
“While our investigation is ongoing, we do not currently have evidence to indicate that information involved in this incident has been used for the purposes of fraud,” the university said.
The incident was reported Oct. 31, when students and alumni received what the school called a “fraudulent” email crudely criticizing Penn’s hiring practices. The message, which also called on recipients to stop donating money to the university, appeared to come from Penn’s Graduate School of Education.
“We have terrible security practices and are completely unmeritocratic,” the email said.
The breach, the university said, came as a result of “sophisticated identity impersonation commonly known as social engineering,” which is a hacking technique in which “bad actors deceive individuals into giving up confidential information.”
Systems accessed included “Penn’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system (Salesforce), file repositories (SharePoint and Box), a reporting application (Qlikview), as well as Marketing Cloud,” the school added.
Electronic medical records from Penn Medicine do not appear to have been accessed in the breach. In its update Friday, the university said that it would notify individuals whose information had been accessed once its analysis of the incident was complete.
The data, according to the Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn’s student newspaper, included memos about donors and their families, receipts of bank transactions, and personal information. The DP said that it reviewed documents released by the alleged hacker on LeakForum and that the perpetrator claimed to have accessed data on 1.2 million Penn students, alumni, and donors.
The Verge, a technology publication, reported that among the items obtained was personal information about former President Joe Biden, whose granddaughter had been a student at Penn. The hacker claiming responsibility for the breach told the outlet that they planned to sell some of the data before releasing it publicly.
Beyond disputing the 1.2 million figure, Penn has not commented on what information was accessed.
Following news of the breach, more than a dozen proposed class-action lawsuits were filed against the university in federal and state courts alleging that Penn failed to secure the personal information of those affected.
The litigation is still in its early stages, and Penn hasn’t yet responded to the allegations in court filings. On Monday, attorneys who filed 10 of the 14 federal lawsuits in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania asked the court to consolidate the cases.
On its information page about the incident, Penn warned school community members to “be wary of suspicious calls or emails that could be phishing attempts,” as well as “any embedded links in emails that you are not familiar with.”
It also advised concerned individuals to take steps such as reviewing their credit reports and activating fraud alerts with major credit bureaus.
“We recognize the severity of this incident and are working diligently to address it,” the university said.
Staff writers Abraham Gutman and Susan Snyder contributed to this article.
The Flyers, Sixers, and Xfinity Mobile Arena on Thursday announced a new partnership with Bank of America, which will serve as the arena and teams’ banking partner this season. In addition to naming rights for the Club Level, the deal includes community efforts aimed at benefiting small businesses and youth sports.
“It just is historic on many levels, in that we’re three iconic brands coming together,” said Comcast Spectator chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty. “We’re focused on being key players in Xfinity Mobile Arena, and Bank of America will partner with us on doing some really, really fun things in the community.” Comcast Spectacor owns both the arena and the Flyers.
The deal, for which financial details were not disclosed, is “the most significant partnership” Bank of America has undertaken in its 20-plus years in the Philadelphia market, said Bank of America Greater Philadelphia president Jim Dever. Among its focuses is serving as a presenting partner in the Sixers’ small-business initiatives, such as the Spirit of Small Business Program and the Enrich Program, which benefit independent local businesses with aid and promotion.
“This is an area that’s a prime focus to us, to be able to drive further economic mobility through small business and amplify their mission, and draw more patronage their way,” Dever said.
The company will also head a youth-hockey-focused initiative in which it plans to donate up to $250,000 worth of hockey equipment to Philadelphia-area schools. Additional programs aimed at youth development and small business support will also be established, the organizations said in a statement, but details remain forthcoming.
Tad Brown, CEO of the Sixers and Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, said the partnership would allow the organizations to come together to “amplify all of our resources to benefit our fans and the region.”
Despite its new banking partner, however, Xfinity Mobile Arena will likely remain cashless, and Dever said the organizations were not envisioning ATMs on the premises. Though, the partnership may create a small change for Hilferty.
“I’m going to have to go elsewhere to get my cash,” he joked. “But that’s OK.”
HBO's Task once again brought the Philadelphia region back into the spotlight over its seven-episode run, showcasing a slew of local spots from Ridley Township to Coatesville and beyond.
And with the series wrapped, we can say: Creator Brad Ingelsby did right by Delco, where the series is largely set.
