Fort Laud’s Old Stars Shine On TV
BY BUDDY NEVINS
A little bit of Fort Lauderdale’s past comes to life on your TV screens starting this weekend.
Whitey Ford, Bea Morley and Woody Woodbury chat about what The Venice of America was like five decades or so ago.
Everybody knows Whitey Ford, the Hall of Fame pitcher who played for the New York Yankees during the team’s most exciting years, 1950-67. He spent spring training in Fort Lauderdale when it was a small town and stayed here when he retired.
Woody Woodbury is a Fort Lauderdale legend. In the mid-part of the last century, Woodbury was Mr. Fort Lauderdale with an act that was talked about nationwide. His slightly off-color comedy filled the main room at the Bahama Hotel for years, entertaining thousands from around the world.
Bea Morley was an entertainer, but her nightclubs won her a place in the local history books. She owned the Four O’Clock Club north of the Fort Lauderdale International Airport, which was the only tavern in Broward that had a license that allowed it to stay open to 4 a.m. She owned a chain called Bea Morley’s Mousetrap.
This was not the usual Loconto fare. I found it fascinating.
Then again I was around in the 1960s, trying to sneak into the Mousetrap, watching Spring Training and stealing a listen to Woody’s “blue” records from my parents collection.
Loconto he was a big Vegas entertainer at one time as part of the Lane Brothers should travel down Memory Lane more often.
We can hear politicians anytime. How often can you remininisce with Whitey Ford, Woody Woodbury, and Bea Morley?
Catch them:
Sat., May 22 at 5 p.m.;
Thurs., May 27, at 1 p.m.,
And
Friday May 28, at 10 p.m.
If you really have nothing to do, waste an hour watching Sun-Sentinel Political Guru Tony Man, WFTL’s (850-AM) morning guy Russ Morley (No relation to Bea) and me talking about politics.
Sun, May 23 at 5:30 p.m
And
Tues. May 25 at 1 p.m.
(BECON (WBEC) is on Channel 63 over-the-air or Satellite providers; Channel 19 on Cable in Broward)