Seeing the photos of Luna Park brought back many memories of the happy times my cousin Mary (Reed) Engesser and I had on our visits there with my parents. It was always a special treat for us to go there and enjoy the rides. The roller coaster ride was my favorite, and my father indulged me with repeat rides each time!
My mother's niece, Diane (D'Almada) Higgs, was the singer with the Filipino band that played at the Sky Room in the early fifties. Marlon Brando was in town and visited the nightclub where he graciously posed with Diane and the band for this photo. I came across this in my mother's collection of photos.
Date picture taken
1950s
Gallery
Shows place(s)
Comments
Marlon Brando was at the…
Marlon Brando was at the time touring parts of Asia with his friend and producer George Englund in March-April 1956 ostensibly researching for an upcoming script for a film, as well as film work in Japan.
He did a flying visit to Hong Kong, arriving from Manila on 13th March 1956, famously staying at the Repulse Bay Hotel and hosting reporters for an interview session, and later touring the Colony, before flying off to Bangkok on 15th March 1956.
Sources:
Ta Kung Pao, digital page 4, 13th March 1956,
The Kung Sheung Evening News, digital page 4, 14th March 1956,
Wah Kiu Yat Po, digital page 6, 14th March 1956,
Ta Kung Pao, digital page 4, 14th March 1956,
Hong Kong Business Daily, digital page 5, 14th March 1956,
Wah Kiu Yat Po, digital page 6, 16th March 1956 and
The China Mail, page 10, 17th March 1956
Marlon Brando at the Sky Room at Luna Park
David, I saw the photo posted of Marlon Brando in Hong Kong in 1956, and your interesting comments about his visit. The photo I posted of the actor with my cousin Diane and the band at the Sky Room nightclub was not dated. Since Luna Park closed in 1954, I put the timeframe of that photo as being in the early fifties. It's possible that the nightclub continued to exist after the closure of the amusement park. That being the case, the photo could have been taken at the time of the actor's visit. I was unable to find any information regarding the Sky Room remaining open after 1954. There is also the possibility that Marlon Brando visited Hong Kong on a previous trip.
Hi Angie, thanks for the…
Hi Angie, thanks for the info. I don't know the personal travel history of Brando or the Sky Room nightclub well enough to say anything conclusive so your points are valid. When I was reading around Brando's visit to Hong Kong in 1956, it was not originally on his travel itinerary of Asia but he and George Englund were persuaded that it was a 'must see' and they made a brief stop over, suggesting it may have been their first visit. Brando's haircut, appearance and demeanour from your photo matches well with his known 1956 HK visit photos. I was thinking another possibility was that although the Luna Park Sky Room nightclub may have closed around 1954, its possible Diane and her ensemble of Filipino musicians would have continued their gig and continued performing at other venues and this amazing photo survived but may be of another venue?
Sky Room at Luna Park
Thanks for your feedback, David. I was counting on you to dig up information about the Sky Room and when it actually closed, given your usual successful research and sleuth work! I don't remember hearing if Diane performed at any other venue, and don't know who took this photo. I do recall my mother telling me it was taken at the Sky Room at Luna Park. It's unfortunate that the sign in the photo partially showed the names of the group and Diane, but not the name of the venue.