Pod's and Jerry's, officially the Catagonia Club, was a cabaret and jazz club on 133rd Street in

Harlem Harlem is a neighborhood in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It is bounded roughly by the Hudson River on the west; the Harlem River and 155th Street on the north; Fifth Avenue on the east; and Central Park North on the south. The greater Ha ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

. It was one of the thriving

speakeasies A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an illicit establishment that sells alcoholic beverages, or a retro style bar that replicates aspects of historical speakeasies. Speakeasy bars came into prominence in the United States ...

during the

Prohibition era Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic be ...

when the street was known as "Swing Street". It was established in 1925 by Charles "Pod" Hollingsworth and Jeremiah (Jerry) Preston. After the end of Prohibition in 1933 the club was renamed The Log Cabin, which was one of the last clubs to close on 133rd street in 1948, long after its demise.

Description

The club has been described as "perhaps the city's most egalitarian entertainment spot prior to the Village's Cafe Society which opened in 1938", an "after-after-hours joint" which was a "racially integrated cellar speakeasy, jumpin' with music, singing and dancing". It typically opened at midnight and was still full at 3-4 am, and it was not uncommon for patrons to be served breakfast at the club as late as 8am. The club, a "dimly lit enclave of twenty-five tables with red and white checkered table cloths", was known for its wine and gin, and also served red beans and rice, chicken dishes, and a club specialty, "pig's feet". The peculiar mixed aroma of cooking meat and marijuana smoke characterized the place. All guests which ranged from African-American drug dealers to elite white Hollywood actresses were treated as equals. The owners Pod and Jerry had strong feelings against racists who objected to sitting with blacks, and if anybody caused a fracas, Pod would escort them out of the club to an all-white club.

Notable people

The club featured jazz pianist and composer

Willie "The Lion" Smith William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf Smith (November 23, 1893 – April 18, 1973), nicknamed "The Lion", was an American jazz and stride pianist. Early life William Henry Joseph Bonaparte Bertholf, known as Willie, was born in 1893 in Goshen ...

as a house pianist for some time, and he met his future wife, "Silvertop" Jennie, at the club.

Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...

sites the club as her first gig as a singer in 1933. Jazz musicians such as

Artie Shaw Artie Shaw (born Arthur Jacob Arshawsky; May 23, 1910 – December 30, 2004) was an American clarinetist, composer, bandleader, actor and author of both fiction and non-fiction. Widely regarded as "one of jazz's finest clarinetists", Shaw led ...

, Benny Goodman, Sonny Greer,

Charlie Barnet Charles Daly Barnet (October 26, 1913 – September 4, 1991) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His major recordings were "Skyliner", " Cherokee", "The Wrong Idea", "Scotch and Soda", "In a Mizz", and "Southland Shuffl ...

and

The Dorsey Brothers The Dorsey Brothers were an American studio dance band, led by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording in 1928 for OKeh Records. History The Dorsey Brothers recorded songs for the dime store labels (Banner, Cameo, Domino, Jewel, Oriole, ...

all performed at Pod's and Jerry's, and actresses

Mae West Mae West (born Mary Jane West; August 17, 1893 – November 22, 1980) was an American stage and film actress, playwright, screenwriter, singer, and sex symbol whose entertainment career spanned over seven decades. She was known for her breezy ...

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several prominent films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's '' L ...

and

Joan Crawford Joan Crawford (born Lucille Fay LeSueur; March 23, ncertain year from 1904 to 1908was an American actress. She started her career as a dancer in traveling theatrical companies before debuting on Broadway theatre, Broadway. Crawford was si ...

and boxers

Jack Dempsey William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey (June 24, 1895 – May 31, 1983), nicknamed Kid Blackie and The Manassa Mauler, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1914 to 1927, and reigned as the world heavyweight champion from 1919 to 1926 ...

and

Gene Tunney James Joseph Tunney (May 25, 1897 – November 7, 1978) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1915 to 1928. He held the world heavyweight title from 1926 to 1928, and the American light heavyweight title twice between 1922 and 1 ...

regularly attended.

References

{{reflist Jazz clubs in Harlem Harlem Prohibition in New York City History of Manhattan Nightclubs in Manhattan 1925 establishments in New York City 1948 disestablishments in New York (state) Cabaret Music venues completed in 1925 Defunct jazz clubs in New York City de:Pod's and Jerry's