Cape entertainer Philo Rockwell King Jr. dies at 92

Cape entertainer Philo Rockwell King Jr. dies at 92

By Madeleine List

Posted Mar. 6, 2016 at 8:01 PM

Vulgar words were beneath Philo Rockwell “Rock” King Jr., but the entertainer wasn't above a little subtle, racy humor.

“He didn’t need foul language to make the jokes funny, they were funny on their own,” said Greg Stone, former owner of the Sand Bar in West Dennis where King performed for decades.

King, who died after an illness on Feb. 26 at the age of 92, was remembered by fans and friends Sunday as a talented entertainer and a staple of Cape Cod nightlife. He performed his “off-color” comedy and old-fashioned music routine at the Sand Bar for 54 summer seasons.

King performed two sets a night, six nights a week at the Sand Bar, where people waited in lines that stretched out the door to see him, said Stone, who now owns the Lighthouse Inn in West Dennis.

"He was an instant hit on Cape Cod," he said."He was the Sand Bar."

King lived in Auburn and West Dennis, where he had a house just down the street from the Sand Bar, Stone said. He used to ride his bike, equipped with a basket and a flashlight, to work every night, Stone said. During the winter months, he performed at a restaurant he co-owned called Sister Kate’s in Stowe, Vermont, he said.

His act included a mix of witty comedy and often original music. In between jokes, King played boogie-woogie songs and show tunes from the 1930s and '40s on his piano.
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Philo "Rock" King

WEST DENNIS - Philo “Rock” King, of West Dennis and Auburn, Mass., passed away at home on Feb. 26, 2016, after a short illness with his loving wife at his bedside.

Born in St. Louis, Mo., he attended Phillips Academy In Andover, Mass., and later graduated from Princeton University. He served in the army and was stationed in Germany during World War II.

He was a widower, married to the former Virginia Hildreth, who passed in 1980. He later married Patricia Deignan Klein, his wife of 30 years.

Rock was a talented entertainer and composer. He performed his songs, music, and comedy at the Sand Bar in West Dennis for 54 years. He was co-owner of the former Sister Kate’s restaurant in Stowe, Vt., where he entertained during the winter seasons. Rock had many a loyal fan base calling on him for private parties and engagements all over the U.S. He played for the former U.S. President Gerald Ford in Vail, Colo., inspiring one of his many humorous show lines.
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RIP Boogie Woogie Funny Man