Bonus Episode 3—When Sally Stanford Kicked Humphrey Bogart Out Of Her Flagship Pleasure Palace At 1144 Pine Street In 1941

This bonus episode of "The Secret History of Frisco" podcast delves into the scandalous lives intertwined with San Francisco's notorious madam, Sally Stanford. Born Mabel Busby in 1903, Stanford's early life of poverty and a wrongful imprisonment for cashing stolen checks fueled her determination to achieve financial independence. By 21, she opened her first brothel in San Francisco's Tenderloin, adopting the name Sally Stanford and quickly expanding her empire to multiple locations across the city. Her autobiography, "The Lady of the House," paints a vivid picture of a "live-and-let-live" San Francisco, where her establishments thrived.The podcast highlights her flagship brothel at 1144 Pine Street, a "fortress" she acquired in 1941, designed by Stanford White. This lavish establishment, frequented by the city's elite and wartime contractors, became a hub of clandestine activity, with rumors suggesting even the early details of the United Nations were hammered out in her living room.The episode then introduces two legendary Hollywood figures and their connections to Stanford. Humphrey Bogart, despite his public image as a "tough and rugged good guy," is revealed by Stanford as a "foul-mouthed, pugnacious drunk" who was eventually "eighty-sixed" from her establishment due to his boorish behavior towards her girls. This account significantly diminishes his heroic luster in the host's eyes.In contrast, Errol Flynn—a "swashbuckling scalawag"—was a beloved figure at Sally's. After decking a Marine at Finnochio's, a famous North Beach nightclub known for its female impersonators, Flynn sought refuge at Stanford's Pine Street house for two weeks in late 1945. Stanford recounts his charm and the fact that he "tested all of the talent, including both shifts, twice," going through the place "like a dose of salts." Despite his personal struggles and "screwy beliefs," Flynn's uninhibited nature and courage captivated Stanford and her girls.The episode concludes by bidding adieu to Bogart and Flynn, promising more tales of the formidable Sally Stanford in future installments of "The Secret History of Frisco."