Ice Cream Parlor Games

On Sunday, “06880” reported on the return of an ice cream parlor to Westport. The post was illustrated with a snippet of a menu from the old, much-loved Ice Cream Parlor downtown.

Two days later, I added Tracy Sugarman’s 1950s drawing of teenagers inside the popular hangout.

Now — thanks to Kathie Bennewitz — I’ve got an entire front cover of the menu.

But not just any menu. Kathie — the town’s art curator — says this one was signed by dozens of actors.They performed at the Westport Country Playhouse. After shows, they crossed the Post Road for a treat.

Among the names: Elizabeth Taylor. Mike Todd.  Claude Raines. Sid Caesar. Eli Wallach. Kirk Douglas. David Wayne. Dorothy Gish. Gene Tierney. Bert Lahr. Doris Day.

Imagine the stories they could dish.

(The menu is now part of the Westport Historical Society archives.)