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278:, whose "Jet Plane" finale, in which he leaped over the stage, landed on his wooden leg, and then executed a series of backward hops accompanied by trumpet blasts from the band, saw his leg puncture the wooden stage floor in the early 1940s. It took half an hour to pull him out. After that, the stage floor was reinforced with metal sheeting.
259:'s band, described it: "This gig was about playing the show; it wasn't about playing jazz. . . We'd get a chance to do maybe a jazz tune or two before the show started". However, after the last show ended, the musicians would often go over to Club Harlem to jam with their band into the early morning hours, and musicians performing at the
229:
The stage shows opened with singers warming up the crowd with "risqué vaudeville tunes" and comedians dressed in "overalls and straw hats told raunchy jokes". These were followed by a troupe of six "dark-skinned, full-bodied" women outfitted in "top hats, short black shorts, and tuxedo vests a size
318:
The
Paradise Club was one of four Atlantic City nightclubs raided by police in July 1940 on suspicion of illegal gambling activities. Led by the new mayor, Tom Taggert, the raiding party confiscated "three truckloads of gambling paraphernalia" and arrested 32, then shut down the Paradise Club, Club
309:
had a summer residency at the club in 1947, opening on 27 June. They agreed to perform for reduced wages for the opportunity for a full summer booking. During the engagement, Basie was on a deep fishing trip and fell overboard while trying to land a fish. Club owner Abrams jumped overboard to save
221:-era roadhouse" with darkened rooms, low ceilings, and small tables arranged around the dance floor and stage. During the stage shows, while, amber, and blue colored spotlights played around the room. A girl in a short skirt walked around taking souvenir pictures of the guests.
208:
Like other nightclubs in the district, the
Paradise Club succumbed to a drop-off in business from the advent of legalized casino gambling in Atlantic City. By the mid-1980s, only Club Harlem was still operating. The site of the club is now a parking lot.
230:
or two too small" performing as the
Sextuplet Dancers, backed by the Count Basie band. Alternate shows featured "light-skinned" dancers in feather boas and bikinis performing in front of "a trio of African American drummers dressed like the natives in a
187:, a summer resort. While it was fine for them to frequent the all-black shows at the Paradise Club, none of the black performers could use the whites-only beach at the Traymore. Blacks in the racially segregated city were restricted to
367:
156:. Entertaining a predominantly white clientele, it was known for its raucous floor shows featuring gyrating black dancers accompanied by high-energy jazz bands led by the likes of
197:
In May 1954 the
Paradise Club announced its merger with Club Harlem. Clifton Williams and Ben Alten of Club Harlem became co-owners with Abrams. With the merger, the elaborate
656:
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Opened in the 1920s, the
Paradise Club was owned by Harold Paul Abrams, who also owned Harold's Club and the Basin Street Club. Abrams was also the general manager of the
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The gyrating, hip-thrusting dancers were considered a bigger draw for the white audience than the musicians, who included future jazz greats
217:
The club's nondescript exterior and "simple neon sign" revealed nothing of the raucous goings-on within. The interior was designed like "a
343:
Taggart began the action by calling 40 policemen into his office, strapping on a revolver and stating, "Come on, we're going places."
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arranged and conducted the music for the club's revue. Other jazz musicians who played the
Paradise included
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831:"Business 'Going On As Usual' After Sepia Night Life Circle Raids in Atlantic City"
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During the 1946 off-season the club opened the
Paradise Swing Room, a musical bar.
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939:
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Tappin' at the Apollo: The
African American Female Tap Dance Duo Salt and Pepper
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A Thousand Honey Creeks Later: My Life in Music from Basie to Motown—and Beyond
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Popular acts at the
Paradise Club included Salt and Pepper, a black female
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168:. In 1954 the Paradise Club merged with Club Harlem under joint ownership.
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of the beach, but were able to enter attractions on the entire
Boardwalk.
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directed a revue at the Paradise in the summer of 1941. In the 1950s
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327:. The clubs were doing business as usual the day after the raid.
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Swingin' on Central Avenue: African American Jazz in Los Angeles
966:
Boardwalk of Dreams: Atlantic City and the Fate of Urban America
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Clifford Brown: The Life and Art of the Legendary Jazz Trumpeter
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688:
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at Club Harlem began appearing at the Paradise Club as well.
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would make their way to the Paradise for the same purpose.
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Willis notes that most of the white clientele came from the
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274:. The club also featured novelty acts, such as tap dancer
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duo, Dorcyee Bradley, an exotic dancer, and comedy team
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Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Cholly Atkins
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451:"Harlem and Paradise Clubs Merge in Atlantic City"
1029:Tales of South Jersey: Profiles and Personalities
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900:(Revised ed.). Oxford University Press.
