People who may play a part in A Night at Club Ivory

This is the public description of the characters that may show up in A Night at Club Ivory. This public general knowledge may be very different from their personal biography.

Alexander A. Abernathy: [early-fifties] Reclusive Mr. Abernathy shuns all publicity, in order to work full time on his gritty crime novels. Seriously injured in the Great War, Mr. Abernathy's talents have jumped from novel to the silver screen. Why Won't You Die?, Abernathy's fifth novel, has just opened up in movie houses across the country.

His books are To Sleep, Perchance to Die (1928, movie 1931), Too Short a Life, Too Long to Die (1929), No Angels for You (1930, movie 1933), A Beer and a Shot (1931), Why Won't You Die? (1932, movie 1934), and Illegally Dead (1933).

Althea Alexander: [early-twenties] Nixon Alexander's daughter, Althea is as skilled a pilot as her father and late mother. She flies for Ace Airmail, delivering important packages up and down the West Coast. Althea is very close to Mimi Scarlatti. They've been through a lot together and are about as close to sisters as you can be without being a blood relation.

Nixon Alexander: [mid-forties] It's said that he was a hero in the Great War, flying aeroplanes in Italy. He brought Orlando Scarlatti home with him, as a 'manservant.' The Scarlattis (and there are a lot of them) bought Nixon and his family their home. They also helped him get elected as the Mayor of Alameda. When Nixon's wife Jennifer died of cancer last year, Orlando arranged for the funeral to be led by the Archbishop, in the historic cathedral of St. Patrick's in San Francisco. Why is Nixon here, in LA?

Tony "the Tony" Antonio: [late-twenties] Tony is an Orsolini man. If you're looking for action in the City of Angels, "the Tony" is your guide. Young, strong, and impeccably dressed, all the ladies like Tony. Tony likes to like them back, usually for a day or three, frequently taking one or two of them at a time to his little house on the beach. Tony was away from the City of Angels for several months, sent out by Don Orsolini himself, on some kind of special mission. He's not talking about it. Much.

Celia Billings: [late-forties] Celia's been in the oil business since she was a kid. With her husband Martin, they've gone to some interesting and difficult locations to look for oil. They were run out of Venezuela in 1925, after the natives slaughtered nearly everyone else in The King's Petroleum Company enclave. At home and on their own, Billings Oil has made a lot of money because of her business savvy. Celia has taken up a lot of charity work, and is collecting items tonight to use in an auction in support of St. Basil's Home for Wayward Girls. Being at Club Ivory lightens their mood, and Celia frequently pulls Martin out to the dance floor.

Clark Billings: [late-twenties] Clark is looking a little worse for the wear today. Celia and Martin's only child was beaten up by a group of Scarlatti mooks, as a message to Celia and Martin. What message were they trying to send? Why would the Scarlattis do this kind of thing?

Martin Billings: [late-forties] Martin is the geologist that can almost smell the oil as it pools underground. With his wife Celia, they've gone to some interesting and difficult locations where he's found oil. Like his wife, Martin is clearly still haunted by their time in Venezuela, saying very little about it. They came back to the US, survived the various lawsuits, and then struck out on their own. He is thrilled because he can tell that there's more than enough oil here in the Los Angeles area to make them rich. Being at Club Ivory lightens their mood, and Martin often goes to the bar to buy a round of drinks for their table, where they enjoy conversations with other socially connected people of Los Angeles, like the Tates.

Dale Carpenter: [late-twenties] Don't let her looks confuse you, as Dale is probably smarter than you are. She's a reporter for the Chicago Independent, a big time newpaper. (In Chicago, you mook.) She's been tearing up the wires, talking to her other reporter friends about some juicy scoop. She's come to the City of Angels to get the story, and she's got connections (through those friends) in high and low places. Are you the story? Are you sure?

Comrade Chekhov: [unknown] Be on the lookout for this Soviet spy, a Communist agent of daring and panache. Chekhov is only his code name. Despite all of the eyes looking for this revolutionary, no one has been able to lay their hands on him. The Comrade has kept ahead of the FBI for years now.

Joey "Rabbit" Coniglio: [late-twenties] Joey is the bartender at Club Ivory, who can pour you anything you want, except for the lost Ivory Fade. Joey will tell you about bartender-drinker privilege, where you can pour out your woes to him, he'll listen, offer you a drink, ideas if you want them, and won't say another word about it to anyone else. A lot of people take advantage of his listening. He's been doing this for a while now, from well before it was legal to drink here.

