38th Anniversary of Beverly Hills Supper Club Fire - 165 dead

[lawildcat]

If you are so inclined, please consider signing this petition to appoint an independent arson investigator in order to determine whether this fire was arson or not. This is a cause that is close to my friend, Bill Klingenberg's heart.

 

https://www.change.org/p/steve-beshear-we-concerned-citizens-of-kentucky-want-you-to-appoint-an-independent-expert-arson-investigator-to-examine-recently-discovered-evidence-from-the-beverly-hills-supper-club-fire?recruiter=9677683&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=share_facebook_responsive&utm_term=des-lg-no_src-no_msg&fb_ref=Default

 

 

Please take a moment in your day today to say a prayer for those who lost their lives in this tragic fire - May 28, 1977.

 

MARIAN ADKINS, 62, Ashland, Ky.

AMELIA ARTHUR, 65, Covington, Ky.

WILLIAM EGAR ARTHUR, 53, Covington, Ky.

RUTH K. BACKUS, 49, Ohio.

WALTER WM. BACKUS, JR., 50, Ohio.

JEAN I. BAKER, 52, Kettering, Ohio.

WARREN BAKER, 54, Kettering, Ohio.

DAN BARKER, 29, Southgate, Ky.

MABLE MARIE BARKER, 54, Trenton, Ohio.

MARTIN HERSCHEL BARKER, 60, Trenton, Ohio.

JOHN B. BEAVERS, 28, Grove City, Ohio.

ANN LOUISE BEER, 23, Hamilton, Ohio.

DONALD BEZOLD, 54, Alexandria, Ky.

PATRICIA MATILDA BEZOLD, 30, Alexandria, Ky.

BARBARA ANN BOHRER, 23, Ohio.

JANE LOUISE BOHRER, 16, Cincinnati, Ohio.

JUDITH ANN BOHRER, 28, Cincinnati, Ohio.

MARY LOUISE BOHRER, 56, Cincinnati, Ohio.

RAYMOND WILLARD BOHRER, 56, Cincinnati, Ohio.

THOMAS WILLIAM BOHRER, 25, Cincinnati, Ohio.

DORIS JEAN BROWN, 44, Kettering, Ohio.

JAMES K. BROWN, 46, Lexington, Ky.

PATRICIA BROWN, 40, Lexington, Ky.

CHARLOTTE FIDLER BURNS, 58, Ashland, Ky.

ROBERT DONALDSON BURNS, 60, Ashland, Ky.

MAXIE HOLLAN BUTLER, 56, Ashland, Ky.

ROY O. BUTLER, 49, Ashland, Ky.

HOWARD B. CARSON, 69, Covington, Ky.

JOSEPHINE CARSON, 65, Covington, Ky.

HELEN MARGARET CASTELLI, 53, Crittenden, Ky.

NORBERT J. CASTELLI, 55, Crittenden, Ky.

STUART PATRICK COAKLEY, 36, Ludlow, Ky.

GERALDINE COLE, 22, Jeffersonville, Ky.

ELLEN HEARNE COOKSEY, 58, Ashland, Ky.

FRED MILLER COOKSEY, 61, Ashland, Ky.

CAROL ANN COTTONGIM, 32, Hamilton, Ohio.

ROBERT DOUGLAS COLLONGIM, 34, Hamilton, Ohio.

ORVILLE COULTER, 68, Ironton, Ohio.

JAMES CARL COX, 59, Florence, Ky.

JAMES BRENT CRANE, 19, Waynesville, Ohio.

HAROLD ALAN DALY, 32, Washington Court House, Ohio.

ROSE MARY DISCHER, 38, Highland Heights, Ky.

GLORIA SUE DUNCIL, 36, Hamilton, Ohio.

MARY NELL DWYER, 25, Lexington, Ky.

ROSEMARY MULHOLLAND DWYER, 56, Lexington, Ky.

SHELIA A. DWYER, 23, Lexington, Ky.

ELMER LEE ELLISON, 60, Covington, Ky.

NORA LEE ELLLISON, 38, Covington, Ky.

GRACE LOUISE FALL, 48, Jacksonburg, Ohio.

WILLIAM LEWIS FAWBUSH, SR., 70, Pewee Valley, Ky.

MARILYN L. FINCH, 41, Elsmere, Ky.

VIRGINIA LEE JONES FINCH, 62, Ashland, Ky.

