Reviving this beloved Disney nightclub would be a great way for Disney to win back guests
The club guide
As soon as you entered the Club, it felt different. It was the atmosphere, somehow nice and moody to fit the theme and striking that you entered from the street level and were immediately greeted by the staircase into the main salon. There was a bar at the side with a small stage for some announcements. The highlights included a large statue of a Greek god seemingly fishing. Lining the walls are photos, artifacts and more, each pointing at the supposed history of the place.
There were two small rooms, one the Mask Room, which, as the name implies, had tribal masks all over the wall. Mini-shows would have the masks come to life to talk to guests. The Treasure Room contained more artifacts and a special cabinet where a geni’s head would come to life for a show.
The main library would be home to the bigger shows that were entertaining thanks to the characters.
An Adventurers Club roll call
The real draw that kept bringing guests back was the actors portraying the club characters. They were all archetypes of the era, and each actor was a capable comic to pull off the roles.
- Hathaway Browne: An arrogant aviator and the club's resident ladies' man, a bit of a blowhard who’d often make innuendo-laden jokes
- Otis T. Wren: The arrogant Club Treasurer and ichthyologist. A classic case of a guy who thinks he’s smarter and more popular than he is with many jokes cutting his ego down to size and a lot of bluster.
- Fletcher Hodges: The Club Curator, he could bounce between a bumbling professor, a humble know-it-all or a straight-laced observer.
- Pamelia Perkins: The outlandishly dressed Club President known for her high voice and wild attempts to keep order in the chaos.
- Samantha Sterling: Explorer and cabaret singer with a great jungle-themed wardrobe and belting out tunes alongside stories.
- Emil Bleehall: Contender for the Balderdash Cup, the big show of every night. His character’s outfit could go from a plaid-sports coat wearing bumpkin to a “Junior Adventurer” in a scout uniform. He’s usually portrayed as a nerdy but loveable type who wins the big contest.
- Graves: The Club Butler with a dry sense of humor.
- The Maid: Her name varies depending on the night, she’s usually a ditzy gal in a classic maid’s uniform inserting herself into things.
- Madame Zarkov: On nights when Samantha wasn’t around, this mysterious gypsy character would appear.
- The Colonel: A puppet stuck on the wall dressed like a classic British colonel. He’ll come alive to lead the crowd in the Club creed and song while also firing off jokes at the customers.
- Madame Babylonia: A huge stone head on the wall that will occasionally come to life to talk to guests.
The best thing was the acting ensemble would swap roles around each night. Thus, the guy who played Graves on Monday could be Hathaway on Wednesday, while Samantha could be the maid later in the week. That added to the appeal of the club, which was already huge.