Nicky Blair's Carnival

 

It's been a while since I've posted one of these souvenir photo folders.  

So, I was able to find out a few things about Nicky Blair's Carnival. It was located in the Hotel Capitol in New York City, a hotel that doesn't seem to still be in business.  I wasn't able to find out when the hotel opened and when it shut down.  The same with the nightclub. Did Carnival die with the hotel, or did it close before the Hotel Capitol closed its doors for good? I have no idea. 

I found an advertisement for the hotel with a rather long caption, "Nicky Blair's Carnival, 51st and 8th Avenue, New York. NEW YORK'S MOST BEAUTIFUL NIGHT CLUB.  Presenting Olsen & Johnson, Beatrice Kay, and America's Loveliest Girls in a spectacular revue staged by John Murray Anderson, two shows nightly at 8:30 and 12 (Sats 8, 10, and 12:30). New York's biggest evening of Dinner, Show, and Dancing...All for the price of your dinner alone! NEVER A COVER CHARGE!" Well, I hope I transcribed that correctly. 

On the back of the folder, "Souvenir Photo $1.50. For extra copies write to: PLANETARY PHOTO, 311 West 34th Street, New York 1, N.Y. Use Number on back of Print Stating date taken and name of Club along with description of the photo." The number, handwritten, "146" and the date stamped, "JUN 6 1947."  I wasn't able to find anything about Planetary Photo, but I've found the name on some of the other souvenir photo folders I own.  

There's an inscription on the inside of the folder. "To Sam my samba partner Jackie Goldete. At least that's what I think it says. Her handwriting isn't the best in the world. And before I forget, the folder was too big for my scanner so all I've got is a somewhat marginal cell phone photo. 

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 8

The last of Gloria Lee's souvenir photos, but not the last of this collection.  Click on The Post War European Trip Collection for more.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 7

Top and bottom, still in Paris.  The rest seem to be some sort of country estate.  Some sort of royal palace?  Click on The Post war European Trip Collection in labels for more good stuff.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 6

More from Paris and some unknown locations.  Click on The Post War European Trip Collection, etc., etc., etc.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 5

Gloria Lee's continued travels.  The first three photos keep us in Paris, image number four, perhaps, and the number five isn't.  My first thought was somewhere on the Riviera, but then I remembered that she and her tour group spent a lot of time in Switzerland, a country with a fair number of really large lakes. 

Click on The Post war European in Collection in labels, well you guys have figured that one out by now.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 4

Gloria Lee got around.  I'm fairly certain the top photo is from Paris, but clearly some of these are from other locations. 

Click on The Post War European Collection to see more.

The Post War European Trip Collection-Souvenir Snapshots 2

I've got four collections that I've started that I've yet to fully post, so I think it's about time to go back to The Post War European Trip Collection.-And, of course click on that in labels to see more images, and read about Gloria Lee Bigewet, a teenage tourist from St. Louis, Missouri, and her group's trip to Europe after World War 2.  That's were you'll find, among other things, Souvenir Snapshots part 1.

Lady Luck

After the photo lab I worked at went out of business, I began doing background work in the movies.  Every so often, I'll get booked to play a casino patron.  The costumers always want the predominantly youngish crowd dressed in stylish and expensive clothes.  I'm not much for Vegas and gambling, but the few times I've been on the strip, I've noticed that the typical casino goer tends towards middle age and above and they dress more polyester than silk.  Hey, it's only a movie.

The Lady Luck opened in 1964 and closed in 2006.  The property was eventually bought, renovated and reopened, in 2013, as The Downtown Grand.  I'm guessing this photo was a lot closer to 1964 than not.

The Fifth In Florence

I haven't  put up one of these for awhile.  Unlike my other souvenir photo folders, this one isn't for a nightclub, but for "THE FIFTH ARMY OFFICERS' REST HOTEL, HOTEL ANGLO AMERICAN-FLORENCE"  Personally, I would have put the hyphen between Anglo and America, but that's me. .