Pat Donahue: [late-forties] Always dressed to the nines, with style and grace, some times it's hard to remember that Pat is a big-time Vice-President for Lone Star Petroleum. Pat is not limited to the oil business, as Lone Star is looking at diversifying their portfolio. So, if you've got an idea that you think might make a bundle of moolah for Lone Star, take Pat for a trip around the dance floor. That will get Pat's attention. A nice martini doesn't hurt, either.

Mrs. (Ursula) Filbert: [a little old lady™] Mrs. Filbert (no one calls her Ursula any more) is the sweet lady who makes her charming pickles at Mrs. Filbert's Pickles.® Do not be fooled. Under those photogenic looks lies the cutthroat CEO of a growing Mrs. Filbert's empire. The voice may be mild-mannered, flowing with sweet proverbs, but make no mistake. She plans to devour all her competition. Would you like a sweet pickle, dearie?

Lane Fletcher: [mid-thirties] Lane has had a challenging life, from the day they left for the Great War. There have been other moments of sadness and grief, all painfully remembered in the trial of The King's Petroleum Company for their evil in Venezuela. Fortunately, Lane has several good friends, to help them get through the tough times. Those friends are important because the Billings are also here, with their constant reminders of Venezuela. Good things come to those who wait, and Lane is certainly due for some good things. Lane is always dressed to celebrate good times, regardless of what is going on. Lane is a Vice-President at Texoil International, and they are looking to diversify, so go have a chat with Lane about your brilliant idea.

Carmine "the Weasel" Fortuna: [late-thirties] Carmine managed to beat Vendalyn Valentine in making the deal for the speakeasy that is now Club Ivory. No one knew they were married at the time. Carmine was around for the shooting in '22, the shooting in '25, and the various public announcements Vendalyn made about their relationship. The "I'm pregnant with your child" announcement in '27, that caused Carmine to spray his drink across the bar, is an old favorite. Carmine is a Scarlatti in Orsolini turf, which brings other kinds of negotiators to the bar.

Denton Harris: [early-forties] Denton's only been around for a bit, but it's clear he's going to go far. He's jumped into a Producer's job at Magnus Studios, being mentored by Mr. Michalski, the Vice-President In Charge of Cinematic Development. Mr. Harris is a natural, and is already on the hunt for his first major motion picture. Do you have a script for him? It had better be good, because of Harris' Law - in Hollywood, 99% of the scripts stink. He ought to know, given the piles of them in his office.

Howard Hughes: [late-twenties] Wealthy and handsome inventor, pilot, and movie-maker, Mr. Hughes has already made a name for himself in any business he gets involved in. I shouldn't have to say anything more, because Howard Hughes is always in the public eye - he works very hard to make that happen.

Tracy Holbrook: [late-twenties] There are some dames that go looking for the spotlight, fighting all the others just to have a few moments of glory. Not this dame. She's the one you see out of the corner of your eye, the one with the shadow hiding half of her as she watches you. She's the smart one, scoping everything and everyone out. She's been spending a lot of time at Club Ivory, on her own, or with her gal pals. It sure seems like they've been scoping out a few of the usual suspects. Is she looking as a woman who wants a man, or as a reporter for the Los Angeles Tribune looking for a story?

Charlie "Knives" Ives: [mid-forties] He's a man of few words, quiet most of the time. That can be good, or it can mean he's about to escalate to a dangerous state. His switchblade can pop into his hand before you even know it's there. Once it's in his hands, it's almost always in motion, like a nervous tic. It's not a good idea to stand too close to Charlie. Bad things happen. A lot. In fact, Charlie's rap sheet looks like he's trying to get accused of at least one count of every major crime in the book.

Max Jaworski: [early-thirties] Max can usually be found at the bar, nursing a cold drink with one hand and holding up an icepack to a bruised face with the other. Max is a joe from the streets who's always hanging around Club Ivory, as there's usually business here. He's a private dick for hire, not afraid to stick his nose into other people's business. Trouble has a way of finding him, and it usually beats him to a pulp.

Marion Kern: [mid-thirties] Sherman Scott has it all. Olympic medals, swimmer's body, expressive face, an inspirational voice, and an all-American good guy. What does that have to do with Marion? Well, now that Scott is out of the pool, he's got to build a new career. Marion Kern is his agent, the one with the connections, the one with the moxie to walk into a studio office uninvited, and the one to convince a director he needs Sherman. If Sherman Scott is going to be a movie star, Marion Kern is going to be the brains behind the body.

