Irvine Auditorium

Irvine Auditorium is located on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia at the corner of 34th and Spruce Streets.  Construction was completed in 1932.  

I was there one memorable weekend evening in November 1963 for a concert with two performers.  The first was a Black stand-up comedian, Godfrey Cambridge.  The second, a Black vocalist, Dionne Warwick.  Were the choices a little unusual since the audience, 1,260 Penn students, was almost 100% white?  It was 57 years ago, but I remember.

Godfrey Cambridge at the time was thirty years old.  Two years later, Time Magazine described him as "one of the country's foremost celebrated Negro comedians."  Godfrey was indeed funny that night.

 Godfrey was born in New York City to parents who had emigrated from what is now known as Guyana.  After graduating from high school, he attended medical school for three years before deciding to become an actor.  In 1962, Godfrey received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the play, Purlie Victorious.

"In addition to acting, Cambridge had major success as a stand-up comedian.  By 1965, he was earning as much as $4,000 a week...in all respects a headliner, working the best places.  His routines were imbued with biting sarcasm and topical humor.  

Sadly, Godfrey died of a heart attack at age 43 while filming a TV movie in which he was portraying the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.

Dionne Warwick was not yet twenty-three years old that night in 1963, but seemed so mature, appearing before a large audience.  She had been discovered the previous year by the composer, Burt Bacharach, and the lyricist, Hal David.  

Dionne's first single, "Don't Make Me Over," was released in November 1962 and rose to number 21 on the Pop Chart.  I'm sure she sang it that night at Irvine Auditorium.  I've been a fan of Dionne's ever since.  

Dionne went on to become a big star.  Some of her other top songs over her long career are That's What Friends Are For, I Say a Little Prayer, Do You Know The Way To San Jose, I'll Never Love This Way Again, Walk On By, Alfie and How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye.

Dionne Warwick celebrated her eightieth birthday eight days ago on December 12th.