How popular was ABC-TV's Batman show? While it only ran for two and a half seasons (Jan 12, 1966 to March 14, 1968), it was on twice a week for most of its run. It rapidly went from hip to camp to passe. When it was popular, however, it was a huge hit, in an era when there were only three TV channels, so its appeal cut a wide swath.
By the middle of 1966, there was a club in Sunnyvale called Wayne Manor, designed to look like the "Bat Cave" from the TV show. Mind you, this club sold drinks and was intended for adults. It was successful enough to stay open at least into the middle of 1967. I don't know exactly when the club closed, but the Batman show ended in early 1968, so I'm sure the club had closed or changed its name by then.
The top ad is from the July 22, 1966 edition of the San Mateo Times, and the lower one is from the October 21, 1966 San Mateo Times. Sunnyvale is the town just South of Mountain View, which in turn is just South of Palo Alto. Washington and Murphy is roughly between El Camino Real and Central Expressway (Alma), next to Los Altos Town Center and the train station (now the Cal Train station). Since there isn't a precise address, I can't say if the building is still standing.
Sometimes you will see 60s South Bay musicians refer to this club, although they usually call it "The Bat Cave." According to the San Mateo Times (October 21, 1966), the owner or manager of the club was named Joe Lewis. I believe Emilio Castilio's first band, The Gotham City Crimefighters, were regularly featured here, before he formed The Motowns, who then evolved into Tower of Power. In the various ads I have seen for the club, the only group I have heard of is The Music Machine, who were scheduled to play on October 25, 1966 (they were mentioned in a notice, but not in the weekly advertisement above).
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A hunt around has shown up a number of different lists of performers - the Wiki entry (and others) shows up Big Brother and the Holding Company as playing which seems unlikely to me as Janis Joplin had departed after a show on December 1, 1968 and the band played only a handful of shows over the following year.
ReplyDeleteIn fact, when Joe Lewis created Wayne Manor, he wasn't inspired by the Batman TV show but by the DC comic book. I know because I was there. Lewis, who owned Wayne Manor, got the idea from his 11-year-old son who was a big fan of the Batman comic book. Lewis had opened Whiskey A-Go-Go in an old bank building he had purchased on South Murphy and was looking to relaunch the club with a new concept. His son naively told him to "make it about Batman" and he was smart enough to adopt the theme before the Batman craze hit. He toyed with naming the club "The Bat Cave" or "Wayne Manor" and chose the latter because it seemed to fit the old bank building's architecture. Some months later, the TV show became a hit and Batman-mania swept the country. Life Magazine even featured a picture of the club in its issue on the Batman craze. A pretty big deal for the city of Sunnyvale. Lewis was clever enough to capitalize on the publicity and even brought a measure to the City Council to change Sunnyvale's name to Gotham City. Naturally, that made all the papers resulting in lots of free publicity for Wayne Manor.
ReplyDeleteThe building no longer stands, having been razed in preparation for the Sunnyvale Town Center construction.
You mention some of the artists who played there, but don't forget Creedence Clearwater Revival, Dobey Grey, and Johnny Rivers.
Many of the performers were soul acts. Lewis was committed to civil rights and brought a lot of African-American performers to Wayne Manor including Jackie Wilson and Sly Stone. I remember one night the headline act was The Coasters (or was it The Platters?) I honestly can't remember. I was only 11 at the time and my father had invited me to his club, just a little kid with a Batman comic book in his back pocket.
I was in a band that played there on Sundays ("the Innocent Bystander" and we had the honor of opening for the Coasters.
DeleteWow--what an amazing story. I have only recently discovered the details about Sly and The Family Stone playing at Wayne Manor (May 2-21, 1967). I know that the drummer Frosty sat in with them at least once during that time (Lee Michaels' guy). Its very interesting to here about Creedence as well (under the name The Golliwogs, I presume?).
ReplyDeleteCan I pick your brains about the reference to "Whisky A Go-Go?" Do you mean that in general, or that it was actually called the Whisky A Go Go at some early point?
It was actually called Whiskey A-Go-Go. My father got the franchise and decided to open it in Sunnyvale rather than the more likely San Francisco or San Jose. That was a big deal for Sunnyvale back in the day. I'm in the midst of doing some research on both Whiskey A-Go-Go and Wayne Manor and will be glad to share what I learn.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about whether it was the Golliwogs are just John Fogarty and others or what. What I was told was "it was Creedence before they were Creedence". I'll see if I can get more hard information that.
