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Disco Music > Discotheques and Clubs Index > Copacabana
Copacabana
10 East 60th Street, New York City, New York
Look at how long The Copacabana was open!! SEVENTY-SIX years, and it refuses to die. It has survived thirteen United States Presidents and five wars!! Today it is without a location, but there are promises that it will re-open. Whether it does or not doesn't matter as much as it's history does.
Who are the owners??? That question was always elusive to the Authorities as well. It was listed as being leased to Monte Proser in 1940, when it was legally opened to the Public. It was a SPEAKEASY / Night Club for MOBSTERS such as Charles "Lucky" Luciano and the rest of MURDER INC. The actual owners were originally Albert Anastasia and Frank Costello, charter members of THE COMMISSION! It eventually passed hands to CARLO GAMBINO, then PAULIE CASTELLANOS, until the government finally forced the MOB out in 1986. That is when Peter Dorn took over. I was long gone by that time. I worked at THE COPACABANA when these gangsters decided to reopen it in 1973 as a DISCO after being closed to the Public since the late sixties. I got a hell of an education there!!
The MAFIA would put "Puppet Head Owners" to stay "legit". They Included MONTE PROSER and the infamous JULES PODELL. They paid off the Police and City Hall to make sure that this remained their personal playground. The original location off Central Park at 10 EAST 60th street was a GANGSTER SPEAKEASY (in 1930), then a illegal GANGSTER Night Club/Casino until they somehow got a liquor license in late 1940;November 10th, they opened their doors to the Public. For the next sixty years it stayed at the same location, only leaving when the MOB influence was removed (allegedly).
During the 1940s HARRY BELAFONTE got thrown out because he was BLACK. A few years later he returned to be the Headline Act. Others from the forties included Frank Sinatra, Joe E. Lewis and Jimmy Durante. The COPACABANA featured a great restaurant with the freshest sea food available and the best Chefs to cook them. It had a show stage on the first floor, with a Dance Floor in front of it. On the Third floor was the HIDDEN CASINO, because one minute it was there, the next it wasn't. It was still in operation when I left in 1978.
During the 1950s there was a major fight between the New York Yankees and a team of out-of-state Bowlers because of SAMMY DAVIS Jr. performing. It was a national news story at the time. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis not only started their careers there, but performed as a duo for the last time at the COPA as well. Others whose pictures went on the hallway wall of superstars that PLAYED THE COPA include, Perry Como, Bobby Darin, Jackie Gleason, Peggy Lee, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald, The Supremes, Tony Bennett, Nat King Cole, Buddy Hackett, Rodney Dangerfield, Henny Youngman, Danny Thomas, Bobby Vinton, Tony Orlando, Wayne Newton, Sophie Tucker,Carmen Miranda, Tommy Dorsey, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Celia Cruz, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, Gloria Gaynor, Don Rickles, Barry White, The Trammps, Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes, Donna Summer, Gary Glitter, Tina Charles, Linda Clifford, Tina Turner, The Village People, Cerrone, Don Ray, Tito Puente and The last performers, EL GRAN COMBO! Those were just some of the many acts that PLAYED THE COPA.
After renovations in 1972, a DISCO was opened in the basement level, that was the new center of attention, while the real fun was a few stories above. This DISCO had one of the biggest deejay booths I had ever seen. Bigger then my bedroom!! Enough room for over three thousand records. Five thousand watt amplifiers, three Technic 1200 turntables. Two BOZAC (Bozak) mixers, two Phase Linear equalizers, a state of the art computerized light show that had half a dozen Neon Characters (including one of CARMEN MIRANDA on a crescent moon). A mirrored ceiling, a Dance floor bigger then most small DISCOS with tons of different lighting effects. Of course the mirrored DISCO BALLS, three of them in various sises. Ten miles of wiring, and so many different varieties of speakers I can't remember them all. This was in 1973!!!
The food was spectacular, the drinks were NEVER watered down, bad business the MOBSTERS called it. Every glass cost you seven bucks! Water? Seven Dollars! Soda? Seven Bucks! A Ten to Twenty dollar cover charge, in 1973!! It cost more, but was such a great DISCO!! The deejays, Pete Denis, Tony Gio, Luis 'El Flaco" Orellana and many others that I can't recall. The music had a certain Latin/Brazilian/European flair to it. Always the best. But the best thing about my years there were the WOMEN!! Tons of actresses and wanna-be actresses gave a certain BEAUTY that few clubs could match. Then there were the Porno-Stars! Since the MOB was the money behind that business in the seventies, they made sure that their "girls" would be very visible at night in the COPA. That made this a very exciting DISCO, and a simply great place to work at. Oh, did I mention great pay and better TIPS!! Nothing but great times, the BEST NIGHT CLUB EVER!!! THE COPACABANA, when the mob ran it!!!
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COMMENTS ON THIS DISCO / DISCOTHEQUE / NIGHTCLUB
Went there many nights in the 70's...saw great disco bands like Odyssey...then, @ an afterwork friday night party in September of 1981, I met my beautiful wife of 30 years - Alma...
it was all true @ the Copa ...Copacabana, the hottest spot north of Havana...
Way to go Tony, I am surprised that YOU didn't put this Club on this site!! Since you met your wife there, there must still be a lot of affection for THE COPA there? What are you doing now??
Anyone know if the facade of the building is still there at 10 East 60th Street? If so, what is it now?
From my knowledge, and I now live in Miami, the building is still there. More than likely, it probably is some other restaurant. the upper floors, are now different businesses. Maybe even apartments?? But, again, I am in Miami, haven't been there in many years. So, very good question? Can anyone help answer it??
WOW, THE Copacabana!! I was there with my parents as a 15 year old in the early 70's with my parents. The deejay, Pete played the best music I ever heard. I returned as often as I could, on Saturdays. The deejay would mix his records over and over, and the people loved it. As the years passed, I got to be a regular. The place was exciting, full of stars and wanna-be stars. They all went there. they all knew the deejay. I got to know him too. a super guy. I moved to Miami in 1977, and soon found the same deejay at a club called MENAGE. But at the Copa it was new and exciting. As I got older it wasn't the same. My best club times were there.
I went to the COPACABANA all the time, because the deejay was the guy who mixed everything, and it seemed to last forever. Remember the Mirrored wall, with all the neon figures. The women were stunning, and extremely friendly. Great times in 1974.
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