CABARET GUIDE TO
MIAMI 1956
[REF:
Cabaret Quarterly, Special Resort Number, Volume Five,
poss 1956, p74]
CABARET GUIDE TO MIAMI
PLUSH PROMENADE
CARNIVAL ROOM
(Americana
Hotel). Oceanfront at Bal Harbour. Opened in
November of
1956, this is the most fabulous night club this side of the
Tropicana
in Havana. It's built on tiers to insure perfect
viewing from any
of its 500 seats. The elaborate stage disappears into
the wall
when not in use. Big-name performers booked for the
winter season
by Stanley Melba of the Hotel Pierre's Cotillion Room, who
is
entertainment director of this $17,000,000 hotel.
LA RONDE (Hotel
Fontainebleau),4441 Collins, Miami Beach (JE. 8-8811).
Oval-shaped, and gorgeous. Also expensive. ($7.50 food
and
beverage minimum during winter season). Tony Martin,
and
performers of similar caliber, booked for the winter
months. New
show every week, with performances at 9:30 pm and
midnight. Also
two orchestras: one for the Latin tempos; other for the
fox-trotting
crowd. Food and service is deluxe.
POMPEII CAFÉ (Eden
Roc Hotel), Collins at 45th, Miami Beach (JE 2-2561).
Room is
huge, with a modern-Grecian motif throughout. Like its
counterparts above, the Pompeii's a deluxe spot. Two
shows
nightly, at 9:30 and 11:30 and the names are big.
Also, two
orchestras. On the hotel grounds is a popular and
less-expensive
drink and dance spot called Harry's American Bar.
ALADDIN ROOM
(Algiers
Hotel)2555 Collins, Miami Beach (JE 1-6061). New show
every
night. Room is dark an intimate, overflowing with
Arabian
decor. One show nightly at 11. Dancing,
drinking, but no
food.
BLUE SAILS (Sans
Souci),
3101 Collins, Miami Beach (JE 8-6861). Here's one of
the
prettiest night club rooms on the beach. It's on the
smallish
side, quite dark, and very popular. Small beverage
minimum (never
more than $3), and specializing in comedians (Phil Foster,
Myron Cohen,
Lenny Kent). Two shows nightly, at 9:30 and
11:30. Latin
music for dancing.
PAGODA (Saxony
Hotel), 3201
Collins, Miami Beach (JE 8-6811). Last-minute bookings
bring
unusual entertainment here. One month it can be an ice
show; the
next, a name band. But the policy of two shows a
night, at 9:30
and 11:30, prevails, along with food and beverage minimums
for deluxe
service in a lavishly-decorated room.
BAMBOO ROOM (Hotel
Roney
Plaza), 23rd and Collins, Miami Beach (JE 1-6011).
Pleasant
lounge on the ground floor of a famed hotel. Long a
favorite
hangout of Miami visitors. Music for dancing.
TOP O' THE COLUMBUS
(Columbus Hotel) 312 N.E. 1st, Miami (3-2671).
Patterned after
Top O' The Mark in San Francisco, the 16th floor of this
downtown
hostelry affords an exciting view of Miami, Miami Beach, and
environs. Good food, pleasant guzzling atmosphere in
the bar,
dancing from 9 pm to midnight.
THE PEELERIES
FIVE O'CLOCK CLUB,
2002
Collins, Miami Beach (JE 8-1004). Once Martha Raye's
private
domain. Now it specializes in striptease with 10 to 15
performers
in the "take-it-ff" lineup. Burlesque blackouts,
too. Open
from 10 pm to 5 am with a continuous show, and a $3 minimum.
GAIETY CLUB, 7800
Biscayne
Blvd., Miami (84-3196). Featuring one headliner,
usually an
unusual act. Plus, of course, a half-dozen additional
"exotics." No cover, no minimum. Open from 10 pm
to 5 am.
JUNGLE CLUB, 3690
N.W.
