The Most Talked About Show in Town

Kristin Morris, curator of the Swinging Chinatown exhibit, kindly sent this picture of a Chinese Skyroom cocktail napkin (featuring The Wongettes) that is among the photographs, costumes, and memorabilia on display at the Old Mint in downtown San Francisco. The show is only open for three more days — this Friday through Sunday, 12-5 pm — so make sure to drop by if you haven't seen it yet.

The Wongettes: Dancing Debutantes

Elizabeth Jean, Kim Wong, and Helen Kim (left to right)

I don't know too much about The Wongettes besides that they were the house dancers at Andy Wong's Chinese Skyroom. According to a program reproduced in Trina Robbins' book Forbidden City: The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs, the girls performed numbers such as "Chino Soy" (Chinese Rhumba), "La Conga", and "Kicking the Gong Around" (I'd love to see their interpretation of this Cab Calloway song).

Here's a short piece about the tantalizing trio from the March 1941 issue of The Coast:

Chinese Society Girls Become
Chinese Skyroom Dance Trio

For weeks, the sports-about-town have been gathering every afternoon at the Chinese Skyroom bar to inspire a squad of Chinatown debs in their effort to become chorus girls.

Now, three of the squad have graduated and are part of the the Chinese Skyroom show. They're the luscious Wongettes (after Boss Andy Wong), who, as you can see in pic [above], are not hard to look at; more than that, they've really learned how to dance. You can see them three times per show any of these nights.

The rest of the squad — fourteen of Chinatown's blue-bloods — are still in rehearsal, will make their dancing debut soon.

And finally, check out this cool matchbook. The striking Wongettes are just the thing to light your fire!

Socko: San Francisco's Chinese Nightclubs

Here are three reviews from Billboard magazine of San Francisco's top Chinese nightclubs during the 1940s. They provide a great snapshot of that era.

You'll notice that Walton Biggerstaff is credited for the productions at all three clubs. He also trained many of the dancers back then. I'll have more to share about him later.

I was also surprised to see a few names that I'd never come across before, like Chinese Skyroom "showstopper" Roberta Wing and cavorting trumpet player Prince Gum Low. Just more proof that, in spite the wealth of material presented in Arthur Dong's documentary and Trina Robbins' new book, there are still more stories waiting to be told.

And of course, who can resist the enticing promise of the Wongettes and their "snappy cake-walk routine"! More about them later, as well.

Well, without further ado, please give a hand for the talented Asian American performers of "The Golden Age of Chinese Nightclubs"...

Kubla Khan,
San Francisco

Talent Policy: Dance band and floorshows at 7:30, 9:30 and 12. Owner, Eddie Pond. Prices: $1.50 minimum. Dinner from $2.50.

Whole Show: good; features Chinese acts and dance line; well received.

Best Job: FRANCES CHUN, thrush with deep qualities; on order of Frances Langford; "juke box medley" outstanding; socko.

Other Acts: JADIN and LI-SUN, dancers; individual stylists; flair for comedy; work well together. MAE LEE, singer; does semi-classics and light opera; clear, pleasing soprano; good hand. PRINCESS LOO HING, fem magician; works alone; tricks standard. ELEANOR YOUNG, Chinese Carmen Miranda; graceful, good voice; sells okay. KUBLA DANCERS (6), pretty group in several Walton Biggerstaff produced numbers; gowned gorgeously.

Band: BILL OETKE'S RUMBEROS (8) play a snappy show and hip-shaky numbers. Owner Eddie Pond emcees. Business capacity.

Edward Murphy

— Billboard, August 11, 1945

Chinese Skyroom,
San Francisco

Talent Policy: Dancing and Floorshows at 8, 10 and 12. Owner-manager, Andy Wong; production, Walton Biggerstaff. Prices: $1.50 minimum; no cover.

Strictly a Chinese line-up. The Six Wongettes get things started with a snappy cake-walk routine. Gals are fresh-looking and put plenty of punch in their dancing. Costumes are abbreviated but gorgeous. Mirth spot in show handled by Prince Kim Low [Prince Gum Low], who literally blows himself blue in the face with satirical trumpet solos. Paunchy, yet light on his feet, the prince cavorts with the patrons. Gets hearty laughs.

Sweetly lyrical is Beatrice Tom, a cute lark who does well with Embraceable You and I've Got the World on a String. Has good microphone poise. A shot of the sensational is Ah Wing, magician, who baffles with a fire-eating act and ekes gasps from ringsiders by poking a flaming fire-stick down his gullet.

Kim and Jessica Wong put a touch of the Oriental in a rumba number. Makes for good entertainment. Plenty of hand-clapping. Showstopper, however, is Roberta Wing, petite vocalist with a style all her own. Has plenty of verve and a catchy lilt to her voice. Especially good in Tampico and Rosemary. Begged off after taking five encores.

Finale is a madhouse, with the entire troupe milling around to Begin the Beguine. Suave Sammy Tong emcess. Don Ferrara's ork (6) backs up show effectively.

— Billboard, April 20, 1946

Forbidden City,
San Francisco
(Saturday, December 28)

Talent Policy: Floorshows at 8, 10 and 12. Owner-operator, Charlie Low; manager, Frank Huie. Prices: $1.50 minimum.

Clicks could be heard all over the room as Charlie Low unfolded his new Chinese Gay '90s with all-Chinese talent. Produced by Walton Biggerstaff, the revue is fast moving, picturesque and is drawing oodles of clientele in a sagging market.

Opened with the Forbidden City Debutantes (8) and Bobby Wong in a medley. Girls, in old-fashioned gowns, and boys in loud, striped suits, danced thru the medley for a good mitt. Larry Ching soloed oldies and was rewarded with a solid hand.

Three boys and three girls got top reception for their Floradora sextet bit in which they mixed old waltz songs and dance numbers. Low, who emceed the show, then brought on Ching for more oldies, and he encored with Daisy, Old Gray Bonnet, and When You Wore a Tulip. Much applause.

Comedy highlight was Toy Yat Mar, ordinarily the fem chirp star, who appeared with two chorines garbed in ballet costumes to do a Belles of the Ballet number. Good for three encores. The Mei Lings followed with a graceful Merry Widow and a fast Cuddle Up. Miss Mar then came on again in a brace of Sophie Tuckerish tunes.

A French can-can closed. Henry Abramson's ork (7) did an okay job on show and dancing. Room was full.

Edward Murphy

— Billboard, January 18, 1947

* Forbidden City matchbook courtesy of Johnny Dollar's Vault.