Shirley pioneered several new ways to sell his land . He called on many of his friends from the world of show biz and sports to help him. He also sponsered several TV shows including an Italian show that he co sponsored with Italian Swiss Colony wine. He saw first hand how his pal Sherman Billingsley used celebrity friends and columnists to put the Stork Club on the map. He enlisted them as well. Shirley's main night time NYC hangout was The Stork. Although the knew each other from back at La Hiff's Tavern in the 1920s, my grandfather Jack Spooner, got to know Walter pretty well in his decades at the Stork. As the Matrie D' of the Cub Room, it was Jack (who also had the nick name St. Peter) who controlled entrance to the Cub Room which was built to shield the celebs from the public. Here is a web site about Americas most famous night club & Jack Spooner

He hired Charter Oaks Tele-Film company in New York to come out and document the progress. Kenny Vitellaro who lives on Baybright Drive, recalls seeing his house on TV in the very early 50's. The films which were shot in color were also used in the sales offices in New York & Long Island. It would be something if the films were still around someplace.

When Shirley first built his "Model Acre" display on Montauk Highway, he chartered two C-47 airliners(DC-3's) to fly the press and media people out from New York to look it over. Probably stirred on from the real estate fraud stories like the former Tangier debacle in 1912 that happened on the very same land he was now offering or perhaps the great swamp land scandals in 1920's Florida, Shirley held firm to the concept that his customers SHOULD & WOULD ALWAYS SEE THEIR LAND in person before they sign a contract. Doing this then was not that easy. The parkway system was far from complete and a ride out from the city involved several hours of driving on Montauk Highway through many towns like Oakdale, Sayville, & Patchogue before you reached the wilds of Mastic Acres.

He hired salespeople like Bill Dietrich to actually drive the folks out from the city to give them the tour. Marty Van Lith told me when his Mom and Dad first saw the TV commercials they inquired at the city office. The Van Liths just wanted to drive out in their new car and look around for themselves. They were told no, that they had to be escorted. Mr Van Lith had just bought his first car and really wanted to drive it out to the country. A compromise was reached and they followed Bill Dietrich on out to see the land they would eventually buy.