#17 Postcard Trivia 3.6.18
The place to be in the 1960s! This is a postcard from Gene Autry's Hotel Continental - a modern hotel in a glamorous setting on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, California, with a spectacular view of Hollywood Hills. Gene Autry, the "singing cowboy," built the Hotel Continental in 1963. Although Autry was born in Texas and was famous for performing cowboy tunes on the radio and in movies, he had connections to the high society world of Los Angeles in the 1960s. He was a talented businessman as well as a musician. He loved broadcasting and owned several radio and television stations including KTLA in Los Angeles. Notice the building to the left of the hotel. That was Ciro's, a famous nightclub that was a hot spot for Hollywood stars in the 1950s and 1960s. So, what happened to the hotel? It was sold to Hyatt in 1967 and has been owned by that corporation ever since. In the 1970s, it was well known as a favorite hangout for rock bands including Led Zepplin, The Who, and the Rolling Stones. The bands were also known for over-the-top antics including riding motorcycles down the hallway and throwing televisions out the windows! In 2009, Hyatt remodeled the hotel as a boutique hotel called the Andaz West Hollywood. The description of the 1960s version of the hotel on the back of the postcard (see image below) matches the website description of the Andaz today: luxury rooms, magnificent views, gourmet food, superb service, roof-top pool. The postcard writer had this to say: "The mountains are right behind the hotel. I can see all of Los Angeles." Some things never change! The photos below show the same view. Ciro's is no longer a nightclub, but continues to be a popular attraction. From 1973 to the present, it has been a comedy club called The Comedy Store. One of the first comedians to perform on its stage was Johnny Carson!
In addition to broadcast stations, Gene Autry was the owner of what other famous business in Los Angeles?
A. California Angels major league baseball team B. Brown Derby Restaurant C. Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Hover over image above or touch image to reveal answer.
Click on images to enlarge.
Sources:
The Official Website for Gene Autry
Hollywood Hills photo courtesy of Trip Advisor : <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g33252-d82583-i26969340-Andaz_West_Hollywood-West_Hollywood_California.html#26969340"><img alt="" src="https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/01/9b/84/fc/view-of-the-hollywood.jpg"/></a><br/>This photo of Andaz West Hollywood is courtesy of TripAdvisor