Big Daddys

Back in 1979 I used to go to the Big Daddy's in The City of Orange. It was the awesome summer of my youth. I would dance all night, listen to the live band then hear the great Tony Dee (Dezago) spin some classic disco records. I remember some of the bartenders like Corkey and Allen and the doorman Big Mike. Those are such golden memories for me now. Ok all you disco dollies, if you ever danced with a cute little Mexican guy named Joe, then give me a reply.

Guys do you remember why we used my room? Because there was a central a/c unit outside my window and it covered all the noise when people dropped beer bottles or whatever on the ground.Now tell me i dont know whats up!

Guys i was in Daytona in 82 and 83. If anyone wants to know any names or anything about the club please hit me up at bwmiamibch@aol.com I am sure i can answer any questions you have.

Guys look at my earlier post and you will see where i was from. I came from Atlanta in 82.Good to see my memory is better than everyone here. l.o.l

J!!!!! That was my house that had HBO! And that was my room damn!!!! I always worked E bar upstairs except Saturday night when i worked downstairs with my roommate Bosco. Hit me up at bwmiamibch@aol.com

is this the dark haired, from texas bobby that worked the door at big daddy's beach side in daytona in 80/81? i remember you! what are you up to? pat hassett

Bobby,

I worked downstairs with Kenny working upstairs in 82 and 83 I came in from Dallas Flanagan's. You have a great memory for names. I lived on Oak Ridge behind the Lil General. Most of my neighbors were Riddle guys. Tony was a bouncer at the Caboose. Kenny is a big time mobile DJ in WPB and Sammy was in Palm Beach County in the 90's. I lost track of him also. I can't remember which bartender had the house we used to go and watch HBO from outside his bedroom window. Also the elevator inside the club that got a lot of use. George used to handcuff me to the booth so I would stay there. I had a great time those two spring breaks. Jim Kumas

J sammy was at trackside in the early 80s. He was my roomate for a while.His real name was Mario Samrout.I have not heard from him in years.

I worked at Flanigans in Atlanta from 79 thru 81. Our managers were Jake Lamotta and L.G. Brown and Dan Guess.Also Tom Hovarth and Randy Miller.Our djs were Chris Miller and Jim Epps.I transferred to Daytona in 82. Our manager was Joe Pendrak who lives in Lake Worth now.The djs in daytona were Kenny Mondo and Jerry Toledo.I was a bartender in 82 and went back to Atl in the winter. Then in 83 i went back to daytona in March. Our manager was George Williston.I was the asst mgr.Chris Miller was working for Alan Cohen at the Plantation club. I lived at 2038 Shulte dr. with John Amthor and Mike Ginter who were both going to Embry Riddle.Those were the best 2 years of my life.I knew koto very well. His real name was Kurt Curtis.

the red onion not green.

Wasn't there one in Tampa, FL (Britton Plaza) as well?

I was one of the first hires at Big Daddy's Pensacola, during the fall of '76- working part time as a doorman and bartender while attending UWF. What a terrific experience to be part of the first 3 months. I would love to see some photos if anyone has any.

to pam breslau

there was the green onion i think in woodland hills, been there many times around 74 thru 77. there were just to many bars in the valley i cant remember all of there names.

ed hamil

this is wild.....kenny has been literally living right under my nose for years! only three miles away. kenny mondo dj productions, 4049 okeechobbee bl, WPB....561-790-5555. fannie farkels's DJ benji dubell's contact data in daytona is 386-255-3584..

i am on the road but when i get back, i will get out my file on KOTO and put pertinent data about his later years on site. God, I miss that guy! a walking encyclopedia of music history....ever hear him mix macarthur park 60's version with donna summer's version, give the history lesson in a short down and dirty, and keep the dance floor occupied?? that was skill combined with talent.

sam....a darker skinned guy who went to embry-riddle college in daytona? i ran into him in 1990. he was spinning at a night club on the north miami intercoastal. forgot the name of the place. jerry.......i think i know who you are talking about. i see the face but no last name....another one that dropped off the radar!

