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The Luau in Beverly Hills, CA (restaurant) |
Sabu The Coconut Boy
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Aug 20, 2002
Posts: 2784
From: Carson, California
|  Posted: 2010-10-14 7:59 pm Permalink
A pair of photos taken one night at the Luau, Beverly Hills in 1970 both came up on eBay together. I managed to grab the one with the girl and volcano drink because it was well-hidden, without any good keywords. The other, however, was a little more public and was snagged by a friend. Here are the auction photos. When mine arrives in the mail, I'll try to get some close-ups of the details.
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-10-14 11:53 pm Permalink
Sabu,
Great score on the photo. First time I have ever seen those big yellow diner menus from the Luau. I have the smaller red drink menu that has the same PNG graphics. Look forward to some close ups when you get the pic.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-12-06 10:50 pm Permalink
This is a great photo of Jack Lemmon and friends at the Luau that I grabbed from the web a while ago, just found it. Really good shot of the Tiki lamp.
I also spotted these Luau highball glasses on ebay, first time I have seen them. Anybody got one in their collection for a closer look?
Lastly, I had to include the photo of a young Stephen Crane being greeted by Don the Beachcomber at a party held at Don's house in 1946. An early influence for Stephen no doubt.
DC
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-01-26 10:45 pm Permalink
Another one of those cool Polaroid photos of the Luau popped up on ebay, this one with the ladies getting their drinks.
Still waiting to see one of those yellow dinner menus up close.
Here is a story and photo from the 1962 LA brochure that was recently posted on TC showing the interior of the newly remodeled Luau Garden Room.
This was the era when the old bamboo style that looked like this...
Turned into the new Tiki style that looked like this.
DC
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JOHN-O
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: May 16, 2008
Posts: 2458
From: Dogtown, USA
| Posted: 2011-01-27 4:46 pm Permalink
Who are the people in the Polaroids ?
Could that be Steve Crane (circa 1970) and some of his "girls" ?
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TikiTomD
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Sep 20, 2009
Posts: 629
From: Flagler Beach, FL
| Posted: 2011-07-05 5:41 pm Permalink
Here's a story to go with all the great images of the Luau in this thread...
Beverly Hills Weekly July 6, 2000
-Tom
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goldila
Member
Joined: Jul 22, 2011
Posts: 2
From: Los Angeles, CA
| Posted: 2011-07-22 11:48 pm Permalink
The original Luau was the best. Ate there many times. Loved the decor; it really felt like you were off in a tropical paradise. Never ate at the new one but heard it wasn't very good.
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JonPez
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Jul 01, 2003
Posts: 223
From: Orlando, FL
| Posted: 2011-08-04 1:56 pm Permalink
Here is the front of a matchbox I just came across (the other side was blank)...
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JonPez
http://www.playgroundzero.net/
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2011-08-05 9:12 pm Permalink
Tiki Tom D, thank you for that great Steve Crane article. A well written piece (interesting that in July 2000, the word "Tiki" was nowhere mentioned in connection with Steve Crane).
I was especially glad to find out more about Lila Leeds, because I had been curious about it ever since DC had posted the photo of her with Steve Crane. I had known of her and her drug bust with Bob Mitchum for years, from a vintage men's mag.
She was a real hottie,
and I was fascinated by her good looks in the courtroom photos:
That Marihuana bust with Robert Mitchum was really milked by the media...
...and it ended up to be her most enduring role:
...while Bob continued to have fun with the ladies:
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2011-10-30 09:04 am Permalink
Here are some really nice old photos of the Luau from a historical photo website that sells them.
Great shot of the interior.
Exterior
I never noticed this Luau sign in any of the old photos before.
DC
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Tattoo
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 24, 2005
Posts: 151
From: Los Angeles
| Posted: 2012-01-12 7:51 pm Permalink
Steve Crane enjoying a Scorpion Bowl. Dated 1967.
[ This Message was edited by: Tattoo 2012-01-12 23:16 ]
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tigertail777
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 25, 2004
Posts: 505
From: Oregon
| Posted: 2012-02-22 05:47 am Permalink
Considering some people's penchant for cannibal tiki on here I was damned surprised no one had posted this matchbook. Well here it is.
interior
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3925
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2012-04-24 12:24 pm Permalink
I picked up this old news-wire clipping showing Steve Crane and a nice Tiki at the Luau Restaurant in Beverly Hills.
The photo was from a 1958 story on his daughter's murder of gangster Johnny Stompanato.
DC
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Chub
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 26, 2005
Posts: 258
From: Detroit, MI but now in sunny Los Angeles
| Posted: 2012-08-21 6:00 pm Permalink
Photo from Los Angeles Public Library Collection. January 14, 1960 reads, "Walter Reade Jr., left, president of Walter Reade Inc. and chairman of board of Continental Distributing, Inc., lights exotic incense candle as Charles ("Chuck") Weiss, creator of AromaRama, holds incense burner. Occasion was luncheon at Luau Restaurant in Beverly Hills where Reade announced Los Angeles premiere of first scented motion picture, "Behind The Great Wall," Friday at Four Star Theater."
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Or Got Rum?
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 289
From: Wisconsin
| Posted: 2013-03-01 1:45 pm Permalink
Digging through some my old restaurant industry magazines I came across these few items.
A pic of the controller of the Luau on location, speaking out on the hassle of credit cards-1967 
Then this article about Stephen Crane's new concept "The Californian"-1969
OGR
[ Edited by: Bora Boris - Did some straightening. - 2013-03-01 17:44 ]
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