Sunset off the Strip

The Hollywood Canteen

jhgraham Eating and Drinking, Sunset off the Strip, World War II Tags: , , , , , 1 Comment

The Hollywood Canteen opened on October 3, 1942 at 1451 N. Cahuenga Avenue as a free entertainment center for servicemen in uniform. Co-founded primarily by Bette Davis, John Garfield and Mervyn LeRoy, it was modeled after the Stage Door Canteen in New York.

On February 7, 1942, the American Theater Wing had announced it was opening a canteen for servicemen in the unoccupied Little Club beneath the 44th Street Theater at 216 W. 44th Street in New York City. Staffed by Broadway actors, musicians and other theater workers, it opened on March 2, 1942 after a public open house on February 28 and March 1.

On March 26, 1942, AP columnist George Tucker reported that Bette Davis had appeared at the Stage Door Canteen and danced with the soldiers, sailors and marines. The column appeared in papers nationwide into early April 1942.

On June 2, 1942, LA Times arts writer Edwin Schallert returned from a visit to Broadway and reported: “I learned in New York that Bette Davis is much interested in establishing a Stage Door Canteen for the entertainment of servicemen on the Coast and that the idea is about to become a reality. In sprawling Los Angeles and Hollywood, I’d say they’d need several.” Gossip columnist Hedda Hopper also reported that Bette Davis, John Garfield and other top stars wanted to open a local Stage Door Canteen, identifying the prospective location for it as Ciro’s nightclub on Sunset Boulevard. Hopper thought a Hollywood Stage Door Canteen was unlikely to succeed, and questioned whether it was even needed since there was already the Hollywood USO and other similar facilities.

In fact, a Hollywood canteen was about to open- the Hollywood Guild Canteen, organized by Anne Lehr, wife of a former studio executive, Abraham Lehr. Anne had founded the Hollywood Guild in 1935 to air aged and indigent persons from the film industry. On May 15, 1942, she expanded her efforts to include a relaxation and entertainment facility for servicemen. It was up and running by July 1942.

Bette Davis would serve as chair of the Hollywood Guild Canteen but continued to pursue opening a Hollywood version of the Stage Door Canteen. On August 17, Davis and the Hollywood Victory Committee announced that that a Stage Door Canteen-style facility would be coming to Los Angeles. The following day Luella Parsons reported in her syndicated column: “Bette Davis finally will get her Stage Door Canteen only it will be called the Hollywood Canteen.”

Hollywood Citizen News 8/17/1942.

A series of fundraisers were held that month to raise money for the Hollywood Canteen- the first was a premiere for the film “The Talk of the Town” at the Four Star Theater on August 29, followed by dinner and dancing to Benny Goodman’s orchestra at Ciro’s. Ticket sales for the sold-out event raised some $5000 for the Canteen. The next day, Joan Bennett staged a garden party benefit at her Holmby Hills home, located at 515 Mapleton Drive.

Los Angeles Daily News 8/25/1942

The Hollywood Canteen was officially organized as a nonprofit on August 24, 1942. The following day, the Los Angeles Daily News reported that the Hollywood Barn building at Sunset and Cahuenga had been leased for the Hollywood Canteen. The space was donated for the duration by the owners, brothers Frank and Walter Muller and Sarah A. Laughlin. Film industry professionals donated their services to renovate and redecorate the structure.

Entrance to the Hollywood Canteen. LAPL photo.

Originally bearing the address  6426 Sunset Boulevard, the place had opened as The Latin Quarter’s Cafe, affiliated with artist Finn H. Frolich of the Norse Studio Club, in May 1924. The club featured themed rooms, including a pirate room, a Cleopatra room, and a “room of all nations.” Not a commercial success, the Latin Quarter was sold to Ward McFadden, original builder/owner of the Ship Cafe in Venice, and his associate Charles Simpson. It reopened on Halloween night, 1924, but didn’t last long. Frolich maintained a workshop at 6426 through 1925 at least.

As The Latin Quarter Cafe. LA Evening Express 5/21/1924

LA Times 10/31/1924.

In May 1928, the venue was offered for lease as a store or workshop and briefly housed a woodworking studio, then a catering company.

LA Times 5/20/1928.

