Comments on: The Lost Scrapbooks from the Marco Polo

By: R W Sandford

R W Sandford — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 23:08:13 +0000

Yes ! – It’s a Shame the amount of Irreplaceable Artifacts that are discarded due to Carelessness or ignorance . . Just a Wild Fluke these managed to be Rescued from the Oblivion of the Landfill !
* [ Btw ~ I used to live Right across the street at the Sun Ah Hotel, about 10 Years ago ! ]

By: Carol Wong

Carol Wong — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 18:09:12 +0000

I do remember going on stage to dance with a friend at the Marco Polo in Summer 1974. We had free tickets to the show as we worked at Customs & Immigration at YVR. We processed the singing group (name?) I have forgotten.

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 11 Nov 2020 19:51:19 +0000

Great stuff

By: Janet

Janet — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 18:31:41 +0000

In reply to bev young chan.

Hi, Bev,

That was an awesome time, wasn’t it? Do you remember what year that was?

Thanks,
Janet

By: Janet Lawley

Janet Lawley — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 18:30:16 +0000

In reply to Anna k hall.

Hi, Anna,
I saw your comment on Eve’s site. I want to say 1968. I graduated in ‘69 but don’t think it was that year. I know someone else who was there and can find out from her. My memory is not what it used to be. Lol.
Janet

By: Anna k hall

Anna k hall — Thu, 28 Nov 2019 00:52:17 +0000

In reply to Janet Lawley. My best friend is writing her memoir titled, Motown in My Life, and she wanted to know what year we were at the Marco Polo to see Sam and Dave. I can't remember, maybe 1968? 1969? Can anybody help me?

By: Allan Watt

Allan Watt — Sat, 07 Sep 2019 04:40:49 +0000

Wow ! I saw the Platters at the Marco Polo in 1967 and what a show, all their hits. Plus later that year I saw the Fabulous Echoes who were a group from Japan and I eventually even obtained their one hit “Cry I Do” on a 45 RPM. They were incredible ! Started me off collecting records and I ended up with a huge collection. They also played at the Cave a little while after.

By: Dickson G Loo

Dickson G Loo — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 09:39:17 +0000

In reply to Bill Reiter. OMG Bill I’ve never heard you tell these stories

By: Aaron Chapman

Aaron Chapman — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 09:47:40 +0000

In reply to James Rogge W. H. Hourston. I'm working on that right now! Look for "Vancouver After Dark" to be published in the fall of 2019.

By: Aaron Chapman

Aaron Chapman — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 09:46:17 +0000

In reply to Karen. Yeah, I have some things I could send you... August 1968.

By: bev young chan

bev young chan — Wed, 09 May 2018 16:23:49 +0000

In reply to Janet Lawley.

hey janet, we also saw sam & dave at the marco polo! i even managed to get their autograph 🙂
i also remember scrumptious lunches there when i worked for mitsubishi … thanks for the memories <3

By: Bill Reiter

Bill Reiter — Tue, 01 May 2018 21:50:43 +0000

My memories run deep. Bobby Hebb singing “Sunny” offstage and then appearing with a mic sauntering through the crowd to open his set was a show-biz thrill. Interviewing my musical hero Billy Preston for the radio show I hosted and produced – Canada’s first Black Music radio show “Groovin’ Blue” on CKLG-Fm. Being asked on-stage to sing “Stormy Monday Blues” by another hero – Joe Tex – and knowing he was standing at the side watching me sing with his great Texas R&B – Joe Tex band . Afterward he said to the Marco Polo audience, “That young man sounds just like Joe Cocker!” I was crushed. Ah, the performer’s ego . . . I didn’t want to sound like J. Cocker. I wanted to sound like Joe Tex! Being best man at the reception for Terry and Cindy Wong. And my own wedding reception. That’s where I was taught the trick by my father-in-law Henry Sung of pouring Tong Yen Cha (Chinese tea) into a glass and pretending it was Scotch to toast the many attending guests.
Thank you Louie Family. Thank you everyone who worked for them at the legendary Marco Polo.

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 23:54:36 +0000

My friends mothers band was called “Kay Marlow and the right approach” who played in the Big Suppers Club, Isys Club and Marco Polos Club and she opened for Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers in the 1960s I believe 1964-68. We are trying to find a photo or article with her in it. Can anyone please help?

By: Wayne morice

Wayne morice — Fri, 16 Mar 2018 19:03:11 +0000

I first eat there as
A young teen
and later played
there in the mid to late 60s.
Billy Preston was a regular there for about 3
years.

