Back at the Ambassador

This vintage shot of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles is from 1938.



Jay Whidden & His Orchestra are on the marquee. On the r2ok! website, I found these references to the Cocoanut Grove:

In May 1934 he made his first appearance at Sweets Ballroom in Oakland, as Jay Whidden and his Mark Hopkins Hotel Orchestra and then moved on throughout California.…He also managed to fit in a number of appearances at the famous Ambassador Hotel’s Cocoanut Grove Ballroom in Los Angeles.…Jay [made] his first appearance in the new year on January 29, 1938 at the Cocoanut Grove for the Annual President’s Birthday Ball which featured Shirley Temple, Tyrone Power, and Henry Fonda. In the spring of 1938 Jay was back in Hollywood appearing with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy in the MGM musical, “Sweethearts,”as usual unbilled.

Want to hear what the band sounded like? I found this clip on Youtube:



While I regret the loss of the architecturally interesting Garden of Allah Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, I can’t say I mourn the loss of the Ambassador. The boxy structure with the tower at the top resembles a prison facility. I am sure the inside was a different story, with the exotic Cocoanut Grove nightclub. THAT is a tragic loss.



At first, I wasn’t sure that this vintage photo of a pool was truly L.A.’s Ambassador Hotel. Sure enough, the Lido Club belonged to the same property! This façade piqued my interest, and even included a sandy beach area for those too lazy to drive to the coast.



I zoomed in to see what was written on the top of the building. Feminine Conditioning? Sounds like a mind control program; I assume it was some special kind of gymnasium for women.



See more Ambassador Hotel photos at my main website.

Remnants of the Ambassador

On my recent trip up to Los Angeles, I wanted to get some then and now comparison shots of the Ambassador Hotel. Designed by architect Myron Hunt and located on 24 acres just off Wilshire Boulevard, it opened at midnight on January 1, 1921. That must have been one heck of a New Year’s Eve party! Preservation efforts failed, and the hotel began demolition in 2006 to be replaced with the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, a K-8 facility. There are still remnants of the original complex that remain, such as the entrance pillar and fountain, minus the lettering and the water. While it’s nice that these art deco items remain, it’s somewhat sad that they appear to be in a state of disrepair and the area has become an encampment for the homeless.



How the statue/fountain looked in the 1950’s:



And how it looks now:



In writing this article, I learned that the statue I saw is not even the original one. From calisphere:

An unknown sculptor created the bronze statue in the fountain, which might have been originally named "Gloria." This statue was lost and artist Bobbie Carlyle recreated a replacement version for LAUSD (now titled "Seaswept"), lightly clothed as a concession to the new use by the school district.

It was wonderful to see this Art Deco bas relief up close, although its context has now been removed. Again, from calisphere:

The bas-relief shows four human figures: a man wearing a turban and holding a box; a woman sitting on a low settee with her arm resting on a telephone; a man standing next to her holding a goblet; and a chef holding a tray and long napkin.



Ah, Futura Black - one of my favorite Art Deco fonts.





Circa 1954:



October 2005, which was the last time I saw the original structure semi-standing:



What it was replaced with, which has a slightly similar look to the Ambassador:



What was retained? Not much. From the Los Angeles Conservancy website:

The porte cochere and one wall of the Cocoanut Grove were retained; the rest is replicated. The campus interprets the site’s history but does not preserve it. We were very mindful of the need to provide a school as soon as possible, which was one of the reasons we chose not to pursue further litigation when it became clear we wouldn’t prevail. Nor was the approved plan part of a compromise between LAUSD and preservationists. We didn’t compromise on the Ambassador Hotel; we lost. Whatever “preservation measures” LAUSD undertook were entirely self-imposed and did not amount to actual preservation.

Yikes. At the front of the complex facing Wilshire is a memorial to Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated at the Ambassador in June 1968, a sad event that signaled the demise of the once great hotel.