On November 8, 1932, bandleader Buddy Fisher, “the nation’s joy boy,” who had recently completed an extended engagement at Eugene Stark’s Bohemian Club on Santa Monica Boulevard, applied for a dance hall permit at 6426 Sunset Boulevard. It opened on December 22, 1932 as the Hollywood Barn, a new nightclub with a farm theme.

As Buddy Fisher’s Hollywood Barn. Los Angeles Times 3/18/1933

Decorated by Jack Schula of the Hollywood Roosevelt’s Blossom Room, the Montmartre, Al Levy’s Tavern and others, the Barn had “old fashioned rafters, hay mows, grain bins, corn shucks, a cider press and other rural features,” including live animals- chickens and pigs. “Buxom farmers’ daughters” served as waitresses, while “pretty dairy maids” churned fresh butter nightly. Fisher modeled the club after one he reputedly ran in Chicago.

LA Post-Record 11/8/1933.

The last mention found of Fisher’s association with the Barn was May 1933. On May 26, 1933, it was raided by the LAPD vice squad for illegal sales of beer. By September 1933, police told the Hollywood Citizen News it had responded to at least 18 calls to the Barn to “quell disturbances, stop fights and arrest drunks in the vicinity.” Residents complained that it was being “conducted in a noisy manner.” On November 7, 1933, its beer license was revoked. Police asserted that it has become a hangout for bootleggers (hard liquor was still illegal) and gangsters.

By January 1934, it was operating as the Hollywood Stable (sometimes advertised as the Hollywood Stables as well). It was one of 20 nightclubs raided by the State Board of Equalization (which regulated the new State liquor laws) over the weekend of April 21-22, 1934, which was not uncommon in the early days of legalized alcohol sales.

As Hollywood Stables. LA Times 1/24/1934.

As the Hollywood Stable. LA Post-Record 3/24/1934,

As Hollywood Stables. LA Times 10/27/1934

Or was it the Hollywood Stable? The owners couldn’t seem to make up their mind. The address contains a typo- it was 1453 N. Cahuenga, not 1543. LA Times 11/17/1934

As the Hollywood Stables Cafe. LA Times 8/17/1935.

The Hollywood Stable/Stables faced additional suspensions of its license for violating liquor laws. By August 1935, it was known as the Hollywood Stables Cafe and was using the address 1453 N. Cahuenga rather than 6426 Sunset Boulevard. It appears that a service station was built on the prominent Sunset Boulevard corner of the parcel, prompting the address change.  The Hollywood Stable Cafe continued to operate through 1935 at least.

LA Daily News 8/16/1938.

In August 1938, now using the address 1451 Cahuenga, it briefly served as a venue for Wayne Moore’s new Hollywood Drunkard, with a gala opening held August 11-13, 1938.

As the Gay White Way. LA Times 10/21/1938.

On October 21, 1938, the old barn building opened as another nightclub, the Gay White Way.  By September 1941, it was the Rancho Grande theater cafe. It was likely vacant at the time the Hollywood Canteen leased it.

LA Daily News 9/12/1941.

The Hollywood Canteen’s volunteer workers transformed the structure, painting it white and adding a rope sign to the front entrance, in keeping with the Western theme. Inside, artists of the Screen Cartoonist Guild (many of them from Disney, including Mary Blair, Lee Blair, Marc Davis, Retta Scott and Earl Murphy) under the supervision of Elmer Plummer, created a 326-square foot mural on 4 panels, titled “Cowboy Heaven” that depicted “things cowboys dream of.” Actor-director Richard Whorf, who painted as a hobby, painted a mural for the men’s bathroom.

Elmer Plummer and the “Cowboy Heaven” mural. San Bernardino County Sun 10/14/1942.

Another part of the mural. Hollywood Citizen News 10/3/1942.

At the opening on October 3, Hollywood’s elite paid $50 for bleacher seats to watch service members enter the Hollywood Canteen, which could handle 3000 patrons a night. The club only admitted enlisted personnel- no officers were allowed. The only way civilians could enter, aside from the volunteer workers, was to pay $100 for the so-called “Angel’s Table” in the balcony.

Opening for the Hollywood Canteen. LAPL photo.

Opening night at the Hollywood Canteen, October 3, 1942. Like a movie premiere but in reverse- the bleacher seating held Hollywood’s elite. The stars of this show were the US service members.

Bette Davis addresses the crowd at the opening. LAPL photo.

Fan magazines covered the Hollywood Canteen’s opening. From Screenland magazine November 1942.

