The Card Room and Lounge

At the south end of the second floor is the Card Room and adjacent Members Lounge. The poker table in the Card Room is often mentioned in association with founding member Mark Twain, who purportedly played cards regularly in the clubhouse with his friend and fellow Player Nikola Tesla. While the provenance of the table is not clear, it has unquestionably hosted countless spirited games over the generations and remains in regular use. Adjacent to the table are a number of works by Eric Pape, including character drawings of actors Basil Rathbone, Helen Hayes, William Danforth, and Etienne Girardot. Portraits of James Cagney and Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., and a photograph of three Cyranos—Walter Hampden, José Ferrer and Jimmy Durante—surround the play area. In the Lounge, members often relax with a book or sink into a comfortable sofa for a chat with friends. This space is also regularly used for small group talks, or gatherings such as the member-led Book Club. Portraits in the lounge include actors Edmon S. Connor and John Gilbert, both by American impressionist J. Alden Weir, and a character portrait of William Florence as Sir Lucius O'Trigger by James Carroll Beckwith.