Across the street from my beloved Chateau Marmont on Sunset Boulevard once stood the Garden of Allah Hotel. Consisting of a main house and villas, this lovely complex was torn down to make way for a strip mall. Here in this vintage photo from September 10, 1940 we can see the hotel behind its namesake (whose name had no "h"). From the accompanying publicity blurb:
Conferring on the radio script for "This Lonely Heart" beside the pool at The Garden of Allah in Hollywood, are Arch Oboler, writer-director-producer of Everyman's Theatre and Alla Nazimova, internationally famous star. Oboler's forthcoming dramatic series for Proctor and Gamble will make its debut on the NBC-Red Netowkr October 4 with Nazimova as the first guest star. Gordon Jenkins, whom Oboler has chosen as musical director of the series, will lead a symphony orchestra composed of members of the Los Angeles Symphony in the Tschaikowsky music, which serves as the musical background for "The Lonely Heart."
If you want to see the proposed Frank Gehry ginormous structure that might replace the strip mall, check out Curbed LA. There goes the view, Sunset Boulevard neighbors!
Visit my main website and see more Garden of Allah photos.
Apparently the hotel was demolished by its last owner Lytton Savings & Loan in 1959 and the bank's main branch was built on the site. It's such a shame when we lose historical landmarks to "progress". Especially to something as unremarkable as a bank or strip mall. Your Los Angeles historical posts are always a joy to read. Thanks, Dave.
ReplyDeleteI'm rather flabbergasted at that Frank Gehry structure that is proposed. It is just so out of place!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the link. I loved the model of downtown L.A., things like that always fascinate me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the model of the hotel? I would imagine Audrey Geisel would need to sign off on that before anyone can build it, just like she had to do for the construction of Dr.Seuss land in Orlando's IOA.