A rest hotel for army officers is just what it sounds like.  When not on duty, officers of the Fifth Army in Italy could check into the hotel, set aside for their exclusive use, and have fun.  Real beds, clean sheets, plentiful food from the United States, booze, and a liberal policy on female companionship.  And why not.  My mother was a war bride from England, the marriage didn't work out, and she delighted in pointing out how Americans didn't take the war and suffering seriously. "Everything was a lark to you Americans."  My father took a far different attitude to the discussion.  "You're twenty, you might die next week, you'd be a fool not to get in as much pleasure as possible."  I have to say, dad made a lot more sense to me.

Now known as U.S. Army North, the Fifth Army was activated on January 5, 1943 in Oujda, French Morocco, and was part of the allied invasion of Italy.  The Fifth's first commander was Lt. General Mark W. Clark.  The Fifth's overall theater commander, in the Mediterranean,  was British Field Marshall, Harold Alexander.  Clark and Alexander didn't get along.  Alexander thought that Clark was liberal in the way he interpreted orders, especially his liberation of Rome.  Clark, on the other hand, was bitter over what he thought was an unnecessary order to destroy the monastery at Monte Cassino.  Legitimate strategic disputes, or two warring egos?  Who knows.  In the end, over all supreme commander, Dwight Eisenhower, was content to let things be.

The Hotel Anglo American is still there, and still in business.  It's on Via Giuseppe Garibaldi.  Rooms can be had from 74.80 Euros, breakfast and free Wi-Fi included.

Ted Fio-Rito

Two dates. I'm impressed.  It must have been the uniform.

It's been awhile since I've posted one of these souvenir photo folders.  Unlike the others I have, this one is more about the artist, rather than the venue.  Ted Fio-Rito was born in 1900 in Newark, New Jersey as Teodorico Salvatore Fiorito and had his first job as a professional musician in 1919 for the Columbia recording studios in New York City as a keyboardist.  He would work with a number of bands and also began composing.  In 1921 he moved to Chicago and joined the Dan Russo Orchestra.  A year latter, he was the co-leader of  Russo and Fio-Rito's Oriole Orchestra.  In 1924, they became the house band of Chicago's Edgewater Beach Hotel.  Russo left in 1928, and the band would eventually be known as Ted Fio-Rito and his Orchestra.  In the 1930s, Fio-Rito was a major presence on American radio.  In 1934, he had two number one hits.  My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua, Hawaii, and I'll String Along With You.  By the 1940s, the group had lost a lot of it's popularity but still did well enough to stay in business.  Eventually, Fio-Rito would abandon the big band for small combos, and had a second bout of success in Las Vegas.  He died in 1971.  There is a lot more info on Fio-Rito out there, for anyone willing to comb the web, including some YouTube videos.  And if you're like me and own a 78 rpm turntable, with a bit of effort, one can find plenty of recordings.  I own a couple.

The Sacramento Memorial Auditorium opened in 1927 and is still going strong.  It's on the National Registry of Historical Places.

Printed on the back of the folder,  "Additional prints are $1.25 each.  Address: Capital Enterprises,  Photographic Dept., 921 K Street, Sacramento, 14 Calif.

Describe picture thoroughly, mentioning number of people in photo, all points of identification possible and date or name of Band featured."

I'll bet a lot of people had trouble getting their prints without some sort of number.  Dated "DEC 16, 1944"

Click on night clubs or souvenir photo in the labels section to bring up a number of other photos, including one from The Edgewater Beach Hotel.

Ciro's on the Sunset Strip

Two folders, two prints, but only one negative. Most of these old, classic nightclubs would have photographers, usually a pretty girl in a skimpy costume, at least by the standards of the day, who would wander the room offering to take pictures of the guests. The photographer caught and interesting group. She probably instructed these four people to look into the lens and smile. The couple on the left followed directions, but the couple on the right, not so much. The woman only had eyes for her date, while he barely acknowledged her presence.

