Sherman Billingsley
Encyclopedia
Sherman Billingsley was an American
nightclub owner and former bootlegger who was the founder and owner of New York's Stork Club
.
Billingsley's account of his early years included the following: He was the youngest of the children of Robert and Emily Billingsley. His parents had traveled there to stake a land claim, initially settling in Enid
. The Billingsley children attended school in a one room schoolhouse, riding a horse to get to school. When an older brother committed a murder and was sent to prison, the family relocated to Anadarko
to be near him. Upon the brother's release from jail, he enlisted Sherman as an assistant in his bootlegging business.
The family moved again, this time to Oklahoma City
where Sherman was again drawn into the bootlegging business by another of his older brothers. This business extended into Omaha
, Toledo
, and Detroit
.
In Detroit at age 18, Billingsley was arrested and convicted on Federal charges. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and spent time in Leavenworth
before his conviction was reversed. When his brother ran out on his Detroit mob partners, he left for New York, with Sherman joining him within a short period of time. Prohibition taught Billingsley that having a drug store was like having a license to sell liquor. He began buying drug stores in New York City and even started his own real estate office to help him acquire drug stores.
He created and owned the Stork Club
which became the epitome of glamor. From the time of the speakeasy until the 1960s, he held court on East 53rd Street. According to Ralph Blumenthlal in his 2000 book, Stork Club, another New York nightclub owner named Mary Louise Cecilia Guinan, widely known as "Tex Guinan", introduced Billingsley to her friend, commentator Walter Winchell
in 1930. In his column in the New York Daily Mirror
, Winchell called the Stork Club "New York's New Yorkiest place on W. 58th".
In 1951, the Stork Club began to decline in popularity after refusing service to Josephine Baker
. Having witnessed the discrimination, actress Grace Kelly
raced over to Baker and took her by the arm, storming out of the establishment along with a large party, all vowing never to return. The two women became close friends after the incident and Baker sued Billingsley and the Stork Club. After seeing that her actions had caused the club's ultimate demise, Baker withdrew her lawsuit in 1955, feeling vindicated.
Billingsley offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the return of his son-in-law, Alexander I. Rorke, Jr., in 1963, when his plane disappeared over the Caribbean.
One of Billingsley's mistresses in the late 1930s was actress Ethel Merman
. His nephew, Glenn Billingsley, was married to Leave It to Beaver
actress Barbara Billingsley
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nightclub owner and former bootlegger who was the founder and owner of New York's Stork Club
Stork Club
The Stork Club was a nightclub in New York City from 1929 to 1965. From 1934 onwards, it was located at 3 East 53rd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue...
.
Billingsley's account of his early years included the following: He was the youngest of the children of Robert and Emily Billingsley. His parents had traveled there to stake a land claim, initially settling in Enid
Enid, Oklahoma
Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...
. The Billingsley children attended school in a one room schoolhouse, riding a horse to get to school. When an older brother committed a murder and was sent to prison, the family relocated to Anadarko
Anadarko, Oklahoma
Anadarko is a city in Caddo County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 6,645 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Caddo County.-Early History:Anadarko got its name when its post office was established in 1873...
to be near him. Upon the brother's release from jail, he enlisted Sherman as an assistant in his bootlegging business.
The family moved again, this time to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
where Sherman was again drawn into the bootlegging business by another of his older brothers. This business extended into Omaha
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, Toledo
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
, and Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
In Detroit at age 18, Billingsley was arrested and convicted on Federal charges. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, and spent time in Leavenworth
United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth
The United States Penitentiary , Leavenworth was the largest maximum security federal prison in the United States from 1903 until 2005. It became a medium security prison in 2005.It is located in Leavenworth, Kansas...
before his conviction was reversed. When his brother ran out on his Detroit mob partners, he left for New York, with Sherman joining him within a short period of time. Prohibition taught Billingsley that having a drug store was like having a license to sell liquor. He began buying drug stores in New York City and even started his own real estate office to help him acquire drug stores.
He created and owned the Stork Club
Stork Club
The Stork Club was a nightclub in New York City from 1929 to 1965. From 1934 onwards, it was located at 3 East 53rd Street, just east of Fifth Avenue...
which became the epitome of glamor. From the time of the speakeasy until the 1960s, he held court on East 53rd Street. According to Ralph Blumenthlal in his 2000 book, Stork Club, another New York nightclub owner named Mary Louise Cecilia Guinan, widely known as "Tex Guinan", introduced Billingsley to her friend, commentator Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell
Walter Winchell was an American newspaper and radio gossip commentator.-Professional career:Born Walter Weinschel in New York City, he left school in the sixth grade and started performing in a vaudeville troupe known as Gus Edwards' "Newsboys Sextet."His career in journalism was begun by posting...
in 1930. In his column in the New York Daily Mirror
New York Daily Mirror
The New York Daily Mirror was an American morning tabloid newspaper first published on June 24, 1924, in New York City by the William Randolph Hearst organization as a contrast to their mainstream broadsheets, the Evening Journal and New York American, later consolidated into the New York Journal...
, Winchell called the Stork Club "New York's New Yorkiest place on W. 58th".
In 1951, the Stork Club began to decline in popularity after refusing service to Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker was an American dancer, singer, and actress who found fame in her adopted homeland of France. She was given such nicknames as the "Bronze Venus", the "Black Pearl", and the "Créole Goddess"....
. Having witnessed the discrimination, actress Grace Kelly
Grace Kelly
Grace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
raced over to Baker and took her by the arm, storming out of the establishment along with a large party, all vowing never to return. The two women became close friends after the incident and Baker sued Billingsley and the Stork Club. After seeing that her actions had caused the club's ultimate demise, Baker withdrew her lawsuit in 1955, feeling vindicated.
Billingsley offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the return of his son-in-law, Alexander I. Rorke, Jr., in 1963, when his plane disappeared over the Caribbean.
One of Billingsley's mistresses in the late 1930s was actress Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman
Ethel Merman was an American actress and singer. Known primarily for her powerful voice and roles in musical theatre, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." Among the many standards introduced by Merman in Broadway musicals are "I Got Rhythm", "Everything's...
. His nephew, Glenn Billingsley, was married to Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver
Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive but often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures at home, in school, and around his suburban neighborhood...
actress Barbara Billingsley
Barbara Billingsley
Barbara Billingsley was an American film, television, voice and stage actress. She gained prominence in the 1950s movie The Careless Years, acting opposite Natalie Trundy, followed by her best–known role, that of June Cleaver on the television series Leave It to Beaver and its sequel Still...
.
Sources
- Blumenthal, Ralph (2000). Stork Club: America's Most Famous Nightspot and the Lost World of Café Society. Little, Brown and Company; ISBN 0-316-10531-7 (hc); ISBN 0-316-10617-8 (pb)
External links
- Sherman Billingsley's biographic sketch and a photo of his gravestone at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...