Sometimes it's possible to dig up quite a bit of info on these old souvenir photo folders, and if I had been willing to pay to browse Google's large collection of old newspapers, I could write pages of info on Kitty Davis. Without bankrupting myself, this is what I've been able to put together. Kitty Davis and her husband, Daniel ran a nightclub in Chicago which was closed down by the police in the early 1940's. It was advertised as having waitresses who were refined college students. It seems they were neither refined or students and the activities of the wait staff had something to do with the closure. The most logical explanation would be a soliciting beef. Kitty and Daniel relocated to Miami Beach and ran a very popular club during the war years. Despite what the folder cover implies, the club was not in a plane, but did have an aviation theme with lots of propellers on the walls. I know that Davis continued to operate her club into the late forties, but free info dies out for me about then. Printed on the back cover, "For Extra Copies Write to PUBLICITY DEPT. OF ABBEY-STARR 1108 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Fla. Ask for No. 3707." Written on the inside cover is the date, 5-6-44" Sadly, the sailors and their lady friend aren't identified.
Picked a Kitty Davis glass drink stir also advertising Bud beer. Will be listing on ebay Monday, April 4. Thanks for your write-up! -- Jack (269)449-6213
ReplyDeletejust dug up the same brochure with my parents pic in in from 1945
ReplyDeleteyup, have the same folder with my parents picture inside. searched google.com and found your blog. nice to read the info.
ReplyDeleteI have Kitty Davis Match Booklet Cover's from Chicago and Florida 1940's on my Instagram post Please visit it https://instagram.com/download/?r=5828254264 Please visit my Instagram post I have 27K posts now 🇨🇮🇦🇺🏳️🌈
ReplyDeleteI just found a great picture of my grandmother and great-grandmother in that club
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I have a picture with the folder of my in-laws-and my husband's grandmother. My father-in-law was in the US Navy at the time and is in uniform in the photo. On the back it says: Ask for No. 4373.
ReplyDeleteAnita O'Day "Kitty had a combination saloon and gambling place, and the dice girls, bartenders and waitresses were all entertainers. Her husband owned the place, but she ran it. There was an opening for a waitress.
ReplyDeleteI rinsed my hair with henna to make it red and went down for an audition. Kitty hired me on the spot. I worked a 12-hour shift, from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. The pay was $25 a week, but I had to turn in all my tips.
Some nights I got more in tips than my week’s pay, but there were spotters everywhere, and a girl who held out as much as a nickel was out of a job and on the blacklist of every club in town.
Kitty paid plenty to be allowed to operate, and if she told the cops a girl was a troublemaker, that girl either left town or found herself in jail on a morals rap.
At first, it was exciting. I waited on political leaders, millionaires, and gangsters. But I didn’t like wearing that damned waitress apron, and it burned me to have to turn in $5 and $10 bills that men tucked in my bosom.
When I started, I also worked in the chorus line. One night the show’s singer didn’t show up, and I substituted. I was soon singing a lot.”
Kitty’s was for the big spenders, the flashy showoffs. I might have stayed there, married some guy, had children and lived a normal life except for one thing that happened...I always thought it was meant to be. Then I got a job at the Three Deuces. When the ad came out Kitty accused me of taking a $100 tip and fired me."
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