“These pictures of me at Knott's Berry Farm were from around year 1952 - 3 --- just before I left and went to Las Vegas Sand's 1 yr. old casino /hotel show in the Copa Room with Frank Sinatra.”

“I have many heart felt and warm memories of the Knott's Berry Farm Days.  My first job was busing tables when I was 13 years old in the Chicken Dining Room, later was waitress in the Steak House and finally had the summer and weekend job of can - can dancer at the Ghost Town Calico Saloon ---- my older sister Wanda Lee Burdick was the Senior Hostess in the chicken dining-room -- she was over 80 waitresses and in those days the waiting lines for a chicken dinner on a Sunday was often a wait from one to two hours. My sis was really good keeping track of the tables and setting schedules. She was responsible for my being hired at such a young age.  Knott's was the most popular spot in Orange County in those days and especially on Sundays, as after church the families could wander the Ghost Town and shops for free and enjoy one of Mrs. Knott's delicious Chicken Dinners and homemade Boysenberry Pies and have her yummy boysenberry jam with her famous biscuits. Yum!!

Musician Billy Beeman who put the Knott's Web pages together, was a youngster in the early days of Knott's and practically grew up with his brothers and sis entertaining the visitors and later formed The Wagonmasters Musical group in the outside theater called the Wagon Camp, where Billy played for over 9,000 shows. Billy Beeman is a most talented musician has preserved wonderful Knott's Berry Farm History on his web pages I know you will be fascinated looking at all of his pages and preserved history. Bernie and I recently were fortunate to have seen Billy perform with the Lobo Rangers Western Group led by David Bourne and wife talented singer Patty.  Billy's life path history is amazing but then Billy is absolutely gifted and amazing too.  Billy added two pictures of me this past year to his web that my friend Peter Corona had colorized for me. David Bourne was also a member of the Knott's Berry Farm's Wagonmasters and continues as music consultant and actor for the television show Deadwood, he also has been  Mr. Magic Piano at the Magic Castle in Hollywood for 40 years and plays most all instruments. David's father was a talented music teacher in Anaheim at the Fremont Jr. High School and was the Anaheim Elks Band director and also played professionally. Mr. Bourne taught me violin starting with the Anaheim Grade School Music program in 4^th through 8^th grade.

Les Jones  (my very dear friend) was the old time honky-tonk piano player at the Calico Saloon and his son Paul Jones was born around 1953 . I remember when He was just a few weeks old when first brought to the Calico Saloon by his mother.  Les and his mother were so very proud.   Paul found me last year and emailed picture of his father that was torn and tattered.  I sent the picture of Les via email to my friend Peter Corona in Vallejo and he did his photo magic restoring it”

P.S. added memories of the Las Vegas Sand's Show
 “I was hired to be in the Sands Show in 1953 at age 19 but didn't arrive until March of 1954 by train. (I remember the tickets they purchased for us were $12 one way and about 30 of us were on board) however, as the rehearsals started at 2 am until sun up for the next few weeks, the choreographers began  cutting the cast as we were taught the songs that Sid Culler and Lyn Murray wrote  for the show. The line captains continued to cut and fine tune the cast so out of the original 2000 girls that tried  for the show at RKO Movie Studios sound stage I was one of five kept  to appear and also sing I've Got the Pinks  with Frank Sinatra from  the original try outs .  The New Ziegfield Follies Copa Show was a sell out night after night. We did two shows a night with Monday nights dark.  Myself and Irene King, who sang I've Got the Reds were given a semi private dressing room next to Frank Sinatra who sang I've Got the Green's (meaning $$'s) so we were given Queenly treatment.

The pony dancers  (term for shorter gal dancers) had already been in  some of the first Sands  shows but they   shared a large dressing room on the other side of the private and semi private dressing rooms.  I was six foot tall stocking feet and Irene 5'10", we were the tallest and made Frank look even smaller. Movie star June Haver's kid sis (Evelyn Cherry) was also one that was kept and another was Randy Brown who later changed her name to Felicia Farr and married Jack Lemmon.   Felicia was in a few movies after leaving the Sands. June Haver, former movie star, was married to Fred Mac Murray and they came to watch June's baby sis on several occasions and I talked with them pool side as that was a usual happening to enjoy a swim before the two evening shows.  At that time, the Sand's was one of the most-grand hotels on the strip --- and was only 1 year old.  6 ft. 4 inch big Jack Entratter was in charge of the show, and he had hired choreographers Bob Gilbert and Renee to put it together.

 Many stars came to see us and we attended many special after show parties at the hotel where we met Milton Beryl, Danny Thomas, Mae West and her Hunks (appearing at the Desert Inn), and many more. Frank Sinatra one evening had hired limo's to take the show-cast to a special movie showing of his latest black and white movie  "Suddenly" where he played a  hit man roll -- who was supposed to shoot the president Froman apartment where he held the family hostage. Other notables that I met were   Sam Leavenson (popular comedian), Frances Langford, star singer from the 40's, Dean Martin, Joey Bishop, Danny Thomas,  - and many others either appeared or visited the Sands.  It has since been torn down and replaced with the Venetian.

I lived at the Country Club apartments with my room mate Lori Fry.  Sadly Lori was one that was cut from the Ziegfield show due to her petite size. However, she found work in the pony line at the Silver Slipper with the world famous stripper fan dancer Sally Rand.  Stripper Lilly St. Cyr was appearing at the El Rancho Hotel  (which also owned the Silver Slipper). The El Rancho later was destroyed by a fire and never rebuilt.  Lilly was most famous in her day for her on stage bathtub routine as Sally was for her maneuvering of large fans. Husband Bernie  (sax/clarinet musician.) remembers playing once for Sally saying that the orchestra seated behind her on stage, had quite a view as Sally performed nude but the audience could not see her as she was cleaver the way she maneuvered the large ostrich plumed fans however the musicians remembered her performance quite well.”

Jo Burdick

Hello Billy,

 

I haven't talked to you in about 40 years, near as I remember!  I'm Les Jones' son. I've been talking with Dave Bourne recently and he told me about your website. It brought back so many memories. Thank you for your wonderful music, my old Wagonmasters records are just about worn out, time to replace them with CDs!

 

I attached a photo of Dad that one of Jo Gottlieb's friends touched up.

 

Thank you (and Rachel, Bob, Harvey and Eldon) again for a lifetime of music.

 

God Bless,

Paul Jones