This was a popular restaurant during the first couple of decades of the 20th century. It was called Baron Long’s Ship Café and stood along the Venice pier. It was built 1905 and fashioned after the Spanish galleon sailed by Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo when he discovered California. It featured high-priced cuisine and booze during Prohibition for those who could afford it. Reconstructed after a 1924 fire, it was renovated several times, had a name change (to the Showboat Café), and razed in October of 1946.
This is also where Alla Nazimova snubbed Rudolph Valentino the first time they met, in September 1919. He was not yet a star, was best known for his involvement in a scandalous love triangle back east. When a mutual friend tried to introduce them at the Ship Cafe that night, she said, “How dare you bring that gigolo to my table? How dare you introduce that pimp to Nazimova?”
My grandfather worked there just before WWII and during the war. He’d been a stunt player and studio bull for RKO–and a bit of a drinker. He’d bring back a pocket full of change and stack the pennies on the deck of a model ship he’d built of a tea clipper. My grandmother hated the place, “full of wicked people” but of course, I loved it.
Oh wow, David, your grandfather worked at the Ship Cafe??? Yes, I can imagine it was full of wicked people – but that’s what makes it interesting! What was a “studio bull” and what did they do?
He was a studio guard before doing the stunt work and minor bits of acting. He’d been in the Northwest Mounted Police, so he was a natural. He liked to call himself a technical director. I have a good many stills of him from those days. My favorite is a shot of four actors dressed as mounties. “That’s Buck Jones,” he’d say pointing at a the one second from the right. I didn’t know who the hell Buck Jones was. I thought Grandpa looked better, but what the hell, he was my grandpa.
He complained how the movies were all fake. “I’d dress up as a rustler and ride around. Then I’d get into a mountie uniform and do it again. In the movie, I’d be chasing myself. All a bunch of horseshit.” I think he missed it though. Wish I’d known the right questions to ask.
It might be all fake, but I’d think it would also be fun to see yourself chasing yourself!
Hello Martin,
I get to see myself chasing my tail everyday.
Grandpa led a hell of an interesting life. So Martin, I don’t want to be sailing under false colors, I’m a writer as well. I’ve published a couple with St. Martins Press. The one I’m presently working on is set in the LA of 1939. I grew up there, and alas many of the “historical pics” you have posted are from my time. Let me thank you for the timeline and all the effort you’ve put into the many postings.
Best, David Sundstrand
Hey David, I’m glad that my various posts and blogs have helped you relive old memories and perhaps help you with the research for your next book. I envy you that you got to experience LA at its peak!
My great Uncle Ward McFadden owned this outfit. It was seedy even by Irish standards.
Ward McFadden was your great uncle??? That’s pretty amazing. I don’t suppose there are any photos of the place stashed away in some old family album? None of the photos I’ve seen of it make it seem seedy.
I have a photo of the cafe with well over 100 motorcycles parked in front of it. I would say it’s around 1914 to 1918. I have the only copy of the photo.
Wow, Mark, that’s a lot of bikes. And it’s before Prohibition, so it wasn’t a raid. I wonder what was going on?!?!
They’re holding a banner that says, “Pacific Motorcyclist Western Wheelman” Another restaurant is in the picture on the right called the Ocean Inn Cafe.
Ah, so it’s a motorcyclist enthusiast club.
That’s what we call ourselves now. I bought my first Harley in 1973 and I’m still riding today. The term “motorcycle enthusiast” came about in the late ’80s. When Schwarzenegger, Hulk Hogan, Jay Leno, Kurt Russell, Billy Idol and his crew started showing up at the Rock Store on Mulholland on Saturday and Sundays. Parents would take their kids there to see them. The term “Biker” did not really apply to them so I guess we got a politically correct name. That is when Harleys became cool to the mainstream public… I was there and witnessed it. Shortly after that it was a year and a half wait to get a Harley because everybody had to have one in their garage whether they knew how to ride it or not.