A JAZZ EVENING at the Historic "Munchkin" CULVER HOTEL
Details
This will be a special social, NON-movie screening evening, but will feature live roaring 20's jazz music performed by Sylvia and the Rhythm Boys and will take place at the celebrated 1924 Culver Hotel. The Culver Hotel has boasted many famous residents over the years including Joan Crawford, Douglas Fairbanks, Greta Garbo, Frank Sinatra and Ronald Reagan. Another legend has it that Charlie Chaplin who was once a part owner of the Culver Hotel once sold the property to actor John Wayne for a dollar during a poker game. However, the most famous guests to stay at this hotel would definitely be the Munchkins from the 1939 film the WIZARD OF OZ. The location is the famous site of the reputed "Munchkin Orgies" that took place during production of the movie at the former nearby MGM Studios--about one block west of the hotel (now known as Sony Studios).
The hotel's lobby lounge features moderately priced drinks, appetizers, sandwiches, salads and entrees (see weblinks toward the bottom of this event listing for food/drink pricing info).
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As the story goes, MGM had to house its cast of little people (then sometimes less sensitively referred to as "midgets") and due to the hotel's relatively small size, many had to share one room (and more than one to a bed). Reputedly some got involved with drunken debauchery and started the legendary stories that are still retold today and also inspired the 1981 comedic film "Under The Rainbow."
According to Judy Garland, "They got smashed every night and the police had to pick them up in butterfly nets." MGM Studios producer Mervyn Leroy had his own acerbic comment about the munchkins saying, "They got into sex orgies at the hotel. We had to have police on every floor." Bert Lahr, the "Cowardly Lion" had this to say about the munchkins: "Many of the Munchkins were midgets who, in fact, made their living by panhandling, pimping and whoring. Assistants were ordered to watch the crew of midgets, who brandished knives and often conceived passions for other, larger Metro personnel."
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The Culver Hotel boasts wonderful atmosphere and decor and is the centerpiece of Culver City's downtown redevelopment, weblinks to its food and drink menus and pricing follow below...
http://www.culverhotel.com/bpdocuments/1014/CulverHotel_Dining.pdf
http://www.culverhotel.com/bpdocuments/1014/CulverHotel_Cocktails.pdf
PARKING: The best deal in town is to park in the city-operated parking structures within a block or two of the hotel where the first 2 hours are free then parking only costs $1 for each additional hour.