The Palomar Ballroom, built in 1925, was a famous ballroom in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, in the

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. It was destroyed by a fire on October 2, 1939.100megspopup.com, ''The Palomar Ballroom, Los Angeles''
/ref> Originally named the El Patio Ballroom and located on the east side of Vermont Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Street, it boasted being “the largest and most famous dance hall on the West Coast.” The building featured a large

mezzanine A mezzanine (; or in Italian, a ''mezzanino'') is an intermediate floor in a building which is partly open to the double-height ceilinged floor below, or which does not extend over the whole floorspace of the building, a loft with non-sloped ...

, a balcony, and a seventy-five hundred square foot patio. The dance floor could accommodate four thousand couples. Admission was 40 cents for gentlemen and 25 cents for ladies. Opening night was attended by 20,000 people, including many of Hollywood's silent screen stars. Klieg lights illuminated

minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...

structures on the roof. The dance hall was renamed Rainbow Gardens by real estate developer Raymond Lewis, who purchased the property, added an indoor miniature golf course and changed the name to the Palomar Ballroom. It soon became a prime venue for the well-known bands that were rapidly gaining popularity. On August 21, 1935,

Benny Goodman Benjamin David Goodman (May 30, 1909 – June 13, 1986) was an American clarinetist and bandleader, known as the "King of Swing". His orchestra did well commercially. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing bi ...

began his first Palomar engagement that marked the start of the swing era.allaboutjazz.com: ''Benny Goodman''
The ballroom hosted popular bands including those led by

Tommy Dorsey Thomas Francis Dorsey Jr. (November 19, 1905 – November 26, 1956) was an American jazz trombone, trombonist, composer, conductor and bandleader of the big band era. He was known as the "Sentimental Gentleman of Swing" because of his smooth-to ...

, Glenn Miller, Artie Shaw,

Glen Gray Glenn Gray Knoblauch (June 7, 1900 – August 23, 1963), known professionally as Glen Gray, was an American jazz saxophonist and leader of the Casa Loma Orchestra.'' The Mississippi Rag'', "Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra," George A. ...

, Jimmy Dorsey, and Kay Kyser, among others. Nightly radio broadcasts on local station KFLJ attracted large crowds to the “Dining, Dancing and Entertainment Center of the West.” An aircheck from a Charlie Barnet broadcast is included in the LP “Radio Rhythm” (IAJRC 14). The famed structure was the backdrop for several major Hollywood films that included '' The Big Broadcast of 1937'', made during Benny Goodman's return engagement, and ''Dancing Coed'', which starred

Lana Turner Julia Jean "Lana" Turner ( ; February 8, 1921June 29, 1995) was an American actress. Over a career spanning nearly five decades, she achieved fame as both a pin-up model and a film actress, as well as for her highly publicized personal life. ...

and Artie Shaw's band. By 1939, the Palomar had been remodeled. A modern cooling system was installed, cocktail lounges and soda fountains were added and the dance floor was enlarged. The exotic Moorish decor was not changed. An advertisement announcing the gala reopening predicted “A premier audience of more than 20,000 persons – the expected attendance to be on hand for the gayest of all openings!” Admission charges were 75 cents for gentlemen and 40 cents for ladies. On Sunday nights, a special dinner-dance ticket cost $1.25. It included a reserved table in the posh palm-lined Palomar Terrace for the entire evening, a seven-course dinner, a floor show and dancing until 2:00 AM. Valet parking was fifteen cents extra. The management of the Palomar followed a strict color policy, as well. The Palomar burned to the ground on October 2, 1939. The response of LAFD was delayed by an address error. The Charlie Barnet Orchestra lost most of its equipment in the fire. Their tune ''All Burned Up'' was a gallows humor reference to the event.

References

{{Coord, 34.069756, -118.291694, display=title Ballrooms in the United States Music venues in Los Angeles Demolished buildings and structures in Los Angeles Individual rooms Event venues established in 1925 1925 establishments in California 1939 disestablishments in California Buildings and structures demolished in 1939