I remember bacala well! My first was with French Vanessa who later ended up marrying my buddy Dennis so she could get a green card. I still keep in touch with her all these years later. I know some of the guys you mentioned. Was Bob (the photographer) tall, skinny with black hair who loved pro wrestling? The Ray I knew was in love with Crystal Blue and Eddie (butt lover) was always getting kicked out for jerking off in the front row. He was also a pervert. Once I was walking with him on 3rd Ave and all of a sudden a lady with her 2 young daughters started screaming at us. I was like WTF and looked at Eddie and he had his junk in his hand waving it around. I think I know who Doug was too. Tall guy, balding. I was always up there with my friends Tommy & Seymour. Izzy (the night box office guy) used to call us the burger boys because at the time we were both managers for McDonald’s. I saw Tommy last April when I visited NYC for 3 weeks. We both miss the good old days. I’m pretty sure that all of the old timers have passed away. There used to be this really old guy named Pie who lived in the Edison Hotel and claimed to be a former mlb umpire. Also Freddie Nixon, The Professor, Max (old dude with a flashight who always sat in the same seat), Charles (another old guy in his late 80’s I think) who was in love with Sitiva. So many memories, all good.
During the intermissions between dancers the audio guy would sometimes play a tune of Bob’s. I remember it well….Angela, You’re an angel to me….! When the original Melody owners had to close the theatre down because Freddie Cincotti who was also a big shot attorney for NYS was busted, they sold it to Bob & Jerry T. Eventually Dominique became the 3rd partner in the Harmony. I never liked her at all. I moved away from NYC in ‘85 but still kept in touch with my friends who kept me up to speed on what was going on at the Harmony. When Bob was sick with prostate cancer a few of us went up to see him in the VA Hospital. He was so out of it and I remember thinking that he wasn’t going to make it. When he passed away Dominique gained control of the Har. I assume that she bought Jerry out. It was a crazy, fun place especially on Friday nights and all day until closing on Saturday. The stories I could tell about that place would fill a book!
Joey Karson used to “date” customers from the Melody. She would get a room at the Markwell on 49th St. Many of the girls turned tricks with the customers. The most notorious were Shawn, Cary, Bianka B, Alexandra, Victoria and Roxy. Treasure Chest also worked at a whorehouse on 34th St and 3rd Ave. There were some very nice sweet girls at Mel/Har, among them Nikki Knight, Annette Heinz, Sue Nero and Francesca. Francesca didn’t work often but when she did the guys went nuts. She was gorgeous! It was cool that the Melody used to book porn stars from time to time. They would put them up at the Consulate Hotel which was right next door to the Markwell. One Saturday night Nellie Gold was featuring and wanted someone to make sure she got back to her hotel room safely. My friend volunteered for the job. We didn’t see him for a couple of days after that! I should start a page on Facebook dedicated to the Melody/Harmony where guys and girls can post their memories. It was awful when the Harmony was forced to leave Times Square to make way for the Holiday Inn. That place was a true NYC landmark!
I remember Nikki Knight well. A more decent lady you will not find. In 1980 I was in Canada with a fellow Melody fan and we were walking down rue Ste. Catherine in Montreal and went into a strip club called Filles d'Eve because Nikki was the feature dancer that week. After her set she came over and sat with us and told us that in a couple of days she was going to feature at a club in Toronto. Coincidence, we were going to Toronto too. We met up there and went out for a drink. At the end of our trip we walked to our gate at Toronto airport and who was waiting for the same flight as we were…thats right, Nikki Knight. We all started laughing! Even freakier her seat was right next to our seats. It was a great flight indeed! The 3 of us shared a cab into Manhattan where we dropped her off at her building before heading downtown to our neighborhood. These days Nikki is married with kids, unfortunately not to me. Melharfol, it is quite possible that we know eachother from 48th street. We used to close the place down on Friday and Saturday nights! Nat was the photographer and George was the audio guy at night. There were so many colorful characters, both girls and customers as well as employees at 48th St. Sadly some of them are no longer with us but until the last one of us kicks the proverbial bucket the wonderful memories of the Melody/Harmony will live on!
