Tag Archives: Cocoanut Grove nightclub

Color photo of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, 1950

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 … Continue reading

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Interior shot of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles (undated)

The majority of the photos I’ve come across of the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel feature crowds of people, especially during its peak years, the 1920s and ‘30s. So it’s nice to see what the place actually looked … Continue reading

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Matchbook collection from 15 vintage Los Angeles restaurants and bars

Here’s a quick pop quiz for you: Of the 15 LA restaurants represented here in Tara Gordon’s photo, which ones have you (a) heard of, or (b) not heard of, or (c) visited personally? I’ve heard of them all but … Continue reading

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“Hollywood Cocktails” boxed book of cocktail recipes from 1933

My thanks to Steve T for sending me these photos of his wonderful find: a boxed book called “Hollywood Cocktails.” It’s from 1933 and proved so popular they did three printings in one month. Mind you, that’s the year Prohibition … Continue reading

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Harry Belafonte playing the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, circa late 1950s

Here we have Harry Belafonte playing the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd. To headline at “the Grove” you had to be a pretty big deal, so I’m guessing this photo (and the two below) was … Continue reading

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Angelenos attend the 17th Annual Candlelight Ball at the Cocoanut Grove in the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, December 12, 1952

It’s hard to tell in a black-and-white, photo, but it looks like the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel was decked out in white for the 17th annual Candlelight Ball. It appears to have been a fundraiser for the … Continue reading

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An orchestra entertains Ambassador Hotel guests while standing in the Lido swimming pool during an outdoor dance, circa 1920s

No wonder they called it the Roaring Twenties with this sort of shenanigans going on. This shot was taken at the Lido pool at the Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd. It’s undated, but by the looks of the clothes, I’d … Continue reading

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Entrance to the Cocoanut Grove nightclub, Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles

Once—just once, is that too much to ask?—I would have loved the chance to walk through this ornate entrance (look at the detailed artwork around the arches and columns) and into the famed Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel … Continue reading

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Empty Cocoanut Grove nightclub, Ambassador Hotel, Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles

Most photos of the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel show it crowded with funseekers, which makes for great atmosphere, but also makes it hard to see what the famous nightclub itself looked like. This photo shows us how big … Continue reading

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Gus Arnheim Orchestra, Cocoanut Grove at Ambassador Hotel, Los Angeles, 1932

One of the names most often associated with the Cocoanut Grove nightclub at the Ambassador Hotel was Gus Arnheim, whose orchestra and a three-year engagement in the late 20s/early 30s. He was also instrumental in helping to get Bing Crosby’s … Continue reading

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