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DOCUMENT  0189


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GUIDE TO AFTER-DARK
MIAMI 1956

[REF: Cabaret Yearbook, Winter Resort Number, Volume One, poss 1956, p20]

GUIDE TO AFTER-DARK MIAMI

BIG AND BOISTEROUS

Latin Quarter, Palm Island, Miami Beach (JE 8-5353).  Lavish shows in red-plush surroundings.  That's the Latin Quarter, masterminded by Lou Walters of Latin Quarter fame in other U.S. cities.  Emphasis is on pretty girls in minimum costumes working in big musical production numbers.  Translucent stage, mirrored ceiling, and thick carpets.  This is where Joe E. Lewis works winters but other name acts are also interspersed with the girls.

Beachcomber, 1271 Dade Blvd., Miami Beach (JE 8-7634).  When Martha Raye's in the mood for working night clubs, this is where she parlays her comedy into waiting lines at the front door.  This is a big club, and its attractions are always on the "big name" side of the ledger.  Decor is ersatz South Seas, and the food is generally good.

Copa City, 1750 West Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-4745).  Designed by Normal Bel Geddes, this club cost a million dollars about eight years ago.  It has since been redesigned in ultra-modern decor by Franklin Hughes.  Largest café in the whole Miami area, it's one of the few clubs here dishing out complete floor shows along with name performers.

SMALL AND NOISY


Vagabonds, 732 Biscayne Blvd., Miami (3-0874).  Popularity of this spot has been enormous ever since Arthur Godfrey began plugging the Four Vagabonds on radio and television.  It's on the smallish side (seating about 275), and it's usually packed.  Reservations are a must, even for the midnight shows.

Ciro's, Alton Rd. at Dade Blvd., Miami Beach (JE 4-2019).  Closed for some time, this pretty little spot is expected to open this winter with name acts and dance music.  Mirrored walls, thick carpets, and a good kitchen mark this establishment, which used to purvey some of the best Latin dance bands in the country.

Clover Club, 118 Biscayne Blvd., Miami (9-1911).  Open all year, this downtown club now features low-priced acts where once it ranked with Copa City and the Beachcomber in big-name performers and lavish production numbers.  It is one of the oldest clubs in Greater Miami and is located in the heart of the downtown hotel district.

Place Pigalle, 215 22nd St., Miami Beach (JE 8-4556).  Strictly a Latin dance spot, with two Cuban bands providing continuous music for mambo-cats.  Although the place has a French atmosphere, there's nothing Frenchy about the music.

Vanity Fair, 1601 79th St., Causeway (89-7696).  Real dark and cozy–except for the music, which is Latin and loud.  This is a popular late spot with natives and tourists.  It's located in the heart of the new Miami "strip" on one of the causeways that connects Miami Beach to Miami.

HOTEL ROW


Algiers, 2555 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 1-6061).  New show every night in the Aladdin Room, which is kept quite dark and intimate and with Arabian decor.  One show nightly, with reservations recommended.

Eden Roc, Collins Ave. & 45th St., Miami Beach.  Opening in December, this is Miami Beach's newest multimillion dollar oceanfront hotel.  Its café will debut with Harry Belafonte, and similar star-names will mark the type of entertainment here all winter.  French atmosphere throughout.

Fontainebleau, 4441 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-8811).  La Ronde Café here is enormous and beautiful.  Shaped like an oval, excellent viewing is possible from any seat.  Service is deluxe, entertainment is of high caliber, and prices are above average.

Nautilus, 1825 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-6841).  New show every week in the Driftwood Room, decorated to fit its name.  This spot has had considerable success with comedians and comediennes.

Sans Souci, 3101 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-6861).  The Blue Sails Room is one of the prettiest on the beach.  It is also one of the most popular, and reservations are suggested, particularly on Tuesday nights when new shows debut.

Saxony, 3201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-6811).  Pagoda Room is a large, lavish café for shows and dancing.

Top O' The Columbus, 312 N.E. 1st St., Miami (3-2671).  This is the nearest thing Top O' The Mark in San Francisco.  Entire top floor of the Columbus Hotel has been revamped into a dine, dance and drink spot, with a magnificent view of Miami Biscayne Bay and Miami Beach.

BARFLY ROW

Black Orchid, 1601 79th St., Causeway (PL 8-5247).  Very small and very intimate, with a view of Biscayne Bay.  This is sort of a late-spot hideaway.

Bar of Music, 427 22nd St., Miami Beach (JE 1-0439).  Twin-piano music by Bill Jordan and Fred Thompson highlight this small and interesting spot off the beaten track.

Bonfire, 1700 79th St., Causeway (84-4451).  Popular late-hour meeting place.  Western decor, with initials of show business personalities designed into cattle brands all over the place.  Impromptu songs pianistics until dawn.

Leon & Eddie's, Biscayne Blvd. And 8th St. (82-5062).  Once quite a gay place, this spot has been toned down by Miami's new blue laws.  But there is still something for everybody.  No cover or minimum.

Zissen's Bowery, 1749 N. Miami Ave. (37800).  A longtime Miami favorite that has sawdust on the floor, insulting waiters, bowls of pretzels, peanuts and big steins of beer.  Here everyone gets into the act.

Club Echo, 1446 Ocean Drive (JE 1-9252).  This small intimate club has quite a local following among the gay set.  It's very restrained since Miami prohibits female impersonators.  But the entertainers of both sexes do come off with some entertaining antics.  Reservations are needed since the Echo is always crowded.

STRIPORAMA

Five O'Clock Club, 2002 Collins Ave., Miami Beach (JE 8-1004).  Fifteen girls, each with her own brand of exotic dancing.  Each act interspersed with so-called burlesque black-outs.  Right in the heart of the oceanfront hotel district. $3 minimum

Gaiety Club, 7800 Biscayne Blvd., Miami (84-3196).  Long-time headquarters for Zorita and her snake dance.  Plus, of course, a dozen or more other exotics.  No cover, no minimum.

Life Bar, 134 5th St., Miami Beach (JE 1-9655).  Probably the oldest stripalace in town.  Inexpensive drinks, and no cover or minimum.  Girls are changed frequently.

Jungle Club, 3690 N.W. 36th St., Miami (64-9151).  Helene Polka runs this continuous-strip club with mostly local girls, but occasionally brings in a foreign prancer like Syra, who has made her mark in Hollywood.

Red Barn, 7805 N.W. 37th Ave., Miami (88-9212).  Located just outside the city limits, the shows here are, at times, somewhat more raw than you'll find elsewhere.  No cover, no minimum.  As the name implies, the building looks like an old barn.

French Casino, 217 N.E. 2nd St. Despite the French name and a bit of Parisian decor, this is strictly U.S.A. strip with about 20 girls performing in a revue called: "For Men Only."

Rainbow Inn, 2724 N.W. 36th St., (64-9398).  Loud and brassy strip entertainment with even the mc named Half Pint West getting down to his woolies.  In the same location for 15 years, the Inn is by now an institution and draws lots of regulars right into the milk-man hours.
 

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