The original owners of the Melody were three guys who were Steve, Seymour and Freddie Cincotti who was a NY assistant DA. There was a big scandal when the Melody was busted and freddie was arrested, tried and jailed. His son is the singer, Peter Cincotti. Al Kronish was the accountant who might have owned a piece of the Harmony along with Bob Anthony & Jerry. It was a great place with alot of real characters. Professor and Izzy who worked the box office. The guy with the camara was Nat who also did the audio on Sat/Sun nights. I did see one of the girls last year working for a major Int'l airline at a NYC airport. She remembered who I was and gave me a big hug and kiss. My good buddy Dennis R.I.P.) who was always up there. Louie the porter and his son Andy. Seymour my other buddy who could ever forget him. R.I.P. Seymour. Lloyd, the phony Eastern pilot who ended up working the door of the Mardi Gras around the corner. The girls: Fannie Aiie, Anette Heinz, Rose, Kiki, Jaguar, Shawn, Victoria, Jeannie, Cary, Bianka B., Taurus Rising, Meecha, Donna S'more, Lisette Gwynn (she was arrested for murdering a customer),Desiree DuSoir, Vanessa, Terri Swan, Michelle,Margot, Joy Silkie, Lady Jane. The list goes on and on. It really was a clubhouse and all the regulars knew each other. We would close the place down on friday and Saturday nights. I was up there the day of the raid and was able to escape out the side door. I remember seeing big Mark and the girls taken out in handcuffs. Those were truly the old days. Anette, if you’re reading this post, Dennis passed away in 2006 from a massive heart attack in a massage parlor in NJ. I had talked with him on the phone the night before. He was my best friend and not a day goes by that i don’t miss him. Do you still talk with Harold? I used to see him around but no more. I hope that he didn’t pass away. To all my Melody/Harmony friends, those were the days. I wish we could roll back time!
Alex
I remember bacala well! My first was with French Vanessa who later ended up marrying my buddy Dennis so she could get a green card. I still keep in touch with her all these years later. I know some of the guys you mentioned. Was Bob (the photographer) tall, skinny with black hair who loved pro wrestling? The Ray I knew was in love with Crystal Blue and Eddie (butt lover) was always getting kicked out for jerking off in the front row. He was also a pervert. Once I was walking with him on 3rd Ave and all of a sudden a lady with her 2 young daughters started screaming at us. I was like WTF and looked at Eddie and he had his junk in his hand waving it around. I think I know who Doug was too. Tall guy, balding. I was always up there with my friends Tommy & Seymour. Izzy (the night box office guy) used to call us the burger boys because at the time we were both managers for McDonald’s. I saw Tommy last April when I visited NYC for 3 weeks. We both miss the good old days. I’m pretty sure that all of the old timers have passed away. There used to be this really old guy named Pie who lived in the Edison Hotel and claimed to be a former mlb umpire. Also Freddie Nixon, The Professor, Max (old dude with a flashight who always sat in the same seat), Charles (another old guy in his late 80’s I think) who was in love with Sitiva. So many memories, all good.
During the intermissions between dancers the audio guy would sometimes play a tune of Bob’s. I remember it well….Angela, You’re an angel to me….! When the original Melody owners had to close the theatre down because Freddie Cincotti who was also a big shot attorney for NYS was busted, they sold it to Bob & Jerry T. Eventually Dominique became the 3rd partner in the Harmony. I never liked her at all. I moved away from NYC in ‘85 but still kept in touch with my friends who kept me up to speed on what was going on at the Harmony. When Bob was sick with prostate cancer a few of us went up to see him in the VA Hospital. He was so out of it and I remember thinking that he wasn’t going to make it. When he passed away Dominique gained control of the Har. I assume that she bought Jerry out. It was a crazy, fun place especially on Friday nights and all day until closing on Saturday. The stories I could tell about that place would fill a book!
