Halloween in Los Angeles - 1920s Part Three

Halloween 1924 - Thousands descended on downtown streets to celebrate. Early in the evening a red-haired 'Charlie Chaplin' ran amongst traffic and tried (unsuccessfully) to climb into the car of two beautiful young women. A 200-pound man dressed as a 'bottle baby' lead quite a crowd through the streets as he carried a huge bottle of milk. The Biltmore threw a swell shindig, it's ballroom and foyer decorated in orange and black. A highlight of the event was a novelty 'radium dance' complete with ballet girls in burlesque witch costumes, their bodies coated with phosphorus and carrying mechanical black cats.

Halloween 1925 - In Los Angeles all 950 police officers on the day watch were ordered to stay on duty throughout the night to 'prevent all destruction of property and undue annoyance of persons by those celebrating the occasion'. The Sheriff's 'dry squad' put quite a damper on festivities in Culver City by arresting fifteen Halloween revelers at the Green Mill and Nightingale cafes on Washington Blvd. The piers all celebrate. The Ocean Park Pier, in celebration of its first Halloween, gave special prizes (to the best costume I'm assuming). The Edgewater Club held a dinner dance for members with the Edgewater band providing the music. The Venice Pier ballroom once again hosted yama yama girls, Spanish dons, sheiks and assorted clowns. Chief of Police Andy Davilla welcomed all who sought a 'good, clean, wholesome time' but had no patience for 'the element which will insist on breaking laws.' By the end of the night more than sixty celebrants in Venice had been arrested for intoxication, reckless driving and disturbing the peace. With Venice and Culver City feeling the pinch why wasn't their any news of arrests in its sinful sister city, Vernon?

What Went Before? 1710 N. Las Palmas

During the mid-thirties 1710 N. Las Palmas was home to The Swing Club, an 'Exclusive Club for Members and Their Guests Only'. Prohibition was over but the place had a nasty habit of serving alcohol to undercover cops from the hours of 2am and 6am, they soon were subject to raids. In February 1938 the club's operator, H.S. 'Babe' Hensley, found himself on a list of 30 individuals that were deemed to have some knowledge of the 'vice and gambling situation in Los Angeles' by the Assembly Committee on Public Morals. He was in good company- the list also named (corrupt) Mayor Frank Shaw.

In May 1938 the 1710 Club opened at the same location, again with Babe Hensley as the operator or as he called himself 'Managing Director'. By mid-1939 Hensley had changed the name yet again, now it was Club 17. Club 17 had the same nasty habit as The Swing Club. At 2:30am on Tuesday, October 24, 1939, raiding officers found 150 after-hours customers at Club 17, nearly all had a bottle of liquor on their table. Management's latest idea to get around the 2am closing law was to 'sell' patrons a bottle of liquor shortly before 'closing'. Any liquor left in the bottle when the patrons actually decided to leave was subject to a cash refund or a trade ticket. The officers also happened to find a secret tunnel leading from the back of 1710 N, Las Palmas to the back entrance of a typewriter store which fronted on Hollywood Boulevard, a convenient exit during raids. Hensley's explanation for the tunnel was that he'd been told to get a Hollywood Blvd address if he wanted a liquor license from the State Board of Equalization. Club 17 was raided repeatedly in 1940 (as was the 41 Club, now at 7819 Beverly). With a new name, this time it was Manhattan Club, Babe Hensley gave it a go again at 1710 N. Las Palmas in mid- 1941. This incarnation of the club was raided because they were selling liquor without a license. Cut to 1943- we are back to The Swing Club again albeit with a new owner, William Berg. See the accompanying photo as an illustration of the fun that could be had at the Swing Club in December 1944.

Today, 1710 N. Las Palmas is known as Central.

