It just goes to show that in a city as large and diverse as Los Angeles, there’s always something new to discover. For instance: the Deauville Beach Club. I’d never heard of it until I came across a series of photos. Man oh man, would I love to have been able to join this club! It was founded in 1927 on the site of the old North Beach House at 1525 Ocean Front Boulevard, Santa Monica. It offered guest rooms, gymnasium, saltwater plunge, lockers and showers, lounge rooms, game rooms, private dining rooms, and a restaurant. In 1930, the Los Angeles Athletic Club bought the Deauville and, in 1934, a breakwater built in the bay expanded the sandy beaches, creating more oceanfront space for the multitude of visitors to the area. The place survived into the 1960s, but on April 4, 1964, the club was damaged by an intentional fire and was razed in 1965.
Judy says: “When I was about 11 (’60) I crept thru a boarded up window of the Deauville and found myself in the basement at a huge indoor pool (possibly was once the saltwater plunge?). I had no idea what I was seeing until I came across your pics. Mystery solved and a memory I never shared until now.”
In 1963 & 1964 the Deauville club was a teenage night club where teens danced to the tunes of Glen Gray and the Graymen and other local bands in the grand ballroom.
I didn’t know that, Jonelle. Thanks for sharing that with us!
Used to go there…63, and ’64..Horace Heidt Jr and the Castle Knights…a mixture of all Kids…it was great!…Mainly Surf Music..but thats where I got the bug to perform in a band!
Hey Vince, I envy you that you got to got there!
Yes…I also went there as a kid to the club…we were all too young to drive, so one parent would take us there and anoter pick us up..Its there where i got the “bug” to become a musician ..I would roam over to the stage and just watch the band (often Horace Heidt jr and his Castle Knights) ..PLUS is was a mix of kids, all colors, all cultures…Great memory..sad to see it burn in late ’64? or around then
i’m still amazed that under 16 kids were allowed in…I think a teener Sherry (?)’s parents ran the club…she showed up at a 14th or 15th bday party of mine…WHAT A TIME TO GROW UP IN LA ….altho, I would have loved to have experienced it in the 1930’s
In the early sixties I knew the daughter of the owners or managers of the Deauville Club. She had a slumber party and we had the entire place to ourselves. It seemed huge and we had a lot of fun running around all night.
Places we inhabited in childhood always seem so much smaller when we return there as adults. But I’m willing to bet that wouldn’t happen if the Deauville was still around today. I can’t even imagine having the whole place to yourselves. That’s wild! Thanks for sharing, Vicki!
I think the daughter was Sherry…invited her to my 14th Birthday Party!
I was at that same slumber party her name was Cherry.
Thanks for pictures of the Deauville Club. Played there in 1963 at a surf music battle of the bands. A really beautiful building and right on the beach.
You’re very welcome, Bob. I think it’s one of the most beautiful buildings from L.A.’s yesteryear.
“Surf Battle” at Deauville Castle Club happened on Friday, March 22, Saturday, March 23 and Sunday March 24, 1963 and was without question the most action-packed Surf instrumental band concert during the early ’60s. There were 11 groups there who released really great albums at that time, including The Lively Ones (five LPs on Del-Fi, their “Surf Rider” is on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack and “Ric-A-Tic” was just used in the Margaret Keane movie Big Eyes), The Sentinels (two LPs on Del-Fi and another on Sutton), Dave Myers & the Surf-Tones (one LP on Del-Fi and later one on GNP-Crescendo) The Chantays (two LPs on Dot, plus the national hit “Pipeline”), The Centurions (one LP on Del-Fi, their “Bullwinkle” is on the Pulp Fiction soundtrack) The Rhythm Rockers (one LP on Challenge), Bob Vaught & the Renegades (one LP on GNP-Crescendo), The Persuaders featuring Chuck “Tequila” Rio (one LP on Saturn), The Hollywood Surfers (one LP on Dub-Tone) and Jim Waller & the Deltas (one LP on Arvee). There was also The Rhythm Kings who recorded an entire album that was not released until the ’90s. Other groups who recorded included two R&B singing groups on the bill — The Golden Nuggets and The Charades — The Breakers were another vocal group (none of three were in the Beachboy style). The only groups who played at that show who did not release records that we know of were Danny & the Sessions, Horace Heidt Jr. & the Trade Winds, The Sting Rays and The Rhythm Crusaders. There were also LPs made specifically to cash in on the “Surf Battle” including “Original Surfin’ Hits” (GNP-Crescendo), KFWB’s Battle of the Surfing Bands! (Del-Fi), “Beach Party” (G.S.P. Records Inc.), “Surf War” (Shepherd Records), “Surf’s Up at Banzai-Pipeline” (Northridge Records) which was picked up by Reprise, and with a slightly different mix of songs, was called, simply “Surf’s Up” (Reprise). Okay… so that’s a LOT of action, alright. The records by all of these groups are for the most part… pretty great, if overlooked music…. and as compilations include many great songs not otherwise featured on the regular LPs by the groups involved (especially “Surf War” which has better recordings by The Centurions than their great Del-Fi album) A good percentage of the albums mentioned, the compilations, and the ones by the groups themselves, were re-issued for the first time in the 1990s when the Pulp Fiction movie made Surf instrumental music popular again. In 1963 the “winners” of the “Battle” were Dave Myers & the Surf-Tones, and The Rhythm Kings, and a live album of their performances on Sunday at Deauville was released on GNP-Crescendo Records. There is a picture from the shows on the cover. Supposedly, the “Battle” was fixed, so in retrospect, I would say that the top competitors… it would have been between Dave Myers & the Surf-Tones, The Lively Ones and The Original Surfaris (who were not the group that hit with “Wipe Out”). The Sentinels, The Centurions and The Rhythm Rockers would also have placed well, so there was a lot of groups there who could really shake things up in person. These concerts give Deauville Castle Club a special legacy in the history of California music. I’ve included a chapter on the “Surf Battle” in the book I did with Brian Chidester called “Pop Surf Culture: Music, Design, Film and Fashion from the Bohemian Surf Boom” (2008 Santa Monica Press, soon to be re-issued by Rare Bird Lit). – Domenic Priore, February 2015
I played lead guitar in a band called The Defiant Ones in a battle of the bands before 1963. I believe it was in 1961 or 1962. There were four of us in the band with me on lead guitar, two on rhythm guitar and one on drums. We put out a few recordings in that period.
