Here's a fun series of Summery photos from the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles. They're undated but certainly from the 1950s - possibly even the early '50s. Crowds are gathered around the beautiful Olympic-sized pool to watch an event that involved... well, you'll see for yourself. I'd love to know if this was some special occasion, or if it was something that the hotel did for their guests on a typical Saturday.
Men perform daring high-dives, tumbling through the air with nary a bellyflop. Judging from the number of men in bathing suits on the low diving board, this went on for a while! I would surely have impressed them with my best dive, which I call "The Ol' Dipsy-Doodle". You'll just have to use your imagination.
A 48-star U.S. Flag hangs to the right, and in the distance we can just see the venerable Warner Theatre (now the Hollywood Pacific Theatre). The white building in the distance (top, near the center) is the old California Bank building (now Sterling Plaza).
A woman wears an off-the-shoulder gown worthy of Scarlet O'Hara. Is she just modeling the dress? I don't see a microphone nearby, so I don't think she's a singer. Notice in the lower right, we can just see what I believe is a conductor waving his baton, with what might be a small orchestra sitting at those unusual green music stands (?).
Oh boy! Bathing beauties, that's for me. The guys on the diving board are enjoying the lovely ladies too. It's like a fashion show in an MGM musical.
For context, here's a photo of the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel, located at the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive. The hotel was constructed by real estate developer Walter G. McCarty on the site of the former Beverly Hills Speedway. It was completed in 1928 (when the city had fewer than 18,000 residents), and was then known as the "Beverly Wilshire Apartment Hotel". The E-shaped structure is built of a Tuscan stone and Carrara marble in the Italian Renaissance architecture style.
Renamed the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel by new owners, it was renovated with a ballroom in the 1940s by architect Paul Revere Williams to accommodate the popular big bands of the day. An Olympic-sized swimming pool was built and championship tennis courts were added, with tennis champion Pancho Gonzalez as tennis director.
And now, back to our regularly-scheduled program. A dancer (?) stands on some sort of surf board in the middle of the pool; it's probably trickier than it looks! Could she do a handstand? I could, I just don't like to show off (plus I just had my hair done).
Another dancer (dressed as a hula girl) strikes a pose, she looks like a hood ornament on the best car in the world. It's fun to observe the people in the crowd. At the upper corner of the pool we can see three ladies, one in yellow, one in pink, and one in blue, I can only assume that they were a part of the show. But maybe not!
Now it's time for some female divers! Man, this show has everything. This woman is going in feet-first, unless she curled up into a cannonball at the last second.
This next one shows what might be the same diver as seen in the previous photo. Did she ever appear in any of Esther Williams' "aquamusicals"?
You had to show up early to get your spot by the pool. There's plenty of eye-candy for everybody! I'm noticing quite a few flags on display, perhaps this was a special 4th of July show.
I found a couple of vintage postcards showing the pool area during calmer moments; you can see the upper deck to the right, near where our photographer must have been standing.
Another vintage postcard. Say, maybe I need an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
And finally, I happened upon this publicity photo of actress Margaret Hayes posing by the Beverly-Wilshire pool, and looking as pretty as can be. Hayes appeared in films such as Blackboard Jungle, The Glass Key, and Sullivan's Travels, and she later appeared on television shows such as Perry Mason and Bonanza.
I hope you have enjoyed your visit to the Beverly-Wilshire Hotel!
Major-
ReplyDeletePoor fella... you must really be 'nipping at the sauce'-! The Hollywood Pacific Theatre is located in, well, Hollywood - not Beverly Hills. The Warner Beverly Hills was razed in 1988, unfortunately.
I dipped my toes in that pool and trod those diving boards a time or two back in the early 1960's. Not quite as swanky as the pool at the Beverly Hills Hotel (originally known as 'The Sand and Pool Club'), but was still a swell place to get wet, hang out, and "be seen".
I wonder if someone will be able to solve the mystery of just what event we're privileged to view...
Thanks, Major.
In the second pic, Major, I think that's a mic to the left of Scarlett; on that low stand. Maybe it's meant to be plucked off the stand and held by hand? Either that, or it's a Tesla coil getting ready to shoot lightning bolts at everybody.
