One can hardly have a web site about Bruce Springsteen
without mentioning Madam Marie, the psychic fortune
teller who's booth occupied a space on the Asbury Park
boardwalk for decades.
It has been written she opened for business in 1932.
One conjurs up a picture of dark haired, Hungarian gypsy
woman, in purples and blacks with celestial trimmings.
The fact is she has been described as a blonde, looking
a bit like Vermonica Lake, and costumed herself in a
white Egyptian-type tunic trimmed in gold.
Her booth was small as evidenced in the photos depicted
here. Inside has been described as having a ceiling
painted in dark blue with glowing stars and moon. The
walls were a lighter blue with scounces holding black
candles. One table and 4 chairs occupied the booth,
and a tiny closet that held secret potions, tarot cards
and a crystal ball.
Bruce mentions Madam Marie on his album "Greetings From
Asbury Park, in the song "Sandy". He refers to her again
in his gospel style introduction of The E Street Band as
"the gypsy woman who told him he needed a band."
Bruce's parents decided to move to California when he was
16. Bruce stayed behind and took up residence in Asbury
Park. One of the places he hung out was Madam Marie's.
It has been written that Bruce and Madam Marie had a
little thing going. He would bring her food in exchange
for her convincing the pretty beach girls that they would
fall in love with him. True story or not, it makes for
cute telling as one pictures this young lad beaming at all
the attention the gals were giving him.
As Asbury Park started to dwindle and decline Madam Marie
and her daughters moved to Ocean Township to practice her
trade. Asbury Park is slowly getting a face lift and hopes
to come back alive like the "good ole days".
Bruce went back to Asbury Park to promote his lastest
release, "The Rising". Madam Marie, age 90, came out of
retirement to attend this exciting event. Today her
granddaughters run the booth on the boardwalk keeping
nostalgia alive in Asbury Park. -Lorrie
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Brucefan Visits Asbury Park and took this front view of Madam Marie's Booth on the boardwalk. In bad need of paint and repair, the booth still stands in memory of days gone by. İBrucefan (Greg Goldsmith) |
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The side view that seems to be the most popular side the photographers use to exhibit this booth. İBrucefan (Greg Goldsmith) |
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This is one angle of the back. A good artist needs to repaint and preserve this small bldg- yet a big memory- of the days when Asbury Park was a busy shoreside resort. İBrucefan (Greg Goldsmith) |
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This is again a rear view at a different angle. These photos were taken May 3, 2003. İBrucefan (Greg Goldsmith) |
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July 4, 2004, Madam Marie comes out of retirement to give readings once again at Asbury Park. She will be giving readings all through the summer for 2 hours on each Saturday and Sunday afternoons. |
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Madam Marie's booth has a new coat of paint. She has been giving readings from this booth for over 65 years. |
*Update
Madam Marie Castello passed away on June 27th, 2008.
She was a fortune teller and psychic reader on the
boardwalk of Asbury Park. Born May 25 1915 in America,
she claimed to be a gypsy. Bruce paid tribute to her in
a couple of his songs. Judy Garland is just one of many
celebrities that visited her booth.
