Harold P. Abrams Collection
Date: 1929-1965 and undated
Collection Number: H007
Extent: 0.5 cubic feet (166 photographs)
Repository: Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library, 1 North Tennessee Avenue, Atlantic City, NJ 08401, (609) 345-2269.
Preferred Citation: Harold P. Abrams Collection, Alfred M. Heston Collection, Atlantic City Free Public Library.
Creator:
The owner of several nightclubs in Atlantic City, Harold "Hal" Paul Abrams was intimately involved in the Atlantic City entertainment industry. He owned Paradise Club, Harolds Club, and Basin Street, and was general manager of the 500 Club.
On one occasion, Abrams saved Count Basie, the leader of a swing band performing at the Paradise Club, from drowning when Basie fell out of their fishing boat.
Abrams donated the collection of photographs to the Atlantic City Free Public Library in 1995. Abrams died in 1999.
Sources:
"Abrams, Harold Paul." The Press, Atlantic City, NJ. 15 November 1999.
Scope and Content:
The material in this collection primarily consists of photographs of club entertainers. Most of these photographs are "head shots" and publicity photographs. Some are autographed.
Also included in the collection are a few business papers, such as a contract, telegram, and biographical notes on a few performers. There is also a copy of a program for Atlantic City Follies of 1946.
Photographs were identified by Abrams and often dated with the years of performances at the various clubs.
System of Arrangement:
Materials are arranged by the club in which the entertainers performed. An index of performers is included below.
Series 1: Basin Street Club, 1963-1964
5 photographs
Photographs of entertainers at the Basin Street Club. This series also includes several photographs of the outside of the Club.
Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier, 1964-1965 and undated
27 photographs
Photographs of entertainers at the 500 Club and Steel Pier. Also includes photograph from New Years Eve party at the 500 Club.
Series 3: Paradise Club, 1929-1963 and undated
134 photographs
Photographs of entertainers at the Paradise Club. Also includes program from Atlantic City Follies of 1946.
OTHER INFORMATION FOR USERS OF THE COLLECTION
Related Materials: The Heston Collection has many resources related to the Atlantic City entertainment and nightclub industry. These include books, vertical files and biographical clippings, and archival collections.
Books related to this topic include The Last Good Time: Skinny DAmato, the notorious 500 Club, and the rise and fall of Atlantic City and Chance of a Lifetime : Nucky Johnson, Skinny DAmato, and how Atlantic City became the naughty queen of resorts.
Vertical subject files and biographical files related to this topic are:
Night Clubs - Paradise Club
Night Clubs - 500 Club
Steel Pier
Piers - Steel Pier
Harold Paul Abrams
Other archival collections in the Heston Collection related to this topic include the Alma Fay Horn Photograph Collection (H008) and the Atlantic City Free Public Library Collection of Atlantic City Photographs (H009).
Access Points:
Basie, Count (1904-1984)
Count Basie Orchestra
Orelia, Princess
Lewis, Sabby
Stump and Stumpy
Nightclubs - Atlantic City (N.J.)
Entertainers - Atlantic City (N.J.)
Paradise Club
Basin Street Club
500 Club
Steel Pier
Processing Note: Finding aid written by Heather Halpin, archivist, October 2006. Updated March 2011.
Copyright Notice: While the Atlantic City Free Public Library owns the collection, the Library does not own the copy rights for all of the photographs. Researchers wishing to reproduce the photographs are responsible for obtaining the proper permissions.
