Christian's Hut, Multiple Locations, CA (restaurant)

Name:Christian's Hut
Type:restaurant
Street:
City:Multiple Locations
State:CA
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
There have been little bits and pieces of the history of the Christian's Hut posted on various threads on TC and I decided it was time to start a thread on Locating Tiki to to put it all together.

As many know, Christian's Hut began life in 1934 at the Twin Harbors Isthmus on Catalina Island as a bar built for the cast and crew filming the movie Mutiny on the Bounty. Here is a postcard that I picked up (after JP posted it) showing a nice rendering of the Christian’s Hut building by the pier.

Another old photo postcard I saw on ebay.

This part of the photo shows a deck added to the left side of the building.

Clark Gable lived above the bar and may have owned it. The bartender was none other than Ray Buhen (from the Tiki Ti). Here is a photo posted by Bigbro showing Ray and the sign "Christian's Hut, Pitcairn Island, Prop.(rietor) Clark Gable"

A story on the photo and another pic of Ray from the Filipino History of Los Angeles book.

The Catalina Christian’s hut became a famous movie star hangout with the yachts of John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, etc. moored at Isthmus. With all of the movie sets, the Isthmus became a South Seas set on its own, as described in the Catalina brochure.

You can see Christian's Hut in this photo from the brochure.

At some point Art La Shelle became involved in the Catalina Christian's Hut. I found this on the web:

Art and a fellow named Joe Guido ran a bar on the Catalina isthmus named Christian's Hut. Art had some kind of a background in the movies. I never was quite sure what it was, but he seemed to know a good many movie people. Be that as it may, the movie people who frequented the isthmus made Christian's Hut a popular place.

Art and Joe moved the operation (in name only) to to Balboa Island in Newport Beach in a building that was the old Southern Seas Club.

Note the reference to the bouncer, found this little nugget:

"Art hired Don Vaughn as bouncer, and Don invented a new concept in throwing out unruly customers. He carried them out to the end of the pier and threw them into the bay."

This is where we first see the famous "Goof" caricature on the roof. I am not sure when the Goof appeared, but this was rendering was published in a Ford Cookbook in 1951.

And this great photo of the Goof on the Roof from Critiki.

A menu mailer I have

An a matchbook from the Balboa location.

Christian's Hut Was A Big Draw For The Hollywood Set Because It Was Owned By The Brother Of One Of Hollywood's Biggest Cinematographers.

In the late 1930s, Art La Shelle opened Christian's Hut, a Tahitian style restaurant and bar on the bay front, now the location of Newport Towers. Christian's Hut was noted for its great oriental style food, and was always being frequented by the Hollywood set. Red Skelton, Johnny Weismuller, Fred Mac Murray, and Howard Hughes to name a few. Joe La Shelle, Art's brother, was an Oscar-winning cinematographer, one of his more well-known movies was "The Birds."

This rare circa 1945 aerial view shows Christian's Hut in its heyday.

Much of the Christian's Hut food was prepared in a big outdoor cooking pit. No one could figure out how the filet mignon could be crispy-charred on the outside and rare in the middle. One regular customer was told in confidence the secret was to first freeze the steak, toss it on a white-hot grill to sear it, then drop it into a deep fryer. The downstairs bar area had a sand floor which led all the way to the water where the patrons would beach their boats. The dining room was upstairs. Marshall, the maitre d', was given the nickname Francois, because he would kiss the hand of every woman coming in the door, starting at her finger tips and working his way up her arm all the way to her head.

The Goof that adorned the roof was of course moved to the Bali Hai restaurant on Shelter Island in San Diego where it still resides.

This info from the Bali Hai website:

Bali Hai was the first Tiki temple erected on Shelter Island and was originally called “The Hut”, a subsidiary of Christian’s Hut in Newport Beach, California. Only two years after it’s opening in 1953, the Hut’s manager, Tom Ham, took over the ailing business, gave it a new name (after the movie Bali Hai was released) and transformed it into the most happening place in San Diego.

Here is a coaster I saw that advertises the Balboa and Shelter Island Locations.

This makes me think that the Shelter Island location was the first spin off.

The Balboa Island location was lost to a fire in 1963.

The third restaurant popped up in Laguna Beach as seen on this matchbook.

I also have this refrigerator magnet made from a Gimlet drink card from the Balboa and Laguna locations.

The next one in the chain was located in Corona Del Mar at the Jamaican Inn.

This matchbook had a pop-up Goof on the inside of teh book.

