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Café Montmartre

January 01, 1970

This article is about the restaurant in Hollywood. For the venue in Copenhagen, see Jazzhus Montmartre.

Café Montmartre (now Montmartre Lounge) was a restaurant and nightclub on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue[1] in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US. Opened in 1923, it became a "worldwide center for celebrity and nightlife" during the 1920s and a place where tourists would visit to try to break into Hollywood.

Café Montmartre

History edit

In 1919, Charles E. Toberman bought the property at 6763 Hollywood Boulevard, and three years later, built a real estate office on the lot.[2] The building, run by Meyer & Holler, included a first floor bank and Café Montmartre on the second floor. Café Montmartre was the first popular nightclub on the boulevard after Adolph 'Eddie' Brandstatter opened it in 1923. Given the dramatic growth of the American film industry in Hollywood at the time, it became a "worldwide center for celebrity and nightlife" during the 1920s.[3] Gregory Paul Williams, author of The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History, describes it as the first successful café in Hollywood, stating that it became "the most publicized cafe in the country, where a bottle of booze was a sure thing, as was gambling in the back room".[4]

The venue's decline began in 1929 after Brandstatter opened the Embassy Club which drew away clientele from the Cafe Montmartre. He declared bankruptcy in 1932, and subsequently sold the Montmartre. The second floor space later housed the Lee Strasberg Institute before it became the present-day Club Day After, which features the Montmartre Lounge,[5] a private parties' bar, its signage being just the letters "ML".[1] A convenience store has replaced the first floor bank.[6] Red Skelton's Hollywood Walk of Fame star for his work on radio is in front of the 6763 building.[7]

In the late 1960’s/early 1970’s it was Perry’s Dance Studio on the second floor. Entrance up the steps at the right end facing the facade. Previously located at North Highland across from Yucca, it relocated here when the Holiday Inn Hotel was built. Perry’s Studios was frequented by the dance greats of the 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, closing in the early 70’s. Hollywood’s Silver Screen greats, Carmelita Marracci a Ballet Legend, Ted Howard for Tap, Martha Graham mentioned it in her book Dance to the Piper, Napua for Hula, Bobby Banas for Jazz, Lola Montes and her flamenco dancers, Michio Ito for Japanese/Modern, Sol Hurok, Ballet Russe with Adolf Bolm, George Balanchine, Antony Tudor, Anton Dolin, etc. It was run by Barbara Mae Perry, later wife of Disney animator Art Babbitt and Dancer/actress/writer in her own right, d. 5 May 2019, and her mother Victoria Mae Perry, d. @1955.

Function edit

 
Lila Lee and Bebe Daniels at a table at the venue

It was frequented by some of the top stars and figures in the business at the time, including John Barrymore, Bebe Daniels, Adolphe Menjou, Rudolph Valentino, Bessie Love, Mary Astor, Charlie Chaplin, Fatty Arbuckle, Lew Cody, Douglas Fairbanks, and Tom Mix, and writers and businesspeople such as Rupert Hughes, Peter B. Kyne and William Randolph Hearst.[4][8] It became a symbol of glamor across the United States and gained renown as a place where one could get a ticket to stardom, due to the many film bosses and stars who frequented the venue. Tourists from around the country visited daily, hoping to be spotted and to make their name as a film star. Some were lucky; Don Terry was discovered by Fox screenwriter Charles Francis Coe at the restaurant, who gave Terry his business card and invited him to the Fox lot for a screen test.[9] Terry was later signed as the lead in the 1928 film Me, Gangster, directed by Raoul Walsh.[9]

Bruce Cabot was maitre d' at Montmartre,[5] and its orchestra was led by Vincent Rose and Jackie Taylor.[10] Friday night was "celebrity" night. There was plenty of dancing, and even floor shows with dancers. In addition, men who sat at the "bachelors' table" made themselves available to ladies who wanted to dance at lunch. Special events included a dance contest, which Clara Bow won, Joan Crawford danced the Charleston atop a table, and Rudolph Valentino's tango is mentioned with honors.[5] Hip flasks were common during the prohibition era, and a bootlegger was available, too. On Wednesday and Friday nights, the cafe was frequented by columnist Louella Parsons looking for news.[1]