ReplyDeleteThose music stands really are fancy. Makes me think they're for some famous Big Band. Which also makes me think that this pool-side shindig was something rather important, not just something that the hotel whipped up to amuse the guests.
I think you're right about those three ladies in primary colors being part of the show, Major. They look too conspicuous to be part of the crowd.
I'm guessing Ms. Hayes wore something a little different when she appeared on Bonanza. It's kinda funny actually. She's wearing what would be considered a very modest one-piece bathing suit. Today it would be a string bikini top with a thong bottom, leaving nothing to the imagination.
Have you got your time machine up-and-working yet, Major? We need to find out what this event was all about! Thanks for the pool-side extravaganza.
Major-
ReplyDeleteA couple of other notes... There are plenty of empty, 6-½ oz. bottles of Coca-Cola, and white, paper straws scattered about.
In the B&W image, the construction walls east of the hotel are surrounding the new Beverly Hills home of Blum's (of San Francisco). Originally, their restaurant was on Rodeo Drive. Melody Lane Restaurant (with its 'Puppet Rm.' cocktail lounge-!) was torn down to make way for Blum's. So, that image is most-likely from late-1958, or some time in 1959 - as 1959 is the date given for the Blum's opening - and I spy a 1959 Oldsmobile motoring down Wilshire Boulevard.
Heading west down Wilshire, are Haggarty's department store; and W & J Sloane furniture store, whose showroom windows along Wilshire Blvd. had a really neat trick: Normally the floors beneath the windows would be placed at 'ground level'; but one or more of the floors were actually on elevators and for Xmas, were lowered to the basement level, allowing rather elaborate holiday tableaus to be erected starting well-below street level, and could rise above the tops of the windows, if the designers' wished. Pretty clever - and snazzy-! (Well... it IS Beverly Hills, after all).
Continuing down the boulevard is Saks Fifth Avenue department store; and finally I. Magnin department store - also from San Francisco.
Nanook, I admit that I drank two bottles of A-1 steak sauce before writing this post!
ReplyDeleteJB, hmmm, I think you’re right, that does appear to be a mic. Let’s put it right next to the water! I agree that this appears to be a pretty fancy affair, and not the kind of thing they would do every Saturday. Maybe it was a celebration of Arnold Stang’s birthday, which used to be a big deal. I imagine those three ladies singing in harmony like the Andrews Sisters. And after doing research on Ms. Hayes, she actually wore that bathing suit in every role, from “Blackboard Jungle” to “Bonanza”. It was in her contract, and she had a really good agent.
Nanook, things go better with Coke, especially poolside parties. The black and white image was really just there to provide a little context, since not everyone spends time in Beverly Hills. They spend time in BevMo, am I right?! See, because that’s where they buy booze. To drink. I’m wondering about the Puppet Room cocktail lounge, which sounds like a nightmare. “I’m Mr. Jibbity, buy me a drink!” The windows at W.J.Sloane sound pretty cool, though I would want to use them as my regular elevator. Let the regular schmoes use the normal elevator!
I don't always read blogs that deviate from Disney but when I do it's Gorillas Don't Blog.
ReplyDeleteBrought to you by the most interesting man in the world - Major Pepperidge (Stay Happy My Friends)
Great stuff today Major!
I agree with JB about the Tesla coil, although it looks more like a Van de Graaf generator to me. The idea that that thing could be a microphone is simply ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteIn the first picture of the woman on the diving board, I think she is actually doing a gymnastics routine on the board itself rather than jumping in feet first. It appears that her fingers are touching the left board. The second photo appears to be her doing some sort of tumbling over the board, perhaps about to land feet first at the end of the board before a jump.
