don't call me madam
the life and work of ray bourbon
Ray's Performance Venues
The following was transcribed from the cover of Ray Bourbon's album "A Trick Ain't Always a Treat: - Recorded Live From the World Famous Jewel Box" (The New Jewel Records, Kansas City, Missouri). While it cannot be verified if Ray played all of the locations mentioned in this list, he was a regular figure on the nightclub circuit and in vaudeville houses throughout the United States during his forty year career.
The list, which Ray seemed to have used for promotional purposes several times late in his career, is a record of many Gay nightspots that long ago closed their doors and gives an impressive glimpse into the varied geographic locations where venues for comedians such as Ray existed at the time. There was more to Gay life than New York and San Francisco in the decades before Stonewall.
"This is The World of Rae Bourbon
as "Florian" in Catherine Was Great from 1945 to 1947
as "Bowery Rose" in Diamond Lil from 1948 to 1950Rae Bourbon enjoyed unique billing in the above Mae West Productions. You may have seen him in one of the following places ...
Albuquerque, New Mexico -- The Silver Slipper
Atlanta, Georgia -- The Imperial Lounge
Boston, Massachusetts -- The Mayfair, The Schubert Theatre
Baltimore, Maryland -- Stacy's Bar, Ford's Theatre (sans Lincoln)
Buenos Aires, Argentina -- La Cuaga
Cairo, Egypt -- Bishop's Club
Central City, Colorado -- Emmy Wilson's "Glory Hole", The Central City Opera
Chicago, Illinois -- 100 Club, Cafe Society
Cleveland, Ohio -- Hanna Theatre
Command Performance -- for Edward, King of England at Belvedere Castle, England
Deadwood City, South Dakota -- Clara's Place
Denver, Colorado -- The Zanzibar, The Rendezvous
Havana, Cuba -- Hotel Nacional
Hollywood, California -- Rendezvous, Rue Angel, Charlie Foy's, Ivar Theatre
Hong Kong -- L'Oriente Club
Idaho Falls, Idaho -- Cheerio Club
Istanbul, Turkey -- Semitar
Juarez, Mexico -- The Submarino, Molino Rojo
Kansas City, Kansas -- Dante's Inferno, Lusco's Stork Club
Key West, Florida -- The Tropics, The Preview Lounge
Las Vegas, Nevada -- The Blue Heaven
London, England -- "Paradise Club" - 81 Regent Street
Madrid, Spain -- Command Performance at the "Teatro Lyrico"
Miami, Florida -- Blackamoor Room, Cornet Lounge, Cork Club and Delicate Franks
Memphis, Tennessee -- Silver Slipper
Mexico City, Mexico -- Casanova, Magnola's San Souci, Palace of Fine Arts
New Orleans, Louisiana -- Mardi Gras, Sugar Bowl, Dixie's Bar of Music
New York, New York -- Blue Angel, La Vie Parisienne, Park Avenue
Paris, France -- Frolics
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania -- Forrest Theatre
Phoenix, Arizona -- Roy's, Kay's Happy Landing
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania -- Carnival Lounge, Nixon Theatre
Portland, Oregon -- Clover Club, Civic Theatre
Reno, Nevada -- Belle Livingston's Cow Shed
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- Del Sol
Salt Lake City, Utah -- Coon Chicken Inn
San Diego, California -- P.M. House
San Francisco, California -- Drift Inn, Chi Chi, La Parisienne, Finocchio's
Santa Barbara, California -- Lober Theatre
Seattle, Washington -- Town Ranch, The Garden of Allah
Shanghai, China -- "Little Club" on Bubbling Well Road
St. Louis, Missouri -- Manger Roof, Gaiety Theatre, American Theatre
Tucson, Arizona -- Cotillion Room, La Jolla
Vancouver, BC -- The Cave
Washington, DC -- The National Theatre"