I doubt that I’ll ever tire of finding new-to-me photos of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd, especially if they’re in color. This photo is dated 1950, and I’m wondering if it was taken after a refurbishment. That teal carpeting and those green and orange chair upholstering look very ‘50s to me, but were probably very modern to Cocoanut Grove patrons. I’m surprised at the size of the dance floor. Is it just me, or would you have expected it to be bigger?
The Amabassador was a beautiful place. I used to work across the street at 3333 Wilshire. Just going on to the property you could actually feel
history, not to mention all the films and tv show filmed there.
Beautiful picture of the restaurant.
Hey Tom – lucky you that you got to experience it!
The Syracuse China service was a muticolor bird and flora motif which covered the surface without any logos. While quite elaborate, it was still a book design generally available for ordering. (An Ambassador backstamp was the only way to identify authentic pieces, unless something new surfaces.) It’s likely that the chairs were selected in complementary colors although I wouldn’t be surprised if the light orange here was more yellow. The colors of the china were bright.
I was trying to find color photos of this china pattern.
DeWitt Clinton pattern. Ambassador backstamps are not easily found.
Thanks!
Usually whenever I’ve been somewhere where there’s a dance floor (and it’s not a hotel ballroom) the dance floor is small. Also, old movies with nightclub scenes often have small dance floors, as well, but I guessed it was because the sets couldn’t fit a bigger one. Maybe not.
There is a 1934 MGM short film titled A Night at the Cocoanut Grove and the colors in it are just like in the above photo. (Yes, the short is in color!) I have a collection of these MGM color shorts from the ’30s on DVD. It’s also on youtube!
I was there the first time in the early 50’s. I think the dance floor was small as it also served as a platform for entertainment. More seating space meant bigger revenues. When was there to see Tony Martin perform there was a stage.
So it’s more of a stage. That makes sense.