Saturday, January 5, 2013

Gay Atlanta '66

Okay, we had a blast of sun 'n fun in 1950's Phoenix (see our last post HERE), but now it's time to get down 'n dirty with something a bit more risqué in the grand state of Georgia. Re-setting the time machine coordinates ahead one decade to Atlanta-- the week of September 12th, 1966-- where we find a bevy of lovely go-go pussycats ready to take it off and bare it all for us! Now, if the revealing splendors (and sizzlin' ad design) of the first half of this post are too hot for you to handle, try the last half of scans for some swarmy, low key lounge crooning, jaw-dropping black face entertainment, or fine wine 'n dining --and for the kids there's always Shakey's Pizza or IHOPGay Atlanta, published by Frank Tuggle, was the city's first guide magazine and issued weekly as far back as 1937.
























21 comments:

Brian Barnes said...

Was there a sale on animal print fabric in Atlanta in 62?

Black face. Right on the front. In GEORGIA. In 62. Wow. Stunning. I think the fire hoses should have been turned onto Cotton Watts until he was blown into a smear on the wall instead of the mostly peaceful protesters in that decade.

On to a little less evil stuff, oh, the pussycats. I have a thing for the "nudie cutie" age of adult entertainment, and back row, far right woman ... wow. The big hair. The glasses. Just screams late 50s high school year book photo.

I love the always cliche pervert animal drawing! Got the wink, got the tongue sticking out.

Blonde in the center looks like she's trying to smile through some kind of horrible trauma.

And where do you get tiger stripe spats?

Mr. Karswell said...

'66!!

Brian Barnes said...

The evil baby made me forget those 4 years ....

Crafty C said...

wow. this is seriously hilarious. thanks for making me laugh today :)

i don't think there is any way i could choose between all of these fine establishments so i'd have to include them all in my vacation. but i think i'd have to start with Mammy's Shanty. or Hong Kong Restaurant. it's a toss up and i can't decide. but i'd def have to hit Shakey's. that was my fave pizza joint when i was a kid.

but my god. all those go go dancers and kittens and nightie-clad niterettes! and Jean Hendrix and her accordion sing-a-long! i'd never want to leave Atlanta.

Mr. Karswell said...

@ Carol: Did you notice there's a girl at The Nitery named KANDY KANE? She's sweet-- but wild!

FOR Brian, COTTON WATTS IN ACTION!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKwEVTDuCQQ

Mr. Karswell said...

Also, if anyone old enough cares to share memories of these places, or if you live in Atlanta and know if some of these places are still around, PLEASE tell us! I'm super curious if THE NITERY still has those nightie clad NITERETTES performing nightly!

Crafty C said...

i did. :) there were so many things i wanted to comment on here it would have been a whole page long. just the fact that that one place is called The Nitery kills me (i'd def go on amateur night!). and go go jo who looks like she's turning the corner on 50 - but maybe it's just the giant hair. and that Atlanta's most elegant lounge is called The Purple Poodle. and "Mr. Pesonality" Jerry Ford for your informal entertainment. and that you can dial CE 1-Gigi to order a pizza. i'd be doing that all night long!

Mr. Karswell said...

Haha, me too! And who the hell was responsible for hiring "Sara" at El Morocco?!! :shudders::

Crafty C said...

ha! it looks like she's wearing a pancake on her head. but what you're telling me is you'd be super psyched to have styrofoam-brick-headed "Annette" or where-does-my-hair-end-and-the-wall-begin "Norma" go go dancing for you at El Morocco instead? to be honest with you i'd probably watch them all with big amazed googly eyes. even go go jo.

and maybe this is some olde timey term that only a 60s bon vivant type would know - but what are the "set-ups" that you get with your beer at The Hound's Tooth?

Mr. Karswell said...

All I have left to say about the El Morocco ad is that the illustrated female (in the center of the ad) possibly sums it up best: hide yourself behind the menu and laugh laugh laugh...

Hey! I just noticed that Kitten Korner's very own June Webb moonlights at the Red Velvet Lounge too! I like to compare those "night and day" pix of her.

Crafty C said...

that's so funny. i kept wanting to say something about Kay Webb at the Red Velvet Lounge, partly cause i love the name of that lounge and partly cause she looks a little so serious for her own good. but i didn't even notice she was doing double duty at the Kitten's Korner! She looks even more serious there.

let me get out my magnifying glass now so i can dissect and comment upon the contents of the window display at Mammy's Shanty...

Mr. Karswell said...

I wonder if Mammy cooked up some eggs and hammy? Speaking of, missed opportunity name + pirate theme over plantation theme:

Mammy's Enchanty Shanty and Sea Chantys

Crafty C said...

i like it! but then they'd be in direct competition with Fisherman's Warf Sea Food Specialty House and Lighthouse Lounge and their food is prepared to the taste of an epicurean. i don't know if Mammy is up to it.

Mr. Karswell said...

Ha! Ok, back to the strippers-- Kewpie Doll: hotter than Jayne Mansfield or not?

Also, anyone else having trouble washing out the cigarette smoke smell in their clothes just from looking at these ads?

Crafty C said...

Kewpie Doll could give Jayne a run for her money - but if it's between Kewpie Doll and Rene Villion, Kewpie doesn't stand a chance.

and it's always my hair that i can't get the cigarette smoke smell out of.

Mr. Karswell said...

That was me too, back in '93, aka The Final Years With Hair.

Anonymous said...

Good stuff, thanks for posting! Speaking of the El Morocco Club, check out the club's great span that used to span the entrance to the club's courtyard entrance on 6th Street.

http://www.atlantatimemachine.com/commercialbldgs/morocco.htm

The club was in a building that used to be the Peachtree Manor Hotel; these days its condos.

Mr. Karswell said...

Wow! Thanks tons for the link, Anon! Very very much appreciated!!

Anonymous said...

Craftypants Carol

Back In the 80's I worked as a waiter in a Dry North Carolina County. We couldn't sell liquor but people could bring their own and were required to buy "set ups" which were all the non liquor components of their drink.

Crafty C said...

Thank you Anonymous!!!!!!!!!

:)

KL from NYC said...

Lots of animal references: in names & visual design.
I love the tag line for 35 Beautiful Kittens: They Dance, They Sing, They Purr.

Nowadays, if an equivalent of any of these fine establishments tried to open up in NYC, the neighborhood petition to close them down would be at least half-full before their ad could run in any guidebook.

Times sure have changed.