Texas Guinan

Speakesy Hostess, 1884-1933

by David Rosen

Texas Guinan ran New York’s most the transom into the glamour of notorious Prohibition-era the underworld.”* speakeasy, the El Fay Club, located at 107 West 45th Street. It was He described the club as “a long bankrolled by the gangsters, Larry smoke filled room festooned with Fay and Owney Madden. According bright colored hangings.” The club to a biographer, Tex “was blonde was often tightly packed with small and blowsy and could match any tables and chairs crowded with man in a fist fight.” festive, inebriated patrons. Drinking was discreet, but top shelf The El Fay opened on – and rotgut -- cocktails May 1, 1924, at the were available at a steep height of the Roaring price. Showgirls slithered ‘20s. A swastika through the club in embossed the front scanty outfits selling window, put there by cigarettes and various the Fay, the taxi-cab trinkets. A small combo czar. In the era before played popular tunes and Hitler, some saw it as a the dance floor was good-luck symbol. This jammed with merry served as the only partygoers. indication that it was a speak. Texas greeted Around midnight, a stir patrons with an filled the club: the Queen oversized Stetson hat, shrill police has arrived. Stein captures the whistle and a stream of invectives, excitement of Texas’ appearance: most notably her legendary catchphrase, "Hello!, sucker!” She … Suddenly there cashed in a long, didn't so much insult her guests as loud blast of sound from the basses; welcome them with a slap on the the pianist dug his slender fingers into face – and they loved it! the ivories; the leader’s baton was held high and trembled like a Florida palm

in a hurricane. … Her manager, John Stein, was an “Ya ---a-a-ay, Texas,” bawled the El Fay latenight regular and fondly crowd. called it “the first sophisticated organized rendezvous for selling She made her entrance, with all the liquor. It gave the public a taste of night-owl energy of her roistering the brew which Mr. Volstead had personality. She was gowned in put his curse upon,” and, he noted, clinging, flaming red. Her hair – “it also gave the public a peep over

* Rep. Andrew Volstead (R-MN) led the enactment of the National Prohibition of 1919 Act that was and passed over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. Sex Matters Guinen

burnished gold – tumbled, brushed and Goodtime mayor, Jimmy “Beau curled in riotous unconventionality. James” Walker, was a club regular. Other regulars included You knew she was close to forty, yet entertainers Al Jolson, Irving Berlin she looked rather ageless. She and George Gershwin, who often pranced in, her arms aloft, her crimsoned lips broadened in a brilliant played impromptu piano; movie smile – Why not? Look at the capacity stars Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, business. And at her heels a dozen or Tom Mix, John Barrymore and so more semi-nude dancing girls, George Raft (he got his start as laughing, chattering, fluttering. one of Madden’s muscles); writers Ring Larder, Damon Runyon and “Hello! Sucker!,” the Queen has Heywood Broun (Broun served as shouted, then stood beaming, one of Texas’ pallbearers after her sparkling, effervescing. untimely death); gossip columnists

Walter Winchell, Ed Sullivan and Guinan fashioned what became Mark Hellinger; and well-heeled known as café society out of her worthies like Reginald (“Reggie”) own dynamic, irrepressible Vanderbilt, Harry Payne Whitney, persona. She was a woman of her Walter Chrysler and Harry Kendall age, now 40 years old and a Thaw (he was a wealthy playboy bigger-then-life character who who famously murdered the fronted New York’s toughest architect Stanford White a few gangsters and for whom, as Stein years earlier). Texas’ speaks were noted, “democracy became her the place to be. slogan, good fellowship her only standard.” She was well known for Texas was born Mary Louise applying perfume to her fingertips Cecelia Guinan, born in Waco, TX, so that those, as she laughed, who in January 1884 to Irish-Canadian shook her hand had something to immigrant parents – and she got remember her by. her celebrated knickname as a kid.

She began her career as a rodeo Among her more memorable cowgirl and gained celebrity in contributions to popular culture early Hollywood silent films, staring of her day were the in some 35 1-reel silent movies catchphrases “Hello suckers!”, with William S. Hart, one of the “Don’t give a sucker a break!” first movie stars. Relocating to and “Give the little girl a big Gotham, she started as a hand!”* Her toughness is Broadway showgirl dancing as part enshrined in the alleged of the city’s booming live comment of one her regulars: entertainment scene. During “Reach down in your heart, Prohibion, she was the toast of the Texas, and get me a piece of town. cracked ice.”

