The Blue Angel (New York nightclub)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Blue Angel, also known as the Blue Angel Supper Club,[1] was a New York City nightclub founded in April 1943[2][3] and closed in 1964.[2] It was located at 152 East 55th Street between Lexington and Third Avenue. Many artists would go to perform in the club and artists such as Vaughn Meader had their careers launched at the Angel.
The Blue Angel was founded by Max Gordon, founder of Greenwich Village's venue, the Village Vanguard, which opened in 1934.[4] The Blue Angel was co-owned by Herbert Jacoby.[5][6] The duo, as Her‐Max, Inc.,[3] invested $5,000 each to open the club. A touch of interior design included a blue cherub—a blue angel—on the stage proscenium.[6] Curt Weinberg acted as publicist. At capacity, the club held 150 people.[7] The kitchen served gourmet food.[8]
The Blue Angel was a desegregated club, then a rarity.[9] It was one of the venues at which Edith Piaf made one of her first performance appearances in the United States.[4] Singers Irene Bordoni, Mildred Bailey, Mabel Mercer, and pianist Bobby Short performed at the venue in 1945.[10][11][12][13] In 1946, actress, singer, dancer, and impressionist Florence Desmond debuted at the club.[14] Eddie Mayehoff also performed on the bill.[15] Also in 1946, the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron saw an advertisement for the club in the magazine The New Yorker, prompting them to rename themselves the Blue Angels.[16]
Other acts of the time to perform there included Eartha Kitt, Anita Ellis, Alice Ghostley and Barbara Cook;[5] Kitt undertook a number of residencies at the club, including an eight-week stint in 1952[17][18] and an unprecedented 20-week run.[19] Other stars appearing at the club included Pearl Bailey, Alice Pearce, Paula Laurence, and the Bernard Brothers.[20]
In 1951, comedian Dorothy "Dot" Greener played the club, with the King Odom Quartet and The Mademoiselles on the same bill.[7] Throughout the 1950s, pianist Jimmy Lyon led a jazz trio at the club as well as provided piano accompaniment for all performers who brought their acts there,[21] while Bart Howard, composer of "Fly Me to the Moon," played piano there as well, also acting as the club's "master of ceremonies," or director of shows, throughout the decade;[22][23] "Fly Me to the Moon" is said to have debuted at the Angel in 1954, as sung by Felicia Sanders.[24] Indeed, Sanders recorded a live album at the club, Felicia Sanders at the Blue Angel.[25] Likewise, Dorothy Loudon recorded an album there, Dorothy Loudon at the Blue Angel,[26] and performed comedy at the club as well.[27] Other stars to play the club included Harry Belafonte, the Weavers, Mort Sahl, Blossom Dearie, Martha Davis, and Johnny Mathis.[9][28][29][30] In 1957, club impresario Spivy Le Voe, also known as Spivy, was coaxed to play the club.[31]