There was no cost to the regular patrons. A uniform was all they needed. Inside was a large snack bar that served food, soft drinks and cigarettes- and an autograph from the screen star hostesses. There were 30-40 hostesses to dance with and a show every hour and a half. Male stars served as busboys, and everybody helped out in the kitchen.

Waiting to get in the Hollywood Canteen.

Bob Hope at the Hollywood Canteen in 1943. UCLA photo.

Service members waiting to get inside the Canteen to celebrate its 1st birthday. LA Times 10/31/1943.

Crowd inside the Hollywood Canteen with visiting French sailors. LAPL photo.

Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich show off the Hollywood Canteen’s Wall of Honor to Bob Hope. It depicted stars who were serving in the military. LAPL photo.

The 1-millionth patron passed through the doors before the club was even one year old- on September 15, 1943. He was First Sgt. Carl E. W. Bell of Rising Star, Texas.

Opening of the Hollywood Canteen in Hollywood 12/20/1944.

The right to use the famous name was sold to Warner Brothers for more than $500,000 (funds going to the Canteen). The film “Hollywood Canteen” opened in local theaters just before Christmas, 1944.

The hostilities in Europe ended on May 8, 1945 with Germany’s unconditional surrender. On August 14, 1945, President Truman announced that Japan had unconditionally surrendered The war was over, but Los Angeles was still inundated with visiting service members as they returned from the Pacific Theater. The Hollywood Canteen originally planned to close on its third anniversary, October 3, 1945, but due to the continued demand, it remained open through Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 1945.

Postcard view of the famous Hollywood Canteen c. 1945.

It had entertained more than 3 million servicemen. More than 11,000 actors, musicians, dancers and other film industry workers had volunteered their time.

The Canteen’s fixtures were auctioned off in December 1945.

Auction ad. 12/23/1945.

On June 13, 1946, The Hollywood Citizen News reported that the building had been leased by Thomas Lee of the Mark Twain Hotel and that Guy Francis was in charge of remodeling it as a Latin American nightclub. On July 10, Bette Davis filed a restraining order, complaining that the operators were trying to capitalize on the Hollywood Canteen’s famous name by using it in large letters on the club’s signage with “former” in tiny letters, and that with or without the “former,” it was damaging to the prestige of the wartime service organization and the cause to which it was still devoted. Bette won. In March 1947, the building became a new Armed Forces officers’ club, affiliated with the Hollywood Canteen Corporation.

As the Moroccan. The Valley Times 12/31/1955.

On October 15, 1948, 1451 N. Cahuenga reopened as the Hollywood Auditorium. a rental hall operated by Frank E. George. In November 1949 it became a theater, known as the Carousel Theater, which lasted into 1955. In November 1955, John Howard “Johnny” Caldwell announced that the venue had been completely refurbished. It opened on December 31, 1955 as The Moroccan theater restaurant.

As Le Grand Comedy Theater. LA Times 3/1/1959.

By March 1959 it was operating as the Le Grand Comedy Theater and continued into early 1966.

With the US involved in the Korean War, in November 1950, the Hollywood Canteen Foundation purchased the former Florentine Gardens nightclub on Hollywood Boulevard and planned to reopen it as a new Hollywood Canteen but ultimately it did not happen.

Hollywood Citizen News 12/21/1966.

 

On December 20, 1966, the Hollywood Citizen News reported that the building, said to have significant dry rot, was torn down for a parking lot. Slabs of sidewalk survived containing the names of servicemen who celebrated the first anniversary of Pearl Harbor at the Hollywood Canteen on December 7, 1942. Janis Paige, who made her movie debut in the Hollywood Canteen film, received the pieces of sidewalk.

Notes:

There was another, unrelated, Latin Quarter nightclub in the 1960s located at 5521 Sunset Boulevard.

There was also a modern era unrelated Hollywood Canteen cafe located at 1006 Seward St.

7101 Sunset: McDonnell’s Drive-In / Tiny Naylor’s

jhgraham Eating and Drinking, Sunset off the Strip Tags: , , ,

 

Melvin Andrew “Rusty” McDonnell was, along with Harry and Charles Carpenter, a pioneer of what would become a multi-million dollar eat-in-your-car cuisine industry in Los Angeles.

Born in North Carolina in 1875, McDonnell joined the Army while still in his teens. He served in the Philippines during the Spanish American War.

