MIAMI - MIAMI BEACH
NIGHT LIFE GUIDE
1956
[REF: CABARET magazine Dec 1956 page 51]
NIGHT LIFE GUIDE
MIAMI
HOTEL HOT SPOTS
CARNIVAL ROOM (Americana
Hotel). Oceanfront at Bal Harbour. Opened in November of
this year, 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 calibre, 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). Harry
Belafonte, who opened this room a year ago, will be back again this
month for another time around. Similar name performers booked all
year. 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. 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 and 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.
JAZZOPHILE HEAVEN
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.
STRIPORAMA
FIVE O'CLOCK CLUB, 2002
Collins, Miami Beach (JE 8-1004). Once this was Martha Raye's
private domain, but now that it specializes in striptease there's from
10 to 15 performers in the "take-it-off" 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 Zorita and snake dance, one of
the most unusual acts in show business. 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. In-expensive 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.
BARFLIES, INC.
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 rear 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 caravan.
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; Calypsoes by King
Richard of Trinidad; and Latin bongo-bongoes 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.
BLACK ORCHID, 1601 79th St.
Causeway (PL 8-5247). Small and intimate, the Orchid is a good
late-hour spot to snuggle with a chick you'd rather not be seen in
public with. The view of Biscayne Bay provides conversation
material in case you have nothing better to talk about.
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