HELEN WRIGHT FLOYD, 62, Pellefonte, Ky.

JAMES E. FOWLER, 57, Ironton, Ohio.

ANNA MYRTLE FRESHNER, 61, New Lebanon, Ohio.

FREDRICA HEHR FRYMAN, 40, Cynthiana, Ky.

MARTIN SCOTT FRYMAN, 14, Cynthiana, Ky.

TRACY OWEN FRYMAN, 16, Cynthiana, Ky.

WILLARD T. FRYMAN, 40, Cynthiana, Ky.

LENORA HILL GENTRY, 30, Cincinnati, Ohio.

MARY ANN COLEMAN GORHAM, 46, Lexington, Ky.

RICHARD ALLEN GORHAM, 48, Lexington, Ky.

RUSSELL OSCAR GRAY, 22, Cincinnati, Ohio.

CAROL ANN GREER, 31, Florence, Ky.

FRANKIE McKINLEY GREER, 33, Florence, Ky.

CLARENCE F. GRIPSHOVER, 48, Covington, Ky.

DONNYE CLYDE GROGAN, 50, Murray, Ky.

FELTON BIRDSONG HARRISON, 73, Oakwood, Ohio.

DOUGLAS G. HERRO, 27, Canogo Park, Calif.

HARRY RICHARD HODGES II, 27, Columbus, Ohio.

BARBARA J. HOUS, 51, Madison Township, Ohio.

DOTTIE D. ISAACS, 67, Dayton, Ohio.

MARY LOUISE ITTEL, 58, Hamilton, Ohio.

RUTH JONES JOHN, 59, Ashland, Ky.

LILLIAN ROETTGER JUTZI, 58, Dayton, Ohio.

RAYMOND CLARENCE JUTZI, 67, Dayton, Ohio.

ROBERT E. KETTMAN, 34, Withamsville, Ohio.

SUSAN A. KETTMAN, 35, Withamsville, Ohio.

TAMMY KINCER, 18, Lebanon, Ohio.

LUCY MAE KING, 57, Hamilton, Ohio.

PAUL G. KISER, 54, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

MINNIE J. KNIGHT, 70, Germantown, Ohio.

DONALD EUGENE KOONTZ, 48, Hamilton, Ohio.

DOROTHY MAXINE KOONTZ, 46, Hamilton, Ohio.

CARL KRIGBAUM, JR., 55, Louisville, Ky.

DIANE L. LAPE, 25, Cincinnati, Ohio.

ETTA E. LEIS, 70, Miamisburg, Ohio.

GARY LEE LITTRELL, 29, Lawrenceburg, Ind.

SHARON LITTRELL, 26, Lawrenceburg, Ind.

LEONA S. LONG, 72, Dayton, Ohio.

JAMES P. LYON, 42, Ft. Mitchell, Ky.

MONICA A. LYON, 42, Ft. Mitchell, Ky.

MARGARET ELIZABETH MALOWAN, 54, Dayton, Ohio.

SHARLENE MATTHEWS, 27, Cincinnati, Ohio.

HERMAN CLARK MAYFIELD, 35, Jacksonville, Ala.

SARAH McCLAIN, 73, Miamisburg, Ohio.

COLLIS WILLIAM MITCHELL, 50, Wayne Township, Ohio.

MINDA MARIE MOFORD, 16, Dover, Ky.

AGNES IRENE MUDDIMAN, 48, Cheviot, Ohio.

EVERETT H. NEILL, JR., 27, Ft. Mitchell, Ky.

PAULA LYNEE NEILL, 23, Ft. Mitchell, Ky.

JEAN NOE, 28, Taylor Mill, Ky.

MILDRED F. OVERTON, 62, Huntington, W. Va.

RUTH PATTERSON, 67, Coal Grove, Ohio.

HAROLD R. PENWELL, JR., 28, Wayne Township, Ohio.

HILMA C. PFEIFFER, 64, Dayton, Ohio.

LAWRENCE G. PHELPS, 44, Lakeside Park, Ky.

MARGARET ELIZABETH PHILLIPS, 65, Dayton, Ohio.

ALBERTA CATHERINE PIEPER, 49, Louisville, Ky.

MARY L. PITSENBARGER, Greenville, Ohio.

NOLAN E. PITSENBARGER, 62, Greenville, Ohio.

RICHARD KARL POKKY, 23, Cincinnati, Ohio.

