Tikis at Sea World San Diego? - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Tue, Nov 26, 2002 8:23 PM Anyone who wants to see the 1960s Sea World San Diego on film go and rent Jerry Lewis' "The Big Mouth". Lots of exteriors in there, and the Hotel scenes were all shot at the nearby Mission Bay Hilton, which back then was DEL WEBB'S OCEAN HOUSE, and had lots of Tikis on the grounds, plus a huge Polynesian scene mural at the beach. It's restaurant was the Jolly Roger Lounge, which ended in a ship's prow. Yet the interior Tiki restaurant scene in the movie looks like a set, with the same fiber glass Tiki that showed up in the Buffy episode (courtesy of Oceanic Arts). But what I am fascinated with is the exterior sequence where Jerry climbs up on this outrigger wall divider that is decorated with masks and shields clearly designed by the same artist who did the Kon Tiki Hotel Phoenix sign and wall plaques. Yet I have seen another picture of that wall that does not have the masks on it. Were they just film decor? Or added later? Who was that artist who did those unforgetable Kon Tiki Hotel masks? Will I ever find out? HELP! "The Big Mouth" is great fun, but then I am European, we LIKE Jerry Lewis movies! Del Webb was Bugsy Siegel's contractor for the Flamingo in Vegas, then he build himself THE MINT, my favourite pink neon googie palace in old Vegas. I got to photograph my dad in front of it before it quietly was dismantled.

Anyone who wants to see the 1960s Sea World San Diego on film go and rent Jerry Lewis' "The Big Mouth". Lots of exteriors in there, and the Hotel scenes were all shot at the nearby Mission Bay Hilton, which back then was DEL WEBB'S OCEAN HOUSE, and had lots of Tikis on the grounds, plus a huge Polynesian scene mural at the beach. It's restaurant was the Jolly Roger Lounge, which ended in a ship's prow.

Yet the interior Tiki restaurant scene in the movie looks like a set, with the same fiber glass Tiki that showed up in the Buffy episode (courtesy of Oceanic Arts).

But what I am fascinated with is the exterior sequence where Jerry climbs up on this outrigger wall divider that is decorated with masks and shields clearly designed by the same artist who did the Kon Tiki Hotel Phoenix sign and wall plaques. Yet I have seen another picture of that wall that does not have the masks on it. Were they just film decor? Or added later? Who was that artist who did those unforgetable Kon Tiki Hotel masks? Will I ever find out? HELP!

"The Big Mouth" is great fun, but then I am European, we LIKE Jerry Lewis movies!

Del Webb was Bugsy Siegel's contractor for the Flamingo in Vegas, then he build himself THE MINT, my favourite pink neon googie palace in old Vegas. I got to photograph my dad in front of it before it quietly was dismantled.

Post #14912 by bigbrotiki on Tue, Nov 26, 2002 8:23 PM