There was another location in Honolulu, Hawaii. The only info I found for that was from this obiturary of Eugene Dukette:

Dukette managed the properties until the partnership dissolved. He moved to Hawaii helping open Christians Hut Honolulu, first as assistant manager, then manager.

It says he returned to Balboa in 1958 so the Honolulu location must have started sometime before then.

That's it for now.

DC

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2011-12-12 17:08 ]

Another little sound bite for the Hawaii location from a September 5, 1957 Hawaiian newspaper article in the Daily Reporter.

Looks like it opened in 1957 and that Fred MacMurray and John Wayne had some money invested in it with Art LaShelle. I also read that John Wayne had a financial interest in the Balboa Christian's Hut.

DC

Awesome!

Nice collection, DC, good to have it all in one place; Here's the post that tells the background of Christian's Hut best:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=1099&forum=5&vpost=427253

Wonderful info, but what we STILL have no idea of is how "THE GOOF" Character came into being! Here is a great menu from Jeff Chenault's collection that used to be from "The Hut" on Shelter Island and was refurbed by the Bali Hai by printing the island over the name!

Wish I would have had that to add to my "Migration of the Goof" chart in the BOT !

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2011-12-12 20:03 ]

Aloha,

On 2011-12-12 17:28, Dustycajun wrote:
Another little sound bite for the Hawaii location from a September 5, 1957 Hawaiian newspaper article in the Daily Reporter.

Looks like it opened in 1957 and that Fred MacMurray and John Wayne had some money invested in it with Art LaShelle. I also read that John Wayne had a financial interest in the Balboa Christian's Hut.

DC

Great Info DC. I'll hit the library when I have some time and scan some microfilm... the 1957 Local paper's probably have an advertisment for the opening...or a review or something!

Bigbro,

Thanks for posting your menu, what a great history piece with both The Hut and Bali Hai represented on the same cover!

Here are some other photos of the interior you posted years ago.

"I only have two photocopies of the interior, and they don't show any velvets:

This clipping gives a date to his experiencing the demise of this Polynesian power spot:

Now if we can get PTD to re-post his great old Christian's Hut menu here. It was one of the casualties of the great white-out of 2011.

DC

PTD, Thanks so much for posting that awesome menu, this thread would not be complete without it.

I found another Santa Catalina brochure dated 1939 that had a photo and write up on Chirstian's Hut and

Another reference to the Hollywood movie tie in to the Isthmus.

With that 1939 date, makes you think that the Balboa and Catalina Christian's Hut restaurants operated simultaneously.

Keeping "Tiki Revival" alive one post at a time.

DC

Yes you are, pal! Glad you picked up the scent on the Catalina thing... :wink:

Bongofury had posted that the Christian's Hut in Balboa was used to film the movie The Breaking Point which was released in 1950 starring John Garfield and Patricia Neal. I have never seen the movie but did find some movie handbills that show a restaurant scene that must have been shot in Christian's Hut.

The movie is supposed to a great film noir version of Hemingway's "To Have and Have Not", better than the Bogart and Bacall version.

DC

Saw this menu from The Hut on Shelter Island which became the Bali Hai.

Good to see the The original version before it got a paint job and became the Bali Hai menu that Bigbro posted.

DC

Now we know where that early Bali Hai matchbook with the drummer image came from, The Hut menu!

(image courtesy of Buzzy)

Here is a 1954 photo of The Hut, pre-Bali Hai, posted by Matterhorn in the Bali Hai thread.

DC

Aloha,

I think I've managed to tie the Hawaii connection together. Somewhat, maybe, well not all yet but...

DC wrote... Great TIP!

Looks like it opened in 1957 and that Fred MacMurray and John Wayne had some money invested in it with Art LaShelle

I promised and I did go to the library (and while I forgot a zip drive that day I read that...)

July 1957 Star Bulletin reports Grand opening of Christian's Hut by Art... He's purchased the Kewalo Inn, and after a facelift of the interior was the grand opening complete with a lounge just like the ones in California... $10,000 spent in remodel...

AND the Goof atop the building...

Reports the paper.

So picture this place with the goof atop.

The Kewalo Inn / Fisherman's Wharf. Hawaii's Oldest Historic Waterfront Restaurant

I don't know when the place closed (yet) and became the Fisherman's Grotto... I do know The Grotto was a Spencecliff operation and the large anchor was moved from Trader Vic's Ward to Kewalo after the sale in 1967.

