The next leg of the Lonely Street Bar Noir Pub Crawl is a stop where my interest in film noir originated, the 1949 film, D.O.A. starring Oscar winner Edmund O'Brien (The Barefoot Contessa).
I first saw D.O.A. as a kid watching the Bill Kennedy Movie Show on UHF Channel 50. Kennedy was a former Hollywood actor. Square-jaw, rugged looks, he had over 106 movie and TV credits that spanned over 25 years until he showed up on Detroit area televisions in the late sixties. I remember Kennedy used to drink during the course of the show and share his Hollywood stories with viewers. One time he repeatedly apologized for showing what he said was the worst movie ever made, Don't Look Now, starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. Kennedy got so upset he threatened to walk out of the studio if he had to continue showing the movie.
D.O.A. snagged my attention with a haunting opening theme by Dmitri Tompkin. I spent a summer afternoon glued to commercial television following the story of a C.P.A. chasing his killer.
The first pub on the cross-state crawl is Eddie's. It's never too early to visit Eddie's, especially on a hot day. Eddie's offers cold beer and air conditioning, perfect for the cop walking the beat who needs a breather. An L-shaped bar with plenty of stools frames a well-stocked bar. A jukebox in the corner plays hip calliope music. Eddie's also offers tables. Plenty of tables.
After a stop at Eddie's, it's off to the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. A good time to visit is Market Week, when traveling salesmen check in to party with what appears to be every female shop owner in the Golden Gate City.
Every room appears to be a suite at the St. Francis making it the ideal place for the partygencia. A quick call to the front desk sends bottles of bourbon and scotch up to your room.
Let the room party be the start of the night, not the end. Move the party to the Fisherman, home of jive music as advertised over the stage on a lifesaver ring.
A hectic, cramped bar on a busy street, the Fisherman is home to some fast-paced, loud, eclectic music enjoyed by a loyal crowd that shouts, 'Bring it!' and 'Blow, baby, blow!' The band is so frenetic the musicians sweat mid-song.
The crowd is friendly. Regulars enthusiastically share their love of the jazz scene at the squiggly, curving bar. Tables leave little room for customers to move up to the bar to be served by Leo, the lone bartender. He has all the information on the customers.
No matter how fun a night you have at the Fisherman, the club isn't open 24 hours. No one knows when the club closes but the doors unlock at six each evening.
Word of caution. Strangers with scarves and hats pulled low on their brow lurk in the shadows waiting to mess with your drinks.
The nice thing about a pub crawl in San Francisco is there are so many places to visit. Day or night, there is always some place o visit on the Crawl. Party buses and car services wait to transport you from stop to stop.
Maybe you'd like to take advantage of the Lonely Street Bar Noir Pub Crawl Photo Packet to commemorate your experience.
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