The Copa (18 page)

This song was also the inspiration for a musical titled
Copacabana
. The story of Lola, Tony, and Rico was set amid the nightclub scene of the 1940s where “music and passion were always the fashion.” The musical enjoyed a successful run.

The Copacabana was a product of the twentieth century and the people who lived during it. Take a look at photos of Times Square a few decades ago; it was not littered with corporate coffee shops, fast-food outlets, and owned mainly by the Walt Disney Corporation. New York has morphed into a different city and the change, good or bad, began almost thirty years ago.

In December 2006 it was announced that the Copacabana would once again change locations. The current building that houses the storied nightclub has been condemned to make way for an extension of the number 7 subway line that will stop at the Javits Center.

It's hard to explain to today's generation what the Copa represented in its heyday. The elegance, glamour, and excitement of a night at the Copacabana were something special. New York, and that world, was a different place back then and the Copa was of that era. I don't believe there can or will be anything like it ever again. There are no more stars like Sinatra, Nat King Cole, or Peggy Lee, who could mesmerize an audience with just their God-given talents. There's also no one like my dad; it was people like him who made the
Copa so special. All in all, it doesn't matter who ends up running the Copacabana and where it may be located; it can never be the same. Regardless of the changing times, the club has lost its heart and soul—Jules Podell.

Jules Podell.

I want to thank my parents for adopting me and my children for urging me to write this book. I also want to thank all my friends past and present for telling me to write this book for so long; especially Gina Barata. I want to thank my husband, Al, for his patience during the writing of this book. I want to thank Charlie Pignone for being my friend. I want to thank my daughter Jama for putting it all together for me and keeping me going with car rides to the city. Without you, all my dreams would never have come true.

—Mickey Podell-Raber

For their time and invaluable recollections: Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, Rip Taylor, Rich Little, Frank Military, Phoebe Jacobs, Pete Moore, Lee Solters, Joey Villa, Danny and Lynn Kessler, Joe Soldo, and Hank Cattaneo.

For their time, effort, and assistance: Jama Vitale, Danny Bennett, Tom Young, Vance Anderson, Nancy Sinatra, Arthur Marx, Robert Finkelstein, Herman Rush, Ken Barnes, Holly Foster Wells, Ken Goldman, March Hulett, Johnny Pizza, Terry Woodson, Jeff Abraham, Craig Zavetz (TipsOnTables.com), J. M. Kenny, Bill Zehme, and Laurie Pignone.

Mickey, thank you for trusting me to tell your story and collaborate on this project with you.

—Charles Pignone

Matthew Benjamin and the entire staff at HarperCollins. Randi Murray, our agent, for her belief and support of this book.

—Mickey Podell-Raber, Charles Pignone

advertisements and flyers

Billy Daniels

Copa Bonnet recipients

D'Aldo Romano

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

Joe E. Lewis

most famous image for

Nat King Cole

postcard ad

Ritz Brothers

Sammy Davis Jr.

Wesley Morje drawing for,
See also
menus

Anka, Paul

Ann, Aunt

Arnaz, Desi

Bauer, Hank

Bennett, Tony

Claudia and

at Copa

first Copa performance

first Copa visit

Jimmy Durante and

Joe E. Lewis and

Jules and

Mickey and

reminiscing about Copa

serving champagne to band

Bernadette, Mother

Berra, Yogi

Billingsley, Sherman

Bishop, Joey

Blaine, Vivian

Block, Martin

bowlers and Yankees incident

Branson, Sam

Brooklyn Dodgers

Buckley, Richard (Lord)

Burden, Martin

Burko, Yetta

Buttons, Red

Caesar, Sid

Campanella, Roy

Cattaneo, Hank

charity work

Checker, Chubby

chefs, first

choreographers

Christmas celebrations

Clark, Petula

Claudia.
See
Podell, Claudia; Podell,

Jules and Claudia

Clement, Frank

Clooney, Rosemary

Cole, Nat King advertisement

Claudia and

at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

Copa Girls and

Fifty-second street and

gentlemanliness of

Joey Villa and

Jules and

Mickey and

Como, Perry

Cooke, Sam

Cooper, Pat

Copa Bonnet described

flyer advertisements

Jimmy Durante wearing

recipients

Copa Girls

Copacabana

Barry Manilow song

closing

decline

design motif impact

legacy.
See also
legacy, of

Jules Podell locations

Monte Proser and

opening

as pinnacle for performers

Prohibition and

prom season

reopening and changes

today

Copacabana Girl

Copacabana
movie

Copacabana
musical

Costello, Frank

Coudy, Doug

Crosby, Norm

Cugat, Xavier

cuisine.
See
kitchen Cutler, Shirley

Damone, Vic

Dana, Robert W.