After leaving the military, he worked in and operated restaurants in Kansas City, Missouri for several years in the early 1910s before relocating to Los Angeles in 1916, where he managed a restaurant, Crawford’d Famous Chicken Fry Steaks, at 311 W. Sixth Street.

Located at 311 W. 6th St., Crawford’s “Famous” Chicken Fry Steaks didn’t last long. LA Record 1918

After the US entry into World War I, he became proprietor of the restaurant at Camp Kearney in San Diego.

By 1921, he had returned to Los Angeles and opened an eatery at 440 W. Pico known as “McDonnell’s Ever-Eat.” By 1922, he had five outlets.

There were 5 McDonnell’s Ever-Eat locations by the end of 1922: 440 W. Pico, 405 W. 8th St., 1237 S. Main St., 603 S. Figueroa, and 207 E. 5th. The Tidings, 12/15/1922

At the end of 1926, two “Ever-Eats” locations had been added: 454 S. Hill St., and 711 S. Hill St.LA Times 12/31/1926

By 1930, McDonnell was expanding to drive-in cafes, featuring chickens raised on his own ranch. The idea was a success. Despite the Depression, McDonnell continued to expand his chain of restaurants, both sit-down eateries and drive-in cafes, throughout the 1930s.

McDonnell’s Ever Eat drive-in cafe at Figueroa & Santa Barbara, opened April 19, 1930. Southwest Wave, 4/18/1930

The early McDonnell’s Ever Eat drive-ins were modernistic masterpieces. This location was at La Brea Ave. & Beverly Blvd. California State Library photo.

McDonnell got a permit for the drive-in at 7701 Sunset Boulevard, at the northwest corner of Sunset and La Brea, in July 1936. The architect of record was H.S. Johnson.

Another view of the Sunset & La Brea McDonnell’s drive-in c. 1937. LAPL photo.

Night view of the Sunset & La Brea McDonnell’s drive-in. LAPL photo.

May 1938 ad for McDonnell’s restaurant chain. There were now 8 sit-down dining locations and 6 drive-ins, including Sunset & La Brea. “Everything from a sandwich to a complete meal served in your car” – a sentiment destined to appeal to Los Angeles. LA Times.

In 1948, another restaurateur, W. W. “Tiny” Naylor, took over about a dozen of McDonnell’s then-17 locations, including the 7101 Sunset drive-in.

William Warren Naylor was born in Keswick, Iowa in 1898. He continued to live in Iowa, working on the family farm, into the 1920s. By 1927, he was living in Merced, California, where in November he bought an existing cafe, Mack’s Coffee Cup, only to turn around and sell it a week later. As of January 1929, he was operating the Monte Carlo poolroom in Fresno. A year later, January 1930, he leased space at 1034 Broadway, Fresno, for a waffle and coffee shop. It opened February 15, 1930. The whole wheat waffles sold like hotcakes.

The first Tiny’s Waffle Shop, Fresno. Fresno Morning Republican 2/15/1930

At a time when many businesses were going under, Tiny’s thrived. Before the year was out, he’d opened a second Tony’s Waffle Shop in Reno. In addition to running his own shops, Tiny and his partner, Bruce Breckenridge, also sold franchises. Soon there were Tiny’s Waffle Shops in Sacramento, Modesto, Stockton, Marysville, Merced, Los Banos, Salinas, Bakersfield, San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland. A second Fresno outlet opened on Mariposa Street in 1936, as well as a motel on Highway 99. Cocktail lounges were added after Repeal.

Naylor opened a second Tiny’s Waffle Shop in Reno on December 13, 1930. Nevada State Journal 12/13/1930

Tiny brought in beer by airplane to his Fresno waffle shop right after it became legal to sell it. Though beer and waffles doesn’t seem like an ideal combination. Fresno Bee 4/6/1933

Tiny’s Bay Area locations: Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose. The ad claims that the first Tiny’s Waffle Shop was at 24 Turk Street in 1927. That address housed a Tait’s coffee shop as well as a notorious poolroom and gambling dive run by Frank Cator. SF Examiner 10/2/1937

Ad for Tiny’s Waffle Shops, 1939. “Chicken in the Rough” was a franchised restaurant chain that began in 1936. Fresno Bee 2/4/1939

Having relocated from the Central Valley to the Bay Area by 1940, after World War II, Naylor turned his focus to Southern California, where he was a familiar figure in horse racing circles.

