BIG BANDS AT THE CASINO

Bemus Point, NY

The present Casino at Bemus Point was built in 1930 by James Selden, a Pittsburgh industrialist who also built a large home with extensive grounds on the lakefront in Oriental Park. The building became the property of the village of Bemus Point after its completion in the Spring of 1930.

Messrs. Frank Lindstorm and Frank Meyer leased the Casino and began booking dance brands on a regular basis. The opening of the Casino occurred on Friday Evening, May. 30. Jamestown Evening Journal stated --"The Casino is a recreational center with ' nothing to depress or demoralize'. Among its attractions it has a beautiful dance floor, a delightful sun deck, shuffleboard courts, a sandwich and soda grill, perfectly equipped bath houses, a game room where Skee Ball, Indoor Golf, and many other games were enjoyed. " The band for dancing at the opening was Les Ambassadors "direct from the Ambassador Grill of New York City." Dance admission was $1.50 per couple.

The dancehall (on the second floor) in the 1930s looked much the same as it does today (1994) except that the bar and second floor rest rooms did not exist. On warm Summer evenings, windows on both the Village Park and Lake the Park and others in boats to listen to the music of the performing band. A balcony off the dance floor on the Lake side was popular with dancers wanting a smoke or some air during intermissions.

The enclosed list most of the nationally known bands and many of the local and regional bands which appeared during the period 1930 to 1941. During the early years of this period, many of the bands featured at the Casino had built their reputations previous to 1930. Such band leaders included Vincent Lopez , Paul Whiteman, Ted Weems, Noble Sissle, Gene Goldkette and others. During the 1930 Season there was a "Rattle of Music" featuring the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra and the Ipana Troubadours, a radio band featured on a late 1920s program advertising Ipana toothpaste. Later on in this period, the Casino booked d bands which are more remembered today by the citizen. These later bands include the bands of such leaders as Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Harry James, Glenn Gary, Gene Krupa and Jimmie Lunceford.

Numerous black bands were booked by Lindstorm and Meyer during the 1930s. The Duke Ellington band appeared at the Casino 3 times, in 1932, 1934 and  1938. Noble Sissle who built his reputation in the last 1920s as a show band and a danceband, appeared at the Casino four times between 1931 and 1937. Other black bands included Claude Hopkins, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie and Jimmie Lunceford. The Jimmie Lunceford Band had its origins in Memphis and in the early 1930s, before the band became nationally known, had frequent engagements in Buffalo, Cleveland and Jamestown, NY areas. After moving on to The Cotton Club in NYC and National prominence, returned the Chautauqua Lake area at least a dozen times and a least five appearances at the Casino between 1934 and 1939.

Nationally known or "name" bands were usually in Bemus Point on a Saturday night or a holiday. On the Saturdays when a top name was not booked, the bandstand would be occupied by regional or local bands. Such bands included Emerson Gill, Austin Wylie or Freddie Bergin from Cleveland, George Weber from Erie. Walker Moore from Pittsburgh and many others.

Most of the touring "name" bands carried 10 to 14 musicians and traveled by bus. Many of the white bands such as Artie Shaw and Ben Bernie stayed at the nearby Hotel Lenhart or the Hotel Jamestown in Jamestown, NY. After playing at the Casino, some of the white bands and practically all of the black bands would reboard there bus (usually after 2 A.M. ) and proceed to the place of their next booking. For black bands, hotels accommodations were hard to come by - especially in smaller towns. Hence , the black bands had the choice of heading for Buffalo, Cleveland or Pittsburgh which had black hotels or seek accommodations in the homes of black residents in the nearest smallest town. For these bands, both black & white, doing and a "one night stand" at the Casino of some other ballroom in the area, the engagement was usually a part of a string of "one nighters" enroute to a longer engagement in New York City of Chicago.

The Casino's main competition in the band business was the Pier Ballroom at Celeron Park, located near the outlet of Chautauqua Lake. The Pier, also known at one time as Castle Gardens, booked bands in the 1920s and continued until well after World War II. During the 1930s and 1940s, most of the name bands which played the Casino also played at the Pier.

Until recent years, few bands were booked into the Casino after 1941 This was probably due to wartime gasoline rationing. Military service etc.

Bands at the Casino: 1930 - 1941

The above information obtained from Casino advertisements in the Jamestown (NY) Evening Journal. Researched by Ray Anderson and Laverne Peterson.