Club 82 (1953-1980s)

Behind a gated, nondescript entrance on 4th Street was once of the most legendary clubs in the city. Opened in 1938, Club 82 was one of a few gay-friendly clubs in the city at the time. There were others, but they were often dingy, questionable establishments. Once patrons of Club 82 descended a series of stairs to the club's entrance, they were greeted with an elegantly appointed venue that nonetheless promised risque entertainment. Most of the performers in the floor show were men dressed as women and the wait staff consisted of women dressed as dapper young men in tuxes. In spite of its somewhat shocking performances, the majority of Club 82's patrons were actually heterosexuals, many who came to the Village in search of an exotic good time. Visitors to the club were even given souvenir photographs of themselves inside.

That kind of entertainment might not seem particularly shocking today, but it was scandalous in the early 1950s. Even in comparatively tolerant New York City, gays and lesbians faced discrimination, and harassment from police was routine. Cross-dressing was illegal at the time, and performers were expected to keep their Club 82 personae strictly inside the club. In other words, male performers were expected to look like men when they entered and left the club, and restrict their drag attire and makeup to the performances.

In fact, bars and nightclubs that openly catered to gay patrons or showcased gay performers were considered "disorderly houses" by the State Liquor Authority and would not be issued liquor licenses. Always on the lookout for a profitable business venture, New York's Mafia saw an opportunity and eventually came to operate many, if not most, of the city's gay bars, including the Stonewall Inn. By the 1960s, the Genovese crime family owned and operated most of the gay bars in Greenwich Village, including Club 82.

The club's day-to-day operations were handled by Stephen Franse, a partner of Vito Genovese. Franse had operated other gay-friendly clubs in the Village until losing his liquor license. Genovese reportedly used the club to launder money and as a place to stash heroin. His wife, Anna, was also charged with the running of the bar. Genovese reportedly told Franse to keep an eye on Anna when Vito was out of the country, and over time, Franse entrusted Anna with a number of her husband's secrets. In 1953, Anna filed for divorce and humiliated her soon-to-be ex-husband by revealing some of his dirty laundry in court proceedings. In retaliation, Genovese had Franse murdered in one of Club 82's more scandalous moments.

By the 1960s, homosexuals were less interested in entertaining straight clientele and more interested in equality. With the advent of the gay and lesbian movement, a club featuring performers in drag was no longer seen as exotic or subversive, and the allure of Club 82 declined. In the 1970s, the club underwent something of a reinvention as a nexus for glam and punk rockers. Bands like the New York Dolls and Television performed, and sharp-eyed patrons could occasionally catch a glimpse of celebrity patrons like Lou Reed and Mick Jagger. Club 82 closed for good in 1978.

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The Stonewall Uprising: Why did the Mafia Own the Bar?, PBS: The American Experience . Accessed August 31st 2020. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/stonewall-why-did-mafia-own-bar/.

Anderson, Wayne . Hidden History: Tobi Marsh and Club 82, Huff Post . June 14th 2012. Accessed August 31st 2020. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/hidden-history-tobi-marsh_b_1592620.

Mitchell , Kerrie . Welcome to 82 Club: The Naughty Story of a Legendary New York Drag Institution , New York Historical Society: Behind the Scenes. August 1st 2019. Accessed August 31st 2020. http://behindthescenes.nyhistory.org/82-club-legendary-new-york-drag-institution/.