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Ciro's was opened in January of 1940 by William Wilkerson. With gossip columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons dropping in on a regular basis, Ciro's became the place to see and be seen. Average Angelenos and star struck tourists could rub elbows with such regulars as Marilyn Monroe, Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Marlene Dietrich and Cary Grant. In the 1960s Ciro's made the transition to rock club featuring acts from Dick Dale and the Surftones to The Byrds. In 1972 Ciro's became The Comedy Store, which is still going strong. I couldn't find anything on when ownership of Ciro's went from Wilkerson to H. D. Hover, but I did find out that serial killer Rodney Alcala killed 23 year old Ciro's heiress Ellen Jane Hover in 1977. An interesting mix of acts are listed on the back of the folder. I wonder what guests made of folk singers Libby Holman and Josh White. Two of my favorites. Click on nightclub in the labels section to bring up a number of other old souvenir photos.

The Hollywood Palladium

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I admit that this isn't the strongest photograph in the world, but the cover is nice and the Hollywood Palladium is still up and running and doing quite well. Too, it's about five miles from my apartment, and I drive by it three or four times a month. The Palladium was built by Los Angeles Times publisher Norman Chandler and opened on October 31, 1940. The opening night act was The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra featuring vocalist, Frank Sinatra. With it's large stage and dance floor, the Palladium soon became one of the most popular big band venues in the country. From the mid fifties to the mid sixties it was the place to be for Latin jazz and bands. Tito Puente was a popular, and recurring act. The Palladium was also the home of The Lawrence Welk Show. With the rise of rock & roll, coupled with the decline in big band music, by the sixties the hall became a rock showcase. Among others, Jimi Hendrix played multiple shows at the Palladium. It also hosted the Grammys, and political events. During the 1960 Democratic Convention, nominee John Kennedy gave a major speech about the rise of right wing extremism in the Republican party at the Hollywood Palladium. In 2007, new owners took over the hall, and shut it down for major renovations. It reopened on October 25, 2008 with Jay-Z headlining. No information on the four people pictured, but printed on the back, "For additional prints write to The Hollywood Palladium 6215 Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood, California. When Ordering Please mention This Number 34607." As usual, click on nightclubs, souvenir photo or souvenir photo folder in the labels section to bring up the growing collection of old nightclub souvenir folders.

The Copacabana

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These are the final two souvenir photo folders, both from the Copacabana Nightclub, that were part of a group that I purchased, all from the same source, all from New York City. The others were posted on 2/8/11. 2/14/11, and 2/21/11.

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The Copa opened on November 10, 1940, just in time for the war time boom in entertainment. The original owner of record was Monte Proser, but the real, behind the scenes owner was mobster Frank Costello. The club was noted for it's fine dining, top flight headliners, and tropical/Brazilian decor. The original policy of the Copa was whites only. In the mid-forties, GI Harry Belafonte was denied admission. In latter decades, Belafonte would be a star attraction for the club. It wasn't until the late 1950s that the restricted policies changed. In the 1970s the Copa became a discotheque. It closed for three years in the late 70s. In 1992, owner Peter Dorn moved the club to a new location. There was nothing written in the folder that contained the first picture in this post. In the folder with the one man standing in the background, "To my best Chicago friend, McMahon." "Dear Evelyn, We will never forget this! Hope we can many of them together, Andrew." To my favorite gal! Lew Whitelaw." Let everyone know! No matter what, we all love you more & more-Audrey." Printed on the back, "Souvenir Photo $1.50 Match Photos-50 cents each. For extra copies write to: PLANETARY PHOTO 311 West 34th Street New York 1, N.Y. Use number on back of Print Stating date taken and name of Club along with description of Photo." I have a number of these old souvenir photo folders in the collection, and as usual, click on nightclub, souvenir photo, or souvenir photo folder in the labels section to bring them up.

