The New York History of Nightlife Security

 

In the late 1800’s bouncers were hired to patrol the roughest part of Coney Island in New York City called “The Gut.” It was filled with ram-shackled wooden houses, bars, cabarets, run-down hotels and brothels. These bouncers patrolled the streets and ejected anybody breaking the “loose” rules including pick-pocketing, thieving or violence.

There was always a bouncer present in every bar, dance hall or brothel. Usually he was a muscular man who stayed sober and could control the crowd in violent situations. The bouncer would eject anyone that would get rough with the girls or did not want to pay his bill. The term bouncer presents an image of a brawler who would break up fights inside the establishment and forcibly eject obnoxious patrons. Bouncers are often portrayed in movies as tough, “thug-life” scrappers who love to fight. An example of this image can be seen in the movie “Road House.” Many nightclubs foster that image by hiring over-sized ex jocks, wrestlers or martial artists to handle drunk or out of control patrons.