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Description

Entertaining caricature map of Post-World War II Los Angeles, which graced the cover of the dinner menu for the famous Brown Derby Restaurant.

While not specifically named as the artist, the menu map could possibly have been the work of Jack Lane. Jack Lane drew many of these caricatures between 1947 and 1985, and in his book, A Gallery of Stars: The Story of the Hollywood Brown Derby Wall of Fame, describes his many years as the resident caricaturist there.

The menu locates the original Brown Derby at Wilshire and Alexandria, along with the Sunset and Vine location, Beverly Hills location, and a location in the San Fernando Valley. The map is whimsically embellished with a number of Hollywood and Los Angeles caricature locations. The remainder of the menu consists of food and beverage items offered on Sunday, January 18, 1948.

The Brown Derby was the name of a chain of restaurants in Los Angeles, California. The first and most famous of these was shaped like a man's derby hat, an iconic image that became synonymous with the Golden Age of Hollywood. The original location was on Wilshire Boulevard. Opened in 1926, Whimsical architecture was popular at the time, and the restaurant was designed to catch the eye of passing motorists. The Brown Derby name originated from a Malverne, New York-based restaurant of the same name which had been a popular hang-out for vaudevillians in the 1920s. It was founded by Wilson Mizner as a small cafe, across the street from the popular Hollywood hot spot, the Cocoanut Grove at the Ambassador Hotel.

The second Brown Derby, opened on Valentine's Day 1929, at 1628 North Vine Street, in Hollywood. It was this location that played a greater part in Hollywood history. Due to its proximity to movie studios, it became the place to do deals and be seen. Clark Gable is said to have proposed to Carole Lombard there. Rival gossip columnists Louella Parsons and Hedda Hopper were regular patrons.

Editions

A slightly different edition was also issued in 1947, see: www.raremaps.com/gallery/detail/37979