As Prohibition descended on New Texas ran a half-dozen speaks York, Texas was performing her during the good times and drew cowgirl act at the Winter Garden the city’s swells. Future stars like Theatre. Emile Gervasini invited Rudolph Valento, Ruby Keeler and her to attend the opening night Barbara Stanwych got their start party for his new speakeasy, the performing at one of her clubs. Gold Room. At the gala, she is encouraged to entertain. Mixing * song with storytelling, the patrons Some attribute the maxim to Wilson Mizner won’t let her stop and are so

pleased with the unexpected when he first arrived in America festivities that they force Gervasini and now was at the height of his to keep open the speak until 5:30 celebrity. Valentino insisted that he as dawn broke. He was so would only attend with his second impressed he offers Tex a job as wife, Natacha Rambova, if Texas greeter. New York nightlife was made sure that his first wife, Jean never the same. Acker, would not be present. Acker had a habit of greeting Rudi At the Gold Room, Texas created and Natacha “with a loud and the “floor show,” a Broadway pronounced hiss.” Texas staple. While she was the host and persuaded Acker not to attend. main attraction, she added Joe Fejer, a Hungarian violinist, and However, amidst the opening-night the pianist and composer, Sigmund festivities, the socialite Peggy Romberg, to her show. As host, Hopkins Joyce was accompanied by Tex got $100 a week. “Shaking a strangely dressed woman. The hands with her customers was guest was “[a]bout the wildest about Texas’ only method of looking woman that Texas had allurement,” recalls John Stein, her ever seen,” a participant observed. manager and biographer. “She She wore a garish red wig, a low- began speaking to her guests as cut black velvet evening gown and they entered,” he adds. “Texas a diamond necklace and earrings. never forgot a face or name and Most striking, her makeup was often some celebrity or millionaire overdone in red, white and blue. would find himself blushing at an unexpected familiarity but she Greeting Tex, Joyce introduced the would shortly turn his uneasiness guest as the Countess of Itch from into a sort of thrill at the Cuba. Texas immediately precocity.” recognized her as none other than Acker and saw catastrophe in the Tempted by a competing offer from making. She warned Valentino and Joe Pani who ran the King Cole then made an ingenious Room, she moved her show, with proposition. Stein, who was in Joe Fejer and his band, to the attendance, recalled, “Miss Guinan Knickerbocker Hotel. A counter- led Miss Acker out on the floor and offer quickly followed from introduced her as the Countess of Gervasini and she returned to the Itch,” the former wife of Rudolph Gold Room. Texas was Broadway’s Valentino. Mr. Valentino then hottest hostess. came forward. “There is a gentleman who desires the honor The reopening of the Gold Room of your partnership in the next became a major Broadway social dance, Countess,” Texas says. event. As an attendee recalled, Adding, “[l]et me present the the gala was “jammed with glitter Count of Scratch.” To the song, and exotic fragrance.” Those in “The Girl I Left Behind Me,” the attendance included former- couple began to dance. President Woodrow Wilson’s daughter, Margaret Wilson, as well Texas was a “new woman,” a ‘20s as Dorothy Caruso, John woman who enjoyed a new social Barrymore and Mrs. W.K. presence, visibility and sexuality. Vanderbilt. Tex extended a special These women were increasingly invitation to Valentino, who briefly educated; they joined the worked for her as a flower boy workforce in ever-growing

numbers; they earned a wage and who had spent the evening at Polly had money in their pockets; and, Adler's or some other nearby as they did so, they dropped their brothel and needed a late-night corsets and their skirts crept up to cocktail. above the knee, they bobbed their hair, applied lipstick and smoked The “Guinan Graduates” was the Sweet Corporals. And, with the name given to the showgirls who passage of the 19th Amendment, performed at Texas’ many clubs. they secured the vote. Most Most were young, between 13 and threatening, women -- as 16 years. Keeler was 14 years old celebrated “flappers” – were when she joined the line. Keeler regulars at speakeasies like those dated Johnny “Irish” Costello, a run by Tex. Speaks were venues bootlegger, but fell in love with where “nice” girls drank Bronx Jolson, which caused a minor cocktails, flirted and more. scandal, forcing her to flee New York for Hollywood and a movie Texas called upon a group of career. Others who got their start “silent partners” to start yet working for Texas were Lillian Roth another speak, the 300 Club on and Barbara Stanwych as well as West 54th Street. In addition to such lesser-know stars of the ‘20s her brother, Tommy, her partners as Irene Delroy, Claire Luce and included the gangsters Madden, Frances Upton. New York’s mayor George (aka Big Frenchy) John Hylan (who Walker replaced DeMange, Nick Blair and Feet in 1926) denounced the Graduates Edison. The new club featured a as a little gang of prostitutes; Tex troupe of forty scantily-clad fan referred them, quite motherly, as dancers who, because of limited “my girls.” space, often performed provocatively close to the In a thankless effort to enforce customers. Prohibition, the police kept inventing and enforcing new It became a popular nightspot for a laws to close down speaks. In virtual who’s-who of the city’s June 1928, 160 Prohibition luminaries. Regulars included agents raided fifteen New York entertainers Al Jolson, Irving Berlin clubs. Of all those busted, and George Gershwin, who often Texas was the only one who played impromptu piano; movie challenged her arrest. Her trial stars Gloria Swanson, Clara Bow, became a media circus as Rudolph Valentino and John everyone knew that Tex ran an Barrymore; and well-heeled upscale speak and wanted her worthies like Reginald (“Reggie”) to beat the prohibitionists. At Vanderbilt, Harry Payne Whitney, her trial, one Prohibition agent, Walter Chrysler and Harry Kendall James L. White, said he visited Thaw, a wealthy playboy who the club twelve times but famously murdered the architect couldn’t get in on the thirteenth Stanford White a few years earlier. because it was too crowded. He Ruby Keeler and Raft got their also admitted spending $360 starts at the club. Texas later ran for food and liquor. She was Club Intime, at 205 West 54th acquitted. Street between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, which catered to Texas was again busted in 1929 the theatre set. It became famous and charged with “maintaining a as an after-hours retreat for those nuisance” at another of her speaks,

