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New York: Top 10 Mad Men locations

TV show
Hailed for its authenticity and visual style, the Mad Men series paints a realistic portrait of 1960s America. Critically acclaimed and award-winning, the series offers a plunge into the advertising world of New York in the sixties.

Mad Men, a series from New York

Don’t be a Mad Men, follow in the footsteps of your favourite series with the New York guide to the 1000 cult places of films, series, music, comics and novels.

1. Sterling Cooper, Mad Men’s first agency

Sterling Cooper - Mad Men
Sterling Cooper – Mad Men

The agency of Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and Bert Cooper (Robert Morse) is officially located at this address for the first three seasons. While Sterling Cooper is of course a fictitious advertising agency, there are many real ones in the neighbourhood. In the 1960s, most were on Madison Avenue. Its contraction, combined with the term “Ad men”, referring to men working in advertising, gave rise to the Mad Men and quickly became part of everyday language.

Address: 405 Madison Avenue, New York, USA

2. Grand Central Oyster Bar

Roger and Don Draper (Jon Hamm) are having a veritable orgy of oysters and cocktails in this New York institution, located in Grand Central since 1913. Drunk and sick from this oversized meal, Roger ends up vomiting everything he has ingested onto the carpet and the feet of potential clients.

Address: 87 East 42nd Street, New York, USA

3. P.J Clarke’s

P J Clarke's - Photo credit: Fantrippers
P.J Clarke’s – Photo credit: Fantrippers

Whether in reality or in the series, New York’s Mad Men have a habit of meeting regularly in this bar-restaurant founded in 1884 by Patrick J. Clarke, an Irish immigrant. In the 1960s, the building lost its two upper floors of the original four. During season 1, the creative staff of Sterling Cooper’s agency went there, notably to celebrate the promotion of Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss). She became an editor after revealing herself in the working group for the lipstick brand, Belle Jolie.

Address: 915 3rd Avenue, New York, USA

4. The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, an almost Mad Men agency

The Pierre, A Taj Hotel - Mad Men
The Pierre, A Taj Hotel – Mad Men

When McCann Erickson bought the company, Don and some colleagues formed their own advertising agency, temporarily housed in suite 435 of this upscale hotel with a beautiful view of Central Park.

Address: 795 5th Avenue, New York, USA

5. Benihana

Benihana - Photo credit: Fantrippers
Benihana – Photo credit: Fantrippers

When the agency was vying for a contract with Honda, Don decided to take an interest in Asian culture and took Bethany Van Nyes (Anna Camp) to dinner at the restaurant founded in 1964 by Hiroaki Aoki, a Japanese chef. There were only four tables then. A review in the New York Herald Tribune changed the fate of the establishment where everything is cooked at the table of the customers in a theatrical way. The place became very popular and appreciated by celebrities, such as the Beatles or Mohamed Ali.

Address: 47 West 56th Street, New York, USA

6. New York Athletic Club, Mad Men’s relaxation

Don casts out his demons in season 4 by coming to swim in the pool of this sports club, founded in 1868 and counting more than 230 Olympic medals obtained by its members since its creation.

Address: 180 Central Park S, New York, USA

7. The Roosevelt Hotel

Roosevelt Hotel - Photo credit: Fantrippers
Roosevelt Hotel – Photo credit: Fantrippers

After his divorce from Betty (January Jones), Don spends a few nights in this beautiful hotel whose bar, the Madison Club Lounge, was also used for a few scenes. Go for a drink, guaranteed immersion.

Address: 45 E 45th St, New York, USA

8. Keens Steakhouse

Keens Steakhouse - Mad Men
Keens Steakhouse – Mad Men

Open since 1885, this former smokers’ meeting place has one of the largest collections of pipes in the world (about 50,000 pieces), all hanging from the ceiling. There is also a huge choice of pure malt whiskies to taste, near one of the two large fireplaces. An exceptional setting, but quite expensive. Speaking of tobacco, it was omnipresent at the time of the series, that’s why we see the characters smoking in every episode. For the shooting in the Los Angeles studios, they had to use herbal and therefore nicotine-free cigarettes, because California law prohibits smoking in public places and at work.

Address: 72 West 36th Street, New York, USA

9. Don Draper’s apartment

In season 4, when he goes out with Faye Miller (Cara Buono) and then leaves her for Megan Calvet (Jessica Paré), Don lives in this beautiful sixteen-storey Art-deco building built in 1928 with 76 apartments. He will then move to settle with his new conquest at 783 Park Av.

Address: 136 Waverly Place, New York, USA

10. Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Desks

Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Offices - Mad Men
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce Offices – Mad Men

When Don and his new partners founded a new advertising agency, it occupied two floors of a 1959 building once owned by the publisher of Times and Life magazines.

Address: 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, USA

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By Damien Duarte

Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Passionné par la culture pop depuis son enfance, ses références vont de Donald Duck à Batman en passant par Marty McFly. Fantripper dans l'âme, voyager sur les traces de Ghostbusters, James Bond ou des héros de romans comme Cotton Malone fait partie d'un séjour idéal et réussi !

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