Lucius Beebe - Cocktail Book Writer and Train Lover

[HHFizz]

Not sure if this is an appropriate place to post since he’s a writer and not a bar or bartender, but I always think it’s interesting how reading about cocktails can lead down random rabbit holes. I was looking into sources for a train related thing and was looking up books on the Twentieth Century when I found a book written by Lucius Beebe.

I recognized the name as being the author of the Stork Club Bar Book which is what I always thought him as being known for, but apparently the majority of his books were on trains. Super interesting character who had a larger than life personality, lived openly as a gay man, and traveled the country with his partner on a private train car that he owned.

This is a short bio that touches on his writing re: cocktails and New York nightlife.

https://www.diffordsguide.com/encyclopedia/2888/people/lucius-beebe

This is a link to a great video about his railroad interests.

https://coloradorailroadmuseum.org/2023/10/13/the-lives-times-of-lucius-beebe-and-charles-clegg/

And below is a Google Books link to a Life article with great photos of a party he threw on a random short line railroad.

LIFE

[EvanD]

Fascinating, thank you! For those of means, Beebe’s private rail car is still for sale, apparently….

Ozark Mountain Railcar

[Splificator]

For what it’s worth, Beebe was a prolific columnist in the 1930s and 1940s who wrote quite frequently and very knowledgeably about cocktails. As an early cocktail columnist, I’d rank him second only to the great G. Selmer Fougner, of whom he was a great admirer. There’s a reason they got him to do the Stork Club book.

[HHFizz]

Definitely not trying to diminish his other accomplishments. It’s just like finding out Mookie Betts is also a professional bowler. It’s interesting to find out when someone is so well known in two different fields.

[Splificator]

No worries–I just added that to confirm that this is in fact a great place to post this. Thanks!