Supper clubs

**terryh** · November-08-10, 10:05 PM

Browsing some reels in the microfilm room of Detroit Public Library the other day, a Sept. 1965 paper had a cool ad I printed [[one of these days Im going to stop being a cheapskate, get home net service and a scanner so I can share) and some interesting ads jumped out at me.

Chess Mate Coffee House Livernois at Mcnichols featured Jazz drummer Steve Booker with mop top hair cut.

The Sunliners headlined the GAY HAVEN Supper Club.

Harvey Stone and Nino Palermo were featured at the Capistrano 20600 Plymouth Rd. Al Jolson Jr. was scheduled to make an appearance.

Brass Rail Chop House featured and all star exotic revue.

Metropole Supper Club in Windsor feautured a $2.25 smorgasboard. Marv Welch was there.

The Four Lads were scheduled at the Top Hat Supper Club in Windsor. [[still open)

Last but not very least, naughy boys and girls could go to Blues Unlimited at 11003 Kercheval 2 blks west of St. Jean for Dimples Darling and Baron Lea Orchestra. Some of the ads seemed like they may have been risque considering the time they were printed. Blues unlimited featured two ladies in heels and the big burlesque bikinis. Once I get my employment situated Ill start sharing some of these retro ads....

**terryh** · November-08-10, 10:07 PM

Oh and the same paper featured a short article on the impending release of convicted Purple Gang shooter Harry Keywell; he was going to be released to inlaws in Oak Park, and had a job lined up in a Ferndale supermarket.....

**Meddle** · November-08-10, 11:31 PM

I remember talk of a place called the 24 Karat club, but I don't know where it was.

**reddog289** · November-09-10, 12:47 AM

When I hear the words Supper Club, I think of the Oak Barrel Supper Club on 7 mi by Grand River. Too young to go there but as any a times I drove past it it is in my memory bank.

**mikefmich** · November-09-10, 01:36 AM

Playing at the Chessmate was one of the earlier gigs my band had in 1967. Neat place...wonder if the bldg is still standing?

**econ expat** · November-09-10, 06:27 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

I remember talk of a place called the 24 Karat club, but I don't know where it was.

Telegraph Rd, S of McNichols/6 Mile, the building is still there, has had many names and 'themes' since its heydays in the 60's.

Late 60's, occasionally Denny McLain 'headlined' there playing the organ.

**mauser** · November-09-10, 07:02 AM

you guys are missing the grandest of all supper clubs:
http://www.detroitfunk.com/?p=4880

**EastsideAl** · November-09-10, 01:11 PM

Of course THE supper club to end all supper clubs, the king of all nightlife venues, in the Detroit area throughout the '40s, '50s, and '60s was the Elmwood Casino in Windsor. It was where most of the headline nightclub acts played when they came this way. Sort of the Detroit area's Copa or little Vegas [[but without the gambling in those days).

Here's the first in a 3 part series on the Elmwood's history on a Windsor blog, with a lot of scanned items from the place.
http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/?p=453
They've also posted an old menu from the Elmwood, and some information about the old Top Hat on their site too. Last I heard, the old Elmwood building had been turned into a rehab center.

**Jimaz** · November-09-10, 01:14 PM

It says it's Canada's largest and gayest supper club. LOL!

**douglasm** · November-09-10, 04:25 PM

Where did the term "Supper Club" come from? It appears to me to be a mid-west term for fancy or semi-fancy resturant, i.e. Ray Croton's Supper Club in Ferndale. We don't have them out here, but when we went back to the mid west about 15 years ago, it seemed that every town had one.

As to the Chessmate, someone told me the building still stands. Corky Siegel toured out here about 30 years ago and we spent a good 45 minutes reminissing about the place. Saw a very young Joni Mitchell there.....

**d2dyeah** · November-09-10, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Of course THE supper club to end all supper clubs, the king of all nightlife venues, in the Detroit area throughout the '40s, '50s, and '60s was the Elmwood Casino in Windsor. It was where most of the headline nightclub acts played when they came this way. Sort of the Detroit area's Copa or little Vegas [[but without the gambling in those days).

Here's the first in a 3 part series on the Elmwood's history on a Windsor blog, with a lot of scanned items from the place.
http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/?p=453
They've also posted an old menu from the Elmwood, and some information about the old Top Hat on their site too. Last I heard, the old Elmwood building had been turned into a rehab center.

The Elmwood Casino was great for kids too. They had a Sunday Family dinner/buffet that was terrific, and it had tons of great food. I think if you look in your family photo album, I'm sure lots of Detroiter's have at least one group photo of their parents around a table on New Years Eve. in an Elmwood Casino folder.

LDoolan · November-09-10, 11:08 PM

Any photos of the Act IV Supper club? John Dahlinger was part owner of this after he sold his interest in Cliff Bell's in the 1950s. Dahlinger was the supposed illegitimate son of Henry Ford.

