The Purple Onion
Coordinates: 37°47′48.1″N 122°24′17.15″W / 37.796694°N 122.4047639°W The Purple Onion is a celebrated cellar club in the North Beach area of San Francisco, California located at 140 Columbus Avenue (between Jackson and Pacific). With an intimate, 80-person setting, the club was a popular influence in local music and entertainment during the Beat era.[1]
Notable entertainers who either got their starts or played the club in the 1950s and 1960s include Maya Angelou[2], Jim Nabors, Bob Newhart, Lenny Bruce, Woody Allen, Phyllis Diller (who made her stand-up debut here[3]), the Kingston Trio[4] , and the Smothers Brothers (then a trio)[5]--who recorded their first album, Live at the Purple Onion there.[3] Richard Pryor also performed at The Purple Onion. The last entertainer to appear at the "old" Purple Onion was singer and comedian Scott Hughes[citation needed].
The Purple Onion originally opened in 1952 under the management of Keith Rockwell. Rockwell’s sister and brother-in-law, Virginia “Ginnie” and Irving “Bud” Steinhoff would frequently work weekends at the club until 1960 when they took over management. Bud Steinhoff managed the Purple Onion until his death in November 1983.[6] Virginia Steinhoff continued to operate the club until 1989.
In the early 1990s, Tom Guido made the club the center of San Francisco's garage rock scene[7], featuring such bands as The Trashwomen, The Phantom Surfers, The 5.6.7.8's, Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Groovie Ghoulies, The Go-Nuts, Guitar Wolf and many others.
In 2004, the club returned to its comedy roots.[8] Photographer and booker Dan Dion started a weekly comedy night that featured comedians such as Robin Williams, Paul Krassner, Jim Short and Tom Rhodes. David Owen (author) presented the Purple Onion debut of Mort Sahl in June 2005 as well as engagements by Greg Proops, Zach Galifianakis, Todd Barry, Dan Piraro and Judah Friedlander. Currently, Jabari Davis runs a once monthly weekend show called "Jabari and Associates At The Purple Onion." Susan Alexander has a show at The Purple Onion called "5 Funny Females," which runs every 3-4 months. The San Francisco Comedy College, America's largest stand-up comedy school, produces "SFCC Underground," a show featuring the best new comedians Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7pm.
[edit] References
- ^ Morgan, Bill; Ferlinghetti, Lawrence (2003). The Beat Generation in San Francisco: A Literary Tour. City Lights Books. p. 35. ISBN 0872864170.
- ^ Kite, L. Patricia; Cosgrove, Martha (2006). Maya Angelou. Lerner Publications. pp. 71–72. ISBN 0822534266, 9780822534266.
- ^ a b "Five Best bet Historical bars". SF Weekly. http://www.sfweekly.com/2005-05-11/best-of-san-francisco/five-best-historical-bars. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ Kergan, Jerry. "Kingston Trio Timeline". Kingston Trio Liner Notes. http://www.lazyka.com/linernotes/TimeLine/TimeLinePg01.htm. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
- ^ "Smothers worked on the edge". Calgary Herald. http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/entertainment/story.html?id=792ce67e-06c8-472f-a56f-87daf139526e. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
- ^ "San Rafael Independent Journal". November 17, 1983. p. 4A.
- ^ Selvin, Joel (1996). San Francisco, the Musical History Tour. Chronicle Books. pp. 29–30. ISBN 0811810070, 9780811810074.
- ^ Ganahl, Jane (March 15, 2004). "Laughter peals anew at Purple Onion". San Francisco Chronicle. p. D-1. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/03/15/DDGMC5J5NH30.DTL&type=printable.
