Oh to be Cleon Throckmorton, bon vivant, artist and proprietor of the Krazy Kat Klub, a haven for artists, poets, actors, and those kool kats embracing the Bohemian life in Washington, DC. That’s “Throck” on the right.
And here he is with his pals, out back of the Krazy Kat, somewhere near DC’s Thomas Circle.
I love the photos. You can just see what a great time Throck and the gang were having in stuffy old Washington, DC, back in 1921.
Well, the Krazy Kat would have it’s ups and downs. Poor Cleon, busted for running a disorderly house amidst all those futurist and impressionist paintings. Oh my.
But he’d leave DC to pursue his art, designing sets for hundreds of plays, then serving as an art director for CBS and continuing to paint the ladies.
Some of that work graces what is now Volare restaurant in New York City.
Bob James
Dan, thanks for introducing us to the Krazy Kats! I’m inspired to find out if the building that housed the Klub still stands and, if so, make a pilgrimage there.
Allen Klein
I worked with Cleon at the Sea Cliff Summer Playhouse where I was an apprentice studying to be a scenic designer. This is great learning more about him. Especially that he was an art director at CBS where I went on to be a scenic designer for such shows as Captain Kangaroo, Merv Griffin and Jackie Gleason shows.