In Waikiki Tiki, about five or pages before the Ceramics section is a photograph labeled "A Coconut tree carving located near the Chinese Graveyard in Pahoa Valley. It actually overlooks the Graveyard (Btw). Could this be the missing Goof of Honolulu?

Hmmm...the crooked teeth seem like a good clue....one would have to go there and explore the side view and what's hidden on top!

Aloha

On 2012-04-17 00:11, bigbrotiki wrote:
Hmmm...one would have to go there and explore the side view and what's hidden on top!

...and sadly, that won't be happening since when I went by today it was GONE. there was quite a large gap inside the tree that could have hidden the crown...

The owner wasn't home, I'll swing by and see if he's moved it the next chance I get. I'll have to check back through my files and see if I have a side view somewhere..

:(

On 2012-04-17 00:11, bigbrotiki wrote:
Hmmm...one would have to go there and explore the side view and what's hidden on top!

On 2012-04-24 18:27, Phillip Roberts wrote:
...and sadly, that won't be happening since when I went by today it was GONE. there was quite a large gap inside the tree that could have hidden the crown...
The owner wasn't home, I'll swing by and see if he's moved it the next chance I get. I'll have to check back through my files and see if I have a side view somewhere..

Arrrgh! As it happens so often... how old is your photo of it? Thanks for checking....and for not giving up yet.

The elements are not kind to wood in Hawaii. Doug Mossman kept the Hawaiian Eye office Tiki in his front yard, but by the time I met him (in the 90s) it had disintegrated.

Aloha,

Hmmm, That is a good question. It's kind of hard to pin down exactly when I took the photograph. I am in the habit of retaking photographs whenever I am close to the subject. I swear it was there less than 6 months ago. I always stop by on my twice a year visit to Punchbowl Cemetery to visit Donn on his birthday and the anniversary of his death and share a bit of rum.

Interesting drawing of Christian's Hut, for auction on eBay, item # 350573516043. The piece belonged to a woman the seller knew, who waitressed at Christian's Hut in the late '40s and '50s: "She has told me some fun stories about her waiting on stars when she worked there. Not all positive encounters."
(Update: It sold for $229.28.)

The drawing is inscribed, "To the Charm Man of Balboa, Franco", signed by the artist, "Jack Lindsley".

On 2011-12-11 19:02, Dustycajun wrote:
... Marshall, the maitre d', was given the nickname Francois, because he would kiss the hand of every woman coming in the door, starting at her finger tips and working his way up her arm all the way to her head.

Was "Franco" another nickname for Marshall?

Here's a shot of the sketch :down: (I saved the pictures, since they'll disappear, after the auction.)

Here's the writing on the back :down:

"The rum's the thing..."

[ Edited by: Limbo Lizard 2012-06-19 11:25 ]

This old photo sold on ebay with a nice view of the bar at Balboa.

What a great looking bar!

DC

This is Isthmus menu

Picture of Art LaShelle the owner of isthmus and Cristian huts. he is the one with the pipe in his mouth with no shirt. he's with friends at the surf and sand.

Wow!! What a great establishment. The photos are awesome. Bummer about the fire :(. Interesting to see those images of The Goof and some others I have seen but did not know thier orgin. Another great thread DC :D.

It is all written and revealed in the pages of The Book. :D

Aloha,

Can you shed any information about this in Honolulu?

On 2012-09-15 16:28, LaShelle wrote:
Picture of Art LaShelle the owner of isthmus and Cristian huts. he is the one with the pipe in his mouth with no shirt. he's with friends at the surf and sand.

So great to see those images from LaShelle, would love to see more. Thanks for posting.

A few more photos of the Balboa location when it opened from an ad that sold on ebay.

A photo of Francois.

DC

A little more digging, inspired by A-Frame's post on the Jamaica Inn Polynesian restaurant connection to the Christian's Hut in Corona del Mar.

Found an photo of an ad from the Hawaiian Christian's Hut on Flickr.

This is the text that accompanied the photo:

"Advertisement in the September 1957 Paradise of the Pacific for Christian’s Hut at 1016 Ala Moana Blvd which was the site of the Kewalo Inn. This is across the street from Fisherman's Wharf at Kewalo Basin. Christian's Hut Honolulu didn't last long because the August 1958 Paradise of the Pacific lists the Sportsmen’s Inn at the same address."

Also found this 1936 photo on-line from the original Christian's Hut on Catalina.

