Don the Beachcomber, Marina Del Rey auction material - Collecting Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Sat, Aug 31, 2013 10:58 PM Yes indeed, it is great to see that this kind of visual material got preserved! Some of the photos look like they were taken at Don's backyard Luaus in Encino. For the Polynesian Pop historian, it is shocking to read how in the article Sunny Sund is portrayed as THE founder and owner of the Hollywood Beachcomber, mentioning "Don Beach-comber" as the "original owner" who "continued working for her after selling her the restaurant" and is "now a Lieutenant in the Army is expected to return to the cafe where he acts a managing director". They were married for chrissakes, and she took it over after the divorce while he was in the service. We cannot ask him how he felt about it all, but the fact that he moved on to Hawaii and did it all over again kind of says it all. I am not saying he got cheated, perhaps she was very much "the woman behind the man" helping to create the place, and it all was a concordant dissolution of property and rights, but one wonders how he must have felt reading this article. Ultimately, it is him who is justifiably remembered as the innovator and creator of many concepts that made up the American Tiki paradise. [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2013-08-31 23:19 ]

Yes indeed, it is great to see that this kind of visual material got preserved! Some of the photos look like they were taken at Don's backyard Luaus in Encino.

For the Polynesian Pop historian, it is shocking to read how in the article Sunny Sund is portrayed as THE founder and owner of the Hollywood Beachcomber, mentioning "Don Beach-comber" as the "original owner" who "continued working for her after selling her the restaurant" and is "now a Lieutenant in the Army is expected to return to the cafe where he acts a managing director". They were married for chrissakes, and she took it over after the divorce while he was in the service.

We cannot ask him how he felt about it all, but the fact that he moved on to Hawaii and did it all over again kind of says it all. I am not saying he got cheated, perhaps she was very much "the woman behind the man" helping to create the place, and it all was a concordant dissolution of property and rights, but one wonders how he must have felt reading this article.

Ultimately, it is him who is justifiably remembered as the innovator and creator of many concepts that made up the American Tiki paradise.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2013-08-31 23:19 ]

Post #692183 by bigbrotiki on Sat, Aug 31, 2013 10:58 PM