Dr. Frances Lemon: [early-fifties] Doc Lemon dressed and lived like a man for all the time she was in medical school, because no school would admit a woman. No one figured that out until after she graduated and was doctoring. Now Doc Lemon is known as the 'Surgeon to the Stars' in Hollywood. The Doc has a big office there, for whenever one of the 'beautiful people' gets an ache or a pain. What most people don't know is that Doc Lemon runs a Free Clinic in an old brownstone. It's not in the best neighborhood, but the locals know the Doc will take care of them, even if they can't afford to pay her. The fancy patients in Hollywood have that covered.

Chris O'Malley: [early-thirties] An Irish cop, from a long line of Irish cops, Chris has been a regular at Club Ivory for a long time. Longer, in fact, than it's been legal to drink here. His brothers operate their own distillery, or did, until it burned down in the warehouse fire. When Chris isn't at work, or hauling a wreck out of Damien's Corner, or at Club Ivory, he can be found at the automobile race track, losing to the Masked Speedster. Chris owes the Speedster big for pulling him out of the burning wreck of his automobile.

Marlowe Montana: [late-twenties] Marlowe is Celia and Martin's niece, but really is more like a daughter. Marlowe was supposed to meet up at Club Ivory tonight, to help with the donations for St. Basil's Home for Wayward Girls. She's not here, and that is worrying; if Marlowe says she's going to do something, she always follows through.

Don Alphonso Orsolini: [early-seventies] Don Alphonso Orsolini started as a thug and thief, running illegal errands for the Orsolini Mob. By the time he was done with his murderous advancement, he sat on top as the new Don of the Orsolini Organized Crime Family. Don Orsolini controls most of the illegal businesses in Los Angeles and Southern California. The longer he lives, the crankier and meaner he gets. The fact that Club Ivory is a Scarlatti business in his territory is known to annoy the Don.

Carlotta Orsolini: [early-thirties] One of Don Alphonso Orsolini's nieces, Carlotta has done a lot of important business for the Don. She carries out the orders from the Don, to the letter, and better than most of the mooks and goons of the Orsolini Mob. Do not cross Carlotta, as she is apt to use you as an example in the classic usage debate of flammable versus inflammable.

Jackie Pischetti: [mid-forties] If you've ever picked up one of the local papers, you've seen one of Jackie's pictures. That's even true if you're from out of town, because a lot of Jackie's stuff goes out on the wire for use by others. There are a lot of reporter friends out there, in far away places, who ask Jackie to shoot specific stuff for them. Given Jackie's connections and nose for news, there'll always be an interesting shot or three. Jackie has pictures of the Masked Speedster, in his mask, but Jackie's on the trail of an unmasked candid shot.

Laurette Rose: [mid-twenties] While Helen of Troy's face launched a thousand ships, Laurette's a real looker too, worth a couple hundred ships, at the very least. Her voice is also heavenly. When she sings at Club Ivory, you know where all the men are looking. Laurette seems a bit distracted of late, as if there are a lot of things going on in her life. Some of her songs have been a bit sadder than usual. Maybe she's just changing up her repertoire for the summer.

Mimi Scarlatti: [early-twenties] She's the most beautiful woman in the room, no matter where she goes - and she knows it. "She could be sued for whiplash just for walking into a room." As the daughter of Don Orlando Scarlatti, Mimi could do just about anything she wanted, living in luxury, provided she got married to the right man and gave the Don many grandchildren. Instead, Mimi dresses down, hiding her beauty, and actually works for wages in Hollywood. She can be seen running around the studios and sets on mundane errands, as some kind of production assistant.

Don Orlando Scarlatti: [late-forties] Don Orlando Scarlatti took control of the Scarlatti Mob in 1926. This Organized Crime Family controls most of the illegal businesses in San Francisco and Northern California. Don Scarlatti also calls Nixon Alexander his "brother," and Nixon says the same about Orlando.

Sherman Scott: [mid-twenties] If anyone can succeed, it's this famous Olympic swimmer, who came out of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics with three gold medals. (And a tempestuous relationship with Barbara Tate, much of which played out in the scandal sheets.) Sherman seems to have the Midas touch, turning whatever he touches to gold. He's working on raising funds for St. Basil's Home for Wayward Girls, he's working on his abs, and he's working on a movie project that's caught some eyes from studio producers. Isn't he dreamy?

The Masked Speedster: [unknown] This driver showed up at the automobile race track last year, and has yet to lose. No one can identify him because of the black mask and the cloud of dust that flies behind him. In one race, the Speedster rescued Chris O'Malley from a wreck, then jumped back in to beat everyone else. The Speedster was clocked at speeds in excess of 110 MPH, an unheard of pace. NOTE: almost every automobile of this time reached their maximum speed under 100 MPH.