Sure, the accents were pretty great — but as we look back at the show, it's clear that the Philadelphia region was integral to Task. Here, we've rounded up all the local spots — sans private homes — we could identify in Task. Check out the map below to see what locations wound up the show, and why the series takes us there:
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Aston Township
Mirenda Center at Neumann University
First seen in episode one
Courtesy of Neumann University
Tom (Mark Ruffalo) mans a table at a job fair here while temporarily working as a recruiter for the FBI. Next to his station, the distinctive pillars of the center’s atrium are visible.
Collingdale
Rita’s Italian Ice & Frozen Custard
First seen in episode one
Alejandro A. Alvarez / Staff Photographer
Emily (Silvia Dionicio), Tom’s daughter, works her part-time job here. In the scene where it is shown, Tom orders a black cherry water ice, a flavor choice of which we approve.
Philadelphia
Former Philadelphia Police Department Headquarters
First seen in episode one
Jessica Griffin / Staff Photographer
We get a brief glimpse of the exterior of the former Philadelphia police headquarters, colloquially known as the Roundhouse. Whether the interior is the same building is unclear, but in the show, this appears to be where the FBI’s Philly field office is located.
Bangor
Bangor Quarry
First seen in episode one
Robbie (Tom Pelphrey), Cliff (Raúl Castillo), and Peaches (Owen Teague) head here for a post-robbery swim. On a real-life note, you should not do the same — not only is it dangerous, but it’s also trespassing, according to the Bangor Borough Police Department.
Coatesville
Lincoln Highway and 2nd Avenue
First seen in episode two
TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
The Dark Hearts motorcycle gang rides through this intersection in formation, the giveaway being Presence Bank in the background in one shot.
Coatesville
Polish American Citizens Club
First seen in episode two
Courtesy of HBO
Done up as the so-called Lefty’s Taproom in the show, this location serves as the Dark Hearts’ clubhouse and watering hole. In real life, it’s just off Lincoln Highway, lending a bit of realism to the gang’s ride through downtown Coatesville.
Aston Township
Martin’s Taphouse
First seen in episode two
Martin's stands in as the exterior of the Tip Top Lounge in the series, which we see in this episode stacked with motorcycles parked outside the front door.
Sharon Hill
Dixon’s Lounge
First seen in episode two
Courtesy of HBO
While the exterior of the Tip Top Lounge is in Aston, the interior bears a striking resemblance to Delco’s own Dixon’s Lounge. Here, Robbie and Cliff are stood up by an, ahem, “business partner” before walking out on an order of crabfries.
Boothwyn
Willowbrook Shopping Center
First seen in episode two
Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Maeve (Emilia Jones) takes Sam (Ben Lewis Doherty) to a fictional “Val-U Corner” store here with the intent of dropping him off for police to find before the plan goes awry. The store is located near the real Blue Cherry Ice Cream and Bakery, which is visible in the background.
Phoenixville
Phoenixville Area High School
First seen in episode two
During his search for his daughter, Emily (Silvia Dionicio), Tom (Mark Ruffalo) finds her in the dugout of a baseball field that, in real life, is at Phoenixville Area High School. Its distinctive backstop is visible from a bird's-eye view in the series.
Philadelphia
Ralph’s Italian Restaurant
First seen in episode three
MICHAEL KLEIN / Staff
Dark Hearts leaders Jayson (Sam Keeley) and Perry (Jamie McShane) walk through the kitchen here to meet with local drug kingpin Freddy Frias (Elvis Nolasco), but in the show, it doesn’t appear to be serving the Italian food we’re used to in real life.
Aston Township
Mount Hope Cemetery
First seen in episode three
Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
It’s a very quick shot, but it’s there just under four minutes into the episode. In the background, you can see the Commodore Barry Bridge, and graves on a hill in the cemetery in the foreground.
Union Township
Sixpenny Creek Quarry
First seen in episode three
Courtesy of HBO
Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) and Cliff (Raúl Castillo) finally get their meeting with Eryn (Margarita Levieva), their Dark Hearts insider, but it doesn’t go according to plan.
Upper Darby
Llanerch Diner
First seen in episode three
Tom Gralish / Staff Photographer
Taskforce members Aleah (Thuso Mbedu) and Lizzie (Alison Oliver) head to Upper Darby's famed Llanerch Diner for a tip on the drug house robberies they're investigating, and get a break in the case.
