One day after the Feb. 19 death of Richard Belzer, the long-time MC at Rick Newman’s Catch A Rising Star comedy club on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, The New York Times reported the death of Rick Newman himself, who in 1972 had opened the trendy club where Billy Crystal, Robin Williams, Freddie Prinze, Jay Leno and countless other comedians did some of their earliest work.

“On any given night, you might catch singers, comics, musicians, jugglers or animal acts ranging from near professional to downright awful,” The Daily News wrote in 1973, four months after Catch opened. “Hope springs so eternal, an 83-year-old hoofer recently took a turn.” The newspaper noted that a sign above the stage read, “All entertainers must leave the stage instantly if any objects are thrown.”

Agents frequented the club, looking for promising talent. Although it was best known for comedy, Pat Benatar turned up at an open mic night in 1975, when she was working as a cabaret singer.