Tiny Naylor, far left, with Geneivieve Woolf, actor Leo Carrillo, LA County Sheriff Gene Biscailuz in November 1949. Nayor donated the sale of a horse to help raise money for a George Woolf memorial. The famed jockey had been killed in an accident at Santa Anita race track in January 1946 while riding one of Naylor’s horses, Please Me. Naylor had since sold off his racing stable, citing heath reasons. LA Times 11/3/1949

In August 1948, Nayor opened the first of his namesake southern California restaurants at 1715  Cahuenga Boulevard.

Hollywood Citizen News 8/20/1948

In February 1950, Naylor got a permit to rebuild the former McDonnell’s at Sunset and La Brea. Architect Douglas Honnold would design the new, modern edifice.

The Tiny Naylor’s building replaced the old circular McDonnell’s drive-in building at Sunset & La Brea in 1950. LAPL photo

Tiny Naylor’s at Sunset & La Brea 1952. Julius Shulman photo

 

Hey, homely girls- don’t even bother applying! LA Times 3/25/1951

Ad for Tiny Naylor’s, 1955 The Sunset & La Brea location was one of 3. LA Mirror 6/14/1955

In addition to his namesake restaurants, Tiny Naylor also operated Biff’s eateries, named for his son. LA Mirror 6/14/1955

This spectacular Marvin Rand photo of the Sunset & La Brea Tiny Naylor’s is labeled 1949; however, permits to rebuild the round former McDonnell’s structure were not obtained until February 1950.

Melvin McDonnell died in December 1958 at age 83. Tiny Naylor died in August 1959. His namesake restaurant chain continued, however. The 7101 Sunset Boulevard location closed in early 1984 and the fixtures were sold at auction that March. The building was demolished in June 1984.

Thanks, I’d love to. 7101 was still doing the business, along with 16 other Tiny Naylor locations, in November 1982.  LA Times 11/14/1982.

Ad for the auction of fixtures at 7101 sunset. LA Times 3/4/1984

***

Notes

Top image: LAPL photo.

McDonnell’s name was often spelled with one “l”, except on the restaurants.

The first McDonnell’s restaurant at 440 W. Pico continued to operate as McDonnell’s until 1962 when the McDonnell Corp was declared bankrupt.

6760 Sunset: Simon’s Drive-In

jhgraham Hollywood Boulevard, Sunset off the Strip Tags: , , , , , ,

Simon’s hamburger stand at the SE corner of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue opened in early 1939, one in a small chain of locally-owned drive-in cafes started in 1935. It was the second Simon’s on Sunset Boulevard- the first was at 8801 Sunset on the Strip- but this location across the street from Hollywood High School was an instant hit.

A permit for this location was granted by the City in December 1938. The architect/engineer on record is S.B. Barnes.

Simon’s Sunset & Highland under construction. LAPL.

The Simons were brothers William Harold Simon and performer-turned-restaurateur Mike Lyman, who were partners in a string of eateries and nightclubs along with their other brothers Albert Simon and bandleader-songwriter Abe Lyman and others.

Michael “Mike” Lyman was born Issac Simon in Chicago in 1887 to Fannie and Jacob Simon, who had come to the USA from Europe in 1885. In 1910, as Michael Simon, he was working as an actor/singer in a cafe in his native Chicago. By 1916 he’d changed his name to Mike Lyman and was living in Los Angeles, a singer at Baron Long’s Sunset Inn in Santa Monica and Long’s Vernon Club.

Mike Lyman performing with “Blondy” Clark at The Sunset Inn. LA Record 11/15/1916

Detail of Mike Lyman’s WWI draft registration card.

Mike Lyman appearing with Lon Stepp at the Ship Cafe, Venice in 1919. LA Evening Record 8/28/1919

No one ever called Baron Long a gangster. He masqueraded as a respectable citizen. He was closely affiliated with Spring Street gangsters like Charles Crawford, Farmer Page, Zeke Caress, Tutor Scherer and his joints, run by fronts, were notorious for liquor violations, gambling and other illicit activities.

In November 1917 the City of Los Angeles passed the Gandier Ordinance, which banned the sale of strong liquor, effectively closing saloons within the city limits. Outlying communities like Vernon, Venice, Santa Monica and other beach towns, attracted the patrons looking to skirt the law. In addition to the Vernon Club, Baron Long operated the Ship Cafe in Venice and the Sunset Inn in Santa Monica. Mike Lyman performed at all three.