Daniels, Billy

Darin, Bobby at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

Jules and

in lounge

Wayne Newton and

Davis, Sammy, Jr.

bowlers and Yankees incident

at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

dog (Tinker) given to Podells by

first Copa visit

flyer advertisements

Frank Sinatra and

Jules and

Mickey and

pinch-hitting for Sinatra

racial challenges

Rat Pack and

Davis, Sammy, Sr.

decor, of Copa

Dewey, Thomas E.

Diana Ross and the Supremes

DiMaggio, Joe

dinner menu

Dodgers.
See
Brooklyn Dodgers Dorsey, Tommy

Durante, Jimmy

Claudia and

at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

Jules and

Sonny King and

Tony Bennett and

Eckstine, Billy

Ed Sullivan Show

Eigen, Jack

Ekberg, Anita

Entratter, Dorothy

Entratter, Jack being missed

death

director of Sands hotel

Jules and

leaving Copa for Las Vegas

Monte Proser and

personality

physical traits

with Podell family

Fielding, Alton and Margery

Fisher, Eddie

Fitzgerald, Ella

Ford, Tennessee Ernie

Ford, Whitey

Four Lads

Francis, Connie

Friedman, Jackie

gangsters.
See
organized crime Gardner, Ava

Genovese, Vito

Genovese crime family

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Gleason, Jackie

Goldberg, Frances

golfing

Gordy, Berry

Gorme, Eydie

Green, David

Greshler, Abby

Hackett, Buddy

Hausman, Sam

Hayes, Gabby

Henderson, Skitch

Henry, Uncle

holidays

celebrating

Christmas celebrations

gifts to needy

Holzer, Tobey

Horne, Lena

Jackie (cousin)

The Jackie Gleason Show

Jacobs, Phoebe

Jama

Johnson, Rafer

Jones, Jack

Jones, Tom

Jules.
See
legacy, of Jules Podell;
Podell,

Jules references
Jules Podell Foundation

Kessler, Danny

Kessler, Lynn Shannon

King, Sonny

kitchen

Chinese cuisine

first chefs

flyer advertisements

handbill describing

Jules in

Jules ruling

Martin and Lewis in

menu memos

menus

rave reviews

staff

Knight, Gladys, and the Pips

Kovacs, Ernie

La Conga

Laine, Frankie

Lang, Bernie

Larson, Don

late-night fun

Lawford, Peter

Lawrence, Steve

Lebine, Clem

Lee, Peggy

legacy, of Copacabana

legacy, of Jules Podell

anecdotes

charity work

Copa legacy and

perfectionist

Lewis, Jerry break up with Dean Martin

at Copa

Dean Martin and

Frank Sinatra and

as headliner

Jules and

Mickey and

movie career

opening night

pinch-hitting for Sinatra

Lewis, Joe E.

advertisements

at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

Jules and

Tony Bennett and

Lewis, Ted

Little, Rich

Loos, Mary Anita

lounge, of Copa

Malda.
See
Mickey (author) Manilow, Barry

Mantle, Mickey

Martin, Billy

Martin, Dean, ix break up with Jerry Lewis

Claudia and

at Copa

Copa Bonnet recipient

Frank Sinatra and

as headliner

Jerry Lewis and

Jules and

Mickey and

movie career

opening night

Rat Pack and

Martin, Tony

Marx, Arthur

Marx, Groucho

Mastin, Will.
See also
Will Mastin

Trio

Mathis, Johnny

McGuire Sisters

menus

Mickey (author) adoption of

baby pictures

birth parents

birthday parties

Buddy Hackett and

camp experience

chauffeured to school

childhood environment

date anecdotes

Dean Martin and

Ella Fitzgerald and

Ernie Kovacs and

finding birth mother name

Four Lads and

Jerry Lewis and

Jimmy Nelson and

with Jules

Juliet Prowse and

Martha Raye and

McGuire Sisters and

named Malda

Nat King Cole and

Peggy Lee and

Peter Lawford and

prom season at Copa

reaction to adoption

Sammy Davis Jr. and

Teddy Randazzo and

time with Jules

Tony Bennett and

wanting to be like other kids

Wayne Newton and

wedding

weekly Copa dinner

Will Mastin Trio and

Military, Frank

Miller, Bill

Mills Brothers

Minnie, Aunt

Miranda, Carmen

Moore, Pete

Morje, Wesley

mother.
See
Podell, Claudia Motown acts

Murray, Jan

Natalie (cousin)