I'm trying to write a story on the importance of Wayne Manor and Whiskey A-Go-Go to the revitalizatin of downtown Sunnyvale. Can you share any information you have? For instance, dates of operation, key acts who played there, and any impact it might have had on Sunnyvale or the local music scene? My email is garthl@live.com
I will try and pull some more bits together - but my current list (a few months old) is as follows:
ReplyDeleteOpened - Early February 1966 seemingly.
07 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
08 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
09 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
10 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
11 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
12 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
13 June 1966
14 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
15 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
16 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
17 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
18 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
19 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
20 June 1966
21 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
22 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
23 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
24 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
25 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
26 June 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
27 June 1966
28 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
29 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
30 June 1966 The Prime Minisiters
01 July 1966 The Prime Minisiters
02 July 1966 The Prime Minisiters
03 July 1966 The Prime Minisiters
04 July 1966
05 July 1966 The Persuaders
06 July 1966 The Persuaders
07 July 1966 The Persuaders
08 July 1966 The Persuaders
09 July 1966 The Persuaders
10 July 1966 The Persuaders
11 July 1966
12 July 1966 The Persuaders
13 July 1966 The Persuaders
14 July 1966 The Persuaders
15 July 1966 The Persuaders
16 July 1966 The Persuaders
17 July 1966 The Persuaders
18 July 1966
19 July 1966
20 July 1966
21 July 1966
22 July 1966
23 July 1966
24 July 1966
25 July 1966 Ladies Night
26 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
27 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
28 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
29 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
30 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
31 July 1966 Sandy and The Vikings
01 August 1966 Ladies Night
02 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
03 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
04 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
05 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
06 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
07 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
08 August 1966 Ladies Night
09 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
10 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
11 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
12 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
13 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
14 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
15 August 1966 Ladies Night
16 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
17 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
18 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
19 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
20 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
21 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
22 August 1966 Ladies Night
23 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
24 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
25 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
26 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
27 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
28 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
29 August 1966 Ladies Night
30 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
31 August 1966 The Prime Minisiters
01 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
02 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
03 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
04 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
05 September 1966 Ladies Night
06 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
07 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
08 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
09 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
10 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
11 September 1966 The Prime Minisiters
12 September 1966 Ladies Night
13 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
14 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
15 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
16 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
17 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
18 September 1966 Gino Dentie Amen Blues
19 September 1966 Ladies Night
20 September 1966 The Aliens
21 September 1966 The Aliens
22 September 1966 The Aliens
23 September 1966 The Aliens
24 September 1966 The Aliens
25 September 1966 The Aliens
26 September 1966 Ladies Night
27 September 1966 The Aliens
28 September 1966 The Aliens
29 September 1966 The Aliens
30 September 1966 The Aliens
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeletePart 2 of Performance List:
ReplyDelete01 October 1966 The Aliens
02 October 1966 The Aliens
03 October 1966 Ladies Night
04 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
05 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
06 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
07 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
08 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
09 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
10 October 1966 Ladies Night
11 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
12 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
13 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
14 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
15 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
16 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
17 October 1966 Ladies Night
18 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
19 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
20 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
21 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
22 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
23 October 1966 The Thunderbirds
24 October 1966 Ladies Night
25 October 1966 Music Machine
26 October 1966 Music Machine
27 October 1966 Music Machine
28 October 1966 Music Machine
29 October 1966 Music Machine
30 October 1966 Music Machine
31 October 1966 Ladies Night
01 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
02 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
03 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
04 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
05 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
06 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
07 November 1966 Ladies Night
08 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
09 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
10 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
11 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
12 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
13 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
14 November 1966 Ladies Night
15 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
16 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
17 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
18 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
19 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
20 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
21 November 1966 Ladies Night
22 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
23 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
24 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
25 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
26 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
27 November 1966 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
28 November 1966 Ladies Night
29 November 1966 The Secrets
30 November 1966 The Secrets
01 December 1966 The Secrets
02 December 1966 The Secrets