In 1918, Long turned the Sunset Inn over to the Red Cross. It was open as a cafe only on certain nights. LA Times 7/7/1918

By late 1919, Mike’s younger brother Abraham (“Abe”), who also adopted the stage name Lyman, had come out to Los Angeles and was appearing at Baron Long’s Vernon Club.

Abe Lyman appearing at the Vernon Club, 1919. LA Evening Express 12/16/1919

In 1920, Mike was in charge of entertainment at the reopened Sunset Inn, while Adolph “Eddie” Brandstatter, lately maitre’d of the Victor Hugo restaurant downtown, ran the hospitality side of things. National Prohibition was now the law of the land.

Mike Lyman in charge of “diversions” at the Sunset Inn after its reopening in  1920. Eddie Brandstatter ran the hospitality side of the business. LA Evening Express 6/21/1920

Abe Lyman at the Sunset Inn, 1921. LA Evening Express 8/17/1921

Abe  Lyman, having formed his own orchestra, was soon in demand as the house band at the Ambassador Hotel’s Coconut Grove nightclub, and as a songwriter and recording artist.

Peggy Dear was an early hit for Abe Lyman’s new orchestra. 1923.

Mike Lyman, meanwhile, moved away from performing and was running cafes and nightspots full time with brothers William H. “Big Bill” Simon (born in Chicago in 1896 and known as Harry as a child) and Albert (born in Chicago in 1889 as Alexander Simon) and others. In December 1920 they formed the Winter Garden Corporation, taking over a longtime Los Angeles cafe, McKee’s, at 520 South Spring Street upon the retirement of proprietor Sam McKee. The new Winter Garden cafe, addressed as 518 S. Spring, opened in February 1921.

520 S. Spring Street as McKee;s Cafe, 1905. LA Record 11/14/1905

In December 1921, Mike Lyman was managing the newly opened Palais Royal club at 616 S. Hill Street with his former partner V.B. “Blondy” Clark. The venture was short lived.

Opening of Mike Lyman’s Palais Royal on Hill Street. LA Evening Express 12/26/1921

In May 1922 the Lyman/Simon syndicate purchased land on Washington Boulevard in Culver City for another new nightclub, the southern-themed Plantation Club. It opened in June 1922.

Announcing Mike Lyman’s purchase of land for the Plantation Club, Culver City along with his old partner V.B. “Blondy” Clark. LA Times 5/23/1922

Opening of Mike Lyman’s Culver City’s The Plantation Club. LA Times 6/24/1922.

The Winter Garden Corporation dissolved in August, 1923 and the cafe closed as did the syndicate’s Sunset Inn. The Sunset Inn would reopen that year in Tijuana, where Baron Long operated the turf club. Mike Lyman reopened 518/520 S. Spring as The States restaurant.

In October 1923, Mike Lyman also opened The Rendezvous at 616 S. Hill Street. It too was short-lived.

Ad for The Rendezvous, October 1923 “under the personal management of Mike Lyman.” Note “Fanchon’s Fancies.” Bill Simon married Fanchon of the brother and sister dance/choreographer duo Fanchon & Marco, who for a time would operate a dance school at 5600 Sunset.

In early 1925, the Lyman/Simon group began work on a dance hall/ballroom to be called the Palais de Dance at the same location in Hill Street of Lyman’s failed Palais Royal and the Rendezvous. A gala grand opening, with appearances by heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey and the Abe Lyman Orchestra, was planned for April 1925 but had to be postponed when the police commission would not issue a dance license due to an ongoing investigation into dance halls and cafes where dancing was allowed, for potential violation of the Prohibition laws. The opening was finally held in August 1925. But the venture was again short-lived.

Ad for the delayed opening of Lyman’s Palais de Dance. LA Times 8/28/1925.

In 1926, Mike Lyman opened the former McKee’s/Winter Garden/States location as the southern-themed Lymans’ Cafe Alabam, addressed as 520 S. Spring.

Lyman’s Club Alabam, 520 S. Spring St. LA Times 3/5/1926.

In 1927, Bill Simon, who had up until now been basically operating behind the scenes, opened the first of several Dairy Lunch cafes, which would bear the name Simon. Simon’s Dairy Lunch was located at 6630 Hollywood Boulevard in the new Cherokee Building.

