(Top photo above) "The Conservatory" was one of the Midwest, USA's, most popular and successful dance clubs and was known for it's underlit dance floor, extremely posh interior, great music, and lot's and lots of "The Beautiful People." That's me, microphone in hand, preparing to host one of our annual Halloween contests.
(Middle photo above) That's me, relaxing in The Conservatory's private V.I.P. "Members Only" section, which was located upstairs and featured a totally glass wall, on the entire north side, overlooking the crowded dancefloor below. The V.I.P. club was visited, on a regular basis, by countless national celebrities.
(Bottom photo above) No...it's not "The Adams Family!" It's just me sitting in one of the two massive chairs located in the foyer, immediately to your left, as you entered the building. The club's prime location, on the banks of the Ohio river just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati, made it the area's most sought after dance venue for the young George Clooney and many others.
I was very sorry to hear...
when I awoke this morning, about the unfortunate motorcycle wreck, on September 21, 2007, in which an old friend of mine, George Clooney, and his girlfriend, Sarah Larson, were involved in and...luckily...walked away from...with relatively minor injuries. This was apparently the third such two-wheel mishap for George and, if what I read in PEOPLE magazine is true, it will not be enough to dissuade him from continuing to mount those manly, motored machines in the future. He is a trouper. I know that firsthand. When his doctors clear him to do so, he will, once again, rise to the challenge I am absolutely certain.
I used to spend several days per week, and I do mean each and every week, with George Clooney standing about three feet beside me in the most swank and hip nightclub in all of the Greater Cincinnati area. It was an absolutely beautiful structure located directly on the banks of the Ohio river in Covington, Kentucky—just across the bridge from downtown Cincinnati. In fact, this piece of real estate was the only “disco” in the city which was designed by an architect and built brand new, from the ground up, to be a “disco.” All other such establishments in the city were “conversions” in which existing structures were remodeled to take advantage of the record hopping phase that was taking the entire world by storm, back then, as John Travolta was dancing his way into the hearts of nearly each and every woman that packed the “Saturday Night Fever”movie halls to watch him. This picturesque, ultra-modern, and extremely popular establishment was called “The Conservatory” and anyone over forty, who lived here back then, knows that place and will remember it fondly. It was one of those rare sort of places where “The magic happened” and it left behind a legacy that hasn't been surpassed ever since.
“The Conservatory” got its name from the beautiful, actual conservatory, that you saw, directly in front of you, as you made your way through the very tall, elaborate, ornately carved, wooden doors that let you in.. One of the very rare, fan shaped, plants in “The Conservatory” which dwarfed all passers by (a plant whose Latin name escapes me at the moment) was one of only two that size, in the country, and was valued at over $100,000 all by itself. Through those big wooden front doors, of “The Conservatory” walked many of, what one of my ex-bosses used to call, “The Beautiful People” and........George Clooney was one of them.
How do I know all this? I know this because, between 1977 and 1983, I was the DJ/Entertainment Director for “The Conservatory” and was at the top of my game. I was living the dream life in the dream job after paying my dues in every tiny nook and cranny club, or hole in the wall, I could possibly make a living in. I became one of the highest paid nightclub DJ's in my area of the country--performing an almost "make believe" job I loved so much. I was happy to be entertaining, not only the local masses, but also some of the nation's, and perhaps even the world's, biggest and most recognizable celebrities.
“Wow!” is all I could say, and all I could think, as both myself, and a very professional management team, worked together as a unit and proceeded to put long lines of customers at those doors each and every week. It was never unusual, but rather it was normal, to have a long line of patrons, and a two-hour wait, just to get in. Some of our "Regulars” would drive two plus hours (one way) from cities as far away as both Indianapolis, Indiana and the Ohio state capitol, Columbus, Ohio,. just to be there and enjoy the experience.
“Why do that?” you say......
Well, you just had to be there.
Some things are hard to put into words.
New York City had “Studio 54” and
And so it was...while working my job in the DJ booth....of “The Conservatory”...that I met and became friends with George Clooney--who always stood next to me, on my left side, where the view of the girls was best!
more to come........later!
But, before I go....
If anyone happens to have any snapshots or photographs of the legendary Midwest nightclub “The Conservatory” please let me know. I would love to, not only see them, but to share them with others right here.
PERSONAL MEMO:
George, if you're out there...and not too bruised up...
It's been a while...(too long)...So
Please check in !!!