INDEX OF PERFORMERS
| Name, Date |
Extent (number of items) | Series |
| Bardu Ali and Ravida, 1941 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Jimmy Anderson, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Apus and Estrellita, 1940-1941 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Bill Bailey, 1938, 1940-1941 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Bob Bailey featured with Count Basie and his Orchestra, undated | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Eura Bailey, 1964 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Pearl Bailey, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Ann Baker featured with Count Basie and his Orchestra, 1945 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Laverne Baker, 1963 | 3 photos | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Count Basie and his Orchestra, 1945-1947 | 7 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Count Basie, Jerry Colonna, 1945 | 1 photo (3 copies) | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Count Basie, Gene Krupa at Paradise, 1946 | 3 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Count Basie and Dinah Shore at Command Performance, undated | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Basin Street Marquees, 1963 | 6 photos | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Spizzy Canfield & Willie Lewis, 1944-1945 | 2 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates, [1945-1946] | 4 photos: 1 autographed; 1 flier, 1 biography | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Eddie Bracken and Count Basie, 1946 | 1 photo (2 copies) | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Delores Brown, featured vocalist with Erskine Hawkins and his Orchestra, 1943 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| [Rose Brown, A.C. Paradise Club, 1944] | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| [Marie Bryant, Mrs. Nat King Cole, Paradise Club, 1944] | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Buck and Bubbles, 1946 | 2 photos: 1 autographed; 1 obituary | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Judy Carol, 1944 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Thelma Carpenter, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Betty Carter, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| The Cats and the Fiddle, 1944 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Savannah Churchill, 1942 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Buck Clayton, 1946 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| "Honey" Coles, 1941-1942 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Conway and Parks, 1945 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| D'Amato Family and Friends, New Year's Eve, circa 1965 | 1 photo | Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier |
| Billy [Billie] Daniels, 1946 | 1 photo (2 copies); 1 contract | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Edwards Sisters, 1939 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Tommy Edwards, [1963] | 1 photo (2 copies): 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Billy Eckstine, 1946 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Duke Ellington and his Orchestra, 1944, 1946 | 2 photos (4 copies): autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| The Fashions, 1964 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Fayja and Teena, 1943 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Eddie Fisher, 1964 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier |
| Ella Fitzgerald, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Five Kings, 1943 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Flash and Dash, 1938 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Steve Gibson with his Original Red Caps, 1940 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Paul Gonsalves featured with Count Basie, 1946 | 2 photos: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Dick Gregory, 1964 | 3 photos: 2 autographed; 1 telegraph | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Edna Mae [May] Harris, 1940 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Al Hibbler, 1963-1964 | 3 photos | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Earl Hines and his Orchestra, 1945 | 1 drawing: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Lena Horne, undated | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Zeita Ingold, 1939 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Etta James, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Joe "Ziggy" Johnson, 1944-1946 | 1 photo (3 copies): autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Terry Johnson & The Modern Flamingos, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Isham Jones, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier |
| Jo Jones [with Count Basie Orchestra], 1945 | 2 photos: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Louis Jordan and his Orchestra, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Billy Kenny, 1945 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| King Cole Trio, undated | 1 photo (2 copies): autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Lambert, Hendricks, & Bavan, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Sabby Lewis, 1944, 1946 | 4 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Lopez & LaSalle, 1938, 1935 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Jimmy Lunceford Orchestra, 1940 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Sarah McLawler & Richard Otto Trio, 1963 | 1 photo | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Claudia McNeal, 1945 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Carmen McRae, 1963 | 2 photos: 1 autographed; obituary | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Butterfly McQueen, 1938 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Velma Middleton, 1939 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Sonia Milbourne, 1939, 1941, 1943 | 4 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Norma Miller and the Del Ray Trio, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Louis Mills, 1939 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Billy Mitchell, 1941 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Moke and Poke, 1942 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Dick Montgomery, 1944 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Kitty Murray, 1939 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Nicholas Brothers, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Pete Nugent, 1939 | 2 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| "Hot Lips" Page, 1946, 1948, 1949 | 4 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Tony Pastor and his Orchestra, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier |
| Princess Orelia and Pete, 1938, 1940 | 3 photos: 2 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Rae and Rae International Dancing Act, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Maurice Rocco, undated | 2 photos: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| James Rushing featured with Count Basie and his Orchestra, undated | 2 photos: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Ruth Pine Sextuplets, 1936, 1944 | 3 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Gertrude Scott, 1939 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Hazel Scott, [1942, 1944] | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Dakota Staton, 1963 | 2 photos: 1 autographed | Series 1: Basin Street Club |
| Bessie Smith, [1929-1930] | 1 flier | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Son & Sonny, 1943 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Peckin Joe Steele, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| "Slam" Stewart, undated | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Stump and Stumpy, 1946 | 3 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Tampa Boys, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Tondelayo and the Calypso Boys, 1944 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Sarah Vaughan, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Vicki Vigal, 1945 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Earl Warren featured with Count Basie and his Orchestra, 1946 | 1 photo: autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| [Ethel Waters at the Paradise Club, 1921] | 1 photo (2 copies) | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Margaret Watkins, 1938, 1940, 1941 | 4 photos: 1 autographed | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Doc Wheeler and the Sunset Orchestra, 1940, 1943 | 2 photos | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Betty White with Sabby Lewis Band, [1944] | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Evelyn White with Sabby Lewis, [1944] | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Paul Whiteman and his Orchestra, undated | 1 photo: autographed | Series 2: 500 Club and Steel Pier |
| Whitey's Lindy Hoppers, 1938 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Joe Williams [Count Basie Band at Paradise Club A.C., 1945] | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Derby Wilson and Frenchie, 1944 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
| Iron Jaw Wilson, 1940 | 1 photo | Series 3: Paradise Club |
Finding aid published 28 Feb 2007.