A striking aspect of South Florida's media community in the early 70's was that so many of its denizens considered themselves part of a New York City outpost and either hopeful of a return to the big time or frustrated because they had yet to take a bite of the Big Apple.
Many of those with credentials of past success lived in comfortable isolation while contemplating comebacks. New York gossip columnist Hy Gardner kept his hand in with occasional appearances on Miami TV, a far cry from his old gig on "What's My Line? Public relations people were everywhere largely because of the remarkable number of hotels owned by highly-caffeinated types. Arch rivals were the Fontainebleau and Eden Roc, side-by-side at 45th & Collins Ave.
Hotel competition was fierce and best exemplified by the spite wall Ben Novak erected in 1962. Owner of the Fontainebleau, Novak ordered the 14-story wall built to block out the Eden Roc's afternoon poolside sun. The wall was ordered by Novak because the Eden Roc's owner was Harry Mufson, a former partner; they had built the nearby Sans Souci. A further complication was controversial architect Morris Lapidus who designed both the Fontainebleau and the Eden Roc. Novak stopped speaking to Lapidus for a very long time.
Not only did the spite wall deny Eden Rocers sunshine, it also didn't take a lot of architectural expertise to realize that the wall was ugly; the side facing sun-less swimmers had no windows with the exception of a penthouse suite lived in by Novak who took great delight in looking down upon the gigantic shadow produced by his contribution to the architectural feud. Not a nice man.
A flack acquaintance was Charlie Cinnamon, apparently still working in what must be something approaching his 50th year in South Florida's entertainment community. Cinnamon is the only spin artist I can recall whose name appears in the title of a song, play or vignette. Culture Clash, a Chicago/Latino comedy trio, a few years ago performed a piece of business in Miami titled: "Charlie Cinnamon, PR Man." It's about a disgruntled fellow who longs for the alleged racial harmony of New York City. This acknowledgement of Cinnamon's notoriety could very well have been prompted by his being hired a couple of years ago to promote Splatt, a South Beach nightspot drawing considerable attention to the then chewing tobacco frenzy. Splatt (its competition included The Cuspidor) is owned neither by cattlemen nor redneck baseball players (think John Rocker). Rather, it belongs to actors otherwise of little commonality: Ashley Judd, Mickey Roarke and Michael Caine. Now, there's a trifecta. A Google search suggests a waning Miami enthusiasm for tobacco clubs before the movement could produce a fellowship called Chaw.
Some of my strangest moments in Miami Beach were during luncheon in the Playboy Plaza's main dining room. Judy Black, hotel social director, suggested I keep an eye on the tables of nearby elderly women, seated at a lower level. The thievery was astonishing. Silverware, salt and pepper shakers and napkins went surreptitiously into purses, bags, whatever. The hand speed rivaled that of Las Vegas dealers. I've thought many times about the thievery and have come to the conslusion there must have been gratification of some sort for the women. I don't think they were poor. I wondered if the unfortunates had had hard-working but thoughtless husbands who never told them one whit about work, wrote all their checks, then died leaving them floundering. Maybe the ladies didn't have anything better to do.
The best aspect of working in public relations in my opinion has always been the variety and unpredictability of experiences; also, the challenges of multi-tasking although we didn't call it that then. We were simply "busy."
I once had the "opportunity" to help a world-famous criminal. Jack Roland "Murf the Surf" Murphy was his name and it was a movie that changed his life. Much more at home participating in water sports, Murphy and an accomplice (a third drove a getaway car) slid down a rope during a daring 1964 jewel robbery of New York's J.P. Morgan Memorial Hall. Their inspiration was the movie "Topkapi" about a fantastic robbery of a museum in Istanbul. Murphy and friends made off with 28 gems including the Star of India, the DeLong Star Ruby, and the Eagle Diamond. The Star of India, a golf ball-size sapphire of 563 carats, was easy pickings for Murphy and his crime confreres. The alarm for the only guarded jewel in the collection had a dead battery.