Versailles 2

This is third of four from a collection of nightclub souvenir photo folders all from the same source. The only thing written on this one is a date, "Apr-28-49." On some of the other folders, from this group, there are notes addressed to Evelyn. I can't be 100% sure, but I think the woman on the right is Evelyn. The man can be seen, in uniform, in the Latin Quarter post (2/8/11) and the woman (Evelyn?) on the right can be seen in another post, with a different cover design, from Versailles. (2/14/11) Stamped on the back cover, "Versailles NEW YORK No. 7378. For extra copies write to: VERSAILLES 151 East 50th Street, New York 22, N.Y. Use Number on back of Print Stating date taken and name of Club along with description of Photo." It's still my dream to find the negative files from one of these old, out of business, nightclubs from the thirties, forties, and fifties. I've got a number of these old souvenir photo folders, most with an interesting cover design to go along with the photo. As usual, click on nightclubs, or souvenir photo folder in the labels section to bring them up.

Versailles

I always assume, with these old souvenir photo folders, that if it's from New York City I'll be able to dig up something on the club. Imagine my surprise when nothing popped on Versailles. Of course, that could be because there are thousands of pages about the city in France, the treaty, and a nightclub of the same name, still in business, in Ohio. Dated "6-26-45," about seven weeks after VE-Day (Victory in Europe) and about seven weeks before VJ-Day. (Victory in Japan) I'm sure the celebrations were around the clock, and clubs like Versailles did turn away business. Printed on the back, "For extra copies write to: VERSAILLES 151 East 50th Street, New York 22, N.Y. Use Number on back of Print along with description of Photo. No. 6050." Well if nothing else, it gives us an address. This is the second post of nightclub folders from the same source. The first was published on 2/8/11. I think this lady may be Evelyn. As usual, click on nightclub, souvenir photo, or souvenir photo folder in the labels section to pull up lots of other classic nightclub related photos.

The Latin Quarter

I've just picked up a small collection of nightclub souvenir photo folders, all from the same source, all from New York City, and I'll be publishing them on an irregular basis, grouped by nightclub and folder design. They must have been owned by a woman, because they all smell of the same perfume.

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The Latin Quarter was opened by Lou Walters, father of newscaster Barbara Walters, in 1942. It was located at 1580 Broadway, near 47th Street. The original Latin Quarter, also owned by Walters, was in Boston. The Quarter was famous for it's on going floor shows, chorus girls and some of the biggest headliners of the day, including Frank Sinatra, Sophie Tucker, and the Andrews Sisters. Walters sold the club in the 1950's. New ownership increased the skin and made it a more adult nightclub. In 1969, the unionized chorus girls went on strike. Already at a disadvantage from competition with rock clubs, unable to pay it's rent, the Latin Quarter closed. In 1969, it reopened as the Cine Lido, an adult art house, specializing in European porn. In 1978, the theater closed and reopened as the 22 Steps Disco. From 1979 through 1984, the building was a legitimate theater, first named the 22 Steps Theater, then the Princess Theater, and then the Latin Quarter Theater. In 1984, the building was, once again, a nightclub. Still named the Latin Quarter, it was one of the first clubs in the New York hip-hop scene. Renamed the Penguin Club, it was notorious for fights, shootings and stabbings. The building was torn down in 1989. Anyone interested in the history of New York area nightclubs should visit www.tipsontables.com. Specifically for the Latin Quarter, www.tipsontables.com/latinquarter.html. Stamped on the back of the folder, "SOUVENIR PHOTO $1.00 REMEMBRANCE OF A PLEASANT EVENING AT LATIN QUARTER. For extra copies write to: PLANETARY PHOTO 311 West 34th Street, BRyant 9-7440 Ask for number on back of photograph." Written in pencil on the inside front cover, "To Susan and Evelyn-My best and everything good to two great girls-and here's to our most delightful time, such as we had tonight. Affectionately Don McGrace." As always, click on nightclub in the labels section to bring up more old nightclub souvenir photo folders.