Eddie Boros


Eddie Boros was a New York City house painter and artist, famous primarily for building the "Tower of Toys" in a community garden in Manhattan's East Village.

Biography

Eddie Boros was born in New York on November 27, 1934, as the middle son of two Hungarian immigrants, a house painter and a seamstress. He grew up in the same apartment, on East 5th St. and Avenue B, that he was living in when he died. His rent, in 2007, was $68.00.
Boros served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, but was such an adamant pacifist that he was assigned to plant trees.
He began building his tower out of scrap wood in 1985, after his frequent attempts at carving Wood sculptures in the garden met with opposition from other tenants. In 1994 Eddie's documentary directed by Jimmy Dougherty premiered nationally on PBS televisions stations. Over time, the tower grew to a height of 65 ft, and was otherwise notable for being covered with a variety of toys. The tower appeared in the opening credits for the television show NYPD Blue and also appears in the musical RENT.
Boros died at the age of 74 while recuperating after having both legs amputated above the knee. He died at Mary Immaculate Hospital after his relatives allegedly found him to be malnourished at the VA hospital he had been sent to in St. Albans, Queens.
Part of the 12th Annual Lower East Side Festival for the Arts was dedicated to Eddie Boros' memory.
In July 2011, a play entitled "Tower of Toys," written and directed by New York playwright Jackob G. Hofmann was presented at the Lion Theatre, NYC as a part of Samuel French's annual short play festival.