While researching a scene set at the closing night of Ciro’s, the Sunset Strip nightclub (December 31st, 1957) for my 9th and final (gulp!) novel in Hollywood’s Garden of Allah series, I came across this photo. It gives us the view from Ciro’s stage in 1950. It’s what performers like Desi Arnaz, Ella Fitzgerald, Martin and Lewis, Nat King Cole, and Lili St. Cyr must have seen as they gazed out over the star-studded audience. That little patch of different-colored tile has me wondering though if that was the dance floor. I’d love to hear from anybody who knows.
Susan says: That’s carpeting with a change in color of it under the tables — take a look over by the window-wall. The carpet is the same combo over there (light surround with the darker center section). The dance floor when out, was wooden. There was a large dance floor and then a smaller one they could pull up when there would be no dancing to add tables, or to have the performance stage build out erected. Here’s a photo of Nat King Cole singing at Ciro’s with that stage addition up.
It just dawned on me Martin, your photo is not a view from the stage looking out – that’s a view from the back of the club, looking toward the windowed wall (that would have been the west wall). That’s where the scalloped false ceiling detail was (at that back area leading off toward the ‘cheap seats’. To the left of what you thought was the stage in your photo are the ‘cheap seats’ as we called them. They had some tables that went back into a recessed hallway that lead to the entrance and off to the bar. I can’t quite picture what that ‘thing’ is you thought was the stage. Maybe it will come to me.
In the later 40s, the club got a minor face lift, right before they closed it for a short time and really did the next face lift that had all the lattice work that also framed the stage, turning the room into more of a garden room look. They got rid of much of the last of the vestiges of the heavy drapery that had been there throughout the 40s at that time. They kept the drapery along the over flow seats that were behind that railing you see in some photos. A lot of the performers there complained about how muffled the sound from the band was with all that drapery around.
I recall seeing that photo before, John. I assumed that photo I posted was taken from more or less where the guy in the white cap was standing in the photo in your link.
Hi – yes, I think that was the dance-floor. I recall Herman Hover insisting I dance with him and my feeling like such a klutz (total lack of self-confidence). Hoppy Easter to you and Bob & love always, L&M.
While researching a scene set at the closing night of Ciro’s, the Sunset Strip nightclub (December 31st, 1957) for my 9th and final (gulp!) novel in Hollywood’s Garden of Allah series, I came across this photo. It gives us the view from Ciro’s stage in 1950. It’s what performers like Desi Arnaz, Ella Fitzgerald, Martin and Lewis, Nat King Cole, and Lili St. Cyr must have seen as they gazed out over the star-studded audience. That little patch of different-colored tile has me wondering though if that was the dance floor. I’d love to hear from anybody who knows.
more than one stage? This photo seems to show a stage to the right of the woman in your pic. Or maybe just a reversed negative?
https://hollywoodphotographs.com/detail/4382/interior-of-ciros-nightclub-on-sunset-blvd-in-west-hollywood/?c=112&i=1&r=12
I recall seeing that photo before, John. I assumed that photo I posted was taken from more or less where the guy in the white cap was standing in the photo in your link.
Hi – yes, I think that was the dance-floor. I recall Herman Hover insisting I dance with him and my feeling like such a klutz (total lack of self-confidence). Hoppy Easter to you and Bob & love always, L&M.
It’s always wonderful to hear your recollections, Lou!