03 December 1966 The Secrets
04 December 1966 The Secrets
05 December 1966 Ladies Night
06 December 1966 The Secrets
07 December 1966 The Secrets
08 December 1966 The Secrets
09 December 1966 The Secrets
10 December 1966 The Secrets
11 December 1966 The Secrets
12 December 1966 Ladies Night
13 December 1966 The Secrets
14 December 1966 The Secrets
15 December 1966 The Secrets
16 December 1966 The Secrets
17 December 1966 The Secrets
18 December 1966 The Secrets
19 December 1966 Ladies Night
20 December 1966
21 December 1966
22 December 1966
23 December 1966
24 December 1966
25 December 1966
26 December 1966
27 December 1966 Dobie Gray
28 December 1966 Dobie Gray
29 December 1966 Dobie Gray
30 December 1966 Dobie Gray
31 December 1966 Dobie Gray
And part 3
ReplyDelete:
01 January 1967 Dobie Gray
02 January 1967 Ladies Night
03 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
04 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
05 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
06 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
07 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
08 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
09 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
10 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
11 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
12 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
13 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
14 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
15 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
16 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
17 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
18 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
19 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
20 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
21 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
22 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
23 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
24 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
25 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
26 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
27 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
28 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
29 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
30 January 1967 Rivera Brothers
31 January 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
01 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
02 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
03 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
04 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
05 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
06 February 1967 Rivera Brothers
07 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
08 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
09 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
10 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
11 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
12 February 1967 Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers
13 February 1967 Rivera Brothers
14 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
15 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
16 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
17 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
18 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
19 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
20 February 1967 Rivera Brothers
21 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
22 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
23 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
24 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
25 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
26 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
27 February 1967 Rivera Brothers
28 February 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
01 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
02 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
03 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
04 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
05 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
06 March 1967 Rivera Brothers
07 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
08 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
09 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
10 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
11 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
12 March 1967 The Persuaders with Joanne Vent
13 March 1967 Rivera Brothers
also
ReplyDelete28 March 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
29 March 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
30 March 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
31 March 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
1 April 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
2 April 1967 Sly and The Family Stone
April 67 The Seven Souls
ReplyDeletemost or all of the month
2 May-27 May 67 Sly and The Family Stone/Sam The Soul/Bonnie Lynn
The Big Brother show certainly never happed. I have listed what I know of on the web site and included any ads, press clipping etc. that I have. I only go as far as March 1967 at present, but will add Corry's updates. I have not written an introduction yet - perhaps Garth could help out. I was also wondering if their were any outside or inside photographs available at all.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Wayne%20Manor%20-%20Sunnyvale.htm
A couple of points about the updates - May 27, 1967 was a Saturday and books ran Tuesday through Sunday with the Monday nights initially "Ladies Nights" and later the Rivera Brothers playing. So are we sure about the 27th rather than the 28th? Secondly, would you agree that Sam The Soul and Bonnie Lynn are likely to be Disc Jockey and some sort of dancer?
ReplyDeleteI've seen Sam THe Soul,they were a band.
DeleteI'm sure you are right about the 28th rather than the 27th. I was presuming from some sort of SF Chron press release that probably said something like "coming this weekend."
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you are right about Sam The Soul being a dj, but a lot of these Go Go type clubs also had a featured female "lounge/R&B" type singer (such as The Joel Scott Hill Trio with Joni Lyman). I wonder whether Bonnie Lynn, whomever she might have been, had her own group or was backed by some members of The Family Stone.
Hey, didn't Bonnie Bramlett call herself Bonnie Lynn (she was born Bonnie Lynn O'Farrell)? She had moved to California by 1967, and was already a former Ikette. Just a thought.
Stunning recollection Corry - Sam The Soul and Bonnie Lynn it seems were a duo - and this must have been right before they went down the coast to LA and ended up on the bill at one of the last shows played by Delaney and his Shindogs (at the Carolina Lanes bowling alley in Inglewood - near LAX). I understand that Delaney and Bonnie were married about a week later. Great catch.
ReplyDeleteI was in a band called the Innocent Bystanders, and we played there regularly on Sunday afternoons as a sort of opening act for about 9 mos.
DeleteI was in a band called the Innocent Bystanders, and we played there regularly on Sunday afternoons as a sort of opening act for about 9 mos.
DeleteThe Persuaders with Joanne Vent, Dennis Provisor, Dale Loyola, Dave Johnson and Lynn Ready opened on April 1, 1966.
ReplyDeleteBonnie Lynn is Bonnie Bramlett
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, it seems that the Bat Cave was an entirely separate venue, albeit short lived, that could be found at 12, E Third in San Mateo - with hosts Jim Scott and Bob Pemberton.
ReplyDeleteThere's a dissection of the Life magazine article on Batmania here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/01/20/batman-nightclub-wayne-manor-life-magazine/
Which includes a photo of the interior of Wayne Manor.
I have a photo of the Persuaders too, Dale Loyola and Dennis Provisor went on to join Buddy Sklar and Bobby Arlin in the Hook. Provisor had a brief spell in the later incarnation of the Peanut Butter Conspiracy, circa 1969/70.
Some pictures here of the Persuaders and Joanne Vent. Vent on to record a solo album 1969 for A&M and then with a band called White Cloud in 1972. She passed in 1998
ReplyDeletehttps://www.flickr.com/photos/charlanne/15282862952/in/photostream/
Fkying A, thank you so much for the link to these great photos
Delete