Playboy's House Party

Most Urban Fellows Dream of owning their own handsome haven, like Playboy's Weekend Hideaway featured in last month's issue; bachelor Harold Chaskin actually built such a dream house and this picture story of a housewarming party gives some indication of the fun that is to be had in such surroundings.

It was springtime in Miami when Chaskin, a youthful New Yorker, first arrived on the scene. That was back in 1950; Chaskin had with him one suitcase, containing all his worldly belongings, and his entire financial holdings -- $40 in cash. He also had with him, still, the slightly bitter taste of a couple of jobs he'd tried out in New York's unfriendly chill, after the war, and an enthusiastic conviction that the warm simpatico atmosphere of Miami might prove much more to his liking and might offer him an opportunity to turn his talents and his energy to profitable enterprise. He took a job with a tile contractor, quit within a month and decided to give that business a go on his own. He persuaded a supplier to give him tile on credit and formed the Gem Tile Corporation. They use a lot of tile in the hotels and homes down Florida way and today Chaskin is one of the nation's half dozen largest tile contractors.

When Chaskin first arrived in Miami, and was living out of a small hotel room, his exploration of the area brought him to Palm Island, a man-made islet off one of the causeways which link Miami Beach and the City of Miami, and he fell in love with it, vowing that someday he would build himself a luxurious house there.

Two years ago the prospering Chaskin bought his self-promised land on Palm Island and went about making his dream a magnificent reality. Situated at the water's edge on Biscayne Bay, in a breeze-swept setting of swaying palms, Chaskin's house is more like a spacious bachelor apartment than like the usual Florida family house. It actually has many features in common with Playboy's Weekend Hideaway, a kind of tribute which Chaskin, a member of the Lifetime Playboy Club, appreciates, especially since he designed and decorated his haven virtually unaided.

Harold Chaskin not only knows how to design a dream house, he also knows how to warm it. For his housewarming party, he invited five beautiful Miami misses and, being a considerate fellow and consummate host, he invited a few male friends to join the jollification later in the day. The girls -- a lovely, lively, carefree fivesome who were eagerly looking forward to this fun occasion -- arrived early. There was Dottie Sykes, an ash-blonde sophisticate and business girl who runs her own blueprint firm; there was baby-faced Bonnie Harrington who is, coincidentally enough, receptionist for a baby doctor. There was raven-haired Fran Stacy, who looks like a young Gina Lollabrigida and works in a hotel gift shop and as a part-time photographer's model; Mary Jane Ralston, a fresh-faced, titian-tressed office girl on vacation from Grand Rapids, Michigan; and chestnut-haired Cindy Fuller, featured in this issue as Playmate of the Month.

Chaskin wasn't home when the girls got there, but his houseboy welcomed them and gave them each a drink to set the spirit of the fun to come. And when their host arrived soon after, he took the five on a tour of the manor. The heart of the house is a magnificent indoor pool (24' x 48') with a powered roof that rolls back at the touch of a button to admit the sun or moonlight. The large adjoining living room is separated from the pool by a wall of sliding glass panels which can be opened to make the two areas into one huge, indoor play place. Chaskin led the girls upstairs to the master suite done in Greco-Roman style with pure-white, extra thick and soft rugs (no shoes allowed up here). The master bedroom juts out over the pool and the floor-to-ceiling drapes that cover the glass walls can be opened or closed automatically from the bed. The adjoining bath (15' x 15') has an enormous sunken tub and private solarium.

Chaskin introduced the girls to his three pet chimps, Seymour, Josephine and the baby, Candy, who live in a cage at the edge of the pool, then let them play with them on the back terrace that leads down from the house to the bay. Everyone enjoyed the chimps' antics as they scooted up a palm tree and played tag across the roof. At this point a neighbor, Scotty, arrived and suggested they take the speedboat out for a turn around the bay. Harold agreed and he, scot, Fran and Mary Jane clambered aboard, with little Candy completing the crew as navigator.

While the others were boating, Bonnie, Cindy and Dottie went up to the private solarium to sunbathe. By the time the boaters returned, they were drawing water in the huge sunken tub and for a lark, all five girls decided to bathe together in the manner of ancient Rome, which befitted the room's decor. If there's anything more fun than a barrel of monkeys, it's five girls in a giant tub, splashing up suds and having a ball.

While the girls were taking their time getting dressed, their dates arrived and had time for a drink and a few male jokes. Then the girls joined them and all strolled casually the block-and-a-half to the Latin Quarter, the world-famous club (featured in Playboy, October (1957), which stands among the mansions on Palm Island. (Its close proximity makes Harold's house a popular hangout for many of the Latin Quarter's lovely showgirls.) The gang drank and enjoyed the show, then returned to the house for dinner. Juicy steaks were put to the charcoal and Scotty set about demonstrating his expertise with a tossed salad; Harold put some appropriate mood music on the stereo rig and mixed drinks all around.

