Yesterday in La Crosse

Who was going to the go-go, 52 years ago

Published

5 years ago

October 23, 2018

During the 1966 Oktoberfest, go-go nights were set up at the Avalon Ballroom on Copeland, to attract a younger crowd. But on the first of the three nights, attendance was low. Scheduling might have been to blame. That first go-go night was a school night, and it had to compete with a Sawyer Auditorium show featuring the popular comedy team of Marty Allen and Steve Rossi.

Jack Ruby’s conviction for killing Lee Harvey Oswald was overturned by an appeals court in Texas, because an alleged confession by Ruby should not have been allowed in court. One newspaper story claimed 140 million Americans saw Ruby on TV, shooting Oswald just two days after Oswald allegedly killed President John Kennedy in Dallas. Ruby died in jail before he could get another trial.

Movie theaters in La Crosse were showing dueling British-style comedies with similar names. The Hollywood had “The Knack, and How To Get It”…while the Rivoli was showing “The Pad, and How To Use It.” Groovy comedy in 1966, yesterday in La Crosse.

Related Topics:go-go Jack Ruby Rivoli

Brad Williams

A native of Prairie du Chien, Brad graduated from UW - La Crosse and has worked in radio news for more than 30 years, mostly in the La Crosse area. He regularly covers local courts and city and county government. Brad produces the features "Yesterday in La Crosse" and "What's Buried on Brad's Desk." He also writes the website "Triviazoids," which finds odd connections between events that happen on a certain date, and he writes and performs with the local comedy group Heart of La Crosse. Brad been featured on several national TV programs because of his memory skills.