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THE PLACE TO BE Nate Guidry can be reached at [email protected] or 412-263- 3865.
The Duke was so popular that Pittsburgh promoters had to rent the old Motor Square Garden on Baum Boulevard in East Liberty to accommodate the hordes of fans who purchased tickets to see him perform.
Duke Ellington would arrive in Pittsburgh in his own Pullman cars, spending the night at the Pennsylvania Station, unlike most black entertainers who were restricted to staying overnight in the Hill District -- most likely at the Bailey Hotel, one of Centre Avenue's finest.
Those were the days when Pittsburgh was hopping -- clubs, casinos, burlesque houses and strip joints -- catering to all sorts of revelers.
Downtown was dotted with clubs, both private and public. Most popular were the Variety Club, Chelsea, Almono, the Musicians Club and the Benjamin Harrison Literary Club, an after-hours spot on Liberty Avenue reputed to be owned by gangsters. The club eventually became the Southern Outing and Fishing Club and featured such talent as Homestead native Maxine Sullivan.
"I can assure you there wasn't much reading or fishing licenses being handed out there," said the late William Dobie to the Post- Gazette before his death in 2003. "It was strictly wine, women and entertainment. This was during the time of Prohibition and speakeasies, and people used to come in with their own bottle, and there had to be entertainment. Maxine was singing there. If I recall correctly, she started out as a waitress; then someone realized she could sing."
The North Side featured such clubs as Red's Cafe, Pace's and the Moose Club.
Some of the best clubs could be found in the East End, venues such as the Bachelors Club, Lepus, Hunting and Fishing and the Del Mar Canoe Club, which offered after-hours gambling and showcased some of the best comedians and emcees in the country.
"I remember performing in a combo for Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin at Bachelors Club," said Pittsburgh drummer William...