Margaret Tante Burk papers - OAC PDF server

Scope and Content of CollectionThe Margaret Tante Burk Papers consist of correspondence, newletters, memoranda, scripts, advertising brochures andmagazines, press releases, photographs,ephemera, postcards, and flyers. Most of the material documents the AmbassadorHotel, once Los Angeles' most glamorous hotel; Margaret Tante Burk's book on the Ambassador Hotel, Are the Stars OutTonight?: The Story of the World Famous Ambassador and Cocoanut Grove Hollywood's Hotel; and the Round Table West,the book club that Margaret Tante Burk co-founded with Marilyn Hudson. Information on Margaret Tante Burk's career atthe Wilshire Chamber of Commerce and the Huntington Savings and Loan Association comes mostly from newspaperclippings.In addition there are numerous photographs documenting the Ambassador Hotel and the Cocoanut Grove. The AmbassadorHotel opened in 1921 and closed in 1989. Located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, the hotel stood as a hub of Los Angelessocial life. The hotel and its famous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was a center of Hollywood night life. The hotel hostedAcademy Awards ceremonies and other entertainment events, such as film shoots; political rallies; and fundraisers forcharities. Performers such as Bing Crosby, Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, and Rudy Vallee performed at the Cocoanut Grove.Movie stars, politicians, and royalty all stayed at the Ambassador Hotel. The hotel was also the scene of one of the moreimportant events in Los Angeles and national history: the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. The photographs ofthis collection are especially rich, documenting the activities of these Hollywood movie stars and events at the AmbassadorHotel and the Cocoanut Grove. There are photographs of Academy Awards ceremonies at the Ambassador, for example. Inaddition there are a number of photographic stills of movie stars, eg, Joan Crawford. Numerous photographs also provideevidence for the decoration of hotel rooms and the hotel grounds during the course of its history, and publicity shotsdocument activities at the hotel. Many photographs, unfortunately, are water damaged, and require special care inhandling.Ephemera include menus from the Ambassador Hotel and programs concerning Ambassador Hotel events. Most flyersconcern either the Round Table West and its events or else advertisements for events at the Ambassador Hotel.The Ambassador Hotel opened in 1921 and closed in 1989. Located at 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, the hotel stood as a hub ofLos Angeles social life. It and its famous Cocoanut Grove nightclub was a center of Hollywood night life. The hotel hostedAcademy Awards ceremonies and other entertainment events, such as film shoots; political rallies; and fundraisers forcharities. Performers such as Bing Crosby, Liza Minelli, Frank Sinatra, and Rudy Vallee performed at the Cocoanut Grove.Movie stars, politicians, and royalty all stayed at the Ambassador Hotel. The hotel was also the scene of one of the moreimportant events in Los Angeles and national history: the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. The photographs ofthis collection are especially rich, documenting the activities of these Hollywood movie stars and events at the AmbassadorHotel and the Cocoanut Grove. There are photographs of Academy Awards ceremonies at the Ambassador, for example. Inaddition there are a number of photographic stills of movie stars, eg, Joan Crawford. Numerous photographs also provideevidence for the decoration of hotel rooms and the hotel grounds during the course of its history, and publicity shotsdocument activities at the hotel. Many photographs, unfortunately, are water damaged, and require special care inhandling.The dates of materials range from 1921 to the early 2000's.ArrangementTen series of the Margaret Tante Burk Papers have been processed and made avaliable to researchers.• Series 1: The Ambassador Hotel• Series 2: The Ambassador Hotel Film Production Prospectus• Series 3: Round Table West• Series 4: Ambassador Hotel Book• Series 5: Photographs. Subseries A. Photographs: Personages and Celebrities; Subseries B. Photographs:Ambassador Hotel and Cocoanut Grove• Series 6: Personal and Professional Papers• Series 7: Huntington Park Savings and Loan Association• Series 8: Professional and Civic Activities. Subseries A: Wilshire Center Chamber of Commerce; Subseries B:Hancock Park Historical Society; Subseries C: Community Advisory Board• Series 9: Other Book Projects. Subseries A: Burk-Davis Publications; Subseries B: Final Curtain; Subseries C:Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital Book; Subseries D: Catalina Book• Series 10: Script DevelopmentsIndexing TermsInventory of the Margaret TanteBurk Papers084 4