Klein, Mac interview

Permanent Link:: http://dpanther.fiu.edu/dpService/dpPurlService/purl/FI14010436/00001

Material Information

Subjects / Keywords:: Oral histories -- Miami Beach (Fla.)
Nightclubs -- United States -- Florida -- Miami
Genre:: Video Recordings
Spatial Coverage:: North and Central America -- United States -- Florida -- Miami-Dade -- Miami Beach

Scope and Content:: Owner of Mac's Club Deuce. Time Magazine Website calls the Deuce a “dingy, black-tiled bar that has seen better years, and those years occurred a very long time ago. But in a town where hot drinking spots come and go like the tide, the Deuce still stands alone.” The building was constructed in 1926 with the story being that it was constructed with wood from shipwrecks. Mac bought the bar in 1964 after owning a bar in South Miami along the Coral Gables line (CG was “dry” at the time) and owning, what he says, was the first gay bar on Miami Beach, Club Benni, where the show was put on by female impersonators. He was forced to close it. He talks about the club scene in the 50s and 60s. He describes the Wolfies at 5am after the clubs closed and the gathering there of musicians, comedians and owners. Me mentions Aristotle Aris (see his interview in the archive), Lou Walters, Jesse Weiss, Meyer Lansky, Tennessee Williams and John Jacob Astor. Because Mac's is open late the crew of Miami Vice would gather after they wrapped night shooting. When the series concluded they held their “wrap party” at Mac's.
Biographical:: Dateof Birth: 09-19-2014
General Note:: (Location) 222 14th Street, Miami Beach