One of the most colorful characters to come out of Culver City was an energetic entrepreneur named Frank Sebastian. Over his multi-decade career, he owned many venues, but the one he’s best known for was Sebastian’s Cotton Club at the intersection of Washington and National Blvds. He transformed the former Green Mill into one of the most respected jazz joints in LA. He sure gave its patrons value for money with “3 shows nitely” as we can see in this photo which I’m guessing was taken when the club was at the height of its popularity, during the Depression. Sebastian shuttered the Cotton Club in 1938 and in 1939 reopened it as Casa Manaña.
Advertisement for Frank Sebastian’s Cotton Club, Culvery City, with Les Hit and his band featuring “Fats” Waller, from The Hollywood Low-Down, May 1936
Advertisement for Frank Sebastian’s “Casita Manana” opening Friday, October 27th, 1939:
If you’d like to know more about Frank Sebastian’s colorful career, the Culver City Historical Society has an informative and entertaining lecture on their YouTube channel.
I don’t have a “now” photo of this view because I couldn’t determine which direction the Cotton Club faced. If anybody knows, I’d love to hear from you.
The address was 8781 Washington Boulevard (on the northeast corner of the intersection with National) in Culver City, now occupied by Apple’s headquarters in greater Los Angeles.
Looking at the 1932 directory it lists a Frank Sebastion at 8531 w Washington Blvd. Could be where he lived?
I saw that too and wondered if the “h” mean it denoted his home address. As I understand it, the plot was quite large, so he could well have lived there himself.
So based on an aerial image in a previous post about this, the building would itself be facing southeast with an empty lot behind it to the side on the north end? There seems to be a convergence of rail lines in the top of that aerial…Culver Junction or way off?
Wasn’t it Prohibition in LA during the 20s and 30s? What was the guy serving lemonade? Always amazed on how these clubs were right out in the open during this era.
Yes. That’s right. They were serving “lemonade.”
There was a pipeline from Canada down through the Portland mob. ( Same guys sending it eastward.) Booze bottled was even known to be transported in the tenders of steam locomotives in the water tank. Prohibition may have stimulated sales and even the glass makers were putting out decanters before it all ended. Most of the thirties was after the “dry” spell except by localized laws. Legalizing it again may have taken some of the fun out of the game, ultimately putting a lot of these joints out of business as people drifted away.
I’m not sure that the “3 shows nitely” was actually “good value for money” as you put it, because my understanding is that in many spots three shows also meant three different audiences. After a certain amount of time the audience would have to leave, and a new audience would take their turn. Good business model having three audiences instead of just one per night, and also encourages them to spend up more quickly. Must have been tiring for the talent doing that many shows each night.
I didn’t mean to imply that audience members stayed for all three shows. I’m sure they changed with each show. But from my reading, Sebastian was someone who loved to own nightclubs and worked hard to ensure his patrons enjoyed themselves. And yes, those performers were probably glad when the third show was finished each night!
Yes, I’m sure the shows were good value in that they would have been very spectacular and entertaining.