At some point, radio and television personality Art Linkletter and his associates acquired the bowling alley on the northeast corner of Santa Monica Blvd and La Cienega Blvd — one source says this happened in1946 — and called it Art Linkletter’s La Cienega Lanes. In the 1970s, it became a roller disco called “Flippers” which seems an odd name for a roller disco…or is “flipping” some sort of slick roller disco move…?
Above photograph by Michael Varhol (see www.michaelvarhol.com)
Hi – my father Joe Shayne was the managing partner of Art Linkletter’s La Cienega Lanes. Linkletter, his producer (a distant cousin of mine) Irv Atkins, and my now-wife’s father (the partners’ attorney, Charlie Katz) were the other partners. They bought it in more like 1949. (We weren’t even living in L.A. in 1946.) And they sold it when automatic pinsetters came in and the lanes would have had to be moved a few inches to accommodate the installation, around 1954? I worked there summers in my preteens taking cash and giving out bowling shoes. We had real live human pinsetters, but I wasn’t allowed to fraternize with them, given the occupation’s sleazy reputation.
Hey Bob, thanks for stopping by and sharing all that interesting info with us. Also – I didn’t know pinsetting had a sleaze reputation. Do you know why that is?
I’m just remembering my father’s attitude. But I imagine it was what we would now call a gig. And I suspect a lot of men who were pretty unreliable, some of them drunk or on drugs, were among the practitioners. I think we’d take a less judgmental attitude toward them these days.
Hey Bob,
Great story. Have any idea if there are any of the shirts that are in the photo still around? Linkletters La Cienga
Hi – Yes, there are. I got my wife one for her birthday. From:
https://www.m00nshot.com/products/la-cienega-lanes-los-angeles-ca-vintage-bowling-alley-long-sleeve-t-shirt
Bob
Hey Bob, I’m a high schooler making a documentary on Googie architecture, which includes La Cienega Lanes. The story you shared is fascinating and I’m wondering if I could interview you on your early life interacting with the space as well as your father having run it. It would be much appreciated and I would love to hear stories, especially as I believe these types of establishments are unrightfully overlooked now. If you’d like to contact me my email is asherbezdek@gmail.com
Asher, I don’rt know if my reply got published. The interface is pretty confusing. In any case, I’d love to talk with you.
Bob
Check out Devil’s Cargo (Falcon) (1948) which pops up on youtube.
On location filming outside, in the alley and in the locker room appears several times in movie (no mention of LInkletter’s name on sign).
Actor Tom Kennedy has a memorable scene.
Hey Bob,
Great story. Have any idea if there are any of the shirts that are in the photo still around? Linkletters La Cienga
I just realized I didn’t tell the end of the story as far as the “Art Linkletter” name being on the building. Automatic pinsetters had just been invented. While Brunkswick was the main company going into that business, AMF was going to be a competitor. AMF and the Linkletter partners made a deal for Linkletter to host a nationally televised show from the alleys to coincide with the instillation of the automatic (as they called them) pinspotters. Then they sent an engineer out to measure the space. And it turned out there wasn’t enough room for the new devices unless all the alleys were moved up two feet. This would have cost a fortune that the profits of the business wouldn’t cover. So the partners sold the bowling alley instead. The new owners soon installed automatic pinsetters. I don’t know from which company or if they had to move the alleys to do it.
– Bob
I used to bowl there in the late 60’s & early 70’s. Also worked there part time. The machines were AMF and chased stuck balls, worked the desk (I think it was $.55 a game if I recall correctly). I also called the Blue Chip Stamp bowling occasionally. The manager, Web, used to bring me stingers from the bar during these events even though I was only 18 at the time. Kept the jokes coming.
It was owned by Manny Levy and I used to hang with his son, Ken. I was going to school with the son of the waitress, Molly; she was the nicest lady. His name was Steve as I recall.
Enough rambling for now.
Thanks for stopping by, Al. Your (so-called) rambling is always welcome here.
I bowled there a lot during the 50’s and 60’s. I lived in laurel canyon and went to Hollywood High, so those lanes were close and were my favorite. I have a zillion good memories of Linkletter bowling alley. Love the photos.
I came across this post just now after scanning a magazine from September 1950 showing some cheesecake photos of the opening event which includes a picture of Art, Harold Lloyd, and a couple of bowling assistants in bikinis.
Photo here (and you’re welcome to add it):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/197841258@N07/53942805972
The magazine it comes from here:
https://archive.org/details/jubilee-v-01n-01-1950-09.-postal-darwination
What a great find, Beau. Thanks for the link. And of course those glamour girls go bowling in their bikinis! Who wouldn’t??