Kenny is in West Palm Beach FL has a very successful mobile DJ business. I don't really know who I replaced it was spring break in 82 around Feb and I think someone named Jerry and Sam were the DJ's for Track Side.

worked the door and then bar-tended. always had an interest in spinning and kenny montforte taught me. both Al's would let me fill in on their breaks. I had already worked in a radio station so it helped before I got to big daddy's. in my previous comment block, I mentioned "the other Al"......cleaning out some mental cobwebs, I meant Al Tessier. he was a downstairs guy. he moved on to tennessee somewhere and i lost track of him in the late 80's. kenny monteforte.....i lost track of him in the early 80's. anybody know what happened to him?
there was another one too....Chris _________. he was upstairs spinning in the late 70's.
still in touch with mac bodefort the boss at fannie farkles. he is doing well in the various ventures to remove tourist money from their pockets while in daytona. the DJ's at fannies: benji dubell is still a fixture in daytona....yes, still spinning as a mobile DJ and fixing computers. lost track of rich weinman a few years after he went back to NYC.
did you replace Chris_______? i think i was introduced to you by lavonne lowery.

Pat, what did you do at beach side??? I got there from Dallas in 82 and spent a year spinning downstairs and Kenny was upstairs. Jim k

I just got this thought of big daddy's and my fingers on the keyboard did the rest.......I run into a familiar name....AL RAMOS! How the hell are you? i worked beach side from 78-80 and I remember you, kenny montforte, the other al and of course KOTO.
i kept in touch with KOTO for many years, particularly while he was writing his music band reference book. he got it published just before he died. it was a heart attack and quite sudden. he still was spinning and promoting in the tampa area upon his death. fuill me in on yourself. my email is pilotpatscubamariner@yahoo.com or call 561-688-5023.....for that fact, any other big daddy's folks from daytona track or beach side, keep in touch. we ought to do a get together reunion! PAT HASSETT

Just looking at pics and drought back memories. My father Charles F Kuhn was vice pres of big daddys for many years. He passed in 2008. Miss him alot.

It wasn't Fiasco's (now Cafe del Rey) either.

Hi all,

I used to go to Big Daddy's in Woodland Hills, CA a lot back in 1974-ish. Also went to the one in Marina del Rey. My friend & I were talking about clubs in the marina the other day & we are trying to think of the name of a place. Can anyone give me the names of some other clubs back then in that area? There was also a place that was two story I think it was called "the ground level" & "second story" but that's not the one. Anyone?

My sisters, brother and I hung out at Big Daddy's in Hialeah, FL in 1975 when 18 was the legal drinking age. I was just 18. I wish I could remember my favorite bartender's name. She even took a trip with us to Colorado. If anyone knows who I am talking about please post here. She had black hair in a bouffant hairdo. I believe it was the Big Daddy's on 49th Street.

I worked at the Big Daddys in Woodlind hills Calif before it closed.What a great time. I started out as a doorman and worked my way up to bartender. I would really like to here from someone?? The names I remember are Bruce (the body builder) Lee,debbie,dan, there are more I just dont remember.

That girl was my first wife and i still speak to her often. let me know when you are in town and we can catch up.

Dennis,

Holy crap you are still around, thought you would have went back to NY. You were dating a little Italian girl at the time, can't remember her name.
You, Richie and I had some good times, I lived in Pompano, just off Dixie and had the 68 White Camaro with the custom paint job. I still get to Fl. every so often, we will have to get together some time.

Butch

Butch

Dennis stabile I still live here in Davie and am retired. I love it here. Too cold up north. Do you remember Jim Moyer? haven't seen him in 25 years

Dennis,

Which Dennis are you ? I have not heard from Rizzo since the late 70's when I moved back to Md. Yes I remember Lums hot dogs cooked in beer as well.
Butch

Butch? Daniel

This is Dennis and I loved that place. I still go by and remember when the old bldg. was there and the trips to Lums next door. What happened to Rizzo.

dear jkumas,
send me an emil at aramos747@aol.com
thanks

Ken,

I am sure we crossed paths, knew Rick Powers very well he was my boss for several years, George McClousky was the manager of Brother Jims at the time, Richie Rizzo, Dennis Stabile (big Dennis), Dennis Bissett, and John who worked at Smileys Glass Shop in Pompano, cant remember his last name, are some of the guys I worked with.
Butch

For Butch and Daniel M: I never worked at Brother Jim's, but I spent many nights there. Here are some names you might remember: Rick Powers, Patty McCoy, Donna Thorp, Hec (don't remember his last name) and same for Roland, but he eventually bought the Colonial on US1 just south of Oakland Pk. Blvd, rebuilt it, and called it, of course, Roland's, which opened in the late 70's through the 80's.

