West Side house of men

[Lankypeters]

When I first came to NYC in the late 60s, I heard tales of a gay brothel on the Upper West Side. Tony Perkins and Peter O'Toole were rumored to be frequent clients. Does anyone have information about this place? Was anyone ever there? Are there similar places -- or rumors of places -- in Manhattan today?

[Retired Fly Boy]

I lived in Manhattan for thirty years. This is the first news of house of gay men. I was friends with gay men who were doctors, lawyers, stock brokers, etc. These guys had money to burn, yet they met at Bickford's coffee shop on 3rd. Ave and 53 St. every night looking for hustlers. The going rate was $20 with no time limit. If there was such a brothel they sure would know of it. There was the Cowboy bar on East 53 St. from the late 60's to 80's and then Rounds across the street. No place like it could operate when Mayor Guilliani was in office either. If the place was for real, it was the best kept secret in New York. I did see some famous actors take hustlers into the Plaza Hotel.

[Guest msclonly]

West side places

 

After Rounds, there was M, that never did get off the ground, but it was fun before it's demise! How sad they are both gone!

 

I am still curious of what happened to Rounds, that caused it to close?

 

;(

[Retired Fly Boy]

RE: West side places

 

What happened to Rounds? Drugs was the main problem with Rounds. Most of it outside the club. Many boys, some of them under age were not permitted to enter Rounds. They caused problems everytime. The drug dealers would wait one block away on Second Avenue to deal to the hustlers. Many of the boys sat on the steps of the expensive town houses in the area. They stayed till 3:00 AM when the bars closed making noise and the like. The NYPD would patrol the street every hour running them off. So they moved over to swank Sutton Place. Then it hit the fan. The neighborhood association told the police, it was Rounds that attracted the the guys to the area. Hang out in the street, pick up a john, make some cash and buy drugs. Not long after that Rounds was closed by NYPD. The street became quiet once more. Then developers bought up most of the land on Third Avenue and put an end to the action, with high rise office buildings. The New York Post ran some articles in the paper about the problem with drugs and hustlers in the area as well. There was also a gay murder. Some patron of Rounds picked up one of the boys in the street. Took the kid home and got his head bashed in. That was all the police needed to pad lock the place for good. Nice while it lasted, got some real hot guys from there. Many famous Hollywood stars were regular patrons.

[Will]

There was such a place, near Columbus Circle. My source was a frequent client, who also happened to be my first lover (I was 23, he was 33). That was in the early '60s, and I never did know the exact address. He kept wanting to take me there, but I was only a blushing boy at the time and was even shocked that there was such a place. Now, of course, times have changed. And so have I.

 

Have you checked George Chauncey's GAY NEW YORK? He might mention it.