Nelson, Jimmy

New York Sun
article

New York Yankees

Newton, Wayne

Nicholas Brothers

nightclub crackdown

nightclub era, Sinatra on

Odessa, Ukraine

organized crime

Orlando, Tony, and Dawn

Pageant
magazine profile

Pee Wee

performers and stars

overview

roster

See also specific performer names
Podell, Claudia

birth

daily routine

Danny Thomas and

death

early years

family and in-laws

high standards of

home meals and

Judge Gertrude Bacon and

Mickey birthday party

(continued)
telling Mickey about adoption

Tinker (dog) and

vanity of

weekly Copa dinner

See also
Podell, Jules and Claudia Podell, Jules ambition and drive

best show biz friends

Claudia and.
See
Podell, Jules and

Claudia

Copa Girls and

daily routine

death

decline of Copa and

favorite singer/performer

first wife

granddaughter bringing happiness,

Hank Cattaneo describing

Joey Villa on

keeping language clean at Copa

Lee Solters on

legacy of.
See
legacy, of Jules Podell

Mickey dates and

passion for Copacabana

personalities and.
See specific personality names
priorities

racist tendencies

religious man

ring of

sister saving life

as sole owner of Copa

sports figures and

Podell, Jules and Claudia adopting Mickey

celebrating holidays (1947)

celebrating Jules' 60th birthday,

in Copa lounge

courtship and marriage

daily routine

death of Claudia

death of Jules

emotions and

family night at Copa

golfing

having marriages annulled

home environment

Joe DiMaggio and

marriage of

Mickey birthday parties and

parties at home

relationship

separate residence wings

See also
Podell, Claudia; Podell,

Jules

Podell, Jules (photographs)

Billy Martin

Bobby Rydell

Buddy Hackett

Campanella, Cole, and Copa Girls,

charity work

Claudia and.
See
Podell, Jules and

Claudia

Clem Lebine

in Copa kitchen

Danny Thomas

Dean Martin

Earl Wilson

Ernie Kovacs

family gatherings

famous ring

Gabby Hayes

gifts to needy

golfing

Governor Thomas E. Dewey

group of friends

Jerry Lewis

Jimmy Durante

Joe DiMaggio

Joe E. Lewis

Mickey

Nat King Cole

parties at home

Paul Anka

Peter Lawford

playing vibes

Rafer Johnson and Pee Wee

Red Skelton

Sam Branson

Sam Hausman

Sammy Davis Jr.

Sophie Tucker

Sugar Ray Robinson

Tony Martin

Vic Damone

Podell, Malka,
xii

Podell, Nathan,
xii

Podell family arriving in United States

changing name from Podlubno

fleeing Russia

photograph

photographs

in Ukraine

See also specific family members
Podlubno family.
See
Podell family Powell, Mel

Preston, Sy

Prima, Louis

Prohibition

prom season

Proser, Monte

Prowse, Juliet

Pujal, Pedro

radio broadcasts

Randazzo, Teddy

Rat Pack.
See also specific member names
Ray, Johnnie

Raye, Martha

Raye, Mary

recording, at Copa

Reese, Della

Rich, Buddy

Rickles, Don

ring, of Jules

Ritz Brothers

Rivers, Joan

Robinson, Sugar Ray

rock-and-roll music

Romano, D'Aldo

Rose, Aunt

Roselli, Jimmy

Ross, Diana, and the Supremes, x

Rydell, Bobby

Sahl, Mort

Salmaggi, Robert

Samba Sirens

.
See also
Copa Girls Sands hotel

Shannon, Lynn.
See
Kessler, Lynn

Shannon

Shedon, Mary Ann

Sidney, Uncle

Silvers, Phil

Sinatra, Frank, ix

Anita Ekberg and

Ava Gardner and

breaking Copa color barrier

at Copa

on Copa and nightclub era

Dean Martin and

first Copa performance

Gloria Vanderbilt and

Jack Entratter and

Jerry Lewis and

Jules and

with lady friends

last engagement at Copa

(continued) Look
magazine on

“Meet Me at the Copa” and

on Peggy Lee

Peter Som fraternity brothers and,

Phil Silvers and

Rat Pack and

Sammy Davis Jr. and

at Sands in Las Vegas

singing without license

Tommy Dorsey and

vocal hemorrhage

Skelton, Red

Smith, Keely

Soldo, Joe

Solters, Lee

Som, Dr. Max

Som, Ethel

Som, Peter

speakeasies

sports figures

Stabile, Dick

Starr, Edwin

Stork Club

Sullivan, Ed

Taylor, Rip

Temptations

Thomas, Danny

Tinker (dog)

Tony Orlando and Dawn

Torme, Mel

Tucker, Sophie