Hollywood Plaza Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hollywood Plaza Hotel |
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Hotel in 2015
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| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Address | 1633–37 North Vine Street |
| Town or city | Hollywood, California |
| Country | US |
| Coordinates | 34°6′3″N 118°19′37″W / 34.10083°N 118.32694°W |
| Construction started | 1924 |
| Opened | October 15, 1925 |
| Cost | $1 million |
| Owner | Joseph Stern |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Walker & Eisen |
| Designated: | September 29, 1999 |
| Reference #: | 665 |
The Hollywood Plaza Hotel was a famous hotel in Hollywood, California. It had 200 rooms and opened on October 15, 1925. Many movie, radio, and theater stars stayed there. It was a popular spot from the 1930s to the 1950s. Later, in the 1970s, it became a home for retired people. It is located near the famous Hollywood and Vine intersection. The Capitol Records Building is also close by.
Contents
History of the Hollywood Plaza Hotel
Before the hotel was built, Jacob Stern lived on this spot. Joseph Stern owned the hotel. He rented it out to a company called Vine Street Hotel and Investment Company. Harold Stern was in charge of this company.
Design and Features
Building Style and Cost
The hotel was designed by the company Walker & Eisen. It was built in the Renaissance Revival style. This style looks back to the art and ideas of the European Renaissance. The hotel was built in 1924. It cost about $1 million to build.
Hotel Structure and Look
The building had a "T" shape. It was 10 stories tall. It was made from strong concrete, fancy plaster, and stone. There were two garden areas outside. A large ballroom was located on the ground floor. The word "Plaza" glowed in neon lights on top of the roof.
Lobby and Interior Design
The hotel's main lobby was updated after World War II. It originally had a special ceiling with sunken panels, called a coffered ceiling. There were also bronze chandeliers, which are decorative hanging lights.
Famous Nightclubs and Shows
The hotel had a nightclub called the "Russian Eagle." In 1937, actress Clara Bow and her husband, Rex Bell, renamed it the "It Cafe." Clara Bow promised to visit the cafe often. However, she lost interest, and the cafe closed in 1943. It later became a coffee shop. The hotel also hosted live shows. In the 1950s, the TV game show Queen for a Day filmed episodes there. Radio host Johnny Grant broadcast his daily show from the hotel's bar.
Famous Guests and Visitors
Stars of Film and Radio
The Hollywood Plaza Hotel was close to many radio and film studios. Because of this, it was very popular with radio performers and actors. Many famous people stayed there. These included Jackie Gleason, Doris Day, Marilyn Monroe, and Edward Everett Horton. Top bandleaders like Harry James, Paul Whiteman, and Hal McIntyre also visited.
Notable Residents
Actress Bette Davis lived at the hotel with her mother in 1930. This was when she first came to Hollywood. In 1941, Ava Gardner checked into the hotel after getting a new movie contract. She later had to move to a cheaper hotel.
Regular Visitors
In the 1940s and 1950s, a barber shop was in the hotel's basement. Singer Frank Sinatra often went there. He enjoyed playing a card game called gin rummy with the barber. Comedian George Burns had an office at the top of the hotel in the late 1930s.
Hotel in Pop Culture
The hotel's shape can be seen from the window of Lucy Ricardo's apartment. This is in several episodes of the TV show I Love Lucy.
The Hotel Today
By the early 1970s, the hotel was not in good shape. The building was then changed into a retirement home. Some of the original palm trees are still behind the building. The Hollywood Plaza Hotel building and its neon sign were named a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument. This happened on September 29, 1999. It is Monument No. 665.
