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Don the Beachcomber (Hollywood), Hollywood, CA (restaurant) |
pappythesailor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 07, 2005
Posts: 1563
From: Mass.
|  Posted: 2007-08-13 7:31 pm Permalink
Name:Don the Beachcomber (Hollywood)
Type:restaurant
Street:North McCadden Place
City:Hollywood
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct
Description:
(from the Van Nuys Valley News 16 October 1971)
Little Bit of Polynesia
Tropical Settings Mark Beachcombers
The first Don the Beachcomber restaurant opened in Hollywood in 1934 where a little bit of Polynesia was created to combine drinks of rum and the Cantonese food of ancient China.
Interesting lighting, walls of bamboo, coconut, tree posts, intricate carvings and thatched ceilings help to create a tropical atmosphere.
Don the Beachcomber has long been known for his Navy Grog, Zombie, Missionary's Downfall and Pi Yi, all drink concoctions for the exotic tastes. With these libations, the restaurant offers a variety of appetizers, including Tapa Tapa (tenderloin of beef, skewered in slender bamboo spears, marinated in Chinese spices and broiled), Chinese barbecued tenderloin of pork slices, barbecued baby loin ribs, fried shrimp, egg roll, rumaki and crab puffs.
Cantonese cooking is used to prepare such dishes of varied origins as lobster Hong Kong, pork Cantonese, king crab Chungking, chicken Manuu of beef osyter. (sic)
American entrees, Polynesian style are served.
Steak Bora Bora, Australian lobster tail, Pacific Mahi Mahi, broiled New York steak and barbecued chicken are among the most popular.
The second Don the Beachcomber opened in Palm Springs in 1953, followed by dineries in Las Vegas' Hotel Sahara in 1962, the St. Paul Hilton in 1966, Corona del Mar in 1969, Marina Del Rey in March 1970 and the latest addition in Harbor Island in June 1970.
King Y. Wong is president of Don the Beachcomber restaurants.
Don the Beachcomber in Palm Springs was completely refurbished with carpeting, new coral, leather booths, additional comfortable seating in the lounge area, completely repainted exterior and a new entrance complimented by exotic landscaping.
[ This Message was edited by: pappythesailor 2007-08-13 19:35 ]
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pappythesailor
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 07, 2005
Posts: 1563
From: Mass.
| Posted: 2007-08-13 7:34 pm Permalink
(from the Van Nuys News 30 March 1973)
Don the Beachcomber Marks 40th Year
It began as a virtual
hole in the wall — that
tiny bar Donn Beach
opened in Hollywood. The
year was 1933 and now
some four decades later
Don The Beachcomber remains
and flourishes as
one of America's premier
Polynesian restaurants, a
spokesman said.
Soft lights, tropical wat-
er falls, native waiters
and exotic Cantonese cuisine
caught the fancy of rom-
ance seeking diners.
When Beach and his early
associates invented such
mind-boggling rum concoctions
as the "Zombie"
and the "Navy Grog," Don
The Beachcomber became
the envy of the restaurant
world.
The royalty of Hollywood
merged in a common
bond with that of Washington
and the business
world for a night at Don
The Beachcomber was always
memorable. After
Beach decided to move to
Hawaii, Sunny Sund took
over the operation while
today the tradition continues
in the capable hands
of Horst Osterkamp.
Don The Beachcomber
in Hollywood has been
given a complete refurbishing
in keeping with its
senior position among the
nation's tropical elite.
In anticipation of its
40th anniversary, more
than $100,000 was expended
which included
construction of a new
cocktail bar area, expansion
of the central dining
room, and the addition
of new waterfalls and tropical
rain forests.
The spot serves luncheon
Monday through Friday
and dinner nightly
with Steve Aranas serving
as manager-host.
It all started in Holrywood
with a simple notion
and the idea will never
end as long as romance
and the South Seas' continue
to capture the imagination,
the spokesman
said.
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1181
From: Birdland - San Diego
| Posted: 2007-08-14 09:01 am Permalink
When did the original Hollywood location actually close?
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TikiJosh
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 01, 2005
Posts: 735 | Posted: 2007-08-14 11:42 am Permalink
We need to post a picture from Sippin Safari of the parking lot sign. Or any other pictures. All I have is the empty parking lot now that the sign is gone.
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Digitiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 22, 2004
Posts: 754
From: L.A. baby!
| Posted: 2007-11-08 2:59 pm Permalink
Thought this would be interesting. The picture for this album cover was taken in 1958 at the Hollywood Don The Beachcomber. enjoy.
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"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." -- Dean Martin
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1181
From: Birdland - San Diego
| Posted: 2007-11-09 08:36 am Permalink
Does anyone know what year the Hollywood DTB closed?
