Back to the Biltmore

…The Biltmore Palm Springs, to be more exact. I have been to the Arizona Biltmore, the Biltmore in Los Angeles, and The Biltmore estate in North Carolina. Who knew there were so many Biltmores? Built in 1948 and designed by architect Fred Monhoff, The Biltmore Palm Springs it was once a  popular resort with the Hollywood crowd. This color image from 1949 features actor Don DeFore, best known for the sitcom “Hazel,” and wife Marion. Looks like the hotel used a Woodie wagon for transportation. Any of my vintage auto nuts able to give more info about the make and year?



DeFore also ran the Silver Banjo BBQ restaurant at Disneyland (1957-1962) in Frontierland (now the River Belle Terrace). The Silver Banjo was the only establishment at Disneyland to display the name of a non-fictional person and the only business ever to be owned by an individual. Below is DeFore behind the serving line. Sure looks tasty!



But back to the Biltmore Palm Springs! This previously posted shot of singer/actor Tony Martin and wife actress/dancer Cyd Charisse shows them sunning poolside.



A 1954 shot of actress Virginia Mayo ready for a dip in the pool. Did she actually go in? I doubt it!



The resort lost favor and closed in the late 1980s. It was converted into a condominum community and its clubhouse became an office building. It was bulldozed in 2003 because the city claimed it didn’t realize it was significant historically/architecturally.

See more Palm Springs photos at my main website.

Temple Tuesday: The Marx Brothers and The Big Store

Although Shirley never starred in a movie with the Marx Brothers, she was very much connected to their final MGM film, “The Big Store,” released June 20, 1941. Crooner Tony Martin played the romantic lead:

Five years previously, he had an uncredited role as The Barry Baritone in “Poor Little Rich Girl” with Shirley:

Had Shirley been in “The Wizard of Oz,” she would have co-starred with Clara Blandick (Aunt Em), who had a cameo as an elderly lady who wants to have a record made by Tony Martin. Look at the sweet smile on her face as Tony sings to her; you didn’t see that smile too much in “Oz.”

When the camera changes angles, you can see the sheet music rotating on a display behind Blandick and Virginia Grey:

The sheet music behind Grey is from “Young People”:

…and the real thing:

Over in the toy/baby department, look what’s behind Virginia O’Brien, who is singing in her usual deadpan method:

Yup, that’s a Shirley doll. The art director should have positioned the doll a little better so that she wasn’t giving a spread-eagle shot of her onesie!

In this shot from the music department, you can see the “Young People” sheet music AND music from a Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney movie (on the left side of the carousel).

A closeup:

Looks like the music was for “Nobody’s Baby” from “Andy Hardy Meets Debutante” (released July 1940):

In a very labored not-so-funny scene in the bed department of “The Big Store,” Henry Armetta runs into his old friend Chico Marx:

In “Poor Little Rich Girl,” Armetta played Tony the organ grinder with Shirley:

Eagle-eyed Shirley fans might recognize Russell Hicks on the left, who plays a wealthy businessman who wants to buy the Department Store that Margaret Dumont’s character owns:

He also played Shirley’s father in “The Blue Bird” (1940):

Never missing a chance for promotion, Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney’s “Strike Up The Band” (released September 1940) is the movie on the MGM backlot theatre marquee in this scene where Harpo and Groucho “help” Margaret Dumont out of the car:

Since Shirley was filming “Kathleen” for MGM at the time, it’s not surprising that she was sprinkled throughout this MGM released Marx film.

Phew. Did I catch all the Shirley connections in that one?

See more teen Shirley photos at my main website.

Monday Miscellany

Today it’s back to the Palm Springs Biltmore Hotel, with a 1950’s color shot of singer/actor Tony Martin and his dancer/actress wife, Cyd Charisse. Get a load of that watch/jewelry on her wrist! Like any MGM star, Charisse was glamorous even off hours. Note the perfect manicure!

Martin was first married to Alice Faye from 1937-1941. His 1948 marriage to Charisse lasted until she died in 2008.

Back in San Diego, I found myself downtown near the Hotel Churchill and shot a few of these ground level shots. Here’s the vintage postcard I posted previously:

…and my contemporary shots. Not surprisingly, the surrounding area has changed and been built-up over the years.

It’s all in the details; for me, at least.

See more photos at my main website.