Murphy and his cohorts were eventually caught and most of the gems returned with the exception of the Eagle Diamond now thought to have been turned into two jewels. The Star of India, found in a Miami bus station locker, is now more heavily guarded in the American Museum of Natural History. Murphy spent two years in prison, then paroled, then sentenced in 1968 to life for the first-degree murder of a secretary, one of two women whose bodies were found in a creek near Hollywood, Florida. His conviction included the attempted robbery of a Miami Beach socialite that year.
While promoting the Playboy Plaza in 1970 I got a call from an agent representing Murphy. The former surfer while in prison had turned to painting and the agent wondered if the hotel would consider a Murf the Surf lobby exhibit. I gave him little hope, checked with my boss and turned him down. Playboy had its rococo side but a Murf the Surf exhibit was a considerable reach. Frankly, I would have offered encouragement had Murphy not been more than a jewel thief.
Murphy and his heist was the subject of a 1975 film originally titled "Murf the Surf." Pretty good, it's now titled "Live a Little, Steal a Lot" and has an excellent cast including Paul Stewart, Luther Adler, Burt Young, Robert Conrad and Don Stroud as Murf.
Murphy, now 71 and living in Crystal River, Florida, has been full of surprises. Somehow, he got out of jail becoming a Christian motivational speaker for Bill Glass Ministries. He began lecturing prisoners all over the U.S. in 1986 and has visited over 1,200 prisons and jails. A lifetime parole was terminated in 2000.
In 1996 Murphy was elected to something called the East Coast Surf Legends Hall of Fame whose inductees that first year included legends Colin Couture, Skip Savage, Charlie Bunger and Peter Pan. Most assuredly, I don't make up these things.
Somehow I fully expect Murphy, having wearied of those unending prison visits, to show up one winter on Oahu's North Shore to compete in a major surfing championship. Perhaps, a senior event if there is such a thing. No doubt he'll be wearing Billibong surfing gear and, with a slight bow to the past, challenge the Banzai Pipeline. A nice touch could be achieved by riding a hardwood longboard--something reminiscent of the equipment of Duke Kahanomoku who did for surfing what Arnold Palmer did for golf.
# # # #
Next Week: Halloween Masks
Ho,there, Generic
What a challenge you offer. I'm going to consult with my wife who did a lot of meditation while living the better part of a year in India.
Perhaps she will let me know more about of which you write.
Bob Sanders
Posted by: Bob Sanders | 04/07/2010 at 12:45 PM
Not only did the spite wall deny Eden Rocers sunshine, it also didn't take a lot of architectural expertise to realize that the wall was ugly; the side facing sun-less swimmers had no windows with the exception of a penthouse suite lived in by Novak who took great delight in looking down upon the gigantic shadow produced by his contribution to the architectural feud. Not a nice man.
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What pitch is the violin chromatic tuner supposed to be on when I tune my violin?
I'm trying to tune my violin and I don't know what pitch, I'm supposed to set my chromatic tuner on..... 440, 435, 460. Please advise.
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Hi, there, Mr. Citrate
What a complicated world this has become. Are you standing up, sitting down or standing on your head while playing? I suggest trying all three pitches although look out for 460. It's the infamous slider.
Best wishes in your violin endeavors. Remember, Paganini never had it so good.
Bob Sanders
Posted by: Bob Sanders | 04/23/2010 at 09:02 AM
i like this part of this blog:"In 1996 Murphy was elected to something called the East Coast Surf Legends Hall of Fame whose inductees that first year included legends Colin Couture, Skip Savage, Charlie Bunger and Peter Pan. Most assuredly, I don't make up these things." is very good
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Hi, Buy or should I be formal and call you Mr. Viagra?
Glad you enjoyed the Murf graph about East Coast surfing "legends." I would never bet the ranch, even one so humble as mine, on those names being anything other than material for Keith Olbermann.
Bob Sanders
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