Joey Karson used to “date” customers from the Melody. She would get a room at the Markwell on 49th St. Many of the girls turned tricks with the customers. The most notorious were Shawn, Cary, Bianka B, Alexandra, Victoria and Roxy. Treasure Chest also worked at a whorehouse on 34th St and 3rd Ave. There were some very nice sweet girls at Mel/Har, among them Nikki Knight, Annette Heinz, Sue Nero and Francesca. Francesca didn’t work often but when she did the guys went nuts. She was gorgeous! It was cool that the Melody used to book porn stars from time to time. They would put them up at the Consulate Hotel which was right next door to the Markwell. One Saturday night Nellie Gold was featuring and wanted someone to make sure she got back to her hotel room safely. My friend volunteered for the job. We didn’t see him for a couple of days after that! I should start a page on Facebook dedicated to the Melody/Harmony where guys and girls can post their memories. It was awful when the Harmony was forced to leave Times Square to make way for the Holiday Inn. That place was a true NYC landmark!
I remember Nikki Knight well. A more decent lady you will not find. In 1980 I was in Canada with a fellow Melody fan and we were walking down rue Ste. Catherine in Montreal and went into a strip club called Filles d'Eve because Nikki was the feature dancer that week. After her set she came over and sat with us and told us that in a couple of days she was going to feature at a club in Toronto. Coincidence, we were going to Toronto too. We met up there and went out for a drink. At the end of our trip we walked to our gate at Toronto airport and who was waiting for the same flight as we were…thats right, Nikki Knight. We all started laughing! Even freakier her seat was right next to our seats. It was a great flight indeed! The 3 of us shared a cab into Manhattan where we dropped her off at her building before heading downtown to our neighborhood. These days Nikki is married with kids, unfortunately not to me. Melharfol, it is quite possible that we know eachother from 48th street. We used to close the place down on Friday and Saturday nights! Nat was the photographer and George was the audio guy at night. There were so many colorful characters, both girls and customers as well as employees at 48th St. Sadly some of them are no longer with us but until the last one of us kicks the proverbial bucket the wonderful memories of the Melody/Harmony will live on!
The original owners of the Melody were three guys who were Steve, Seymour and Freddie Cincotti who was a NY assistant DA. There was a big scandal when the Melody was busted and freddie was arrested, tried and jailed. His son is the singer, Peter Cincotti. Al Kronish was the accountant who might have owned a piece of the Harmony along with Bob Anthony & Jerry. It was a great place with alot of real characters. Professor and Izzy who worked the box office. The guy with the camara was Nat who also did the audio on Sat/Sun nights. I did see one of the girls last year working for a major Int'l airline at a NYC airport. She remembered who I was and gave me a big hug and kiss. My good buddy Dennis R.I.P.) who was always up there. Louie the porter and his son Andy. Seymour my other buddy who could ever forget him. R.I.P. Seymour. Lloyd, the phony Eastern pilot who ended up working the door of the Mardi Gras around the corner. The girls: Fannie Aiie, Anette Heinz, Rose, Kiki, Jaguar, Shawn, Victoria, Jeannie, Cary, Bianka B., Taurus Rising, Meecha, Donna S'more, Lisette Gwynn (she was arrested for murdering a customer),Desiree DuSoir, Vanessa, Terri Swan, Michelle,Margot, Joy Silkie, Lady Jane. The list goes on and on. It really was a clubhouse and all the regulars knew each other. We would close the place down on friday and Saturday nights. I was up there the day of the raid and was able to escape out the side door. I remember seeing big Mark and the girls taken out in handcuffs. Those were truly the old days. Anette, if you’re reading this post, Dennis passed away in 2006 from a massive heart attack in a massage parlor in NJ. I had talked with him on the phone the night before. He was my best friend and not a day goes by that i don’t miss him. Do you still talk with Harold? I used to see him around but no more. I hope that he didn’t pass away. To all my Melody/Harmony friends, those were the days. I wish we could roll back time!
Alex
The original