789:. Associated Press. 29 July 1940. p. 12.
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1008:Count Basie: Swingin' the Blues, 1936–1950
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112:Harold Abrams, Clifton Williams, Ben Alten
803:. Chester Times. July 29, 1940. p. 3
945:Frankie Manning: Ambassador of Lindy Hop
893:
616:
592:
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471:"Larry Steele's shore revue sensational"
1096:Nightclubs in Atlantic City, New Jersey
1091:Jazz clubs in Atlantic City, New Jersey
781:"Mayor Leads Atlantic City Raid Squads"
745:"Basie Goes Fishing, But Is Fished Out"
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428:"Oldest Nitery Opens Musical Swing Bar"
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368:"Atlantic City Nightlife Circa 1920s"
366:Schweibert, Ray (15 September 2010).
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492:"Club Harlem may soon be history"
1026:Waltzer, Jim; Wilk, Tom (2001).
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655:Waltzer, Jim (22 January 2009).
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148:at 220 North Illinois Avenue in
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829:Rowe, Billy (August 10, 1940).
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617:McMillan, Alan (11 July 1953).
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942:; Millman, Cynthia R. (2007).
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1075:"Harold P. Abrams Collection"
924:. Wesleyan University Press.
879:. Columbia University Press.
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1077:Atlantic City Public Library
1032:. Rutgers University Press.
990:. Rowman & Littlefield.
496:The Washington Afro-American
476:The Washington Afro American
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969:. Oxford University Press.
948:. Temple University Press.
801:"Shore Mayor Conducts Raid"
10:
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1047:Willis, Cheryl M. (2016).
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707:Manning & Millman 2007
479:. 29 June 1954. p. 6.
415:Manning & Millman 2007
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873:; Malone, Jacqui (2012).
213:Architecture and interior
150:Atlantic City, New Jersey
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108:
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62:Atlantic City, New Jersey
59:220 North Illinois Avenue
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47:Location in Atlantic City
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695:Atkins & Malone 2012
657:"Creatures of the Night"
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894:Catalano, Nick (2001).
743:Izzy (August 2, 1947).
683:Waltzer & Wilk 2001
984:Vacher, Peter (2015).
963:Simon, Bryant (2004).
835:The Pittsburgh Courier
749:The Pittsburgh Courier
325:Grace's Little Belmont
490:UPI (28 April 1987).
307:Count Basie Orchestra
93:39.36389°N 74.43389°W
662:Atlantic City Weekly
436:: 45. 23 March 1946.
372:Atlantic City Weekly
1011:. Scarecrow Press.
201:revue presented by
98:39.36389; -74.43389
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1005:Vail, Ken (2003).
459:: 58. 13 May 1954.
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1018:978-0-8108-4882-5
976:978-0-1951-6753-5
697:, pp. 47–49.
619:"Tropicana Revue"
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272:Stump and Stumpy
245:Jimmie Lunceford
162:Jimmie Lunceford
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845:– via
839:. Retrieved
837:. p. 20
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758:– via
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288:Tadd Dameron
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253:Johnny Coles
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203:Larry Steele
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719:Vacher 2015
625:. p. 6
509:Willis 2016
403:Willis 2016
268:tap dancing
241:Count Basie
219:Prohibition
189:one section
158:Count Basie
154:Club Harlem
96: /
71:Coordinates
1085:Categories
1039:0813530075
931:081956320X
907:0195144007
807:August 28,
605:Simon 2004
563:Simon 2004
551:Simon 2004
524:Simon 2004
351:References
296:Sonny Clay
284:Honi Coles
261:Steel Pier
81:39°21′50″N
841:August 7,
754:August 7,
731:Love 1997
539:Vail 2003
433:Billboard
146:jazz club
142:nightclub
125:jazz club
121:Nightclub
84:74°26′2″W
918:(1997).
668:7 August
629:7 August
377:7 August
236:movie".
178:500 Club
864:Sources
786:The Day
172:History
56:Address
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928:
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323:, and
298:, and
247:, and
233:Tarzan
164:, and
140:was a
331:Notes
251:. As
225:Shows
109:Owner
1055:ISBN
1034:ISBN
1013:ISBN
992:ISBN
971:ISBN
950:ISBN
926:ISBN
902:ISBN
881:ISBN
843:2016
809:2016
756:2016
670:2016
631:2016
379:2016
305:The
282:and
144:and
132:The
117:Type
456:Jet
136:or
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