Ambassador Hotel (1921-2005)

The Ambassador Hotel, designed by notable American architect Myron Hunt, was constructed on a 27.3 acre plot of land three miles away from downtown Los Angeles and only accessible by a dirt road. The 1,000 room luxury resort was opened exactly at the stroke of midnight on New Years Day of 1921. Almost immediately, the Ambassador Hotel gained a reputation for its spaciousness, luxury, and excellent service. Cocoanut Grove, the hotel's nightclub, opened four months later and garnered even more popularity. The club was frequented often by the stars of Hollywood's Golden Age. These included Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Joan Crawford, Charlie Chaplin, Louis B. Mayer, Rudolph Valentino, Anna May Wong, Norma Talmadge, Mary Pickford, Clara Bow, Howard Hughes, and Gloria Swanson. Actress Carole Lombard was discovered by Fox studio executives after winning several Charleston dance competitions at the Grove. Certain scenes from Rudolph Valentino's 1921 film The Sheik were filmed at the Cocoanut Grove. The signature artificial palm trees that adorned the Cocoanut Grove's interior throughout its existence were film props left by production of The Sheik. It was such a culturally significant establishment that the club's name- Cocoanut Grove- became a popular name for clubs across the country.

In 1928, Gus Arnheim was hired by the Ambassador Hotel to lead the Cocoanut Grove orchestra. Every night, six to seven songs were performed by the orchestra. Many of these performances were broadcasted over public radio. In the 1930's, the Ambassador and the Cocoanut Grove were frequented by celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe, Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand, Norma Shearer, Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, Irving Thalberg, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Loretta Young, Ginger Rogers, Cary Grant, and Clark Gable. Beginning in 1940 with the 1939 Oscars, the Ambassador Hotel hosted the Academy Awards ceremony 6 times. Throughout World War II, the Cocoanut Grove held multiple war benefits where servicemen mingled with the stars.

The Ambassador Hotel also has a long and tragic political history. It has hosted every president from Herbert Hoover to Richard Nixon. Then, on June 5, 1968, New York Senator Robert Kennedy gave his victory speech for his win in the California primary presidential elections in the Embassy Ballroom of the Ambassador. After finishing his speech he stepped down form the podium to shake hands with his supporters. Just as he shook the hand of 17-year-old Ambassador Hotel busboy Juan Romerez, Sirhan Sirhan, a militant Palestinian Christian, shot Kennedy three times in the head and chest. Five other people were also hit in Sirhan's line of fire. The five other victims survived, but Kennedy died early the next morning. Sirhan Sirhan was sentenced to death on April 17, 196. His sentence was later commuted to life. He has been denied parole multiple times since his incarceration due to a lack of remorse for his crime.

After the Robert Kennedy assassination, the hotel began to see a sharp decrease in business during the 1970's. In 1970, the Cocoanut Grove was replaced by the 'Now Grove', under the direction of Sammy Davis Jr. in an attempt to appeal to a new nightclub audience, but the efforts failed. Over these years, the Ambassador was active as a filming site however. Scenes in movies such as Forrest Gump, Pretty Woman, Almost Famous, Catch Me If You Can, Hoffa, Apollo 13, and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas were filmed at various locations within the Ambassador. On the 68th anniversary of its opening, a lack of steady financial support resulted in the Ambassador Hotel's closure to guests in 1989. Real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump purchased the property in 1991 in the hopes of razing the hotel and building a 125-story building at the location. This plan fell through, however, and Trump merely auctioned off collectible items from the Cocoanut Grove. Fierce preservation efforts escalated into a major legal battle in the early 2000's.

In August of 2005, a settlement was reached allowing for the demolition of the Ambassador Hotel, provided that a $4.9 million fund was set up for preserving historic schools in Los Angeles. January 16, 2006 marked the last day for the Hotel. On February 2nd, a wake for the historic hotel was held across the street. Among the speakers was actress Diane Keaton, who was a major advocate for preservation of the Ambassador. In 2009 and 2010, the City of Los Angeles opened a state-of-the-art elementary school and high school at the location. Costing $578 million, the Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools are the most expensive public school facilities in the United States. A memorial mural to Robert Kennedy was constructed near the school building's entrance.

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NBCLA. Revisiting the Place Where RFK Was Assassinated 50 Years Ago, YouTube. July 17th 2018. Accessed November 11th 2020. https://youtu.be/FVNWSmWmeJ8.