I was looking thru his book the other night and he touches briefly on his ventures in the Supper Club industry.

**gazhekwe** · November-10-10, 08:47 AM

Chessmate wasn't really a supper club, but a funky folk/blues coffee house [[what we called this kind of place back then). I saw Siegal-Schwall, Pozo Seco Singers, Bruce Murdock and best of all, The Blues Magoos, among others, at the Chessmate.

I remember supper clubs with dinner and entertainment or dancing. We couldn't afford to go to them, but they made me think of those places you see in movies of the 30s and 40s, all white tablecloths and tuxed waiters, diners in evening attire...

**EastsideAl** · November-10-10, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

Chessmate wasn't really a supper club, but a funky folk/blues coffee house [[what we called this kind of place back then). I saw Siegal-Schwall, Pozo Seco Singers, Bruce Murdock and best of all, The Blues Magoos, among others, at the Chessmate.

There were a bunch of these coffee house folk/blues/rock venues around back in the '60s and '70s, particularly in the days before legal 18 year old drinking came in [[which went right back out again a few years later, but I went to high school at just the right time to experience it).

I remember being taken to the Raven Gallery coffee house by my blues-loving father, which I believe was first in Birmingham but was in Southfield by the time I was there, to see John Lee Hooker and watch Josh White Jr. hold court. There was also the Living End, which is I believe where Joni Mitchell really first got noticed. I think it was in an old house somewhere near downtown. I was taken there as a little kid by my Dad to see Sonny Terry & Brownie McGee and Son House, and perhaps some other aging bluesmen I sure wish I could remember now. The Chessmate was out by U. of D., wasn't it? We had friends who ran a little theater out in that area, but I don't think I was ever in there.

**douglasm** · November-10-10, 05:25 PM

Absolute Zero in Birmingham, The Retort, and The Living End should be added to the list, too. Gazhelwke, I wonder if we tripped over each other at the Blues Magoo's show? Saw them again about 3 years later, after the bloom had worn off. Alas, Lightning didn't strike twice. Also saw Spanky and Our Gang, James Cotton, Chuck Mitchell [[by then Joni's ex), Terry Night as a solo and The Stone Ponies there......

**gazhekwe** · November-10-10, 05:44 PM

You know, that was a time! The Blues Magoos were so great, I still play that music in my car. I bet we did share a seat or something. The funny thing, I was there with SOMEONE, but who? My husband, who I started dating around that time, was at that concert. My boyfriend that I was still dating around then was also there. My husband's cousin was also there. It wasn't THAT big a place. I don't think you get that kind of confusion at a regular supper club

**douglasm** · November-10-10, 06:52 PM

A truely intimate [[that is, hot, stuffy, smoke filled) room. Sat about 300 on two levels. I usually sat on the rased level back by the juke box. Place started out as a chess club, and Morrie brought in local folk singers on the weekend until Morrie [[once described as an idiot sevant with great musical tastes) discovered that the folk singers were making more money than the chess players. A girl I used to date in high school played there. We went together to see Joni......

**Mikeg** · November-11-10, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Of course THE supper club to end all supper clubs, the king of all nightlife venues, in the Detroit area throughout the '40s, '50s, and '60s was the Elmwood Casino in Windsor. It was where most of the headline nightclub acts played when they came this way. Sort of the Detroit area's Copa.......

My wife and I were watching A&E a couple of days ago and came across the 2003 Biography episode on "Cher". She mentioned the Elmwood Casino by name while recounting some of the places that "Sonny & Cher" played in the late 1960s during their nightclub act days after their pop music career had flamed out. Their nightclub act repartee was the genesis of their mid-70s TV variety show "shtick".

**Crew** · November-11-10, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

It says it's Canada's largest and gayest supper club. LOL!

grow up Jimaz

**CLAUDE G** · November-12-10, 01:21 AM

The last time I was at a "Supper Club" was at the Old Top Hat BBQ in Windsor Canada right after you get out of the Tunnel.

They had great ribs, and I used to go there twice per week and they always had live entertainment on the weekends.

Unfortunatly with all the post 9/11 crap with customs making it more difficult to go to and from Canada, and the exchange rate put them out of business about 4 years ago.

**Jman** · November-12-10, 07:54 AM

Originally Posted by CLAUDE G

The last time I was at a "Supper Club" was at the Old Top Hat BBQ in Windsor Canada right after you get out of the Tunnel.

They had great ribs, and I used to go there twice per week and they always had live entertainment on the weekends.

Unfortunatly with all the post 9/11 crap with customs making it more difficult to go to and from Canada, and the exchange rate put them out of business about 4 years ago.

Maybe it was The Tunnel BBQ?