Architecture and fittings edit

 
Interior

Built in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo,[5] the two story structure featured Spanish tiling and grilled doors decorated with Mexican wrought-iron.[11] Imported carpeting and chandeliers filled the Romanesque interior.[6]

References edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Café Montmartre.
  1. ^ a b c Perry, Charles (April 14, 2011). "Brandstatter brought the party to old Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  2. ^ Palmer, Edwin Obadiah (1938). History of Hollywood. E. O. Palmer. p. 166.
  3. ^ . Millenniumhollywood.net. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2014.
  4. ^ a b Williams, Gregory Paul (2005). The Story of Hollywood: An Illustrated History (Print). S.l: BL Press, Storyofhollywood.com. p. 124. ISBN 978-0-9776299-0-9.
  5. ^ a b c d Alleman, Richard (6 March 2013). Hollywood: The Movie Lover's Guide: The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L.A. Crown Publishing Group. p. 21. ISBN 978-0-8041-3777-5.
  6. ^ a b Bailey, Mark; Hemingway, Edward (26 August 2014). Of All the Gin Joints: Stumbling Through Hollywood History. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. p. 14. ISBN 978-1-56512-593-3.
  7. ^ "Red Skelton". IMDb.
  8. ^ "From All Corners of the Earth They Come to Hollywood's Boulevard of Hope and Tragedy". The New Movie Magazine. 1929. pp. 74–5. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  9. ^ a b Bailey, Vernon (January 1929). Embarrassment. Photoplay. pp. 74, 105. Retrieved November 24, 2014.
  10. ^ Starr, Jimmy (1 January 2001). Barefoot on Barbed Wire: An Autobiography of a Forty-year Hollywood Balancing Act. Scarecrow Press. p. 56. ISBN 978-0-8108-3941-0.
  11. ^ Zollo, Paul (2011). Hollywood Remembered: An Oral History of Its Golden Age. Taylor Trade Publications. p. 369. ISBN 978-1-58979-603-4.