Love these very strange, yet compelling scenes of 1950's LA life. The starlets (who came up with that word?) the high diving board (soooo not compliant in any way in these days...couldn't even put a board mounted on the ground on my pool) ...wooden long board surfing (welcome Hawaii to the union!)...in a pool...in costumes...I like the "non- hula better...she looks likes she's decorated as a bird. Let's throw in a Scarlett O'Hara and a few American flags, and an audience of either scantily clad, or very fully clad Beverly Hills Hillbillies...and you have a party. In the early 80's I was fascinated by this hotel..home of Pretty Woman and others. It was called "Hernando Courtrights Beverly Wilshire" and he had press photos/ads of him standing on elaborate cast iron staircases. Look him up, he also owned the Beverly Hills Hotel after the bankruptcy, but the story looks very fuzzy...probably on purpose. Very nefarious. My classmates dad had an apartment at the Beverly Wilshire...it was featured on "lifestyles of the rich and famous"...very strange end to the story with dead bodies and whatnot. Odd family and story. Names omited to protect the innocent. Barbara Hutton (Woolworth Heiress) spent her last days in an apartment here...her son Lance (race car driver/playboy) married pretty blonde Mouseketeer Cheryl. She also became a Starlet, and then became an heiress. Lance died in an airplane crash. I enjoy that Barbara Hutton gave away all of her money, property, etc. before she died. The US Embassy in London was her home there- she sold it to the US for $1. There were other notable residents of the Beverly Wilshire. Pretty Woman interiors were actually filmed in the much more grand Ambassador Hotel down the road (now gone- TRE'd). If I ever find myself driving down Wilshire with non-Angeleno's they tend to oohh...and ahhhh...at the Beverly Wilshire. Wilshire and Rodeo is a Hellish intersection. All of the girls connect it with Pretty Woman. The pretty woman "other" hotel...(the one where the character actually lived) is still alive and not TRE'd on Las Palmas in Hollywood in my old hood. It's very much: life imitating art...or in this case was "art imitating life". LA can be very fascinating. Thanks for the glamour this morning Major!
ReplyDeleteWow, these are very interesting. I could tell immediately these were not Disneyland, not a trash can in sight.
ReplyDeleteI think the young lady in the southern ball gown did just finish singing, the thing in the stand beside her looks like a microphone, and people in front of her have blurred hands like they are clapping.
In photo 2, Peter Graves is standing by some odd apparatus that looks like a punch bowl with a trophy on top. Then in photo 3, the young lady with auburn hair and a gold costume looks to be holding the trophy, but the punch bowl thing is gone. Peter is ordering another round of Champagne “Bring the Good Stuff, you hear, I want Cristal! none of that Dom Perignon junk for my people!”
The two shots of the girl diving almost feel like it’s the same dive, a fraction of a second apart, but in reverse order.
I wonder what this event was about? Looks like everyone had fun, and now we did too. Thanks Major.
JG
Major-
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well... Lookie what I found-! In addition to copious amounts of leering male chauvinism, we see all sorts of diving and 'fashion show' action - with the requisite, tacky 'comedy'. At around 8:23, we finally get to see that ... odd apparatus that looks like a punch bowl with a trophy on top. The guesses for the date of this extravaganza appear to be either after 1948, or 1952 - connecting it somehow to the Olympics.
HERE IT IS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlAWX5OrjEA
Wow, Nanook, what a find. The internet knows everything.
ReplyDeleteThe dialog is certainly cringey, and it’s not cool to make fun of the chunky girl, but very nice to see the event in live action. The narrator isn’t as funny as he thinks he is. And who is the comic relief guy? It’s seems like he was at the event, or maybe his antics were filmed separately.
Any idea what this film was made for? I can’t see any of the surrounding info on YouTube, the link opened full-screen.
JG
Nanook found our time machine! Amazing sleuthing! I like the foley effects for the splashing water. I think it was someone just swishing their hand in the kitchen sink.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the film shows Miss Scarlet's musical interlude, so we'll never know if that thing is a microphone or a Tesla coil or a Van de Graaf generator. One of the unsolvable mysteries of life.
My guess for the year is 1952, as a couple of the guys in today's photos have crewcuts. That was more of a fifties thing than a forties thing, but definitely not conclusive.
JG, if you exit full-screen mode there's a lot of info below the video; minute by minute descriptions.
And I was also wondering if 'that guy' filmed his part separately from the other part.
Grant, I’m glad you enjoyed these! They were a fun find. And FINALLY somebody recognizes that I am the most interesting man in the world.
ReplyDeleteChuck, the world doesn’t have enough Van de Graaf generators, if you ask me. My hair is so flat and lifeless! I also thought it was possible that the woman was doing some sort of diving board gymnastics, or else the photo was taken at the exact moment to make it appear that way. WE NEED ANSWERS.
