Paul Whiteman: ‘The King of Jazz’ in Atlantic City
Ground-breaking bandleader Paul Whiteman may have been many things, but “The King of Jazz,” a moniker foisted on him in 1923 by a publicist during a photo shoot for a musical instrument manufacturer, was not one of them. For the historically minded, what Whiteman did...
Remembering Atlantic City’s Million Dollar Pier
By Roseann Smith In 1906, Captain John Lake Young, along with builder Kennedy Crossan, touted spending $1 million to build Million Dollar Pier. The pier was a massive entertainment complex. Originally billed as “Young’s Million Dollar Pier,” the pier boasted a...
The two Franks who once defined Atlantic City casino entertainment
Although entertainers Frank D’Rone and Frankie Randall were different stylistically, they also had a lot in common. Both were singers and instrumentalists with a jazz orientation. Both were protégés – Randall of Frank Sinatra, and D’Rone of Nat “King”...
‘The Daily Union History of Atlantic City,’ circa 1899
The Daily Union was one of several daily newspapers that served Atlantic City and Atlantic County during the late 1800s and the early part of the 20th century. The Union was an evening newspaper, first published on Sept. 3, 1888. Records show that it had several names...
Brisket paradise: Remembering Rose and Jack Zawid
You could smell the unmistakable aroma of simmering brisket, roasted chicken and matzo ball soup all the way up and down Kingston Avenue in Atlantic City. Around 1985, I began writing a monthly column called “Backstage” for Frances Freedman’s much-missed Atlantic City...
