Affair at Club Alabam, Los Angeles, 1940s

Item Overview

Title

Affair at Club Alabam, Los Angeles, 1940s

Date Created

[1940s?]

Date

1940/1949

Language

No linguistic content

Collection

Walter L. Gordon, Jr./William C. Beverly, Jr. Collection

Notes

Summary

Tillie Euliss was a socialite known for her hats.
Clarence Moore was the proprietor of the Last Round and Club Memo on Central Avenue. He also started a semi-professional baseball team called the Clarence Moore's All-Stars in 1934 as a means to launch baseball careers for local youths.
Elihu "Black Dot" McGee was a night club owner and sportsman. He owned establishments around Central Avenue, including the Turf Record Shop, the Sportsman's Club, The Casa blanca and The Downbeat (co-owned).
Lillian Randolph (later Lillian Randolph Chase) was an African American radio, television and film actress, as well as a singer. She was the younger sister of Amanda Randolph (who went on to become an actress). In the 1940s, she and her husband, boxer Jack Chase, purchased a home in the "Sugar Hill" district (West Adams), but could not move in because of restrictive racial covenants. The US Supreme Court declared such covenants unconstitutional in 1948.
Prince Spencer was an African American tap dancer, who was born in 1917 in South Carolina. In 1941, he joined the dance troupe the Four Step Brothers.
Juliette Ball was a showgirl and actress.
Lil Hammond was the ex-wife of Detroit businessman Thomas "Rooster" Hammond. Mrs. Hammond moved to Los Angeles in 1943. She was the proprietor of Lil's Flower Box on west Jefferson.

Description

All information concerning the content and description of the image was provided by Walter Gordon.
Lillian Randolph (in printed dress) is seated front and center of the stage. Next to her is Elihu "Black Dot" McGee (looking forward). Seated across from Lillian Randolph at the same table is Juliette Ball (smiling). To the far right of the photo, seated at the front of the stage, is Prince Spencer (head resting on hand). To the far left of the photo is Tillie Euliss (seated in the front, dressed in hat and long fur coat). Across from her at the same table is Lil "Hammie" Hammond (smiling).
The Club Alabam was located at 4015 S. Central Ave.

Caption

Handwritten names on photo: "Hammie," Tillie Euliss, Clarence Moore, Lillian Randolph, "Black Dot" Elihu McGee, Prince Spencer.

Physical Description

Extent

1 photograph : b&w

Keywords

Genre

Black-and-white photographs

Names

McGee, Elihu "Black Dot", 1902-1994
Hammond, Lil
Club Alabam (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Moore, Clarence
Spencer, Prince
Euliss, Tillie
Randolph, Lillian, 1898-1980
Ball, Juliette, 1923-2010

Location

California--Los Angeles

Longitude

34.010371

Latitude

-118.256883

Resource type

still image

Subjects

Culture
Entertainment
Events
Lifestyle

Nightclubs--California--Los Angeles