From the Archives: Fort Courage Meets Fort Lee – Riviera Nightclub Performer to Return to Fort Lee for A Night at the Riviera

I recently finished reading a book penned by Anne Serling, “As I Knew Him, My Dad, Rod Serling.”  This was a wonderful book that gave me insight behind the talented writer and creator of the iconic mid 20th Century TV show of my youth “The Twilight Zone.”  One of the great talents of Mr. Serling was his ability to transcend time in his stories and connect the present to the past in ways that astound us even today.  What even casual viewer of “The Twilight Zone” doesn’t wish they too could take a trip back to a simpler time, perhaps “A Stop at Willoughby” the town created out of Mr. Serling’s mind where one can find solace, comfort, and a smiling face. 

Well Fort Lee will enter “The Twilight Zone” for a period of four and a half hours on December 31st so book passage now for this time travel excursion.  No, we won’t be making a stop at Willoughby, which is lucky for all of us considering the ending to that teleplay.  Instead we will be entering a time in Fort Lee’s past of well-dressed guys and dolls, some may even call the guys “wise” in a fashion.  Or, in the vernacular of Damon Runyon, leave us say they are goodfellas.  This New Year’s Eve, as part of the first Fort Lee Historical Society fundraiser, we will turn the second floor of In Napoli Restaurant on Main Street (116 Main Street) into Bill Miller’s Riviera which closed that very night 60 years ago as the clock tolled and 1953 gave birth into 1954.  As the strains of Auld Lang Syne abated and the last horn blew at midnight the Riviera atop the Palisades here in Fort Lee closed its doors forever.  This, one of the most renowned nightclubs in America, shimmered atop the Palisades since 1931.  As readers of these From the Archives pieces know, the first Riviera was operated out of the former Villa Richard Restaurant on the cliffs of the Palisades off Hudson terrace in the Coytesville section of town.  From 1931 until a fire destroyed this building on Thanksgiving night in 1936, Ben Marden ran the Riviera and brought in some of the biggest names in American entertainment to grace its stage including Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.  Following this fire, Marden built a new Riviera bigger and better than the previous one and he located it south of the former Riviera closer to the George Washington Bridge and again atop the Palisades with a breathtaking view of the GWB, the Hudson River below and the glimmering lights of Manhattan.  This Riviera had a retractable roof for dancing under the stars, a revolving stage, a large art deco bar and lounge and a one thousand seat plush dining room with spectacular views.  Ben operated the Rivera until he closed it during World War II.  Bill Miller bought the Riviera from Marden and reopened it in 1946 and brought it to new heights.  Here was the launching pad for what we would come to know as The Rat Pack in the early 1960s.  From 1946 through 1953 Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin (with his then partner Jerry Lewis), and Joey Bishop all performed for sellout crowds.  Jackie Gleason, Pearl Bailey, Alan King, Tony Martin, and many others performed at The Riviera.

All of this ended with the last night at the Riviera on New Year’s Eve 1953.  Due to pressure from the Rockefeller family and the construction of the Palisade Interstate Parkway, the Riviera was condemned against Bill Miller’s wishes.  Eventually after its closure it was torn down and all that remains is the outline of the Riviera via its foundation and steps and sidewalks leading to a place we can only capture via memories or dreams.  As a kids growing up in Coytesville we explored the ruins of both Rivieras atop the Palisades.  Our parents told us of Sinatra and Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis and the magic they wove at the Riviera, so we had to explore this place and see if we could turn up any ghosts. We dug around the remnants of this magical nightclub finding it hard to believe such a place actually existed.  Decades later as members of the Fort Lee Historical Society we met two surviving employees of the Riviera, Rocky Vitetta, the house barber and Lou Gallo, a head waiter.  We videotaped interviews with them both at the Fort Lee Museum and in Lou’s case on the grounds of the former Bill Miller’s Riviera.  Along the way we met Coytesville born Tommy Austin whose dad Al was a special police officer at the Riviera.  Tommy spent much time at the Riviera as a kid with his dad and he has written the definitive book on the Riviera titled “Bill Miller’s Riviera, America’s Showplace in Fort Lee, New Jersey.”

All of the above led us to recreate a Night at the Riviera on New Year’s Eve this year in conjunction with a Fort Lee Museum exhibit also titled “A Night at the Riviera” which will be open September 14th and run through the end of January 2014 at the Fort Lee Museum (1588 Palisade Avenue).  We approached Sam Gnasso, In Napoli chef and owner,  with this idea and he not only was excited about it but he asked if he could get a copy of one of the original Riviera menus from 1953 that is in our museum archive.  I made a copy and gave it to Sam. Sam will replicate the exact menu served at the Riviera on New Year’s Eve 1953.  Such delicacies of that time include a clam bar, Chicken ala King, rice pilaf, broccoli hollandaise, linguini carbonara and to top it off Cherries Jubilee.

One missing ingredient to this festive once in a lifetime party is a performer who actually performed at the Riviera.  Once we posted this info on face book I received contact from Matt Beckoff who is friends with legendary comedian Larry Storch.  Turns out Larry performed at the Riviera for Bill Miller and has great memories of those days.  Needless to say we extended an invitation for Larry to come to this event to be honored with the Fort Lee Film Commission 2013 Barrymore Award for his lifetime achievement in the American entertainment industry.  This living link to our Riviera nightclub will entertain us all once again as he helps us turn back the clock and bring back the Riviera on New Year’s Eve.  As it turns out I met Larry several years ago at the Chiller nostalgia show here in New Jersey.  I had him sign a photo for the Fort Lee Film Commission and it’s a photo of him from his F-Troop TV days in the iconic role of US Cavalry Corporal Agarn.  Larry ever the comedian signed it in a way that made me smile as I do each time I look at the photo – “To my friends at Fort Lee from Fort Courage, Best Wishes.”  We hope you can join us on this special New Year’s Eve where Fort Lee meets Fort Courage and where we enter the Twilight Zone and bring Fort Lee’s Riviera nightclub back to life.