Tiki Central / Locating Tiki / Samoa, Cocoa Beach, FL (restaurant)
Post #607003 by TikiTomD on Fri, Sep 16, 2011 2:11 PM
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TikiTomD
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Fri, Sep 16, 2011 2:11 PM
DC, I'll keep looking for more Samoa photos among the local historical society's collection. The Samoa’s entertainment was true to its Poly pop origins up until the fall of 1967, when, according to this article, “the club burned its grass hula skirts... and went topless a-go-go”... Florida Today January 5, 1968 Before the change, Samoa floor shows included such entertainers as Samoan Chief Falatugatuga John Alailima fire eating and doing the “Nifo Oti” or dance of the Dangerous Knife as part of his South Pacific Polynesian Revue that also included Hawaiian and Tahitian dancers... Florida Today September 15, 1972 As part of the entertainment format change, the Samoa built what later became known as their “Sexatronic Runway,” but in this Florida Today ad, it was referred to as the “only Electric Burlesque Runway in Central Florida”... January 17, 1968 Here are a couple of Florida Today newspaper photos that are representative of the devolved entertainment format at the Samoa... March 8, 1968 April 30, 1969 A lament on the state of Space Coast entertainment options at the time... Florida Today May 9, 1968 Here were the qualifications for being a go-go girl at the Samoa (Eddie Mode was the Samoa manager at that time, along with Guy Hevia, the owner)... Florida Today April 27, 1968 Apparently the local demand for go-go girls was high, as the stated qualifications seem to diminish with time... Florida Today June 4, 1968 When there had been a launch, those steely-eyed rocket men, who represented a considerable proportion of the Samoa’s clientele, couldn’t let go of work, to the consternation of the entertainers… Florida Today January 24, 1968 The show at the Samoa occasionally wandered from the exotic to the bizarre in an effort to keep the business going. Submitted in evidence is “Serpentina”... Florida Today June 14, 1968 Here’s a Serpentina ad... Florida Today June 14, 1968 Note in the ad that the Samoa is also heralding the return of “our famous Chinese Chef Sammy Gong and his Polynesian cuisine.” Continually trying to find the sweet spot, the Samoa once again tweaked its entertainment format (there’s a typo in the article: Guy “Herin” is actually “Hevia”)... Florida Today April 25, 1968
Shows were always revolving among the other area clubs... Florida Today July 11, 1968 Florida Today August 3, 1968 The Space Coast business climate was tough in 1968, but far worse days lay ahead in the early 1970s. The Apollo 1 tragedy on the Pad had occurred in January of the year before. Uncrewed Apollo test flights resumed in November 1967 and finished in April 1968. The first crewed Apollo launch (Apollo 7) was in October 1968, followed by that dramatic first lunar orbiting mission of Apollo 8 on Christmas of 1968... Florida Today November 12, 1968 Next, the Samoa and the sports scene beyond a-go-go... -Tom |
