|
On Location |
Wilshire District |
Los Angeles |
|
|
 |
The
mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles is home to Paramount Studios,
where Barbra filmed her third musical. Nearby was the Cocoanut Grove
(recently torn down), the prestigious nightclub Barbra played in
1963. Barbra returned to the neighborhood in 1975.
You might also remember a
brief scene from "Funny Lady" when Fanny Brice briskly runs out of the NBC
radio studio following a "Baby Snooks" broadcast. The
iconic Pan Pacific
Auditorium represented NBC radio studios in the film. |
|
|
|
|
Cocoanut Grove -
3400 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles
 The
Cocoanut Grove has a storied Hollywood history. Located within the
Ambassador Hotel on Wilshire Blvd., the Cocoanut Grove was the
location for many Hollywood movies, including Judy Garland's "A Star
Is Born" in 1954. In the 1920's, the Grove played host to the Academy
Awards ceremonies and it was there that the familiar gold statuette
was first presented.
The center of the
Hollywood social scene revolved around the Cocoanut Grove for many
decades, including the 1960's when Barbra made her mark there. Her
performances in August and September were legendary and important
moments in her career. All of Hollywood had come out to see Barbra,
who by her own recent admission was "the least known person in the
room."
Sadly, the Los Angeles
Conservancy group lost its legal bid to prevent the demolition of The
Ambassador hotel. The hotel was torn down in 2006. Amazingly, the only
remnant from the facility to survive the 2006 demolition was the
Cocoanut Grove, a separate structure on the hotel grounds.
The Grove received a
short lived reprieve from the wrecking ball when the LA School
district, the property's owner, agreed to preserve and renovate the
former night club. Plans were drawn for its use as an auditorium when
a series of middle and high schools are built on the site. Alas, the
Cocoanut Grove is now a faded memory. Deemed structurally unsound, it
was finally torn down in early 2008.
|
|
| |
| |
|
Pan Pacific Auditorium - 7600 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles
 
The Pan Pacific
Auditorium:
then and recently
One of LA's art deco
treasures, the Pan Pacific Auditorium was used as an external location
shoot for Barbra's film, "Funny Lady." It was situated in LA's Miracle
Mile district and represented the exterior of the NBC radio studio
where Fanny Brice broadcast her "Baby Snooks" show. In the film, Fanny
is seen running out of the studio to a waiting limo.
The
auditorium was built in 1935 for the the Los Angeles National Housing
Exposition, the hey day of American deco architecture and remained as
a recognized symbol of Los Angeles for many years. Tragically, the
auditorium was destroyed by a spectacular fire in 1989. It was
eventually demolished in 1992.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Paramount Studios -
5555 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles
 Barbra's
made her third film, "On A Clear Day You Can See Forever" for
Paramount Pictures. Located on Melrose Avenue in the heart of LA's
Mid-Wilshire district, the Paramount lot has a very interesting
Hollywood history. Desilu Studios, built and made famous by Lucille
Ball and Desi Arnaz in the 1960's is now part of the Paramount campus.
Barbra made only one film for Paramount, but it is a fan favorite. The
soundstages were used for all the interior scenes, including the
elaborate rooftop of Daisy Gamble's NYC apartment.
Director Vincente
Minnelli chose to use authentic locales for both the modern and period
sequences in the film. The cast and crew went on location to Brighton,
England to film key scenes involving Melinda's liaisons. A seaside
retreat of George IV, the Royal Brighton at Pavilion was chosen for
its stunning architecture, period rooms and lush gardens.
On location in New York City. The climactic "Come Back To Me" number
was filmed featuring Barbra's character romping all over the island of
Manhattan.
(At left: Barbra with
fellow Paramount players circa 1970)
|
|
|
|
|
|
