More on the Brown Derby

The Brown Derby location used in the “L.A. at Last” episode was located at 1628 Vine Street in Hollywood, just below Hollywood Blvd. Sadly, in 1987 this historic restaurant was lost in a fire. The Taft Building and a  facade of the nearby Dinner Bell cafe remains, which has been part of the Hollywood revitalization since the 1990’s.

The Hollywood Brown Derby
Screen Grab of The Hollywood Brown Derby sign from I Love Lucy Episode “L.A at Last!”

Here is the screen grab of the  ‘watering hole’ where Lucy, Fred and Ethel meet William Holden and  below a fun, vintage postcard of the actual location with arrow indicating the approximate colors of the same sign with the yellow neon of “The Brown Derby” and the white neon of “Restaurant”.

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Vintage postcard of the The Hollywood Brown Derby showing the approximate colors of the sign with the yellow neon of “The Brown Derby”


1950’s color footage of The Hollywood Brown Derby near the start of this video.
And  the same location as it is today…

The Taft building on left and facade of the Dinner Bell Cafe is all that remains in today’s picture

A comparison of a 1940 photo with a current picture shows the Taft building with its fire escape on the left and a facade that corresponds to the Dinner Bell Cafe ( the old street no. of the Dinner Bell Cafe was 1604-1/2 North Vine Street). The  Brown Derby location seen on the right of the old photo has been taken over by newer  buildings.

Scene from the Game LS Noire
Scene from the Game LA Noire

The Hollywood Brown Derby features in the the video Game L.A. Noire see walkthrough on Youtube here

Reference:

Lucy Eats Spaghetti at the Brown Derby

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Lucy eats her spaghetti and meatballs at The Brown Derby in I Love Lucy, LA at Last!

At the Brown Derby Restaurant the meat sauce was a specialty of the house according the the 1949 Brown Derby cookbook, Lucy Ricardo ordered her spaghetti and meatballs with extra meat sauce, The set decoration scene looks very like the real Brown Derby. ( see archival photo here ).

Willow Pattern dinnerware at the Brown Derby
Willow Pattern dinnerware at the Brown Derby  L to R. Sally and Bob  Cobb of the Brown Derby, Lucille Ball and Vivian Vance.

In real life Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz along with many Hollywood stars regularly dined at the Brown Derby. Google image search brings up  numerous 1950’s photos that match the decor of the scene. The dinner ware in use in the restaurant was classic Willow Pattern  – in the original color photos of the day pink/red willow pattern dishes can be seen.

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Derby Meat Sauce original recipe from The Brown Derby cookbook.

derbyashtrayOriginal Vintage Brown Derby Ashtray Seen on Etsy – Click to View Details

William Holden’s Cobb Salad

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William Holden orders Cobb Salad at the Brown Derby in I Love Lucy, L.A. at Last!

Bill Holden gets the Cobb Salad he ordered in the hilarious Brown Derby scene from the I Love Lucy show. The Brown Derby was the birthplace of the Cobb salad  invented by owner Robert H. Cobb. The original Cobb salad recipe uses a French Dressing – not blue cheese. Get the Brown Derby Old-fashioned French dressing recipe at the end of this post.

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The Brown Derby Cobb Salad Recipe from the Brown Derby Cookbook

 

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Vintage Brown Derby Luncheon Menu – the blank spaces are for pasting in the daily specials

 

The Brown Derby Sign in the background on the I Love Lucy set
The Brown Derby Sign in the backdrop on the I Love Lucy set

Lucy’s Brown Derby Mixed Green Salad


Lucy,Ethel and Fred have Lunch at the Brown Derby in Hollywood
The Brown Derby Cook Book – click here to find it on eBay

The Cobb Salad was invented by Bob Cobb of the Brown Derby however another house salad the Derby Mixed Green Salad was very popular as a side dish.  In the Brown Derby Scene, episode “L.A. At Last!,” Lucy selects a tossed salad from the menu which the waiter explains is a mixed green salad. The Derby Mixed Green Salad recipe can be found in the  Brown Derby Cookbook.
Make your own Mixed Green Salad and  the Derby Old-fashioned French Dressing  to go with it from the original recipes pictured below from The Brown Derby Cookbook.

Derby Mixed Green Salad
Serves 4

1/2 head romaine cut in 1-in pieces
1/2 head (medium size) Lettuce, pulled
1/2 bunch watercress
1/2 head chicory
2 tomatoes,peeled and quartered
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup Brown Derby Old-fashioned French Dressing (see recipe below)

Toss the greens in a large cold salad bowl and mix lightly. Garnish with the tomatoes. Sprinkle chopped celery on top. Just before serving add French Dressing and toss lightly.

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Brown Derby mixed green salad original recipe

Brown Derby Old-Fashioned French Dressing, 1/ 1/2 qts.
This is the French Dressing which became so popular among the stars that the Brown Derby was prevailed upon to bottle it for home use. The cup of water is optional depending upon the degree of oiliness desired in this dressing.

1 cup water
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
Juice of 1.2 lemon
2 1/2 tbs.* salt
1 tbs. ground black pepper
1 tbs.  Worcestershire Sauce
1 tbs. English mustard
1 bead garlic chopped
1 cup olive oil
3 cups salad oil
(*Uk readers note a US tablespoon = British dessert spoon)
Blend together all ingredients except oils.  Then add olive and salad oils and mix well again. Chill. Shake before serving.

