Frank Palumbo
| Frank Palumbo | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 23, 1911 |
| Died | February 12, 1983 (aged 71) Merion Station, Pennsylvania |
| Spouse(s) | Kippee Valez |
Frank Palumbo (May 23, 1911 – February 12, 1983) was a restaurateur, local celebrity, humanitarian and power broker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He is best known as the owner of Palumbo's, an entertainment complex in South Philadelphia, Nostalgia's Restaurant and the Click Club. In the city, he is still widely known for his philanthropy: donating animals to the Philadelphia Zoo, helping build youth programs and funding parades. He has been called "a supporter of politicians, ordinary folk and animals."
Palumbo expanded a boarding house his grandfather, Antonio Palumbo, had started in 1884 into an entertainment complex. Palumbo held significant unofficial political power throughout the city.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Philadelphia was an important pop music center, with many bands and singers being made or broken in the city at Palumbo's clubs.
Palumbo became well known for philanthropy throughout South Philadelphia. Disturbed by an article critical of the area, singer Mario Lanza penned a response which identified Palumbo as an unsung hero of the city. Lanza lauded Palumbo for taking thousands of orphans to the circus, arranging parades for visiting celebrities and buying animals for the zoo.
He was born on May 23, 1911.
Palumbo was quiet and shy, often hiding in his office during major functions and banquets, only briefly emerging to meet with the guests.
Palumbo's wife Vanda "Kippee" Bozzacco (1919–2003) was a former actress and, at Palumbo's side, became "one of Philadelphia's first ladies".
Palumbo owned and operated numerous Philadelphia night clubs: Nostalgia's Restaurant and the legendary Click Club and Ciro's, along with Palumbo's, the Thirteen Club, the Hideaway, the S.A. Club and the 20th Century clubs all at 13th and Locust Streets, forming the heart of Philadelphia's nightclub district. By connecting all of the clubs through a series of doors, Palumbo operated all of them with a single hard to obtain liquor license, possible only through his political connections at the state Liquor Control Board.
The Click Club featured the world's longest bar and a rotating stage large enough for two bands, so as to provide uninterrupted music. To promote the club's opening on Labor Day, 1946, the "Frank Palumbo Award" was created for the most valuable Philadelphia baseball player, as voted by Philadelphia sports writers. Schoolboy Rowe was selected for the award and Louis Prima was engaged to play. Prima was also planned to perform national anthem at the Phillies game earlier that day to promote the opening. Due to union rules, he was not allowed to play at the game, instead singing and awarding the trophy to Rowe. A banner plane advertised Prima's appearance that evening to great effect. 38,000 people showed up for the opening, 3,000 more than the stadium seated.
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