Cindy loves to swim, but hadn't thought to bring a suit. The men tried to convince her that one wasn't really necessary. "As a matter of fact, I don't usually allow swimmers to wear suits in this pool," Harold said, smiling. "Very delicate system and the lint clogs the drains." Scotty pointed out that it wasn't possible to see below the surface of the dark water and so, after coaxing Fran into joining her, Cindy decided to go in. Once the girls were in the water, however, Harold had a surprise for them. He led his other guests down a stairway beside the pool to a hidden bar where, through two big windows, they were able to look directly into the water from beneath the surface, and see quite clearly the two undraped mermaids. When Cindy and Fran discovered the trick, they took it as good fun, and enjoyed it as much as the others. Well, almost as much.

As the evening wore on, the couples became more romantic. Harold turned on his remarkable dancing fountain in the center of the pool, which literally leaped and twirled in time to the music of the hi-fi, playing beneath colored lights that changed with each new chord. A soft wind blew in through the open roof and the couples moved close together in the semi-darkness. It was a special ending for a special party -- the first of many to come -- in a house that is a bachelor's dream come true.

Eager for housewarming fun, Mary Jane, Dottie and Fran are first to arrive on the scene.

Below: joined by Cindy, they're served a welcoming drink by houseboy.

Miami bachelor Harold Chaskin greets his lovely guests with a barefoot Bonnie in tow, suggests they all enjoy a little sun behind the house.

Out on the lawn, which is cooled by the breeze from Biscayne Bay, the guests frolic with their host's pet chimpanzees. Above left: Mary Jane and Fran mug it up with the chummy chimps. Harold likes unusual pets, keeps three of the small apes in a cage in the house, also has several small sharks in a tank beside his pool.

Above right: Bonnie and Cindy are much amused as Scotty, a neighbor, gets down on all fours to chase one of the chimps around their chaise.

Off for a spin around the bay in Chaskin's runabout, the Ungawa Massaba, he and Mary Jane--with Scotty, Fran and baby chimp Candy back-seat driving--have left the others at home, where they plan to relax in the sun and share girl-talk. All of the chimps enjoy riding in the boat, but the bigger two sometimes become too excited and rough up the other passengers; baby Candy is better behaved and has been made an honorary commodore of a Miami yacht club.

Off for a spin around the bay in Chaskin's runabout, the Ungawa Massaba, he and Mary Jane--with Scotty, Fran and baby chimp Candy back-seat driving--have left the others at home, where they plan to relax in the sun and share girl-talk. All of the chimps enjoy riding in the boat, but the bigger two sometimes become too excited and rough up the other passengers; baby Candy is better behaved and has been made an honorary commodore of a Miami yacht club.

The house has a private solarium for those who like to keep their allover tans golden, as Cindy and Bonnie are doing at left. They find the tiles of tile-man Chaskin cooler than the sands of any beach, and know a freshening bath is just a step away through the sliding glass panels. Above: Bonnie, Cindy and Dottie sunbathe and chat about the evening festivities to come, enjoying the lazy ease of the sunny afternoon, the intimate seclusion of the walled and roofless room.

Dottie was the first to abandon the languorous solarium siesta in favor of a bubble bath in the huge sunken tub. But while it was filling, the speedboating contingent returned and then all five girls decided to share a frolic in the foamy suds.

Dottie was the first to abandon the languorous solarium siesta in favor of a bubble bath in the huge sunken tub. But while it was filling, the speedboating contingent returned and then all five girls decided to share a frolic in the foamy suds.

Above: the girls take their time getting dressed, dawdling while they chatter and laugh about nothing in particular, as girls will. Dottie's being informed on the house phone that their escorts are waiting, but Bonnie must interrupt to tell a funny story for the amusement of the others.

Above: toweling off after their bubble-bath dunk, Cindy, Fran and Mary Jane look as though they might have been the models for the Greco-Roman mosaics with which the sumptuous bathroom's walls are decorated. Chaskin's dream house is a show place for the tile he sells to contemporary Floridians, and the mosaic is supposed to be historically authentic.

Below: ready at last, the girls come down the stairs to their waiting dates who have planned on an early show at the nearby Latin Quarter and then returning to the house for steaks and romantic music.

Above left: relaxing in the living room with a spot of Sinatra in stereo and cocktails all around; then (top of page) three of the girls obligingly stooge as Scotty demonstrates his skill at whipping up a salad while the steaks are broiling on the charcoal brazier;

Cindy gazes at the indoor pool and wishes she'd thought to bring a swim suit. Meanwhile (above) Dottie and date do the turntable scene supplying suitable music while the dinner is being prepared.

Below: after delicious dining beside the pool, buffet style, the lights are turned low and some couples, like Scotty and Cindy, dance romantically, while others share a brandy tête-à-tête. Scot teases about the swimming and tells Cindy if she really wants to go in, she doesn't need a suit, because the water is dark enough to hide her.

Meanwhile (above) Chaskin leads the others down a stair well beside the pool, promising a surprise.

Below: Cindy has persuaded Fran that, suits or no, the pool's too inviting to resist and that, once in, they'll be protected from view by the water.

Below: guests find themselves in sub-level bar with windows looking into the pool

Chaskin turns on underwater lights revealing swimmers (right); but girls take this bit of trickery in good spirits.

Below: the evening ends lazily beside the pool, with couples relaxing informally in the comfort of the dimly-lit room, enchanted by the dancing waters of the fountain and wishing the night with all its pleasures hadn't gone by so quickly. It has been a fun-filled time for all, one that is sure to be long remembered.