The school came under fire when it opened for being the costliest (approximately $578 million) at a time when nearly 3,000 teachers had been laid off in just two years. Adding to the controversy, a mural depicting actress Ava Gardner (a nod to the hotel’s Cocoanut Grove nightclub) was unveiled in 2016;

Edited from the rafu.com website, a Japanese American newspaper:

In 2018, the sun-ray motif became an issue as some Korean Americans said it was reminiscent of the Imperial Japan battle flag, a reminder of Japan’s decades-long occupation of the Korean Peninsula. The Los Angeles Unified School District initially agreed to the Wilshire Community Coalition’s demand that the mural be removed, then backtracked. [Artist Beau] Stanton pointed out that the orange-red and blue rays are a different color and thickness from the Japanese flag, and are a common motif in his works and those of other artists. Artist Shepard Fairey threatened to have his mural of Robert F. Kennedy, who was assassinated at the Ambassador Hotel, removed in solidarity. Gyopo, a group of Korean American artists and community members, said in a letter to LAUSD that those who think the mural isn’t offensive do not understand the pain and trauma that such imagery elicits for victims of wartime Japanese aggression. While acknowledging that Stanton did not mean to offend anyone, Gyopo said it was troubled by “the lack of community involvement in the mural’s selection process, the mural’s imagery itself and its memorialization of a whites-only club, and the ways in which the media has directed these narratives.” In 2019, Stanton said in a statement, “Over the past several months I have had the opportunity to meet with a diverse cross-section of stakeholders regarding my mural at the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools, including students, faculty, fellow artists, and members of the Koreatown community. “These interactions have allowed me to synthesize a solution that aims to rise above the original binary conversation of ‘keep or remove the mural’ in order to build upon the original work and create something that speaks to the past, present, and future of the RFK campus. “My proposal involves creating a transformative work utilizing the original mural as a base for layering and weaving additional imagery into the original image much like an urban wall with many historic layers. Parts of the original will remain visible while focusing on themes related to the important conversation that the original work had initiated.  The new mural retains some of the original design, with the addition of images that celebrate Koreatown’s diverse immigrant community. Also, the stripes have been shortened so that they don’t touch the mural’s borders. “A lot of students had decorated their caps and sashes with colors and flag designs that were specific to where their family members had immigrated from – Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador,” said Stanton, who incorporated those countries’ flowers into a crown on Gardner’s head. To pay tribute to Koreatown’s history, he included a Korean hotel worker and a man working in a Central L.A. citrus grove.

The original mural on the left and the revised one on the right. My eyes hurt it’s so busy.



See more Ambassador Hotel photos at my main website.

The Ambassador Hotel Lives On!

Two recent acquisitions show the fabled (and now defunct) Ambassador Hotel, once located on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles. An American Airlines plane has touched down on the front lawn in the first photo.

In this color 1960’s image, John Gray is performing at the hotel’s famous Cocoanut Grove nightclub, with “extra added attraction” Peter Duchin Orchestra. Reminds me of a story from the old days of radio that my dad told me about. The script for the announcer listed the “George Cates orch.” The announcer apparently was ignorant to the fact that “orch” was short for “orchestra” and announced “George Catesorch.” Cates was known as the sometimes conductor of the Lawrence Welk orchestra. That was a long digression…

Even though the hotel closed in 1989, it was still very much alive in 1994, thanks to movie magic. Hollywood often used the building as a film location, including Jim Carrey’s entrance to the Coco Bongo club in “The Mask”:

Yup. That’s the Ambassador.

Three years earlier in Steve Martin’s “L.A. Story,” the Ambassdor was used for a variety of scenes, including the entrance to L’Idiot, the snobby restaurant where Patrick Stewart was the Maitre D’ and Chevy Chase was the abused patron.

More on both of these recently rediscovered (to me) movies in future posts.

See more Los Angeles Ambassador Hotel photos at my main website.

