Sardi’s opened in 1932 and was a very popular Hollywood Boulevard restaurant during its time. I was never really aware of its neighbors before. Apparently, you could start the evening at the Blue Room cocktail bar, then dine at Sardi’s, then finish the night at the Horton & Converse pharmacy searching for something to recover from it all. After Sardi’s closed, it later became a Chi-Chicago restaurant, and then in the 1950s it became Zardi’s Jazzland.
And if you look closely, you can see a neon sign for Al Levy’s Tavern, which was a popular place around the corner on Vine Street. I don’t know if we’re seeing a window reflection or a double-exposure, but it’s unusual…and odd to see two popular Hollywood venues in one shot.
Interestingly, this add spells “Jazzland” as “Jassland” which makes me wonder why someone didn’t stop and question it or if it was intentional.
Gee, but your write-ups are witty and crack me up. I wonder how late the pharmacy stayed open?
Is that a woody station wagon I spy?! Always wanted one. But it may not be as I always associate the woody’s with the ’40s and ’50s.
Nice pic – takes one back in time, whether we’ve been there or not!
Thanks, Martin.
Jean
I love the review of Sardi’s in Hollywood. I first went to Sardi’s in NYC in the summer of ’56. Nov. 10th of ’56, after the USC Cal game at the Coliseum, four of us from San Berdoo High School went to Hollywood to see and grove with who was ever playing that night. To complicate our trip, our super-lowered ’52 Ford blew up at New Ave., we hitchhiked to Coliseum, 1st vehicle to see us, a pickup, took us, and our money. We knew of only one person from Berdoo at the game and we found them. They dropped us off in Hollywood but Sardi’s hadn’t opened so we went walking and at Hollywood and Vine Kim Novak pulled up in a big back ’56 Caddy. When our ride home appeared we boasted of having seen Kim and as our driver, a Cal Freshman cheerleader, pooh-poohed our sighting, who drove up next to us but Kim. They pulled over at Sunset Blvd & Highland Ave., in front of Hollywood High, and signed our Student Body cards in purple ink, same color as her hair.
Obviously I’ve written a story about connecting twice in one night with the Crown Princess of Cinema, Kim Novak. Three facts I’m still searching for:
Who was playing at Sardis 11 10 56? Who was driving her, was it Cohn or Kovlar? Where did they go in Hollywood that night, between 7 and 11?
HELP….