The subject in the photo is Gustaf Tenngren, a Disney animator who was hired by Walt in 1936 for the Snow White movie. He also worked on Pinochio and Bambi.

DC

Posting these pics from a Christian's Hut menu auction on eBay (ends Aug 18, 2013 18:01:21 PDT).
It's apparently a mailer, like the one Dustycajun posted from the Balboa location, at the beginning of this thread. I notice this is for the Shelter Island location, and it is not (yet?) called "The Hut". Dustycajun posted a menu from 'The Hut', on 2012-3-6. The Hut menu lacks the wine selections, but includes 5 additional drinks.

On 2011-12-11 19:02, Dustycajun wrote:
This info from the Bali Hai website:

Bali Hai was the first Tiki temple erected on Shelter Island and was originally called “The Hut”, a subsidiary of Christian’s Hut in Newport Beach, California. Only two years after it’s opening in 1953, the Hut’s manager, Tom Ham, took over the ailing business, gave it a new name (after the movie Bali Hai was released) and transformed it into the most happening place in San Diego.

Hmm, "after the movie Bali Hai was released"? The Bali Hai website has now corrected the origin of the name, but sort of smoothed over the pre-Bali Hai history:
"The landmark restaurant ... is a chic, sleek Polynesian paradise opened in 1955 by San Diego restaurateur Tom Ham. Bali Hai was the island’s first “tiki temple,” named after the song popularized by the musical “South Pacific”..."
I think it must have first been Christian's Hut, then briefly renamed The Hut, when Tom Ham first took it over, before he decided on Bali Hai.

Oh no! You mentioned an eBay auction! Now every TCer who was watching that auction hoping no be else saw it is pissed! :wink:

I'm always excited when I see an item come up for sale at a low price, only to have my hopes dashed when every TCer starts bidding at the last minute (literally). Those last few seconds get frantic, and I've gotten carried away on a matchbook I sorely wanted (burned one might say, but I'm avoiding the pun), but it all works out in the end.

Found this postcard for Christian's Hut, Balboa Island, Calif. circa 1950s

On 2012-01-05 19:23, Dustycajun wrote:
Bongofury had posted that the Christian's Hut in Balboa was used to film the movie The Breaking Point which was released in 1950 starring John Garfield and Patricia Neal.

Thought I'd post some screencaps from the movie, especially the scenes outside and (purportedly) inside the Balboa Christian's Hut. Not sure, but the interior scenes might just be a set, considering that the door opens the wrong way, and maybe a few other cues. So actually I went a little overboard on the images, added with narrative below. My version may have some slight variations from the actual dialog in the movie. But first, for a refresher, a look back at one of the exteriors DC posted on page 1.

On 2011-12-11 19:02, Dustycajun wrote:
And this great photo of the Goof on the Roof from Critiki.

So here's where the scene starts in the movie. John Garfield as hard luck charter boat captain Harry Morgan, coming up the steps.

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You can just make out the little platform for the goof on the roof.

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Interior view, either using a different door, or somehow the hinge has switched to the other side. All the following images MAY be a set.

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As Harry makes a beeline for the bar, we pan across this funny tiki with hula skirt.

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Panning some more, hey there's Patricia Neal as the predatory and slightly crazy Leona Charles.

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Leona just happened to be singing a little hipshaking number at the jukebox.

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Transitioning into a dance with an onlooker, with a nice tropical wall in the back.

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"Oh, I need to ditch this guy, that's Harry at the bar!"

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That's precisely where Harry is camped out.

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As Harry puts one back, the chromed cash register reflects a shady character's entrance.

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Shady pat on the back.

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Shady guy leaves, again via the cash register.

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Harry moves to a table, while Leona on the prowl spots him in another mirror shot.

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"Well, hello!"

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"I like your hat!"

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"Whenever I rub a table lamp, I sense what I should do next. I feel that I must squish someone's hat."

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"I'll try it on yours!"

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"Don't touch my hat!"

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"Oh sorry, the lamp told me to"

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"How about I lean back in this dramatic light, and you have another drink?"

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"Good, huh?"

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"Terrific!"

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"Hey look, my wife Lucy is here!"

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Yep, that's Phyllis Thaxter as Lucy.

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"Hiya hon, have a seat!"

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"Leona and I were just talking about hats and drinking."

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"Perfect, because I know I'm ready to start drinking too!"

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"How about you, what are you having?"

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"Scotch? Whiskey? Gin? Bourbon? Brandy?"