I still remember the feeling of just being inside as well as the great expanse of the Deauville Club ballroom with us watching the other bands play and then with us up on stage doing our thing. Great to see the photos of the inside.
I grew up on Sunset Blvd. near Bristol and spent a lot of time at the beach between Will Rogers State Beach and the SM pier….so the Deauville Club was a part of my life back then. Fond memories.
Hey Jim, I envy you that you got to go inside!!
Went to a girls Catholic high school in the late 1950s and we had our junior prom there; I still remember the night….magical with crashing ocean waves, romantic dance music, and nuns patrolling to see we behaved and our prom dresses were modestly appropriate. It was a grand place….but all things pass.
Never will forget the grandeur of the Deauville Club. Wass invited by a young lady to attend a inglewood High School end of the year band party in 1957. Deeply saddened to hear about its tragic end although its glory days ended some years before. I see the reknown club was used as a venue for high school proms and similar events in its waning years. Same ending for many of the beach clubs after television.
It had a fairy tale regal aura about it.
China service from this location has been documented and displayed at the (RWCN) Restaurant Ware Collectors Network site. Anyone interested in this and other dining locations can have a gander. Anything you can contribute to documenting these wares and the places they were used is always helpful. Non-commercial and open membership. Another good way to put Santa Monica on the map! And then come back for more great stuff on this site. Fine work Martin.
My graduating class of 1955 had our “ Grad Night” at the Deauville Beach Club. It was quite an affair and although no liquor was allowed we got knee walking drunk and rumor has it that Westchester Hi School was informed
that the school was never to have another function at the Club. It’s still one
one of my fondest memories. Dick Hoagland
My parents had their reception there on July 15, 1961. They got married at the original St. Josephs Church in downtown LA on 12th St. which was founded by the Franciscan friars in 1889. Unfortunately, both sites were destroyed by fire. But, I still have my parents (Ralph & Caroline Camarillo)
wedding pictures. It was a huge & beautiful wedding!!
The known china sample found here: https://rwcn-idwiki-2.restaurantwarecollectors.com/content/deauville-beach-club-2/?tid=351&txo=content_category
Around 1960 a friends uncle was in Santa Monica on leave from the Merchant Marines. We met him at the beach and he ask if we had ever been in the Deuville Club? Both of us said no so he proceeded to ask us if we wanted to go in for a swim? Why not, and we entered the basement through an unlocked door and proceeded to swim in the underground pool for a while then exited. It wasn’t until I was in the Military in 1964 that I heard about the fire, shame what a cool place…
What a great story, Rick! Thanks for sharing it with us.
In the early 1950s, our Brownie troop learned to swim there. Apparently, one of the families had a membership. But all we saw was the huge pool and the locker room.
Before I married the best girl ever, I had spent a lot of time at Sorrento Beach, and dabbled a little at a couple of the other ones from time to time. My new girlfriend, Joan, told me her family were members of the Deauville Club. I had never heard of it, but soon discovered what a great place it was. What a difference the entire area is today.
Congrats on marrying the best girl ever.
I was a teen in the early sixties. Going dancing at the club was a wonderful experience. We would dance all night and then go home, get on our bikes, and tow 9’6″ surfboards for 20 miles to Malibu. Ride waves, nap, ride waves, and ride back home. In the evening we were back dancing again. Life was very good.
One night when I came out of the dance I was jumped by a gang. I defended myself as best I could. I did need stiches. I was back dancing again the next weekend. That event did not tarnish my love for the Deauville Castle.
I hope that every teen has an experience as wonderful. Such memories are one of the benefits of getting old.