Lansdowne
Rosedon Plaza
First seen in episode three
Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer
In the background of one shot during the chase for Ray (Peter Patrikios), you can see the old Doc's Deli (Deli Green). That puts Ray in the corner of the Rosedon Plaza parking lot as Lizzie (Alison Oliver) makes the arrest.
Coatesville
Coatesville Police Department
First seen in episode three
Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
Whether the interior is the same station isn’t clear, but an exterior shot sets this spot up as the place where the Task team interrogates Ray (Peter Patrikios) and Shelley (Mickey Sumner). Out front, a police cruiser reads “Delaware County Sheriff,” which is a little far from home.
Holmes
The Ridley House
First seen in episode three
Isaiah Vazquez / For The Inquirer
Following the chase and interrogation, Lizzie (Alison Oliver) and Grasso (Fabien Frankel) head to this local bar to unwind. Grasso indicates it is a Barnaby’s, which, in real life, was true at one point – until the location became the Ridley House in 2019.
King of Prussia
Pennsylvania Turnpike on-ramp
First seen in episode four
TOM GRALISH / Staff Photographer
It’s a quick shot as Tom (Mark Ruffalo) drives around at the beginning of the episode, but you can just make out the LasikPlus building on Mall Boulevard in the background. That puts this Pennsylvania Turnpike entrance in King of Prussia.
Malvern
I-76 Exit 320
First seen in episode four
Tom (Mark Ruffalo) appears to take this exit as he is driving to meet his fellow taskforce members.
Marcus Hook
Marcus Hook Community Center
First seen in episode four
Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
As County Chief Dorsey (Raphael Sbarge) exits the building, you can see a door tagged with “Delaware County Sheriff’s Office.” But the green awning above him is a dead giveaway — that’s the Marcus Hook Community Center.
Aston Township
Rockdale Industrial Center
First seen in episode four
It's disguised as a trucking depot in the series, but this is where Robbie (Tom Pelphrey) and Cliff (Raúl Castillo) travel with Sam (Ben Lewis Doherty) to arrange transportation for their escape into Canada before being confronted by a Good Samaritan.
Chester
Upland Diner
First seen in episode four
Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
Upland Diner’s parking lot serves as Robbie’s (Tom Pelphrey) holding area during this episode’s drug deal. Unfortunately, we only get an exterior shot of the building, but the restaurant’s vintage-style sign is proudly on display. Great pancakes, for the record.
Newtown Square
Ridley Creek State Park entrance
First seen in episode four
JOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer
Cliff (Raúl Castillo) can be seen turning onto North Sandy Flash Drive from Gradyville Road as he heads to the drug deal meeting spot. If you look closely, you can just barely make out a sign for Ridley Creek State Park.
Wilmington, Del.
Beaver Creek
First seen in episode four
It's tough to spot, but the dam that Cliff (Raúl Castillo) parks his car next to during this episode's failed drug deal — or, more accurately, the Dark Hearts' setup — appears to be in Beaver Creek on the Delaware-Pennsylvania border.
Coatesville
City Clock Apartments
First seen in episode four
Steven M. Falk / For The Inquirer
Another brief shot, but the clock face on the tower of the City Clock Apartments is prominently featured. The building formerly was the National Bank of Coatesville, and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977.
Downingtown
Coatesville-Downingtown Bypass
First seen in episode five
FBI Boss Kathleen McGinty (Martha Plimpton) and the rest of the task force swerve across traffic here while looking for Tom (Mark Ruffalo). In the background, you can just make out the sign for Pacer Pool Services & Supplies.
Downingtown
Marsh Creek State Park
First seen in episode five
After surviving his encounter with Robbie (Tom Pelphrey), Tom (Mark Ruffalo) emerges from the woods to see a beautiful summer scene of families enjoying the lake at Marsh Creek State Park.
Boothwyn
I-95 Pennsylvania Welcome Center
First seen in episode five
Erin Blewett / For The Inquirer
FBI boss Kathleen McGinty (Martha Plimpton) stuffs her face with fast food at the center's picnic tables as the task crew looks for their leader. As McGinty explains, she is “an emotional eater.”
