A Feb. 29 Factoid
Tod Hunter writes:Today, February 29, is one of those anomalous calendar oddities that only happen every four years.
It is also a little-known anniversary.
On February 29, 1960, the first Playboy Club opened in Chicago. At the members-only club, keyholders were welcomed at the door by satin-suited bunnies, who also were cocktail waitresses in the main rooms. Playboy Clubs opened in many cities around the world, including Los Angeles, where The Lovely Mrs. Hunter (at the time Tod's Lovely Girlfriend) and I both had membership keys. We frequented the Club in Century City, conveniently located downstairs from the Shubert Theatre and across the chasm of the ABC Entertainment Center from the Plitt Theaters, home of the annual Los Angeles International Film Exposition.
The ABC Entertainment Center is long gone, razed and replaced with the new headquarters of CAA at 2000 Avenue of the Stars.
The Lovely Mrs. Hunter's key came in handy when she was working for British Rail and leading a group tour of London for travel agents. When they were on a bus tour and they passed the London Club (at 45 Park Lane, across the street from Hyde Park) one of the agents wondered what it was like in there and The Lovely Mrs. Hunter said, "I'm a member. Let's go."
The Chicago Club, which was near the Playboy editorial offices, was where the Playboy executives had lunch, and many Playboy Playmates of the era came from the Bunny ranks. Pictured is Bunny Dianne of the Chicago Club, who was scouted and became Dianne Chandler, Miss September 1966. She made quite an impression on me as a teenager, and I'm happy to say that she is now a friend. I escorted her to the Playmate of the Year luncheon in 2004.
The Playboy Clubs were mortally wounded by the loss of the gambling licenses in the London and Atlantic City Clubs in the early '80s. The last Club — in Manila — closed in 1991. A new Playboy Club has opened in the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, but it's open to the public and doesn't have the same vibe that local Playboy Clubs did. Maybe it's the $50 blackjack, who knows?
So on their 12th anniversary, I take this day to remember the Playboy Clubs.
Posted: Friday, February 29, 2008
mrsterapatrick