Barbara Tate: [mid-twenties] A two-time Olympic diver, Barbara just missed medals in 1928, and won a silver and a bronze in 1932. Barbara has resisted every effort by her parents to give her a politically powerful marriage to a wealthy man. They've given her everything, from the specialized trainers needed for the Olympics, to the absolutely beautiful 1930 Duesenberg J Torpedo Convertible luxury automobile. What is wrong with this woman?

Blake "The Partner" Tate: [late-forties] Ambitious, power-hungry, and extremely capable, Blake Tate wields the law like a weapon. Blake's courtroom presentation is flawless, slicing the opposing lawyer's case into disconnected fragments, much as the Partner slices raw fish to make sushi. While Blake is one of the legal partners of the prestigious legal firm of Enfield, Williams, and Tate, one should assume nothing given Tate as the last name in the firm.

Remington "The Councilor" Tate: [late-forties] There are movers and shakers that think they run Los Angeles, but they are wrong. Councilor Remington Tate gets whatever they want in the city, making deals, orders, and threats to make it happen. Cross the Councilor and you will lose. Cross the Councilor again and you may lose a lot of blood. Cross the Councilor a third time, and you will be lost, never to be found again.

Gino "Suits" Taylor: [early-thirties] Impeccably dressed, everybody knows Gino. Everyone likes Gino. Everyone pays Gino what they owe the Scarlattis, or they find out just how much pain Gino and his buddies can inflict on someone. There are rumors that the reason for the "Suits" nickname comes from those who don't pay attention to their debts. Then, the stories say, Gino fits the person out with a .38 long, and a nice pair of cement overshoes. But they're just stories.

Lois Valentine: [seven] Lois is the best thing to come from the marriage of Carmine Fortuna (his first) and Vendalyn Valentine (her second). Lois is a frequent visitor to Club Ivory, and already knows how to make a dozen popular mixed drinks, even if she's not supposed to drink them. She's Joey's favorite assistant.

Vendalyn Valentine: [only her hairdresser knows for sure] Vendalyn has always been a looker, and has used those looks to step right over whatever male idiot is in her path. She's smart, persistent, clever, and not afraid to bend the rules to get her way. Sometimes, it's more of a challenge, like when she married Carmine. Sometimes, it just doesn't work, like her brief marriage to "the Tony." As an Executive Producer for RKO Pictures, Vendalyn is always looking for a great script. As the mother of both of Carmine's kids, she's quite happy to give the awful scripts to the kids so they can scribble on and color them.

Andreatti Vincenze: [deceased] She'd been married to Salvatore for six months back in '22, when the 'Dirty Shields' shot and killed him. She's been grieving for him ever since, for the loss of his life and love, and for the loss of the recipe for the Ivory Fade. There are rumors that a character, almost recognizable as Andreatti, can be found in one of Abernathy's books. In the book, she is described as "a wasted life," of an "angry, bitter, busybody." She died recently, in horrific fire.

Annie Webster: [almost ten] A young orphan from St. Basil's Home for Wayward Girls, Annie was adopted by the noted investor, philanthropist, do-gooder, and industrialist Harlan Webster III. When Harlan Webster III died in the spring, Annie inherited Harlan's entire estate, from his money, to his mansion in Alameda, and his collection of fast and sporty cars. It is believed that Harlan taught his adopted daughter how to drive, despite her young age. Letting a nine year old drive a hand-crafted, supercharged Duesenberg SJ, costing tens of thousands of dollars, is not good parenting.

Jordan Williams: [mid-fifties] Jordan Williams came out to Hollywood a couple of years ago. A few smart investments, like those in Mrs. Filbert's Pickle Company or odds and ends built by that clever Mr. Hughes, have gone far to rebuild a comfortable financial position that was only dented in the Crash. When Jordan Williams thinks it's a good investment, it usually is. Jordan loves the horses, often spending long hours at the track at Santa Anita. Jordan owns several horses, including the winning Ventura Boulevard. Jordan is always looking for the next big investment opportunity. Is it yours?

Ethel Zuckerman: [mid-twenties] Ethel is the kind of character you might find in a screwball comedy. She can be a bit naive, but then she's also the tough-talking, hard-negotiating agent for the Masked Speedster, taking bets at the automobile race track. She has a job, helping Barbara Tate's sister Dorothy, who has tuberculosis, but she also flashes a fat wad of cash from the Speedster's winning bets. She is open and honest, until you talk to her weekly poker buddies, who tell you she's used to taking everyone's dough by the end of the night, without a tell, and often with bluffs no one else could pull off. Ethel claims she's going to be a star one day; listen to her friends and she already is.