Judy at the Grove

For Judy Garland's big comeback film, "A Star is Born," the Cocoanut Grove served as the location for the scene where Judy's character wins an Oscar. This wasn't much of a creative stretch since the Grove had actually hosted the Oscars in 1930 and 1940. Apparently what you see in the movie is a soundstage recreation of the actual club. They did a damn good job!



Here's a closeup of Vicki Lester (Judy) standing up to the thunderous applause as she is about to take her walk to the stage to receive her statuette. Standing next to Judy is actor Charles Bickford. Front right of this detailed view is an actress whose name escapes me. She made a living playing extras; rarely any dialogue, but her face is recognizable from a number of Three Stooges comedies. I am sure one of my readers can fill in the blanks.



After Judy gets her Oscar, drunken husband Norman Maine (James Mason) interrupts her happy moment and accidentally backhands her as he asks for a job from his peers in the audience.



Here's a 1950s image of the Ambassador Hotel, where the Cocoanut Grove Club was located.



A nighttime shot of the statue in front. Love the colors on this one!



See more Judy at my main website.

June 1959 Trip to California, Pt. 2

Let's journey into the hills of Hollywood where Griffith Observatory looms over Tinseltown. The detailed view shows a billboard for the Planetarium Theater that guests can enjoy inside the Observatory.



The Observatory exterior still looks very much as it did in this June 1959 photo.



Our intrepid travelers posed for a photo in front of the legendary Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.



Looks like Nat King Cole was playing at the Cocoanut Grove Nightclub inside the Ambassador Hotel:



Last one today is of the Farmer's Market off Fairfax which is still a great place to get something to eat:



On Monday, our group will head over to Disneyland!

More vintage Hollywood at my main website.

Welcome to the Ambassador!

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.

Gilda Goes To Disneyland

I'll let the breathless caption of this vintage July 1955 publicity still do the talking:

RITA IN WONDERLAND
Like a child at the circus, actress Rita Hayworth dashes around the exhibits at the fabulous new Disneyland, in California. She gives an urging glance over her shoulder at husband Dick Haymes and daughter Yasmin, who seem to have trouble keeping up. Yasmin is Rita's daughter by ex-husband Prince Aly Khan. Singer Haymes recently won his lengthy battle against deportation with the U.S. Government.

Actress and legendary screen goddess Rita Hayworth was married to Haymes for only two years (1953-1955). The two met while he was still married to Nora Eddington, ex-wife of Errol Flynn. Not only was his career on the skids, but he was deeply in debt, thanks to having to pay alimony and child support to two previous ex-wives. Things seemed to be improving when he met Hayworth, as the publicity of the couple appeared to help his career (not to mention the fact that she paid off most of his debts). As if that wasn't bad enough, Haymes was in trouble with the U.S. Government. He was born in Argentina and lacked solid proof of American citizenship. With deportation imminent, he attempted to get Hayworth to use her influence (I wonder if she did "Put the Blame on Mame" for J. Edgar Hoover?). When she assumed responsibility for his citizenship, a bond was formed that led to marriage. The two were married on September 24, 1953 at the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, the bloom of new love wore off quickly.

Doing a little research on the web, I found this interesting (and colorful) tidbit on the website BoxRec

In the early 50's my dad was flush doing his odds and ends (I'll call it that) for the Outfit in Chicago. Disneyland on the coast was going to open up and us kids wanted to be there for that one. So my dad sent my mother and sisters and my "nana" on the Super Chief out to the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.

It was the first time I'd seen palm trees, but was dissapointed when they told me no coconuts grew on them. But us kids weren't into seeing the local vegetation as much as going to Disneyland and seeing some movie stars.

Well Disneyland for me was a two edged sword. I was in wonderment the whole time seeing the different "lands" and going on the rides like the Safari Trip. But after I got off the Mad Hatter Teacup Ride all I wanted to do is kick Walt Disney in the balls. I never was so sick in my life.

