The photograph shows eleven ironworkers sitting on a steel beam 850 feet above Manhattan, casually eating lunch during the construction of the RCA Building (now 30 Rockefeller Plaza) on September 20, 1932. It was first published by the New York Herald Tribune on October 2, 1932. This image has become one of the most celebrated photographs of the 20th century.
Lunch Atop a Skyscraper Real or Fake
It’s real – but staged.
Despite its casual appearance, the shot was part of a planned publicity campaign to promote Rockefeller Center during the Great Depression. Photographers instructed these workers – who were real ironworkers – to sit, pose, and even act playful while sharing lunch on the girder.
- The workers are real professionals, not actors.
- It was a publicity stunt, not a spontaneous break.
- A floor or scaffolding was probably directly beneath the beam – making it safer than it looks.
Who Took the Lunch Atop a Skyscraper Photo?
Multiple photographers were present (Charles C. Ebbets, William Leftwich, Thomas Kelley), but Ebbets is widely confirmed as the most likely creator – thanks to documents and original negatives validated by his family and researchers.
Through the 2012 documentary Men at Lunch, Irish filmmakers Seán and Éamonn Ó Cualáin identified two of the men: Joe Eckner (third from left) and Joe Curtis (third from right).
Conclusion
- Is the image a real photograph? – Yes
- Was it candid or spontaneous? – No, it was staged
- Who are the subjects? – Real ironworkers
- Is the photo historically accurate? – Yes, but carefully composed
Why the Photo Still Matters
The photograph remains a powerful symbol of American grit, immigrant contribution, and skyscraper-era daring. It has inspired sculpture, documentaries, and even tourist recreations like the Beam experience at Rockefeller Center, where visitors can re-create it – for safety – on an observation deck.
In 2016, Time named it one of the 100 most influential photographs ever taken.
The mix of myth, mystery, and history is part of what keeps viewers captivated year after year.
Tags – lunch atop a skyscraper real or fake, Lunch Atop a Skyscraper truth, Rockefeller Center photo staged or real, iconic New York photography, Men at Lunch documentary facts
