E-MAIL MEMORIES, PAGE 4
ALBERT BRUNS:
Remember Broasted chicken at the Frostop.
Archibald's piano bar. Strippers Lili St Cyr and Lilly Christine, the
"Cat Girl."
What about "Stormy," "Jada" and the lady on Canal Street
who was featured as "250 pounds of tassel twirling."
"Cherokee" worked there too.
The singer Mercedes at Pat O'Brien's.
My mother wrote the entertainment page "Dine and Dance" on
the old New Orleans Item. That was back when Carlos Marcello owned a lot
of the dining and entertainment places in New Orleans. The pinball machines
were owned by "Tac."
Remember the TV show "N.O.P.D.
What about Earl Long urinating on the carpet at the Roosevelt Hotel
on live TV, while he was running around with Blaze Starr. Giving a news
conference on the front porch at his childhood home in Winn Parish and having
his secretary read Blake's "Tiger,Tiger, Burning Bright" out loud
to reporters. Just after that he was committed to a mental institution and
as governor fired the administrator (who had him committed), appointed a
new one and had himself released. Then he commandeered a national guard
plane and flew away. Later he was elected to the US Senate. This is how
I remembered it.
McDonough Day parade ended up at the old city hall where all the students
went to Mayor Morrison's office and one sixth grader from each school got
the key to the city. (I got it from Frank T Howard #2 in 1956).
Radio show with "Tiger" Flowers.
Mumphrey's on St Charles.
Siler's bookstore on St Charles.
Holsum's cafeteria.
The exotic star filled ceilings in the lounge between the restrooms at the
Saenger Theater.
RKO Orpheum and the Joy.
The Civic theater where you could see English movies.
Hearing the rosary on the radio from peoples' windows in the afternoon
when you were playing.
The catholic kids got to get out of public schools a couple days a week
early to go to catechism.
The day after Mardi Gras it would often rain and the sewers, stuffed
with debris, would be blocked and the streets would flood.
The old Union station on Basin and Canal.
The Woolworth's on Basin and Canal , where you could get a bagfull of little
soldiers, cowboys or indians for practically nothing.
Going "across the lake."
The uniformed policeman standing on a pedestal down at the bottom of Metairie
cemetery, near the old canal and railroad tracks, directing traffic.
BOB:
Wow! That's quite a history lesson there, Al. Knowing Louisiana, if Earl
K. Long and Edward Edwards ran on the same ticket today they'd both win
again. Uncle Earl looks sane next to out-of-town corporate radio nitwits
and A-Holts.
FRANK LUCITO:
Hello Bob.......My name is Frank Lucito and was born in 1946, lived all
my life on the West Bank and graduated at West Jefferson High School in
1964....During the late 50's and 60's coming from the West Bank we made
our trips to
Lenfant's, Pontchartrain Beach, The Rockery, etc.....but we had a lot to
do on the westside... I can still remember going to Danos' Drive Inn restaurant
in Marrero and having a coke and burger or going to Gretna and hanging out
at Nelson's.......Nelson's was a big hangout after football games......Even
in Lafitte there was "The Grill"....We had our dances too.....Saturday
nights at Immaculate Conception and Sunday nights at the VFW Hall in Gretna.....During
the week if you wanted music there was always the "509 Club" in
Algiers. Of course we had the Scorpio which was the hot spot in the 60's.....If
you had a hot date you would always bring her to Jim's Fried Chicken on
South Carrollton.......The Log Cabin restaurant in Marrero was always filled
with people on Friday and Saturday nights. They had the best hamburger steak
in the metro area.....We had our love spots too.....You can always go to
the Algiers Drive Inn ( 2 screens), Gretna Greens Drive Inn, or the Marrero
Drive Inn.....Brechtel park was always a good spot for back seat memories!!!
