Post #640899 by Or Got Rum? on Mon, Jun 18, 2012 1:11 PM

I picked up an interesting matchcover for the Beachcomber in Miami. It is a slightly different version (not as cartoon like) for the Beachcomber and the 5 O'Clock Club owned both by Sam and Joe Barken...not Monte Proser. It has the same phone as Monte's did though.

In further web research a 1942 article states ...Barken (who then owns just The 5 O'Clock Club) and Ben Gaines, Sam Gaines, and Lou Walters (who together own The Beachcomber, Vanderbilt Hotel, Latin Quarter, and the Casanova) are all buying Government Defense Bonds and are encouraging other business owners to do the same.

In a 1944 article the Barken's now own the Beachcomber and are "going to New York to book Sophie Tucker, Danny Thomas, Joe E Lewis, and Bette Baker for the upcoming season."

In a 1959 article, the Barken's had the Beachcomber sold, but the buyer dropped off the face of the earth and they were now trying to rent it.

I believe this was the time period for it's Swan Song. A few pics from it's glory days gleaned from "Florida Memory" web site.

OGR