Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Who's Almost Who In Knickerbocker Village History: David Assael


I'm not quite sure, since I'm wholly dependent on google in this case, but the above might be a then and now image of David. His name came up the other week as he was a friend of a KVer who went to CCNY. Evidently he lived around Allen and Delancey. I knew with a name like Assael he had to be Sephardic. The 1920 census has numerous Assaels living around "ground zero" for NY Sephardim at the time, in the vicinity of Broome, Allen, Delancey and Ludlow. David Assael is distinguished screenwriter responsible for contributing to these movies and tv series:
* Northern Exposure (TV Series)
* Picket Fences (TV Series)
* Homefront (TV Series)
* Schizoid
* The Omega Connection
* Call of the Wild (TV Series)
* Chicago Story (TV Series)
* Dellaventura (TV Series)
and for these great quotes from one of my favorites, Northern Exposure:
They say that blood is thicker than water. Maybe that's why we battle our own with more energy and gusto than we would ever expend on strangers.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Family Feud, 1993
We're not talking about historical accuracy, we're talking about art. I've set in motion a geometric inevitability. If I start chiseling there, chipping here, the whole form is compromised.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Family Feud, 1993
Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, It Happened in Juneau, 1992
Sometimes it's hard to avoid the happiness of others.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Our Tribe, 1992
After you've been in a place for a while, everything starts to look... I won't say better, there's no need to go to extremes...but your everyday life does start to become...familiar.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Russian Flu, 1990
Well, spring sprang. We've had our state of grace and our little gift of sanctioned madness, courtesy of Mother Nature. Thanks, Gaia. Much obliged. I guess it's time to get back to that daily routine of living we like to call normal.
David Assael, Northern Exposure, Spring Break, 1991

2 comments:

  1. Just came across this about David Assael. Dave is my brother in law. The before picture is not him. The now picture is.

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  2. The second picture is David (Davey), the first is not. We were friends in high school and college when he lived at 154 Allen Street. Helen (Wintrob)
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