Everett
Woy Bridge
First seen in episode five
In what is likely the farthest-flung filming location – at least in relation to the rest of the local spots – we get some shots of Everett’s Woy Bridge in Bedford County as the taskforce closes in on Robbie (Tom Pelphrey).
Milmont Park
Our Lady of Peace Parish
First seen in episode six
RON TARVER / Staff Photographer
Though disguised well as a juvenile detention facility in the show, this little Delco parish provides at least the exterior shots for where Tom (Mark Ruffalo) meets Sam (Ben Lewis Doherty) for the first time.
Coatesville
High Bridge
First seen in episode seven
This instantly recognizable Coatesville landmark serves as the location for where County Chief Dorsey (Raphael Sbarge) appears to seal Grasso's (Fabien Frankel) fate with the Dark Hearts.
Media
Delaware County Courthouse and Government Center
First seen in episode seven
Courtesy of Delaware County Government Center and Courthouse
Here, Tom (Mark Ruffalo) gives a touching family statement at a court hearing for his son, Ethan (Andrew Russel), in what is the emotional climax of the series. As The Inquirer reported last year, the production took over Courtroom 15 for filming.
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Explore the map of all locations at your own pace. Tap onHover overa pin to learn more.
That's it for Task. But rest assured, if HBO decides to focus on Philly again, we'll be back. Until then, see youse later.
Staff Contributors
Design and Development: Sam Morris
Reporting: Nick Vadala
Editing: Emily Babay
First seen in episode
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Convicted former Philadelphia mob boss John Stanfa made headlines as part of a bloody mafia power struggle in the 1990s, which is now being chronicled in the newly released Netflix docuseries,Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia.
He was missing one thing that many of his contemporaries had — at least in the papers.
A nickname.
Don of the Philadelphia La Cosa Nostra from 1990 to 1995, when he was convicted on racketeering, murder, and conspiracy charges that netted him five life sentences, Stanfa went without an official street name during his time at the top. In September 1993, the Daily News set out to change that with a “Name the Don” contest encouraging readers to send in their best handles for Stanfa.
“Philadelphia mobsters have had nicknames since there’s been a Philadelphia mob,” the People Paper wrote in a contest announcement. “But poor John Stanfa, the acknowledged leader of the local Cosa Nostra, has suffered long enough. Our godfather needs a nickname — and fast.”
A classic Daily News stunt, yes — but its timing was somewhat, well, insensitive. Just days before the contest was announced, Stanfa was the target in a brazen morning rush-hour shooting on the Schuylkill Expressway in Grays Ferry. His then-23-year-old son, Joseph, was seriously injured with a gunshot wound to the face.
That shooting, the Daily News reported, signaled an “all-out war” for control of the local mafia, escalating the then-ongoing feud between Stanfa’s crew and a group of young upstarts referred to by the press as the “Young Turks,” purportedly led by Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. The month before, Merlino was injured in a shooting on the 600 block of Catharine Street, and his friend Michael “Mikey Chang” Ciancaglini was killed.
Stanfa was uninjured in the expressway shooting. His son survived and was never implicated in Stanfa’s underworld dealings.
Still, some of the Daily News’ audience was game to participate in the contest, though the total number of submissions was not reported. Some of the potential monikers were directly inspired by the attempt on his life, including “Nine Lives,” “The Dodger,” and “Johnny Wheels.”
Others poked fun at his appearance, like “Sourpuss,” “Stoneface,” and “Big Baldy.” And some — such as “Johnny Meatballs,” “The Grocer,” and “Sticky Buns” — focused on Stanfa’s work in the food business, thanks to his involvement in a South Philly-based Italian food importer.
The contest, however, was not without its detractors. It was, after all, a controversial move — this was a mob boss being roasted, and one who was nearly killed only days before the Daily News began soliciting jokes at his expense. And it didn’t help that the paper went directly to some law enforcement officials to ask for their suggestions.
“I don’t think I should be in the business of characterizing Mr. Stanfa,” said Joel Friedman, then-head of the U.S. Organized Crime Strike Force in Philly. ”I am in the business of investigating criminal activity, and prosecuting it.”
Regular folks were upset, too — largely over the perception that the contest mocked Italian Americans at large. One reader, retired high school principal Richard Capozzola, took particular umbrage, postulating that the Daily News “wouldn’t have done it if [Stanfa] weren’t Italian.”