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"Vodka? Cognac? Wine? Beer? Aquavit?"

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"Amaretto? Schnapps? Galliano? Ouzo? Fernet Branca?"

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"Well actually, I just remembered I have a dentist appointment"

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"What's up with that, did I scare her off?"

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"Well somebody better give me a drink!"

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"Keep em coming pal!"

And so on, that's roughly how the scene goes, and that's it for Christian's Hut.

-Randy

Randy,

Thanks for those great screen grabs, awesome clarity and great to see the inside of the Balboa location.

I picked up a postcard from Laguna Beach that shows a peek at the Christians Hut sign and building.

I was located down the street from the Victor Hugo Inn restaurant.

Also spotted this old drink menu from the Balboa restaurant with all of the tropical favorites of the day.

Speaking of Balboa, here is an old slide photo that sold on ebay with a nice view of the Goof on the Roof.

And finally an old photo of the Christian's Hut entry in the 1947 Pirates Day Parade in Balboa.

This tradition must have preceded Talk Like a Pirate Day!

DC

The Goof, yesterday:

Bigbro,

Nice photo. I found another old image of the Christian's Hut at the Isthmus on Catalina in a google book.

This was before the deck was added to the side of the building.

DC

Another menu type from Balboa and Laguna Beach with a different illustration of The Goof.

Advertising "Food and Grog"

DC

Ad for Christian's Hut with the Goof from a 1956 Key Guide.

DC

I was in Catalina Island on Monday and went to the Catalina Island Museum where the are having an exhibit titled: Escape to Catalina: Hollywood`s Biggest Stars on Catalina Island. It's a small museum and display, but I found it interesting.
They had pictures of the stars carousing on the island back in the day.
The museum is planning on expanding into a new, larger building which will be nice. Right now it is in a small section of the beautiful Casino building.

Here are the pics that I took. The museum track lighting and my cell phone camera made it hard to get very good pictures.

On 2012-09-16 23:33, Phillip Roberts wrote:
Aloha,

Can you shed any information about this in Honolulu?

On 2012-09-15 16:28, LaShelle wrote:
Picture of Art LaShelle the owner of isthmus and Cristian huts. he is the one with the pipe in his mouth with no shirt. he's with friends at the surf and sand.

First season 4 episode of Hawaii Five-0 shows him in the background of a Polynesian club that also sports a few tikis at the entrance, one that looks like the idol from Hawaiian Eye, where could it be?

Great find Naugatiki, the missing Hawaiian goof and the Hawaiian Eye Tiki!

DC

I found this menu on Getty images that listed the Isthmus, Balboa, and Laguna Beach locations, thus confirming my suspicion that they operated simultaneously at one time.

Speaking of the Isthmus, I clipped these old photos from a historic Catalina site.

Some more exteriors

The bar manned by a young Ray Buhen.

The dining room and dance floor.

And lastly, a photo of the Balboa Pirate Parade entry from Christian's Hut

DC

There you go again Scott. Mahalo, Mahalo, You constantly outdo yourself.
Happy New you and good hunting.

Great souvenir photo from Surf & Sand, from 1945-1949! Among the inscriptions is one by Aline Hudson, who together with Art LaShelle, opened up the San Diego Christian's Hut in 1953. I believe that may be her sitting behind LaShelle. She was a Hollywood agent in the 1940s, and returned to San Diego when her father fell ill. They incorporated with LaShelle several others and she was its first manager.

They are sitting with friends Frank Borzage an actor and prolific director, who married Red Skelton's ex-wife Edna, also seen here.

Here's a picture of Aline from the 1940s:

Martin

On 2012-09-15 16:28, LaShelle wrote:
Picture of Art LaShelle the owner of isthmus and Cristian huts. he is the one with the pipe in his mouth with no shirt. he's with friends at the surf and sand.

[ Edited by: ClassicSanDiego 2017-01-14 07:54 ]

I found some more old photos in the flickr album posted by Martin Lindsay.

Arrival at the Isthmus, circa 1939.

Lady travelers.

Errol Flynn lounging on on the patio.

Autographed photo of Clark Gable inscribed: "To Art LaShelle From the Proprietor Clark Gable"

Close ups of the murals on the exterior walls.

DC

Ebay photo of the Christian's Hut in Laguna Beach.

A newspaper ad for the Jamaica Inn location in Corina Del mar.

Here are a few more references to the Hawaii location.

DC

Spotted a few rare old postcards from Christian's Hut at the Isthmus.

DC