Bu, I actually was wondering if the surf boards had anything to do with Hawaii joining the Union, but the flags are still 48-star varieties. Granted, it would take a while to switch over, and it wasn’t long before Alaska joined too. “Hernando Courtrights Beverly Wilshire”, what a fizzle of a name. Maybe he was Merv Griffin in disguise. I never understand why rich people lived in hotels. Even nice hotels. I guess they like everything taken care of for them? I’m surprised that the Ambassador had interiors that were more grand, though I’ve never been in either, so it’s based on nothing but assumptions.
JG, no trash cans in Beverly Hills! Garbage is just not done. My hands look blurred, and I’m not clapping at all, for whatever that’s worth. What IS that thing that Peter Graves has? It does look like a trophy, but that red base is confusing. It almost looks like a hat box. Maybe those two photos of the woman are shown in reverse order, who knows. Not me!
Nanook, WOW, fantastic! I think I can even see the ladies with the different colored dresses, legs crossed and everything. Bummer that we still don’t have an exact date. The yawning fellow did not need so much screen time. I feel like if I spend a bit more time, I might be able to come up with an exact day and date! THANKS, Nanook. (I think we even see that trophy that JG mentions!!).
JG, yes that was truly incredible. I never thought to look on YouTube for a film of this event! the dialog is definitely clunky, and it really is cringe-worthy the way it leers at the bathing beauties. And the “comedy relief” guy is a dud.
@ JG/Major-
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the "comic relief" is to copy a number of travelogues, etc., of the day, that felt compelled to add some sort of 'mirth' to what would otherwise be a "just the facts" sort of presentation. The James FitzPatrick Traveltalks, Pete Smith Specialties, and Robert Benchley shorts (all from MGM) certainly had a 'light air' about them - with the Benchley shorts being downright funny - if you're into his brand of humor.
This example is rather typical of 'that sort of approach' to, as they used to say - "keeping things gay-!".
Almost positive that's a microphone on the small stand in pic 2. I've seen one sort of like it in the film "After the Thin Man" (1936). In that film Penny Singleton uses it as a hand-held. It hooks on to the center post when not in use. My guess is that the "dish" part could be disconnected and the mic used on a desk.
ReplyDeleteSo great to see that promotional film. Perhaps it was made to be shown in theaters as sort of a filler between other films. Thanks Nanook!
JB - ha! I was thinking the same thing about the water splash effects. To me that was one of the funniest parts of the film.
Nanook, thanks for the link to that YouTube film. Priceless. So awful that it was fun to watch.
ReplyDeleteJB and Sunday Night, the water splash effects had me laughing, too. Icing on the cake.
Love today's post and comments.
Thank you, Major, for hosting a pool party, this holiday weekend!
I'll bring some chips and dips, and you can start making the frozen slushy drinks.
I also noticed some sky writing at about 9:30 into the film. I think it says "Happy 4th of July weekend to all GDB fans!"
ReplyDeleteGreat work, Nanook! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteNanook, I’m sure you are right about the attempt to add some levity to otherwise-dry proceedings, but my gosh, that yawning guy is about as far from funny as can be. Did anybody find him humorous 60+ years ago? I can’t help thinking of Tex Avery’s parodies of travelogues. “And as the sun sets…”! The real thing was just made to be mocked.
ReplyDeleteSunday Night, I’m amazed that you remember a microphone from “After the Thin Man”! It must have really made an impression on you. I know I’ve seen that movie, but it was so long ago… is that the one with Jimmy Stewart? It’s amazing to think of going to the cinema and sitting through short subjects, news featurettes, animated shorts, comedy shorts (“Three Stooges”, etc), and THEN getting to the big feature.
Lou and Sue, it isn’t the worst thing I’ve ever seen, and I’m thrilled that there is actual movie footage of the same event that is shown in today’s photos, but yeah, I wouldn’t want to have to sit through it more than once. The splash effects remind me of fishing shows that my brother used to watch, I swear it was the same thing. A guy had a microphone next to the bathtub, and just splashed his hand around. So cheesy!
Sunday Night, Happy 4th of July to everybody! Fireworks were already going off all over as I was driving home tonight. Hope there’s no brushfires.