We were out in California for two weeks. We went to one of the missions, the Farmers Market, and I remember eating at the Brown Derby. Leave it to my grandmother, Diamond Joe's wife, she orders spaghetti. The waiter says they don't have spaghetti, so my grandmother tells him the place ain't a real restaurant because they don't have spaghetti. She makes a fuss and finally I think someone went out and bought a can of Chef Boy R Dee and served it to her. She saw the ruse and said to the waiter the joint has no class and they wouldn't have any of this in Chicago.

I really liked the time at the Ambassador Hotel though. The swimming pool reminded me of a small lake and for lunch we ate at the Coconut Grove. They had palm trees on the tables with coconuts, but the coconuts were phony.

But I did see a few movie stars. I saw Rita Hayworth because her husband at the time, Dick Haymes, was singing there. I guess they had a big brouhaha in the lounge and afterwards I heard they got a divorce.

Shortly after the trip to Disneyland, this bit appeared in the papers:

HOLLYWOOD, Aug. 29.—Crooner Dick Haymes announced today that he and Screen Star Rita Hayworth "have separated" after nearly two years of marriage. The trouble- beset singer, who recently won final victory from the U. S. Government against his deportation to his native Argentina, declared through a representative: "I am very unhappy about it. I can't even tell you what caused it. All I know is that Rita was not home last night. "She took the children and I don't know where she is at this moment. "I am so distraught I can hardly even talk but I love her and I know we will get back together." Intimates of the couple said that Rita and Dick had a "violent argument" late yesterday, climaxed by their parting. Friends said that Rita remained in the couple's Malibu Beach home while Dick had moved to the Ambassador Hotel, where last Tuesday he had opened a three-week singing engagement. Dick left his clothes at the hotel and then disappeared. A servant at the Malibu home said 'that Rita refused to come to the telephone.' She appeared at Haymes' Hollywood nightclub engagement at The Grove, again at ringside. Dick sang all his love songs to her. Rita was conspicuously absent on other nights during the first week of her mate's local engagement. She explained that she had a cold, but during the week she showed up at Disneyland with her two children, Rebecca (born of her marriage to actor Orson Wells) and Yasmin (born to her spectacular marriage to Moslem Prince Aly Khan). The breakup came as a complete surprise to Hollywood. The two had planned to make films together later in the year. Dick returned to the night club circuit as a singer after he settled his alimony suits with Ex-Wives Nora Eddington Flynn and Actress Joanne Dru and won his final victory against deportation last May.

According to stories, Haymes struck Hayworth in the face in public at the famed Cocoanut Grove nightclub in Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel, shown below:





Hayworth dumped the louse and divorced him. Both went on to other marriages; she had one more, he had two. At least they had Disneyland.

See more vintage & current Disneyland photos on my main website.

Traveling Thursdays: Let's Go To Hollywood, 1950's-Style

Welcome to Hollywood! The next few weeks will show images from a family's visit to Hollywood, circa 1954/1955. The first four shots show the iconic Hollywood Bowl, which appears to be under some kind of renovation or construction.







Oh how I wish the Brown Derby was still in business. Hard to believe this staple of Old Hollywood is dead and gone.





Another casualty of the wrecking ball is the Ambassador Hotel, where the famous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was featuring Tony Arden and Ving Merlin when this photo was taken.



Anyone ever hear of the Hollywood Salon, Frank & Joseph? I'm guessing this lady has just emerged from a beauty treatment there.



See more vintage & current Hollywood photos on my Hollywood web page.

Meanwhile, in honor of the March 20th release of "The Muppets" on Blu-ray and DVD, here is an Amy Adams (aka Giselle from "Enchanted") interview for your reading pleasure:

How did you get involved with The Muppets?  Jason Segel and Kermit The Frog put together a DVD asking me to appear in the new Muppet movie with them. Jason had written me a song and Kermit gave a personalized message on the DVD – and it really moved me.