DOROTHY POLLEY, 72, Ironton, Ohio.

GEORGE CHARLES POLLEY, 74, Ironton, Ohio.

ETHEL PRUGH, 55, West Carrollton, Ohio.

GARY M. PRUGH, 30, Washington Township, Ohio.

L. J. PRUGH, 56, West Carrollton, Ohio.

VIRGINIA L. RAITT, 34, West Chester, Ohio.

VIRGINIA K. RAMLER, 52, Erlanger, Ky.

ANNA LEE REINICKE, 59, Kettering, Ohio.

NELL REYNOLDS, 71, Louisville, Ky.

ELMA B. RHINEHART, 74, Lewisburg, Ohio.

CHARLES JOE RIST, 59, Catlettsburg, Ky.

MAYMIE LOUISE RIST, 57, Catlettsburg, Ky.

ROBERT R. RODEN, 58, Taylor Mill, Ky.

TERRIE LYNN ROSE, 26, Deer Park, Ohio. (Waitress at Club)

ALMA SCHNAPP, 67, Miamisburg, Ohio.

JOSEPH JOHN SCHRANTZ, 63, Green Township, Ohio.

MARY AGNES SCHRANTZ, 61, Green Township, Ohio.

ROSALIE SCHUMAN, 33, Lawrenceburg, Ind.

ROBERT GLENN SEAMAN, 57, Erlanger, Ky.

PERCY M. SHEPHERD, 64, Cincinnati, Ohio.

CHARLES D. SHERWOOD, 54, Dayton, Ohio.

EVELYN MAE SHOUGH, 61, Kettering, Ohio.

DONNA S. SKAGGS, 22, Louisville, Ky.

PAUL HERMAN SMITH, 54, Cincinnati, Ohio.

ANN LIGHT STALLONS, 44, Murray, Ky.

OPAL LUCILLE STEWART, 57, Harrison Township, Ohio.

FRED KOLBY STRATTON, 37, Norwood, Ohio.

JOHN R. STROM, 52, Lexington, Ky.

LORA JANE SYKES, 29, Bright, Ind.

ROBERT EARL SYKES, 29, Bright, Ind.

STEVEN HOWARD TAYLOR, 26, Cincinnati, Ohio. (waiter at club)

BARBARA A. THORNHILL, 35, Delhi Township, Ohio.

CAROLYN LOUISE THORNHILL, 35, Miami Township, Ohio.

DARLENE E. THORNHILL, 18, Delhi Township, Ohio.

ROBERT H. THORNHILL, 36, Delhi Township, Ohio.

ROSEMARY TILLEY, 33, Kettering, Ohio.

GLENNA NEOMI TURNER, 63, Spring Valley, Ohio.

JOHN L. TWADDELL, 52, Fort Wright, Ky.

DIANA LOU TYRA, 19, Louisville, Ky.

DORIS L. TYRA, 46, Louisville, Ky.

PHYLLIS A. TYRA, 24, Louisville, Ky.

MARY SUSAN VOGEL, 29, Cincinnati, Ohio.

OTILIA MARGARET VOLLMAN, 84, Newport, Ky.

FRED E. WADE, 61, Wayne Township, Ohio.

MARTHA ELINOR WADE, 61, Wayne Township, Ohio.

GEORGE R. WALKER, JR., 32, Louisville, Ky.

BEATRICE E. WENNING, 57, Dayton, Ohio.

GERTRUDE MARY WILLIAMS, 67, Miami Township, Ohio.

BETTY WILSON, 62, Miamisburg, Ohio.

MARY ANN WORK, 29, Covington, Ohio.

ROBERT FRED ZADEK, 39, Miami Township, Ohio.

GEORGE ZORICK, JR., 52, Cheviot, Ohio.

GEORGE ZORICK III, 32, Mack, Ohio.

[mcpapa]

I remember it well. Sad, sad day.

[BigVMan23]

Wow, really hits home how many actually died when you see their names listed like that.

[75center]

Boy do I remember that night. Had a friend's sister getting married and I was worried her reception was at Beverly Hills. Also remember the Fort Mitchell fire trucks heading down Beechwood road to the Ludlow/Bromley area to help fight a large fire at a paper bag company. Don't think there were many firehouses not at one or the other location that night. Glows in the sky from east and west. Sade anniversary.