By: Randy

Randy — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 18:09:46 +0000

Just reading that the Marco Polo restaurant started out as a railway station, see link…
“Vancouver, Westminster and Yukon”, then “Vancouver, Victoria and Eastern Railway” (Great Northern Rly)
http://www3.bc.sympatico.ca/wrdixon/mr/vnvroutehist.html

By: James Rogge W. H. Hourston

James Rogge W. H. Hourston — Sat, 02 Dec 2017 20:25:57 +0000

Someone should do a “club” history of Vancouver. Lots of intrique in those Mad Men times. Hornby or horny street alone has many tales to tell before some die off and their memories lost. And a video montage to Petula Clarks Downtown, I Know a Place ect.

By: mdm

mdm — Wed, 09 Aug 2017 15:10:22 +0000

Brilliant of you to draw on one of Tom’s many tales of theatre ephemera, Eve! Great job, Tom!
mdm

By: Faye Leung

Faye Leung — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 11:09:34 +0000

Jim Wong-Chu gave me a Marco Polo DVD he salvaged from the dumpster he wanted me to tell my in-depth knowledge of Marco Polo and that within this DVD of Marco Polo Jim Wong-Chu wanted to know. He would be delighted the pleasure of today’s as you all kindly posted herein of Marco Polo. See little insights I’ve wrote above of good fun time of all the various set-up for Banquets, Night Club, Cantonese Dinners, Buffett for the Caucasians and our ‘perfecto’ renowned Tangos, Quick Waltz, Samba, Rumba, Fox Trot, jive, twist, rock+ roll swirled the lovely dance floor throughout the decades!! Thanks zillions Jim Wong-Chu I’ll treasure your DVD of Marco Polo in happy memories of you & Marco Polo. Thanks zillions to All for the Memories, God Bless All Good Fortune Faye Leung
AND: posted reply in Facebook above & below in appreciations
The memories from the start of Marco Polo & of the Louies till Victor Louie seized control to the end from Chinese Banquets, Night Club joyful great time, to the Buffett for the Caucasians and the dinners too with great photos our many friends together happily greatest great time. Prior to Marco Polo took over the Chinese poem written on the mirror in white paint meaningfully I always remember and repeated enjoyment that were done by previous owner that Victor Louie left within as its “Right Time Walk About/In” the Samba I had with Victor Louie as dear husband Dean & I renowned ‘perfecto’ Tangos, Quick Waltz Rumba ballroom dancers jive to rock+ roll fox trots swirl lovingly dance over 43 years friends remembers admired respectfully good times Marco Polo, Golden Dragon, Roof at Hotel Vancouver etc. Vancouver Great Fun Times! God Bless Good Fortune Faye Leung 7, 28, 17

By: Faye Leung

Faye Leung — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 11:05:48 +0000

Jim Wong-Chu gave me a Marco Polo DVD he salvaged from the dumpster he wanted me to tell my in-depth knowledge of Marco Polo and that within this DVD of Marco Polo Jim Wong-Chu wanted to know. He would be delighted the pleasure of today’s as you all kindly posted herein of Marco Polo. See little insights I’ve wrote above of good fun time of all the various set-up for Banquets, Night Club, Cantonese Dinners, Buffett for the Caucasians and our ‘perfecto’ renowned Tangos, Quick Waltz, Samba, Rumba, Fox Trot, jive, twist, rock+ roll swirled the lovely dance floor throughout the decades!! Thanks zillions Jim Wong-Chu I’ll treasure your DVD of Marco Polo in happy memories of you & Marco Polo. Thanks zillions to All for the Memories, God Bless All Good Fortune Faye Leung 7, 28, 17
AND: posted reply in Facebook above & below in appreciations thanks zillions All.
The memories from the start of Marco Polo & of the Louies till Victor Louie seized control to the end from Chinese Banquets, Night Club joyful great time, to the Buffett for the Caucasians and the dinners too with great photos our many friends together happily greatest great time. Prior to Marco Polo took over the Chinese poem written on the mirror in white paint meaningfully I always remember and repeated enjoyment that were done by previous owner that Victor Louie left within as its “Right Time Walk About/In” the Samba I had with Victor Louie as dear husband Dean & I renowned ‘perfecto’ Tangos, Quick Waltz Rumba ballroom dancers jive to rock+ roll fox trots swirl lovingly dance over 43 years friends remembers admired respectfully good times Marco Polo, Golden Dragon, Roof at Hotel Vancouver etc. Vancouver Great Fun Times! God Bless Good Fortune Faye Leung 7, 28, 17 thanks zillions for the memories!!

By: Todd Wong

Todd Wong — Sat, 29 Jul 2017 08:06:50 +0000

Thank you for sharing Eve and Tom. I visited Marco Polo many times as a child, because my father Bill Wong, was the sign writer who painted many of the show cards, as well as the big orange dragon on the Columbia St side of the restaurant. I remember seeing The Platters, The Mills Brothers, The Fifth Dimension. Dad would bring home stickers that said “Pat Paulsen for President”. One evening when my dad was painting, I remember him asking if the name “Ronstadt” was spelled correctly.