34°6′7″N 118°20′19″W / 34.10194°N 118.33861°W / 34.10194; -118.33861

January 01, 1970
café, montmartre, this, article, about, restaurant, hollywood, venue, copenhagen, jazzhus, montmartre, montmartre, lounge, restaurant, nightclub, hollywood, boulevard, highland, avenue, hollywood, angeles, california, opened, 1923, became, worldwide, center, c. This article is about the restaurant in Hollywood For the venue in Copenhagen see Jazzhus Montmartre Cafe Montmartre now Montmartre Lounge was a restaurant and nightclub on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue 1 in Hollywood Los Angeles California US Opened in 1923 it became a worldwide center for celebrity and nightlife during the 1920s and a place where tourists would visit to try to break into Hollywood Cafe Montmartre Contents 1 History 2 Function 3 Architecture and fittings 4 ReferencesHistory editIn 1919 Charles E Toberman bought the property at 6763 Hollywood Boulevard and three years later built a real estate office on the lot 2 The building run by Meyer amp Holler included a first floor bank and Cafe Montmartre on the second floor Cafe Montmartre was the first popular nightclub on the boulevard after Adolph Eddie Brandstatter opened it in 1923 Given the dramatic growth of the American film industry in Hollywood at the time it became a worldwide center for celebrity and nightlife during the 1920s 3 Gregory Paul Williams author of The Story of Hollywood An Illustrated History describes it as the first successful cafe in Hollywood stating that it became the most publicized cafe in the country where a bottle of booze was a sure thing as was gambling in the back room 4 The venue s decline began in 1929 after Brandstatter opened the Embassy Club which drew away clientele from the Cafe Montmartre He declared bankruptcy in 1932 and subsequently sold the Montmartre The second floor space later housed the Lee Strasberg Institute before it became the present day Club Day After which features the Montmartre Lounge 5 a private parties bar its signage being just the letters ML 1 A convenience store has replaced the first floor bank 6 Red Skelton s Hollywood Walk of Fame star for his work on radio is in front of the 6763 building 7 In the late 1960 s early 1970 s it was Perry s Dance Studio on the second floor Entrance up the steps at the right end facing the facade Previously located at North Highland across from Yucca it relocated here when the Holiday Inn Hotel was built Perry s Studios was frequented by the dance greats of the 30 s 40 s 50 s 60 s closing in the early 70 s Hollywood s Silver Screen greats Carmelita Marracci a Ballet Legend Ted Howard for Tap Martha Graham mentioned it in her book Dance to the Piper Napua for Hula Bobby Banas for Jazz Lola Montes and her flamenco dancers Michio Ito for Japanese Modern Sol Hurok Ballet Russe with Adolf Bolm George Balanchine Antony Tudor Anton Dolin etc It was run by Barbara Mae Perry later wife of Disney animator Art Babbitt and Dancer actress writer in her own right d 5 May 2019 and her mother Victoria Mae Perry d 1955 Function edit nbsp Lila Lee and Bebe Daniels at a table at the venue It was frequented by some of the top stars and figures in the business at the time including John Barrymore Bebe Daniels Adolphe Menjou Rudolph Valentino Bessie Love Mary Astor Charlie Chaplin Fatty Arbuckle Lew Cody Douglas Fairbanks and Tom Mix and writers and businesspeople such as Rupert Hughes Peter B Kyne and William Randolph Hearst 4 8 It became a symbol of glamor across the United States and gained renown as a place where one could get a ticket to stardom due to the many film bosses and stars who frequented the venue Tourists from around the country visited daily hoping to be spotted and to make their name as a film star Some were lucky Don Terry was discovered by Fox screenwriter Charles Francis Coe at the restaurant who gave Terry his business card and invited him to the Fox lot for a screen test 9 Terry was later signed as the lead in the 1928 film Me Gangster directed by Raoul Walsh 9 Bruce Cabot was maitre d at Montmartre 5 and its orchestra was led by Vincent Rose and Jackie Taylor 10 Friday night was celebrity night There was plenty of dancing and even floor shows with dancers In addition men who sat at the bachelors table made themselves available to ladies who wanted to dance at lunch Special events included a dance contest which Clara Bow won Joan Crawford danced the Charleston atop a table and Rudolph Valentino s tango is mentioned with honors 5 Hip flasks were common during the prohibition era and a bootlegger was available too On Wednesday and Friday nights the cafe was frequented by columnist Louella Parsons looking for news 1 Architecture and fittings edit nbsp Interior Built in the style of an Italian Renaissance palazzo 5 the two story structure featured Spanish tiling and grilled doors decorated with Mexican wrought iron 11 Imported carpeting and chandeliers filled the Romanesque interior 6 References edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cafe Montmartre a b c Perry Charles April 14 2011 Brandstatter brought the party to old Hollywood Los Angeles Times Retrieved 26 November 2014 Palmer Edwin Obadiah 1938 History of Hollywood E O Palmer p 166 Cafe Montmartre Hollywood s First Nightclub Millenniumhollywood net Archived from the original on 27 April 2015 Retrieved 25 November 2014 a b Williams Gregory Paul 2005 The Story of Hollywood An Illustrated History Print S l BL Press Storyofhollywood com p 124 ISBN 978 0 9776299 0 9 a b c d Alleman Richard 6 March 2013 Hollywood The Movie Lover s Guide The Ultimate Insider Tour of Movie L A Crown Publishing Group p 21 ISBN 978 0 8041 3777 5 a b Bailey Mark Hemingway Edward 26 August 2014 Of All the Gin Joints Stumbling Through Hollywood History Chapel Hill North Carolina Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill p 14 ISBN 978 1 56512 593 3 Red Skelton IMDb From All Corners of the Earth They Come to Hollywood s Boulevard of Hope and Tragedy The New Movie Magazine 1929 pp 74 5 Retrieved 26 November 2014 a b Bailey Vernon January 1929 Embarrassment Photoplay pp 74 105 Retrieved November 24 2014 Starr Jimmy 1 January 2001 Barefoot on Barbed Wire An Autobiography of a Forty year Hollywood Balancing Act Scarecrow Press p 56 ISBN 978 0 8108 3941 0 Zollo Paul 2011 Hollywood Remembered An Oral History of Its Golden Age Taylor Trade Publications p 369 ISBN 978 1 58979 603 4 34 6 7 N 118 20 19 W 34 10194 N 118 33861 W 34 10194 118 33861 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Cafe Montmartre amp oldid 1142477992, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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