Opened in 1921 and demolished in 2005, the legendary Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles was also home to the Cocoanut Grove nightclub.
In a detailed view of this 1954 image, you can see the marquee advertising Toni Arden and Ving Merlin.
A genuine Faux-D© view of the entrance:
not sure where this is; perhaps near the pool area?
Sure would be great to take a dip here again:
A courtyard fountain:
A shot of the Cocoanut Grove:
with a detailed view of the stage:
Many things contributed to the demise of this grand hotel, most notably the assassination of Presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy in the pantry area of the hotel's main kitchen. Ending up in a legal battle, the hotel began to crumble, picked apart for souvenirs, and occasionally used in a Hollywood film, such as "Pretty Woman," L.A. Story," and "Forrest Gump." Promises of preservation for the Grove fell through when Los Angeles Unified School District claimed there was poor structural integrity and ended up leveling it as well.
See more Daveland vintage & current Hollywood photos at my main website.
ReplyDeleteLove the corner entry sign for the Ambassador Hotel. The name "Cocoanut Grove" seems to have been commonly used for clubs back in the early twentieth century. We still have the "Cocoanut Grove" ballroom at the Santa Cruz Beach Beach Boardwalk. although it's no where near as glamorous as it once was.
It broke my heart when they demolished this place! I wanted to visit it so badly!
ReplyDeleteAnd also on the film front, my favorite film, "That Thing You Do!" also had scenes filmed there!
-Janey