the Salon Royale at 310 West 58th She rarely traveled outside Street. At her trial, Tex insisted Manhattan, a foreigner to the city’s that she functioned only as a rapidly growing ethnic immigrant hostess, serving as “a singer, and working-class communities. dancer, welcomer and And while visiting popular racially- wisecracker”; she sought only to segregated Harlem speaks, she bring “sunshine into the lives of had little to do with the real tired businessmen.” She described African-American scene, apparently one of the stunts that the patrons never attending a mixed-race enjoyed. She had “a guest walk speak, latenight Harlem rent partiy five times around a walking cane or sex circus; there are no reports while holding it in one hand” and of black people attending her – then walk back to his or her table. apparently all white -- clubs. The patron would lose his/her balance and often fall down. During the 13 years of Prohibition Following a brief, 55 minute (1920-1913), speakeasies were deliberation, the jury acquitted her. social venues where nightowls In the court room, in true Roaring congregated to socialize, enjoy Twenties’ spirit, someone yelled, drinking illegal alcohol and “Give the little girl a great big indulging in other, often more hand” – and everyone did! At a illicit, practices. They told two gala victory party held at her Club intertwined stories: one is as a Intime at 205 West 54th Street, she social setting, an illicit venue; the read a telegram from Congressman other as a commercial enterprise, (and soon-to-be mayor) Fiorello La an underworld business. Every Guardia, “Congratulations. We all speakeasy embodied this dual give the little girl a great big existence. hand.” In New York, speaks ranged from Texas was not, however, a part of glamorous nightclubs and stylish Gotham’s other, parallel social cabarets like those run by Texas in worlds; she was a midtown “wet- the swankest parts of mid-town zone” woman, drawn by its big Manhattan’s “wet zone” to saloons, drinks, big shows and big cafés and low-life blind pigs in spenders. While rubbing shoulders neighborhoods throughout the city. with city swells and cultural lions, It was estimated that, in 1925, she was part of neither set. As the 100,000 speaks operated in irony of city life would dictate, Gotham. Speaks were venues of Guinan lived in Greenwich Village, social transgression during one of on West 8th Street near the most tumultuous eras of Washington Square Park, but was American history affectionately never really part of the Village known as the Roaring ‘20s. And scene. She was not attracted to Texas Guinan was at the center of the ethnic, working-class peoples, the festivities. particularly Italian, Irish and African-Americans, who made the At Texas’ speaks everyone who Village their home. Nor was she indulged broke the law and, while interested in the counter-culture breaking the law, often rubbed then reshaping the Village from shoulders with questionable ethnic neighborhood to bohemian characters, be they upper-class mecca. slummers, showgirls, jazz musicians, politicians, gangsters, prostitutes or pansies. A speak’s

greatest indulgence was the In 1933, shortly before Prohibition cocktail, a concoction of was replealed, Guinan died of adulterated alcohol and whatever amoebic dysentery in a Vancouver the barkeep could mix with it. It hospital while on a cross-country made nights fun and lulled the tour. As Texas once remarked: "I nation into the ’29 stock market would rather have a square inch of crash and Great Depression. New York than all the rest of the world." Guinan was a cowgirl who became a true Gotham outsider. Her For more information: legendary character appeared in numerous Hollywood movies. Mae § Louise Berliner, Texas Guinan: West embodied her in Night After Queen of the Nightclubs (Austin, Night (1932), costarring Raft; the TX: University of Texas Press, ’39 release, “The Roaring 1993). Twenties,” has a character based § Glenn Shirley’s Hello Sucker!: on her, Panama Smith, played by The Story of Texas Guinan Gladys George; Betty Hutton (Austin, TX: Eakin Press, played her in Incendiary Blonde 1989). (1945); in 1961, Phyllis Diller § John S. Stein and Hayward portrayed her in Splendor in the Grace, Hello Sucker: The Life Grass; and Francis Ford Coppola’s of Texas Guinan (unpublished 1984 hit, The Cotton Club, featured manuscript, 1941, NYPL, a character, “Vera,” played by Lincoln Center Library). Diane Lane, based on Texas.