“How much more insulting can your paper be to the Italian-American community of Philadelphia?” said Arthur Gajarsa, of the National Italian-American Foundation. “Would you dare run a contest involving any other ethnic criminal element?”
The outcry became so significant that after almost two weeks, the Daily News’ editor at the time, Zachary Stalberg, addressed it in a note to readers. The message: Relax.
“I think people understand that nothing in our handling of the contest mocked those of Italian descent,” Stalberg wrote. “And I think people know it’s OK to be intrigued by the mob, even if you hate their business.”
By mid-September, the Daily News had a winner with John “Tightlips” Stanfa. That entry came from South Philadelphia resident Brian Baratta, who won, of course, a videotape box set of The Godfather I, II, and III for his effort.
“‘Tightlips’ certainly is descriptive of this strong and silent guy,” the Daily News wrote of the winning entry. “John Stanfa doesn’t talk to the cops, the feds, or the press.”
With that, the contest was over — but it wasn’t so quickly forgotten, and not just in Philadelphia.
In 1995, ahead of Stanfa’s trial, the Daily News sent reporter Kitty Caparella to Italy to investigate the mob boss’ family tree. While in Caccamo, on Sicily’s Tyrrhenian coast, Caparella was approached by a police officer, editor Stalberg wrote in a note that year.
The officer, Stalberg said, pulled out the 1993 Daily News issue advertising the “Name the Don” contest.
Hit man-turned-government informant John Veasey, whose testimony helped bring down mob boss John Stanfa and a dozen of his top associates in the 1990s, says he’s on the road to redemption.
The new Netflix docuseries Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia, now streaming, chronicles a violent 1990s power struggle in the local La Cosa Nostra through the eyes of investigators and former crime family members who were there.
Veasey, a South Philly native, was a central figure in the ’90s Philly mob, having admitted to participating in two high-profile murders. He went on to serve nearly 11 years in prison after becoming a government witness against Stanfa and other top mob associates in a federal racketeering trial, and was released in 2005. He has since denounced the mob life, and, in the Netflix series, calls joining the mafia the “worst decision” he ever made.
While he became a feared killer, Veasey was also something of a folk hero after Stanfa’s 1995 trial. The jury, according to Inquirer and Daily News reports from the time, was enamored with his frank and sometimes graphic testimony, which was a key component of federal prosecutors’ case against Stanfa and others.
Veasey agreed to become an FBI informant in January 1994 after his brother, William “Billy” Veasey, told him Stanfa had taken a contract out on his life, reports from the time indicate. In agreeing to work with federal authorities, Veasey admitted to being one of the shooters behind two then-recent mob killings: Michael “Mikey Chang” Ciancaglini and Frank Baldino Sr.
Ciancaglini was killed in August 1993 in a shooting that also wounded Joseph “Skinny Joey” Merlino. The pair were the purported leaders of the so-called “Young Turks” faction who opposed the rule of Stanfa, reports indicated. Merlino has long denied having been behind a faction of the city’s mob and has never been convicted of mob violence.
Ahead of that shooting, Veasey testified, Stanfa had given orders to “kill anybody aligned with Merlino” and circulated a list of about a dozen people who were to be killed. Veasey undertook the hit with fellow mob enforcer Philip Colletti in a white Ford Taurus that, shockingly, was leased in Colletti’s name.
Veasey also admitted to burning the vehicle, badly burning his hand in the process. Knowing he needed an explanation to have his injury treated, Veasey returned to his house and poured lighter fluid into a barbecue grill, and intentionally lit his injured hand on fire.
“I screamed and told the neighbors I had burned it trying to light the grill,” he told jurors during the Stanfa trial. The cover, he says in the Netflix docuseries, wasn’t a great one — the grill he used was electric, arousing the suspicion of police.
Likewise, Veasey was the triggerman in the killing of Frank Baldino Sr., a then-suspected low-level mob associate who was killed outside the Melrose Diner in September 1993.
Baldino was shot multiple times in his car in the diner’s parking lot, and died en route to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Veasey later tipped off authorities to the location of the murder weapons, which divers found in a pond at FDR Park in April 1994, reports from the time indicate.
