The Last Good Time: Skinny D'Amato the Notorious 500 Club & the Rise and Fall of Atlantic City

by Jonathan Van Meter

In the style of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, with the glamour of Ratpack Confidential and the intrigue and sleaze of the Sopranos, Jonathan van Meter has woven a stunning work of narrative non-fiction, set around one family amidst the alternately glamorous, seedy and forbidding Atlantic City. The Last Good Time tells the story of Skinny D'Amato and his daughter Paulajane. A close friend of Cubby Broccoli, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Dean Martin, and a de facto member of the rat pack, Skinny was the owner of the famous nightspot the 500 Club, and someone who made millions when legal gambling started in Atlantic City. He died in seclusion, smoking five packs of cigarettes a day, after his family became mired in scandal. The author moved to Atlantic City as a young man and became involved in the drama of the D'Amato family and the seedy underworld they inhabited. His portrait of the city moves from its shabby boardwalk to the glittering Trump casinos to the faded, upper-class Bay Club and the gay bars on New York Avenue, haunted by the spectre of the Mob.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

304 pages, Hardcover

First published June 17, 2003

Reviews

[Stephen Conti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wore a suit, smoked cigars and called my girlfriend sweetheart for a week straight after reading this book....

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the perfect book to read en route to a Tom Jones-infused getaway in Atlantic City (which I did), as it documents everything that was cool, sexy, and un-geriatric about that fabled town. The book focuses on Skinny D'Amato, the club owner whose entrepreneurial know-how and possible mob connections helped build Atlantic City into its glory. He is a pretty interesting character, and as the king of the East Coast's premier resort town, he attracts a whole slew of other interesting characters, like Frank Sinatra, President Kennedy, and other 50s and 60s playboys. But anecdotes about those storied celebrities (steamy as they are) don't manage overshadow the real meat of the book--the meteoric rise and fall of Atlantic City itself, which is reflected in D'Amato's business- and family-life. If I'm making this sound too dry, let me just throw out a few juicy bits--murder, dismemberment, boob-jobs, Miss America! I would recommend reading this and then watching "The King of Marvin Gardens" to get the full AC experience. And then wear your best sweatsuit out to the nearest shopping mall or parking ramp, to give you an idea of what the Atlantic City pleasure palaces are like today.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having grown up in Atlantic City I was naturally attracted to this book especially because it depicts the pre-casino Atlantic City that I loved. My only quibble is that author has spent the time and effort to write a book about a place, and many people, that he just doesn’t seem to like much. I also have a problem when he presents speculation and rumors, about the Kennedys or Sinatra for example, as facts. That gives the book a gossipy tone that I don’t care for. All in all though, a very good read.

[John Smiley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully entertained, meticulously researched book.

If you're a fan, like me, of Atlantic City and its history, the Mob (does that really exist?), Frank Sinatra and Joe DiMaggio, this book is for you.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting stuff.

Van Meter occasionally goes first person to describe the reporting process, which is a stylistic mistake. Didn't stop me from reading it though.

[William DuFour · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging and thought provoking book on Atlantic City with major emphasis on Skinny, the five and other cast of characters!

[Sidenseen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very insightful look into “Nucky” and “skinny”. There was a good understanding on what the 500 club was like back in the old days of AC. A good book!

[Harry Ramble · Rating 4 out of 5]

From 1946, when Dean and Jerry improbably turned off-the-cuff stage tomfoolery into magic, until 1962 or so, when affordable air travel pulled the plug on fading Northeast resorts like AC and the Catskills, the 500 Club was the place to be. You drove in with your wife on a Friday night, wore a suit (with tidy pocket hanky!) to the club, said hello to Joey Bishop at the serpentine bar (zebra-stripe motif! UV light! a waterfall!), ate the house special (strip steak on buttered toast!), drank more martinis than would be humanly possible today, and had a big time. Jonathan Van Meter has done his research and tells the story with insight and genuine enthusiasm.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story on the rise and fall of Atlantic City, by following the life and times of Skinny D'Amato. The writer's style is very fun and that makes this a very enjoyable read.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, the glamour of postwar nightclub life: men in well-cut suits with perfectly coordinated silk pocket squares, chic women in beautiful dresses, waiters bringing stylish cocktails, movie stars in the front row, and showgirls and a famous singer on stage. I like the clothes, the cocktails, and the music, and I wish we had a similarly stylish nightclub in town where I could be a regular, but I wouldn't want the world that came with these things at all. And Atlantic City would be about the last place I'd choose for a holiday as I have no interest whatsoever in gambling (I can't think of a stupider way to spend one's time and one's resources) and there is now absolutely nothing else there except giant casinos. But there used to be. For one brief period, it was one of the most glamorous places in North America.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Since I personally know many of the characters in this book, along with the author, I may not be the most objective person to review it. But I've always been fascinated with the history of Atlantic City, particularly the period from the 1920-50s. Skinny was a true character and his interactions with the rich and famous were legendary. Loved the way his story is a real cautionary tale about how good things always come to an end. Van Meter brings the characters to life. Don't miss this one if you have any feelings for Atlantic City, the Rat Pack or a good time.

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome insight into underworld in the 40s...

[Mama · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this book! Poor, Atlantic City. Total dive now.

[Jake · Rating 2 out of 5]

pop history. Mostly fluff, but some interesting tidbits.