36th, Miami (64-9151). Helene Polka has gained
national
recognition for her off-the-beaten-track peelorium, which
features a
long list of girls and canned music. No cover, no
minimum.
Open from 10 pm to 5 am.
LIFE BAR, 134 5TH,
Miami
Beach (JE 1-9655). Oldest peel palace in town.
Striptease
and burlesque blackouts. Inexpensive drinks.
Three shows:
10 pm, 12:30 am and 2:30 am.
HAREM CLUB, 636
Collins,
Miami Beach (JE 8-9585). In addition to strips, the
harem offers
comedian Lenny Ross as emcee. He's advertised as "the
most
shocking act in show business," which may not be entirely
true, but he
tries very hard. Open from 10 pm to 5 am.
PIGALLE, 215 22ND,
Miami
Beach (JE 8-4556). Home of Dixie Evans, a Marilyn
Monroe
look-alike, and a flock of attractive strippers.
Newest peel
palace in Miami. Open from 10 pm to 5 am. No
cover, no
minimum.
RAINBOW INN, 2724
N.W. 36th
St., Miami (NE 4-9398). Out near the International
Airport.
Girls are changed frequently; but the emcee-comic, Half-Pint
West, is
an institution here.
RED BARN, 7805 N.W.
37th
St., Miami (TU 8-9212). Because it's located in the
county zone,
and now within the city limits, the girls can go a little
"further." Sometimes, late in the mornings, there are
no holds
barred. Building looks like a barn- and of course,
it's painted
red.
POTPOURRI
BAR OF MUSIC, 427
22ND,
Miami Beach (JE 1-0439). Bald-pated Bill Jordan has
operated this
place singlehandedly for nearly two decades. It's a
small and
interesting spot, off the beaten track, and features serious
piano
music by Jordan as a solo, and in tandem with Fred
Thompson. Two
or three additional acts usually on the bill. In real
of main
room is tiny Key Club for all-night carousing. Open
from 9 pm to
5 am.
BONFIRE, 1700 79th
St. Causeway (84-4451). Western decor with
initials of show
business personalities designed into cattle "brands" all
over the
place. Very popular, late at night. It's the
last spot to
hit on an all-night caravanserie.
BLACK MAGIC ROOM,
1335 79TH
St. Causeway (PL 4-8897). Probably the smallest
and darkest
plush saloon in town. Nude paintings on the walls,
torch songs by
Lucy Reed, and plaintive guitar strumming by Michael
Strange. Go
late. Open from 10 pm to 7 am.
MALAYAN LOUNGE, 1810
79th
St. Causeway (89-2173). Entertainment with a Caribbean
flavor. Shimmies by Bahama Mama from Nassau; Calypsos
by King
Richard of Trinidad; and Latin bongo-bongos by a new group
every
month. Wide selection of exotic drinks. Front of
the house
is an Italian restaurant.
MURRAY FRANKLIN'S,
23RD AT
THE Ocean, Miami Beach (JE 8-7201). Wacky wonderland
of Miami
Beach. Franklin himself is a very funny guy and runs a
little
madhouse here, with unpredictable and impromptu
entertainment.
This is where Roberta Sherwood was re-discovered last
year. Don't
take your maiden aunt. Open from 9 pm to 6 am but the
joint
doesn't start jumping until 2 am.
JUST FOR LISTENIN'
ROCKIN' M.B. LOUNGE,
21ST
and Collins, Miami Beach (JE 1-3733). Two bands take
turns
blowing away for the edification of the younger set (but
still over 21,
because this is still basically a saloon). Never a
cover or
minimum. Open from 9 pm to 5 am.
DREAM LOUNGE
(Johnina
Hotel), Collins and 71st, Miami Beach (UN 6-6821).
Semi-name
outfits make with the jazz, and dance music, in
highly-modern, dark
club. Gander the waitresses here (they wear sheer,
sheer
negligee-type gowns). Open from 9 pm to 5 am.
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.
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