Palooza Pt. 1: The Fox Lot

The 90th Anniversary of Shirley Temple's birthday caused a celebration of epic proportions for the group of people who flock to Southern California annually for what has been dubbed "Shirley Palooza." If it sounds nutty, well...you'll just have to go with it for the next few posts. I was hooked as a young tot the first time I saw her dancing on a milk white piano and have continued to be a fan. As most of my trips to LA do, this one began at the Chateau Marmont. It was my third time to stay in Room 33...and I wasn't going to complain about it. I had one night to get some rest before the action-packed itinerary for Palooza began. Unfortunately, a loud industry party going on in the courtyard did not cooperate with those plans. Still, it's the Chateau. Who cares. It's all good.



The next morning I journeyed to Century City for my first ever tour of the Fox Studios lot where Shirley filmed all her classic movies. I was excited beyond belief, but still had to stop to photograph the St. Timothy Catholic Church down the street from the Studio.



When I have a camera in hand, there are lots of "squirrel" moments.



Back to Fox. Our designated meeting place was the Fox Studios restaurant, which was once called the Café de Paris because it was built on the site of one of the semi-permanent sets, a French restaurant.



Note the rooster detail which still exists from the original Café entrance which is now the Studio Retail Shop:



This art deco styled mural from the interior of the restaurant was unveiled in 1935 and includes a portrait of Shirley.





Before:



After:





Service was good here and so was the food, as the group exchanged stories of their travel to arrive in Hollywood that day.



Portraits of famous Fox stars were strategically placed throughout the building:



One of the rooms has been dubbed the Shirley room, with walls covered in shots of the Child Star herself.



A group shot was necessary; one of the few times Melissa (aka "The Colonel" of the gang) would willingly allow a photo of herself.



Is everyone ready for the lot tour to begin?



Line up in single file and be sure to return tomorrow for more!

See more Fox Studios photos at my main website.