Did you immediately sign up for the role?  I grew up with the Muppets and there was no way I could say no to Kermit. I enjoyed the Muppets so much when I was a kid that I knew this would be the perfect movie for me. It’s been amazing fun.

Who was your favorite Muppet when you were a child? I’ve worked with all of the Muppets now, so it’s very difficult to pick just one of the gang. However, I’d have to say that Fozzie Bear was my favorite when I was growing up.



What makes Fozzie Bear so special?  Why Fozzie? I was a kid and he was really cute. He was fuzzy. He told jokes on stage and he said, “Wocka wocka!” He’s the best.

How would you describe your character in the movie? I play a character named Mary in The Muppets. Mary is a small-town girl who has been the girlfriend of Gary [played by Jason Segel] for a while. They plan a trip to Los Angeles together and Mary thinks it’s going to be very romantic – but it doesn’t quite turn out like that.



What happens?  Well, she ends up helping Gary and a new Muppet namedWalter get the Muppets back together again. They have to band together in order to save the Muppet Studios.

How would you describe the new Muppet, Walter? Walter is very genuine and earnest. He loves the Muppets and he loves Kermit The Frog and all of these great characters. He’s been a big fan for years – and it’s actually Walter who pushes the Muppets to get back together again. Without him, we wouldn’t know that the Muppet Studios need to be saved.



What do you like about your character in the movie? To be honest, I just wanted to be a part of the Muppet movie. If they told me I was playing a spider crawling along the ground, I probably have said yes. I would’ve done anything to get a part in The Muppets.

Was Mary a fun character to play?  Definitely. I’m a huge fan of musical theater and that’s a big part of the movie, so it made the whole experience incredibly enjoyable. Musical theater is something that I’ve done before and it’s something that I love to do, so I knew I was going to have a good time shooting The Muppets.

How did it feel to sing alongside the Muppets in the new movie?  It was awesome. It was also amazing to sing and dance alongside Jason Segel. It’s so funny when you see Jason with the Muppets because he’s so tall and they are so short – but he was great with the dancing. He even did some lifts.

How much fun did you have shooting the movie’s musical finale? I’m very comfortable with musical numbers, but it was a little complicated to shoot the finale on Hollywood Boulevard in the middle of the night. We had to sing and dance and be full of energy at 4:30 in the morning, which was a little testing. Plus, it was the day after the Golden Globes. I was incredibly tired!

What was the toughest part of shooting that scene? The biggest challenge is always the practical challenge of dancing on the street. We practiced the choreography on a very smooth surface but suddenly we were doing the same moves on asphalt and it was a little different.

What was it like to work with Jason Segel?  Jason is hysterical. Everyone knows he’s a genius, so it was really fun to work with him. Jason is a Muppet freak. He knows more about the Muppets than anyone – except maybe the movie’s director, James Bobin.

What impressed you the most about Jason Segel?  I love the fact that Jason is totally committed to bringing the Muppets back. He has been working on this project for a number of years and he helped come up with the story of the movie. He was a big part of moving the project forward – and he is still completely excited about it.

What’s your funniest memory from working with Jason Segel?  I will never forget performing the dance number on Hollywood Boulevard with Jason. As I said earlier, he’s a very tall man and it’s hilarious to see him alongside the rest of the cast. The Muppets are 3 foot 4, I am 5 foot 4 and Jason is 6 foot 4, so it was very difficult to get us all in the same shot.

What is the message of the movie?  The Muppets have always had about believing in yourself and sticking by your friends, so I think that’s the message of the movie. They always show you that you’ll be stronger as a group rather than as an individual. I love the way they group together and take on the world. They are always so committed.

And finally…why should we watch The Muppets? Because it’s a lot of fun and it’s the Muppets! You’re going to have the time of your life watching this movie. All of the gang are back. Everyone from Kermit, Miss Piggy and Fozzie to Gonzo and the Swedish Chef. You’re going to love it!