This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator. Can be made and stored in a 2 qt. Mason jar.

 

French Dressing for the Derby Mized Green Salad
The Old-Fashioned French Dressing for the Derby Mixed Green Salad

Lucy’s Lunch at the Hollywood Brown Derby

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Lucy, Ethel and Fred have Lunch at the Brown Derby in Hollywood

The I Love Lucy Episode “L.A. At Last!,” 1955, is memorable for the famous scene at the Hollywood Brown Derby. Lucy is hoping to spot  movie stars, so she and Ethel and Fred go to the Hollywood Brown Derby for lunch where she has the hilarious scene with Bill Holden. Lucy orders a Derby tossed salad and spaghetti and meatballs with lots of meat sauce and Ethel opts for the same.  I have an old Brown Derby cookbook – pictured below – so I looked up the recipes. You can find the Brown Derby Mixed Green Salad, on p. 74. Spaghetti Derby p 27 and the Derby Meat Sauce on p 28

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Lucy browses the menu at the Holly Brown Derby Restaurant

The Menu Lucy choses from is similar to the vintage menu pictured below

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The Brown Derby Luncheon Menu

 

Lucy,Ethel and Fred have Lunch at the Brown Derby in Hollywood
The Brown Derby Cook Book – click here to find it on eBay

Lucy’s Westinghouse Waffle Iron

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Lucy uses a Westinghouse Waffle Iron on an episode of I Love Lucy

In the I Love Lucy Season 4  episode The Business Manager the show opens with Lucy making waffles for breakfast on her Westinghouse “Grill-n-Waffler” Waffle Iron.  Unfortunately these waffles don’t get cooked because Lucy has not been paying the electric bills on time.  You may notice the studio audience laughing while Lucy is pouring the waffle batter, but at this point  in the story line  we don’t yet know the power has been cut – apparently the audience knew the plot, or perhaps this was not the first take . On eBay this week is a  Westinghouse Waffle Iron model HW 40-1  pictures below or Click Here to view the listing . I also see a very similar model SGWB-521 with original booklet.
Westinghouse-Waffle-Iron

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Click Here to find one on eBay

Lucy’s Franciscan Ivy Salt & Pepper Shaker Set

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Lucy and Desi are frequently seen using their Franciscan Ivy dining set. In the opening scene of “The Freezer” episode Lucy apparently uses the light colored shaker to sprinkle fine sugar on her breakfast grapefruit. The ivy leaf shaped salt and pepper shaker set are easy to spot. The Franciscan Ivy pieces can still be found. The shaker set pictured below is currently on eBay

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Click Here to view on eBay

See all Franciscan Ivy on eBay

Lucy’s Kitchen Apothecary Jars

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Apothecary Jars in the Kitchen of I Love Lucy: Season 1, Episode 4 Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her (5 Nov. 1951)

In the above capture from I Love Lucy Season 1, Episode 4 “Lucy Thinks Ricky Is Trying to Murder Her” we see two porcelain apothecary jars on the kitchen shelf.  The apothecary jars appear in several episodes as set dressing in the kitchen in various locations. I have not found an exact match for the jars on the show but similar ones are seen on ebay such as the example below.

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Vintage porcelain apothecary jar on eBay

To see this one on ebay Click here

 

Little Ricky’s Fish Bath Toy

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Ricky finds Ricky Jr’s Rubber Toy Fish in the I Love Lucy episode The Ricardo’s Change Apartments

The Rubber squeak toy Ricky finds is a Disney Pinocchio Cleo Rubber Squeak Toy from the Sun Rubber Co.

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Disney Pinocchio Cleo Rubber Squeak Toy – Sun Rubber Co. original box seen on flickr

 

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Vintage Disney Pinocchio Cleo Rubber Squeak Toy – Sun Rubber Co. seen on eBay recently

See one on eBay sold recently HERE

Little Ricky’s Froggy the Gremlin Squeak Toy

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In the “I Love Lucy” episode The Ricardo’s Change Apartments Ricky discovers a squeeky toy under his seat cushion when he sits on the armchair. Froggy the Gremlin  was a well known  character on radio and TV  during that era. In 1948 the Rempel Company produced a Froggy the Gremlin rubber squeak toy and the one Ricky has looks like the 9 inch version. Andy's-Gang-Pasta-Fazooli-vs.-Froggy-the-GremlinLittle Ricky’s squeak toy is a Froggy the Gremlin rubber squeeze toy made famous by Smilin’ Ed McConnell on the Buster Brown Gang radio show in the 1940’s and the later TV show.

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9 Inch Froggy the Gremlin on eBay – Click Picture for details

An original Froggy in his box in good condition is a collectors item now and can easily sell for over $500 on eBay.
If you are buying one read the description carefully, the vintage rubber has hardened in some cases. The Froggy the Gremlin toy pictured above is on eBay this week CLICK HERE to view.


See Froggy the Gremlin on the 50’s kiddie show “Andy’s Gang”.

Click Here to see more Froggy the Gremlin toys on eBay

50's Lucy Fan