The list of girls I met at Brother Jim's was almost endless. BTW, if my memory is correct, 18 year old legal drinking didn't kick in until 1974, and by 75-76 there were so many high school girls in there that i stopped going. Fun while it lasted though.

Ken

I worked at the Big Daddy's in Tallahassee, Fl in 1978,79. I was a bartender. I met my husband there also, He was my bigest tipper! We have been married for 30 years this Sept.

It was fun at the Time 18 and nothing to do but work and party! and Party at work!

I remember KOTO how did he pass? Al you must have been at trackside when I was at Beachside. Kenny was the upstairs DJ with the band and I played downstairs. I transferred in from Dallas when they went country. Did your work with Jerry????

Loyal Green Brown ('L.G.'), manager of Big D's in Tallahassee circa 1980-1986, passed away in Texas
recently.

I remember the Big Daddy's nightclub in Woodland Hills, California. It was just south of Topanga Plaza (Victory & Topanga Canyon). I used to hang out there a lot during the Disco Era (1975-1976). It was an awesome place. Three staggered levels. Lounge with boths and a full bar downstairs. Dance floor on second floor and a full bar upstairs. I loved that place and have many good memories. The building was converted into a bank in the 80's.

anyone remember KOTO?
He passed away in 2004.

Al Ramos - DJ Daytona Trackside 1979-1980

I was also a DJ for Flannigans in Dallas on Walnut Hill for a while then transferred to Beachside in Daytona. I am wondering who Dr. K is. I left Dallas in 80 or 81 and got to Daytona just in time for spring break, set up my records and went to work downstairs. Everyone is talking about levels, Beachside had 5 or 6 levels with a service elevator that if we had installed cameras in we could have made millions!

We did the sound at the Big Daddy's triple decker lounges around the country....with their engineer Jim Nygaard
...tho not Marina del Rey...which used Tannoy speakers & QRK turntables with MicroTrak arms

Daniel,
I also worked at Brother Jims from 71 thru 75, fist as a bouncer then bartender, it was a great place to work and some great people as well. Man have I gotsome great memories of that place.
Got to know Joe Flannigan pretty good and eved traveled to CA to train people when he was expanding his clubs there. George McClousky was the manager at the time of Brother Jims. The address was 3150 E. Commercial Blvd, building had Coral Rock walls inside and was great all three floors. The building is not there any longer, see this post sure brought back memories.
Thanks,
Butch

I worked for Big Daddy's in South Florida in the 70's and my favorite place to work was Brother Jim's on Commercial Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. This was before the area kicked out the spring breakers and at the time 18 year-olds could drink. It had three bars, one a disco bar called "Joe's Bar." The times were great and the money was better. The place was always packed. I met a lot of great people over the years working at Big Daddy's. An age and era gone forever.

I DJ'd there - 76 - 78... also work at Big Daddy's -Daytona (beachside and across from the daytona raceway 500, Long Boat Key) and 747, Cali. Woodland Hills - San Diego as stated Marina Del Ray)...

There were a team of DJ's that opened new clubs and were guest DJ's for the corp.. You knew you made it when you flew on the Corp. Jet with the Man himself;

The team members were - Me Doctor K, Peanut, OZ...
The stories I could tell!!!

I worked at Big Daddy's in Orlando (triple decker) in the mid seventies. Met my husband (Jack Burke) there and have now been married to him for 32yrs.

Gwen McCrae (Rockin' Chair) was born , raised and lives in P'cola!!

I was the DJ @ Big Daddy's Pensacola from '79-81. What a ride!!!!!
Left there to spin @ 2001 Clubs of America
'81-85.
Gone are the days.
Have pics of 2001, but none of Big Daddy's.