By Paul GOLDFINGER, MD. Editor, Blogfinger.net. Ocean Grove, N. J.
In 1987 the move “Dirty Dancing” became a hit. It starred Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze. Jerry Orbach played the girl’s father, and the film takes place at a Catskill Mountain “borscht belt” resort. Jennifer plays a nice Jewish girl with a beautiful way about her. Guess what? She falls for the dance instructor.
I loved this movie for a bunch of reasons, but especially because I spent two summers “working” at a resort like that, and the depiction was quite accurate. Those were the best summers ever. My job at the Hotel Nemerson in South Fallsburg, New York, was on the athletic staff by day and the nightclub staff by night.
Here I am (tall guy) with members of the athletic staff in front of the handball court at the Hotel Nemerson, South Fallsburg. c. 1960.
All those “mountain” hotels provided a total experience where no one had to leave the grounds. They all had a professional “dance team” who gave ballroom dancing lessons in their studio by the pool and then performed at night in the club, just like the couple in the movie. Did the staff “mingle” with the guests? –you bet they did! 
Every show up there had 3 acts: a singer, a comedian and a dance team. That is why dancing was such an important component in the movie as was music. There was music all around.
Each hotel had a dance/show band and a Latin band. That’s where I learned to play the claves. (sticks you bang together as part of the rhythm section of a Latin band.)
So here is one of the songs from the soundtrack. Actually it was written in the 1950’s and had been recorded by Buddy Holly and Bo Diddly before Mickey and Sylvia got hold of it for this movie. It has a unique feature: a conversation in the middle of the song.
Here are Mickey and Sylvia with “Love is Strange.”
Hi Len. You were a few years after me. Jack Shore was my boss as well–a wonderful guy. Paul
I too, worked on the athletic staff, mid 60s. On field by day, and night club at night. Jack Shore was the athletic director.
Stacey: I am so pleased to hear from you. I so admired your family. “Pop” Nemerson was infamous there and he had a gruff way of speaking, but he was lovable in his way. But his son in law Abe Marcus ran the show. I remember Marcus’ wife and daughter.
Maurice Scott the bandleader got me the job on the athletic staff.
I wish I could get a summer job again there, but alas……. Paul
WOW! My great great uncle Abe Nemerson was the founder and owner of the Nemerson Hotel! I’m so happy to have found your story! TY for posting!
Frank. In the day, my friends and I from the Hotel Nemerson used to love to wander over to the bungalow colony across the road. After the big shots, the night club, the gold lamé slacks, fat cigars, booze, gourmet food, and pinky rings, we got grounded over there: Wives in curlers, screaming kids running around, men playing cards, radio music, and a bagel with an egg cream.
We stayed for awhile, taking off our ties and kidding around with the folks—then we went back to the shacks we stayed in behind the main building where all the help were housed. It reminded me of a scene from Porgy and Bess. And it was so much fun!!
You are right. I used to live in Randolph right near Mt. Freedom. And yes there were similarities on a much smaller scale. In the early 1970’s that scene was dying out.
The old fashioned Orthodox Mt. Freedom Hebrew Congregation is still active, but the hotels and bungalows are gone. Both our sons had their bar mitzvahs there. They said, “Today I am a man,” but try telling that to a a high school girl.
Thanks for that memory. Paul
They had similar housing/bungalows in Mt. Freedom, NJ back in the day. People would come and stay for the summer to get away from NYC. I don’t think there was any entertainment. Maybe some of your followers would know.
Update : After the Borsch Belt boom went kaput the bungalow colonies were abandoned. Then in the last 20 or so years developers bought them (cheaply),fixed them up and made them into seasonal co-ops. They are fairly cheap ($20,000 to $40,000 & yearly maintenance fee of $1800 to $2400). Lots of New Yorkers and North Jersey folk buy them as a get away.
I myself had one in Spring Glen NY as a Summer getaway from OG when OG got too busy. The bungalows are quite retro looking straight out of Dirty Dancing movie.
The movie captured the spirit of the Catskills in the 50’s and 60’s. I was lucky to be a teenager and then a young adult through out that time. I was a lifeguard and worked the back stage lights for the shows at the hotel. Summer loves each summer with hotel guests, staff and allot of dirty dancing. To quote the song….”I had the time of my life!”