What Went Before? 861 N. Seward

In 1932 this location was home to the Astrologist Club, a hangout for artists and movie studio folk. It was raided on February 11, 1932 in what the press dubbed the 'Peephole' case, because of the method of discovery. Prohibition agents trying to raid the club were denied entrance on their initial demand for entry. Following their second demand agents peeked through the miniature wickets of the thick door and claimed they saw the bartender smashing bottles (of 'apparent intoxicants') into the sink. On their third demand agents punched their fist through the wallboard above the transom and attempted to reach down to the bar. They gained entrance and found a small hidden supply of liquor behind a back bar ('evidence in a quantity sufficient for arrest'), leading to the arrest of five men. The building's owner J.C. McCormick sued for the return of his 'personal property', stating that the agents illegally entered the club without a search warrant. Amazingly in February 1933 United States District Judge W.P. James ordered the return of all evidence (including furniture and bar equipment) seized during the raid -adding that the Prohibition agents acted without cause and too hastily during the raid. The court also ruled not to pursue the prosecution of those arrested.

What Went Before? 3634-3636 Beverly Blvd

This 13-story building began life in 1928 as the American Storage Building. In addition to storage units, the Bud Murray School for Stage and Lewis S. Hart Auctioneer were also early tenants of the building. However most of the fun was being had on the 13th floor. Longtime cafe man E.W. 'Curley' Bordwell opened the Roof Garden in September 1928, a 'nite club de luxe' which featured dancing to the sounds of George Redman's Famous "Roof Garden Orchestra". They were apparently so famous that by early October a remote controlled broadcasting station operated by KMTR had been installed and George Redman's jazz orchestra could be heard nightly on KMTR from 10pm to 11pm. Curley's place must have been swinging during daylight hours as well - Chris Mann & His Roof Garden Melody Boys were broadcast live daily from 3:30pm to 4:30pm.

Curley and his landlord had a quick falling out and by December 22, 1928 the Roof Garden had given way to 'Thirteenth Heaven', a night club with a rip-snorting theme. The elevator to the club was manned by 'St. Peter', the waiters sported wings and the musicians and attendants wore clothes 'intended to produce a spiritual illusion.' Curley didn't take this lying down and sued the American Storage Building owners for being wrongfully ejected from a cafe that he equipped and opened himself.

Perhaps it was the heavenly theme or perhaps it was the lawsuit but 'Thirteenth Heaven' didn't even make it to it's first anniversary. The Roof Garden Cafe was re-opened in late September 1929... without Curley.

By 1931 the 'Los Angeles Press Club' moved into the building and began having problems of their own. Their biggest problem was getting caught brewing beer during Prohibition. The 'Los Angeles Press Club' was raided March 18, 1931. Dry agents discovered a complete beer plant, 21 twelve-gallon crocks of beer mash, 203 bottles of beer - ninety of which were on ice (for the members no doubt).

The 41 Club (see the previous entry for their location at 833 S. Spring) took up residence briefly in late 1931 before making the move to Spring Street. They too were raided, and approximately $10,000 worth of liquor was found in secret compartments (comparable to $139,000 in 2008). It took the Feds a year to prosecute those involved and auction off the furnishings of the club.

By the mid-1940s the building held various military organizations such as the Air Technical Service Command Headquarters and the War Assets Administration. For many years after the war it was also the headquarters for Pacific Telephone & Telegraph Company. It's pretty quiet around there today....

What went before? 833 S. Spring Street

This building (at 833 S. Spring) started life in 1924 as the City Club, a location for associations and (occasionally) churches to meet and hold events. Within 10 years it became known as the 833 Club, one of the city's most exclusive (and illegal) gambling establishments. In July 1933 a raid by the vice squad nabbed seventeen (including two women) and yielded $4000 worth of gambling equipment. It then became the 'swanky' 41 Club in 1935. In its early days, under the management of George Distel (who also played a part in the 833 Club), the 41 Club saw raids by police for 'after hours' liquor sales, was 'made famous overnight by the wonderful food' of Adolph Ackerman and was open for members and guests only. Distel brought in longtime restaurant men Tommy Jacobs (Vernon Country Club, The Ship, Club Airport Gardens and more) and Paul Maggora (Agua Caliente) in late 1935. Under Tommy Jacobs rule, 41 Club became 'Los Angeles's most friendly night club' with 'special consideration for out-of-town guests.' After a stint as union headquarters for the nearby fashion district, 833 S. Spring entered its longest run as Roseland, a club featuring taxi dancers. The sign reading 'Dancing' still survives as does the designation 'City Club' visible above the arch doorway.