Haunted Hollywood - Boardner's

If you are looking for a Hollywood bar/restaurant teeming with old Hollywood charm and the supernatural, look no further than Boardner's, located on Cherokee Avenue. It has a sordid past as the building has morphed into different types of establishments, but there is nowhere to get a better drink or a better story than Boardner's.

History

The original backdrop of this location was a hair salon in 1927 where cops even went to get their haircuts, according to current owner Tricia LaBelle. There is speculation that the salon was a front for an illegal speakeasy.

By 1930, the establishment changed as songwriter Gene Austin made it into a club and named it after one of his biggest hits, "My Blue Heaven." After this, it was also Padres Restaurant, then the Cherokee House, Club Zanzibar, and Club 52.

Everything changed again in 1942 when Steve Boardner got involved and changed it to Boardner's bar. He had a long-standing history in the club industry and made the place a bigger success. Classic stars frequented the bar, including tragic characters that may still hang out in the bar during their afterlives.

Noteworthy Visitors

One of the most tragic celebrities said to visit the bar was the Black Dahlia herself, Elizabeth Short. She lived near the bar, and rumor has it that she enjoyed her last drink here before her murder, but there is some debate about this. She would come in and usually enjoy the company of a group of sailors.

Not only did Short show up, but Boardner's was also mentioned often on I Love Lucy  because Lucille Ball would visit the bar in its old heyday. Other notable celebrities included Ed Wood (pieces of the film about him were also shot here), Peggy Lee, and Mickey Mantle.

Celebrities weren't the only visitors of note. It was also a well-known gangster hangout, which attracted the likes of Mickey Cohen, Tony Trombino, Tony Brancato, and the Milano Brothers. These were the most notorious regulars before they were killed by being shot in their car close to the bar in 1951

Supernatural Happenings

Tragedy also struck co-owner Kurt Richter, on Christmas Eve of 1997 when he died in the bar. LaBelle believes that he is still around.

The former owner isn't the only one who may be still hanging around the bar in his ghostly form. There is also a woman who sings in the small women's bathroom, an actor who is seen on the stage near the fountain, and a former resident/employee named Al. In addition to the ghostly figures, people have reported hearing footsteps.

Blacklisted actor Albert Dekker is another ghost rumoured to be haunting the place. Dekker's death is tragic also, as he died from accidentally suffocating himself, but it is unclear whether there was foul play involved.

Boardner's is a great place to enjoy the classic Hollywood ambiance, classy drinks, and supernatural company. You never know who you may be bellying up to the bar next time you're there, like if you walk past on our tour of Haunted Hollywood Boulevard.

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