Simon’s Dairy Lunch in the new Cherokee Building at 6630 Hollywood Boulevard, early 1928. This location operated into the 1940s. California State Library photo.

Simon’s Dairy Lunch at 6630 Hollywood Boulevard. Hollywood Daily Citizen, 1/5/1928

Other Simon’s Dairy Lunch spots opened in downtown Los Angeles. In May 1930, Bill Simon leased the former company dining room of the Pacific Mutual Building at Sixth and Olive streets for a large Dairy Lunch location.

Bill Simon’s Dairy Lunch. LA Times 5/18/1930

The Pacific Mutual Building at Sixth & Olive streets.

The early 1930s were a difficult time for any business. Many failed. The Lyman/Simon brothers not only survived but steadily thrived with the dairy lunch counters. The repeal of national Prohibition in 1933 gave a boost to the restaurant industry, as cafes could now legally serve alcohol. Glamorous cocktail lounges were built or added to existing establishments to create an atmosphere of sophisticated tippling.

On April 23, 1935, Mike Lyman opened his first namesake cocktail lounge and grill at 751 S. Hill Street, location of the former Herbert’s Cafeteria.

1937 ad for Mike Lyman’s first Grill and Cocktail Lounge, 751 S. Hill St., featuring Frank Fay- who would go on to have his own namesake nightspot in the Valley.

Lyman would open a second Lyman’s Grill in Hollywood, in the former Al Levy’s Tavern at 1623 N. Vine Street in November 1941. Levy, like Sam McKee, was a pioneer restaurant owner. He’d opened the Vine Street location in 1930 and ran it until his death in May 1941. A fire swept through the night spot in July 1941, and in September 1941, the Simon/Lyman brothers leased and renovated the space.

Mike Lyman’s Grill at 1623 N. Vine St. in the former Al Levy’s, c. 1941. LAPL photo.

Ad for Mike Lyman’s Grill in Hollywood, 1623 N. Vine St., in the former Al Levy’s Tavern.

After Bernstein’s Fish Grotto at 424 W. Sixth St. closed in April 1942, this location became the new Mike Lyman’s downtown grill.

Mike Lyman’s Grill at 424 W. 6th St., in the former Berstein’s Fish Grotto.

Interior view of Mike Lyman’s new grill, 424 W. 6th St.

In 1949, Simon’s Sunset and Highland Drive-In was used as a filming location for the gambling expose, 711 Ocean Drive. In the still below, Hollywood High School can be seen across the street.

In December 1951, the brothers sold 12 of their Simon’s drive-in restaurants and 5 of their cocktail lounges to Stanley Burke, Sacramento drive-in owner. This Simon’s is one of the 12 that became a “Stan’s.”

The Simon/Lyman brothers sale of 12 drive-ins and 5 cocktail lounges. Hollywood Citizen News 12/10/1951

As Stan’s. This photo is from USC, per this website (USC link is now broken)

The former Simon’s at Sunset & Highland as Stan’s Drive-In. LAPL photo.

Mike Lyman died in November 1952. Albert Simon died in December 1956. Abe Lyman died in October 1957.

Mike Lyman’s Hollywood grill continued to operate until April 1959 when Bill Simon decided the time had come to close it. The building was demolished in 1966. Lyman’s namesake bar and grill on West Sixth St. continued to operate until December 1965, when the fixtures were sold at auction and the building subsequently demolished. The former Simon’s/Stan’s drive-in at Sunset and Highland was demolished in 1971.

Bill Simon died in April 1976.

***

Notes

The Simon brothers also had two sisters: Sarah and Dorothy. Dorothy used the name Lyman for a time.

6700 Sunset: The Hollywood Writer’s Club / Hollywood Center Theater

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Located at the southwest corner of Sunset and Las Palmas, 6700 Sunset Boulevard was a private residence used by the newly-formed Hollywood Writers Club as their clubhouse from 1921-1937. It has had numerous address and parcel changes, which makes it confusing to research. The following is my own, original research.

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6641-6657 Sunset: Blessed Sacrament Church and School

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The Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church on the north of Sunset Boulevard near Las Palmas opened in 1928, 5 years after the parish’s parochial school located just to the west, which opened in 1923. Today the school is addressed as 6641 Sunset, the church as 6657. Previously the site had been the home of former police commissioner H.W. Lewis.

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