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.

The Rainbow Club, Topeka, Kansas

I have a number of these old souvenir photo folders in the collection. (Click on nightclub or souvenir photo folder in the labels section to see others.) Before and during World War 2, many peoples idea of a great time on Saturday night was to get dressed up, go out to a club, have dinner and dance to what ever big band was playing. After the war, the ball room/nightclub began to loose some of it's appeal. Big bands would give way to jazz combos, and then jazz's very brief period of main stream popularity would yield to rock and roll, and the era of the nightclub would die. This image is from that period of transition. Written in pencil on the back of the folder, "10-22-49, Russ Stevenson's Birthday." The Rainbow Club looks more like an old fashioned road side diner, and at that, not a particularly nice one. Stamped on the back of the folder, "For extra copies, Contact Jayhawker 1356 Medford Photo No. T638 Topeka, Kansas." Stamped on the back of the photo, "Jayhawker Commercial Photos 1356 Medford, Topeka, Kansas." I did a search on this club, both in Topeka and all of Kansas, and couldn't find anything.

Arawak Hotel, Jamaica, W.I.

I have a number of hotel, nightclub, restaurant, and even a cruise line souvenir photo folder in the collection. This one is a bit different. Rather than well dressed people sitting around a table, drinks in hand, a group of tourists getting wet. I was able to find lots of reviews of The Arawak Hotel but nothing on it's history. I was able to find a vintage luggage label with a picture of the hotel with the abbreviation B.W.I. which stands for British West Indies. Jamaica gained it's independence from Great Britain in 1962. So we know that the hotel was built before 1962, but this picture was taken after independence, since the abbreviation W.I. was only used after Jamaica's break from Britain. The Arawak Hotel is located in Ocho Rios on Mammee Bay. One of the activities that the hotel offers is tours of Dunn's River where guests can climb the falls. It looks like that's what these folks are doing. Those one piece swim suits have to be from the sixties. Click on souvenir photo folders in the labels section to pull up some of the other photos in the collection.

Kitty Davis Night Club of the Air

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.

Candids By Lee

From the fifties or sixties. Stamped on the back, "CANDIDS BY LEE 2466 W. ARMITAGE AVE. BE. 5-8187 SP. 2-1980" A couple at a party with the mother-in-law.