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diversions:
legend has it ...
Roosevelt Hotel
in Hollywood has ghostly guests
By Don Weberg
Before Chateau
Marmot, there was the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. It was the
place where politics and entertainment intersected, where
power brokers and superstars dined and relaxed in opulence
and splendor.
Since its opening
in 1927, the hotel has been home away from home to many of
Hollywood's most famous people.
The Blossom Room
of the hotel was host to the first Academy Awards in 1929.
It was here that a young woman searching for a dream got her
first break at modeling, wearing a swimsuit on one of the
diving boards. Her name was Norma Jean, but most people remember
her as Marilyn Monroe.
The stairs in the
lobby, decorated with remarkable Spanish tiles, are where
Shirley Temple learned to do her famous stair dance step.
The tiles are still in place.
The Cinegrill featured
a young singer who, on occasion, would bring her young son
to work with her. His name was Larry Hagman.
It's painfully
obvious, the rich history the hotel holds. But under the surface
of this posh palace are the spirits of what used to be.
Probably the most
famous story associated with the hotel is that of room 928.
This was where Montgomery Cliff stayed while shooting "From
Here to Eternity" and, according to some, where he still
is. During the restoration of the hotel, a maid working in
928 went to close the door, as the room was very chilly. Halfway
to the door, it slammed by itself. The doors are fitted with
compression hinges and can't slam.
This is also the
room where a skeptical reporter and his crew from "Entertainment
Tonight" were doing a Halloween story and several odd
occurrences took place. A casement window slammed shut for
no reason, a studio light known for its durability popped
and burned out and the room was extremely cold during the
entire time. The medium brought along by the crew claimed
to have felt a very strong presence in the room.
Reflections of
Marilyn Monroe can be seen in one of the mirrors, which used
to hang in the manager's office. Legend has it that when you
look into the mirror; you can see an image of Marilyn. The
mirror was used in her suite in the cabana room when she lived
at the hotel. The mirror currently hangs on the wall at the
lower elevator landing.
A couple on the
mezzanine heard piano music and followed it to the Blossom
Room. There, they saw a man in a white suit standing near
the piano. Story goes that as they approached and spoke out
to the man, he disappeared. The following Monday morning,
an employee working on the third floor, over the mezzanine,
saw a man in a white suit who seemed lost. He offered to help
and the man in white walked toward the fire exit door and
through it. Could it be the same man?
Just after the
reopening of the hotel, a switchboard operator received a
call at exactly midnight from room 1032. The operator responded,
but no one was there and for good reason. The only floors
in use at the time were 3, 4 and 5. Room 1032 was unfinished
and there was no phone in the room.
These are only
a few of the stories swirling around the hotel, a few from
a family of many. A visit to the hotel is a treat in itself
to see the hand-painted ceilings and décor alone. The
Cinegrill is a nightlife hotspot and many of the restaurants
are outstanding. And who knows, the person you're sitting
next to may be a face from the past.
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