Here we have a crisp color photo of the Hollywood Plaza Hotel taken from the eastern side of Vine St, south of the famous Hollywood and Vine intersection. The black and white car parked out front is a 1955 Plymouth which gives us a good idea when this photo was taken. The hotel opened in 1924, and was well placed to accommodate tourists and performers who came to LA to perform on the nearby radio studios of NBC, ABC, and CBS. We can see a yellow sign at the left-hand end of the marquee for The Westerner. Its full name was The Westerner Lounge-Grill and occupied a space that was known by many names over the years, starting in 1925, when the first restaurant opened in the Plaza. It was called The It Café and was owned by the It Girl herself, Clara Bow.
Article about the Hollywood Plaza Hotel renovation from the Los Angeles Times May 27, 1952
For more info on the hotel, see: The Hollywood Plaza – Hollywood’s Forgotten Luxury Hotel
This is how the Hollywood Plaza looked in May 2022. It’s still there, and is a retirement home.
Has anyone else seen this newsreel footage of Clara Bow opening her “It Café” at the Plaza Hotel?
What a great find! Thanks, Martin. (And I love how the guy from Minnesota with that very heavy accent says his name like it’s easily comprehensible!)
I say if those buildings of old Hollywood could can you imagine the stories they would tell. The video of Clara Bow was awesome! Thankyou for sharing. Very interesting post!
I wanted to say if those old building could talk!
Buddy Holly stayed there during the era of this image.