The attempted murder of John Veasey
In January 1994, police found Veasey grievously injured near Sixth and Sigel Streets, having somehow survived a brutal assassination attempt in which he was shot four times and stabbed seven. The attempted murder, he later testified, was undertaken by Stanfa associates Frank Martines and Vincent “Al Pajamas” Pagano in an apartment above a meat store near where Veasey was found.
“One bullet fragmented in the back of my head. One went in the back and out through my forehead,” Veasey later said of the shooting. ”One hit the back of my head and bounced into my neck. And one is still in my chest, in my rib cage.”
His assailants, Veasey said, had targeted him because they believed he was working with the FBI — which he had been for a few days by the time the attack happened.
The shots failed to kill Veasey, who in the struggle wrestled a knife away from Pagano and used it to stab Martines near the eye. The ordeal lasted about 18 minutes, according to a Daily News report, and ended with Martines and Pagano letting Veasey go in exchange for their lives.
After he escaped, Veasey attempted to stop a car for help. But because of the way he looked, he said, no one would help him.
Eventually, police arrived but believed Veasey would die.
“I could hear them talking, saying I was DOA,” Veasey said. “I’m saying, ‘I’m alive, I’m alive. Everyone is giving up on me tonight.’”
Veasey later said he left the mob that night, putting his time in the mafia at just over five months, the Daily News reported. He had been recruited in August 1993, days before the Ciancaglini murder, after landing a job at a construction company owned by Stanfa’s brother-in-law.
“I wouldn’t recommend this life to an enemy,” he later said of the mob.
Hours before Veasey was set to take the stand for Stanfa’s trial in October 1995, his brother, Billy, was shot and killed on the 1700 block of Oregon Avenue. The killing, authorities speculated, could have been ordered by Stanfa as a way to silence Veasey, or by suspected Young Turks leader Merlino as revenge for the Ciancaglini and Baldino murders.
Ultimately, it only delayed Veasey’s testimony by five days.
From the stand, Veasey referred to himself as a triggerman and divulged his involvement with the murders of Ciancaglini and Baldino.
Veasey’s testimony at trial
In total, Veasey testified for about two and a half days, which he wrapped up with two pieces of information: That he refused to kill kids, and he did not like gambling. He also mocked Sergio Battaglia, a would-be Stanfa hit man who, despite going on a number of hits, never actually killed anyone, according to an Inquirer report.
Battaglia “went on a hundred hits and didn’t shoot nobody,” Veasey said.
He quickly became well-liked by the jury, who seemed to hang on his every word, The Inquirer reported. Among his more graphic accounts from the witness stand was the “drilling” of Joseph “Joe Fudge” DeSimone, a mob associate who had wanted to kill Veasey, to which Veasey took less-than-kindly.
Veasey testified that he had warned Stanfa of a coming altercation with DeSimone, and at one point persuaded another mob associate to bring DeSimone over to Veasey’s house to settle their dispute. Veasey was on house arrest at the time.
DeSimone arrived, kicking off a violent encounter with an electric drill.
“I smacked him in the face with the drill. I stuck the drill in his chest and in his legs. I stuck it in his head, and from the rotation of the drill, clumps of hair was going out,” Veasey testified. “Then I hit him in the knee with a baseball bat. I chambered the gun … gave it to him and asked, ‘Do you still want to kill me?’”
Veasey said that DeSimone declined.
The testimony was not only well received by jurors, but it was considered a success by prosecutors. Though violent, Veasey appeared relatable to the jury and seemed to have a secret weapon against the defense.
Former mob hit man John Veasey’s biography details his work for one of the city’s mob organizations, the hits he carried out, the attempt on his life, and more.
The reformed hit man
Stanfa was ultimately found guilty and sentenced to five consecutive life terms. Veasey, meanwhile, spent almost 11 years in prison, and was released in 2005. By 2012, he was back in the news, this time for a detailed account of his story in The Hit Man: A True Story of Murder, Redemption and the Melrose Diner, a book by former Inquirer reporter Ralph Cipriano.
By then, Veasey was working as a car salesman in the Midwest, and claimed to have turned over a new leaf.
“I never respected the Mafia or what it stood for,” Veasey said in an interview with The Inquirer in 2012. “My only regret was being dumb enough to join … I always said they either rat or kill each other.”
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