Customer Reviews

Are the Stars Out Tonight?: The Story of the Famous Ambassador and Cocoanut Grove

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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU Amazon.com for finding me this incredible piece of Los Angeles/Hollywood history. In it's salad years, the Ambassador Hotel was an incredible piece of architechure and it is really a shame what they (being the powers-that-be) have allowed to happen to the Wilshire Blvd. hotspot. We filmed a movie in the decaying building a little over a year ago (as so many others have done - "Pretty Woman" was filmed there you know) and I was still awe-struck to think of how many Hollywood and Political luminaries had been on the same carpeting that I was standing on. Thank you Amazon.com, for allowing me to hold on to a piece of the past by locating this photo-drenched book for me.

This book informed me of the incredible history that took place in the famous Ambassador Hotel of Los Angeles-Not just "Hollywood" history ala Cocoanut Grove but Robert Kennedy, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, F Scott Fitzgerald the list goes on...This book is filled with photos and in really a fun format also and has tons of stories that were obviously close to the authors heart. I hope others that read this book or have the urge to learn more of the Ambassadors history will join as I have the fight to save this historic building (that does not have landmark status) from the wrecking ball and the doom that presently faces this grand piece of our national history. I hope this book is part one of the Ambassador's long life in the heart of Los Angeles and that it is just taking a well deserved rest before it needed facelift and comeback hey where else but in L.A.? With your help maybe we can save history. Get involved.

Congratulations, I have just read Margaret Burk's wonderful book about the Ambassador Hotel. I am a documentary filmmaker doing research on the hotel for a soon to be produced film and found the book to contain a wealth of information. Starting from the opening date of the hotel until its unofficial closing. Each outstanding chapter is filled with Hollywood memorabilia such as: "Gloria Swanson:Birthday Girl," "The War Years," "The Cocoanut Grove," the Meca showcase for the most important performers of the time, "Death of a Hero," one of the most complete accounts of the tragic assasination of Robert Kennedy at the Ambassador, and many more. The pictures in the book feature some of Hollywood's greatest icons who passed through the doors of the famous land mark.
The end pages of the book features the autographs of some of the most renowned performers, Heads of State, and personalities of the era. I recently met the author at a ROUND TABLE WEST book club luncheon, the largest book club of its kind in America that features best selling authors, which she founded along with famed author Adela Rogers St. Johns at the Ambassador Hotel
over twenty-five years ago.
I was happy to learn that Margaret Burk is still living amongst the stars.

This is a splendid book filled with hundreds of pictures of the rich and the famous and laden with Hollywood lore, be it Gable and Lombard or Hearst and Marian Davies -- the author of the book, Margaret Burk, knew most of them, as she was the wonderful public relations chief of both the Ambassador Hotel and Coconut Grove for many many years and she has written this star-studded memoir with wonderful anecdotes. The oversuzed book has a unique gold cover, and contains replicas of autographs (many owned by Ms. Burk, who now runs the prestigious ROUND TABLE book club in California) within the cover. This is a book for anyone who loves the movies! I was privileged to meet Margaret, when she invited me to introduce my own new book, "Someone To Watch Over Me," at the Round Table in La Quinta, Ca. in Jan. She's a terrific lady! Judi McMahon

This is an outstanding piece of work, it must have taken 10 years to gather all the marvelous photographs. The book was hard to find but is well worth the search.

I lived at the Ambassabor. My husband Hugh was president of the hotel when Bobby Kennedy was shot. I was there that night a few feet away from the stage. I saw Sirhan, astronauts, moon rock, met Ronald Reagan, entertained "important" people, hosted receptions following opening nights, We were a part of the refurbishing and the "Now Grove". Walter Winchell was my sweet friend, but a lonely man. Don Ho played with my children. Sammy Davis and Altavise were a special part of our lives. I was a 32 year old mother of four, having the time of my life. So many amazing occasions.

Margaret Burk was a very special person. Hugh and Margaret had a great friendship and a wonderful business arrangement. She loved the Ambassador with a passion - it was such a historical place and she did a fantastic job of telling the story of the "grand old lady". I can attest to the truth of those stories and the legends. For me, this book was such a gift. Thank you Margaret for this special book, all the pictures, and gifting all those who loved the "Ambassador with this beautiful book. Note: Margaret passed recently, having lived a full life into her nineties. Hugh Wiley also

passed some months ago. Juan Romero, the young busboy who put the rosary into Bobby's hand back in the kitchen

where he was shot went on to have several children and a good life, although that event has had a strong effect on him.

I really enjoyed this book. Well written, great history, fun read! I'm writing this review to let you know what kind of surprises you can get when you purchase used books from Amazon dealers: My copy of this book contains an autograph of Adela Rogers St. John, who wrote the introduction!!! Cool, Cool Cool!!!!! What a treasure I received for about 10 bucks!!!!! Shop Amazon book dealers!!!!