[sumoroyal]

Went to high school with Minda Mofford and even double dated a couple of times. Know her sister and her Mom lives in my sud division. Her Dad was Herb Mofford who played Major League Baseball for a few years. I was so sad when I heard she was involved. The sad thing was I heard she was out and went back in for here purse. Tragic!!!

[ggclfan]

My mom and dad considered going that night...my mom really liked John Davidson...glad they did not!

 

Well, my dad ended up going anyway...one of the cops pulling out bodies and giving some mouth to mouth...a night nobody in my family will ever forget.

 

IMO, NO DOUBT it was arson...read the recent book on the subject and the evidence is overwhelming.

[frankdracman23]

Very sad night and such a terrible tragedy for so many families.

 

Not to get off track but that night helped vault Channel 12 news from last place to the top of ratings in the years after because they had The Edge news truck that could send a live feed back to the station which was brand new technology at the time. They had a clear picture of the fire which the other stations could not obtain.

 

You can read the story here.

 

Television: Beverly Hills Fire Changed TV History

[Clyde]

My mom and dad considered going that night...my mom really liked John Davidson...glad they did not!

 

Well, my dad ended up going anyway...one of the cops pulling out bodies and giving some mouth to mouth...a night nobody in my family will ever forget.

 

IMO, NO DOUBT it was arson...read the recent book on the subject and the evidence is overwhelming.

 

Since I've been reading your posts I've figured out we seem to be the same age, we probably played ball against each other, and we might actually know each other.

 

Now I find out your dad was an officer. My dad is a retired officer.

 

My mom and dad LOVED John Davidson and DID go that night.

 

I'm sure they got out because of my dad being an officer. He always checked out all of the exits in any building he entered. When they were directing the crowd to the exit that ended up being locked or stuck he decided it was better to go another way and , fortunately, survived.

 

My dad still wakes up occasionally thinking he smells smoke.

[All In]

Went to high school with Minda Mofford and even double dated a couple of times. Know her sister and her Mom lives in my sud division. Her Dad was Herb Mofford who played Major League Baseball for a few years. I was so sad when I heard she was involved. The sad thing was I heard she was out and went back in for here purse. Tragic!!!

 

My Aunt and Uncle were good friends with Herb and his wife. They loved this place from the stories I have heard from them. I remember this tragedy somewhat, but not too much. What exactly was The Beverly Hills Supper Club. Was it a restaurant/night club for the older crowd? What would it compare to today? My Aunt loved John Davidson, Dinah Shore, Dean Martin(those types of entertainers). Did they perform there? Who else famous in those days performed there?

[frankdracman23]

My Aunt and Uncle were good friends with Herb and his wife. They loved this place from the stories I have heard from them. I remember this tragedy somewhat, but not too much. What exactly was The Beverly Hills Supper Club. Was it a restaurant/night club for the older crowd? What would it compare to today? My Aunt loved John Davidson, Dinah Shore, Dean Martin(those types of entertainers). Did they perform there? Who else famous in those days performed there?

 

It was a nightclub/dinner club but also had many rooms for wedding reception and proms etc. Many high schools in NKY held proms there in the weeks before the fire. Was at one and could not find my way out and took several wrong turns despite asking directions from workers at the club.

[frankdracman23]

Here are some photos. The deceased were taken to the Armory in Fort Thomas gym to be identified.

 

Some of the photos are somewhat graphic.

 

Beverly Hills Supper Club fire Gallery | retro.Cincinnati.com

[frankdracman23]

One of the things I remember most was the constant line of ambulances and fire equipment that just kept coming and coming on US 27 and headed towards Southgate. It seemed like every town in NKY and Southern Ohio sent ambulances. And the people that survived walking all along US 27 and being picked up by buses that were sent to the scene. Most were just kind of walking along in nice clothes. Some had lost their shoes or some women were just carrying their high heels. Just a strange scene.

[NEERFAN]

Every time I pass by on 471 I look up at the site.

[ggclfan]

Here are some photos. The deceased were taken to the Armory in Fort Thomas gym to be identified.

 

Some of the photos are somewhat graphic.

 

Beverly Hills Supper Club fire Gallery | retro.Cincinnati.com

 

I cannot tell you how many pick up basketball games I have played in the Armory...chilling that is what they used for the temporary morgue...

[Just Jim]

First time I've ever read thru all the names. Terrible day. I remember it as a young NKYian at the time. Hard to imagine the families that went thru this. Whole generations of families lost and surely many many others injured and scarred for life.