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Tattoo
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Sep 24, 2005
Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2008-02-28 08:04 am Permalink
Going through my hardrive looking at all my pictures and I found this one that I don't believe I've seen anywhere on TC yet. I'm pretty sure this is the Hollywood location. As I remember I found it on the UCLA archives site a few years ago.
and I believe this is the Chicago location. Does anyone know?
[ This Message was edited by: Tattoo 2008-02-28 08:33 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Tattoo 2008-02-28 08:36 ]
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10911
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-02-28 09:51 am Permalink
I do believe that 2nd pic is from the Chicago location, yes. What is odd about it is that it looks like a snapshot, yet the sign seems to have been messed with professionally to increase clarity..(?). Here's a 1958 ad for it:
The Chicago location was the very first Beachcomber franchise, and it was Sunny's baby, all the way:
It was important because it inspired the creation of the Mai Kai:
"The inspiration for the Mai-Kai came from the (Thornton) brothers' favorite restaurant, Don the Beachcomber, an island-style eatery they visited with their father during their childhood in Chicago."
There are two rare interior postcards from it on e-bay right now, but kohalacharms is bidding, so I know that a.) I will be outbid, and b.) they will go into competent hands  :
These photos further cement the fact that the 1940s, and the Don The Beachcomber look in general belong to the Pre-Tiki period.
Here is a nice interior of the Hollywood Beachcomber, shot in the 50s:
Quote:
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On 2007-08-14 11:42, TikiJosh wrote:
We need to post a picture from Sippin Safari of the parking lot sign. Or any other pictures. All I have is the empty parking lot now that the sign is gone.
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How about a picture of the parking lot sign from the Book of Tiki? :
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Tattoo
Grand Member (6 years)
Joined: Sep 24, 2005
Posts: 167
From: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2008-02-28 10:30 am Permalink
Here's a wider version of the Chicago Beachcomber shot. Not sure if the sign was messed with for clarity.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10911
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-02-28 7:40 pm Permalink
I remember this photo now, it was on e-bay. Maybe the seller photoshopped the sign to a crisper form to make the pic more appealing to folks like us.
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Digitiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 22, 2004
Posts: 754
From: L.A. baby!
| Posted: 2008-02-29 11:59 am Permalink
Its funny, but the Hollywood Beachcomber looks so much like a little apartment complex and not a polynesian palace.
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"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." -- Dean Martin
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1770
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2008-02-29 4:29 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-11-08 14:59, Digitiki wrote:
Thought this would be interesting. The picture for this album cover was taken in 1958 at the Hollywood Don The Beachcomber. enjoy.
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How do you know this? This album cover hangs over my bar. I see nothing on the back cover referring to Don the Beachcomber's. Looks more like a studio shot to me.
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10911
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2008-02-29 5:12 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-02-29 16:29, GatorRob wrote:
I see nothing on the back cover referring to Don the Beachcomber's.
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....cause you didn't use your magnifying glass :
Well, apparently, The Outriggers didn't like Don's, because they chose to shoot their next album cover at Vic's  :
Meanwhile, THE SURFERS preferred THEIR covers to be shot with Stephen Crane's LUAU as the back drop:
...while THE OUTRIGGERS were studio musicians put together to supply more Hawaiian sounds to the Polynesia-mad masses, the Surfers were sort of "The Monkees" of Hawaiian music, for though they were native Hawaiians, they were found by their record company in L.A., at Glendale Junior College.
All in all, perfect examples Polynesian Pop: From the recording to the cover photography, not one foot was set on the Islands, the Illusion of the South Seas was completely fabricated on the mainland, in part thanks to the Tiki Troica of Don, Vic and Steve!
[ This Message was edited by: bigbrotiki 2008-02-29 19:02 ]
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ZuluMagoo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 26, 2002
Posts: 468
From: Denver, CO
| Posted: 2008-02-29 10:16 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-02-28 09:51, bigbrotiki wrote:
There are two rare interior postcards from it on e-bay right now, but kohalacharms is bidding, so I know that a.) I will be outbid, and b.) they will go into competent hands : |
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Rare indeed! This is the first time I have seen these cards. The common Don the Beachcomber cards are the interior shot of the Hollywood location, a few from the Waikiki location (luau shots), the UFO shot from Marina del Rey and then the common menu cards (2) the non PC drink menu card and the map of the South Pacific card.
I have no doubt that Kohalacharms will end up with the cards, but I expect that the bidding will go high at the close of the auction. That reminds me of the time Sabu brook the $100 barrier for a Tahiti Motel postcard from Wildwood Crest New Jersey several years ago (Tim, we rarely see you around here anymore?)
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GatorRob
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 20, 2004
Posts: 1770
From: 3 hrs 33 mins to paradise
| Posted: 2008-03-02 3:58 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2008-02-29 17:12, bigbrotiki wrote:
....cause you didn't use your magnifying glass :
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Well, there it is. Right under my nose and I never noticed it. Thanks for that!
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