I had manny good times parked in the back at "The Wabbit" in Gretna...Yes
and the football games...I can still remember having 50 - 100 cars going
over the Huey P Long bridge and parading down Jefferson highway to Central
avenue and then to Airline Highway to East Jefferson Football stadium...There
was no Clearview at that time...
Yes those was the days and by the way I always listened to WTIX only....My
favorite songs: Danny Boy by Sugarboy, Loan Me Your Hankerchief, Big Blue
Diamonds, Holy One, I'll Dream No More (Eddie Powers) and of course "All
These Things"....I know I left out a lot of things but I just finished
my third Dixie beer and it is time to go to bed..........thanks for listening
to me, Frank Lucito
BOB:
You remembered quite a bit under the circumstances, Frank! Hope you listen
to those favorite songs of yours on my New Orleans Jukebox Gold broadcasts
on my home page here. And Jack The Cat is smiling down on you for polishing
off those Dixie beers...his daughter Kendra Elliott Bruno and her husband
now own Dixie Brewery!
F.R. (BOB) DUPLANTIER (Founder of the Spontaneous Krewe of Platefaces):
Hi Bob, just discovered your site. Been in St. Louis for six years now.
People always ask me if I miss New Orleans. I say no, because I brought
the best stuff with me -- my R&B albums and my cookbooks. But there
is one thing I miss: a decent radio show. And now I've found it! My wife
and I love "Ice Man." In fact, she -- no, I won't go into that.
Last time I saw you was at Bert's (?) on Canal St. back in 1983 or 84. Keep
up the good work.
BOB:
Hi Bob...What an honor and a privilege to have my site surfed by a N.O.
expatriate who founded the Platefaces! Do you guys really have a Plateface
masquerade like Tom Cruise went to in "Eyes Wide Shut?" Please
invite me if you do!! Keep checking out my N.O. Jukebox Gold broadcasts
on the directory page of my site here. Yeah, I did broadcast the Sunday
Night Oldies Party in '83 after we left the Bengal. I'm in the process of
creating 12-15 shows that will encompass most of the AM hits of New Orleans
radio and keep our unique radio history safe from the ignorant corporate
radio A-Holts! Glad your wife likes "Ice Man" too...I won't go
into that either! :-)
MICHAEL EDWARD FLAHERTY
Hey Bob...spotted your web site. I grew up in NO, graduated from McDonogh
in 1964. I used to hang around TIX and NOE wanting to be in radio. Was offered
a job at TIX in early 70's, but the deal wasn't so great and I turned it
down. Finally worked at QUE and B-97 as Program Director 83-86 (Kris O'Kelly).
TIX was a great station. I remember Don McGregor, Buzz Bennett, you and
all the guys.
The beach was really special to me. My brother and I both managed concessions
stands at the beach during Summers in High School. We worked for Bud Saudelet
who ran concessions for Harry Batt. I worked in Concession stand #2 which
was by the Wild Maus. My brother had the "cool" concession stand
at the pool. Everybody wanted that place! I grew up at the beach and really
miss it. I still can't believe it's gone. Anyway, just thought I'd say hello.
I've always enjoyed your work.
BOB:
Ahhh...one of my old Program Directors! Hi Mike...I enjoyed our association
when I had my Sunday Night Oldies Party on WQUE Q-93 from '83 - '84 at Bert's
(see previous letter) and at Frankie G's at the Rodeway Inn on the I-10
Service Road in Kenner from '85 - '86. It was at Frankie G's that we had
our famous live concert on the Sunday Night Oldies Party on Q-93 featuring
Aaron Neville, Ernie K-Doe and Irma Thomas...for FREE. The line to get in
was quite lengthy, extending back almost two blocks to Williams Blvd.
I do remember that concession stand #2, situated on the left of the
Wild Maus, with a few banana trees there too. Then the Log Flume ride came
afterwards. But, you know, for the life of me I can't remember what ride
was in that spot before the Wild Maus. But I miss Pontchartrain Beach too,
along with lots of other people. Thanks, Mike, for stopping by and sharing
your great memories.