Opening in 1933, Don the Beachcomber brought the allure of South Sea exotica-along with the iconic Zombie cocktail- securing its place as a Hollywood landmark. Interestingly, a restaurant with a man's name was, in fact, operated by a woman. The Beachcomber was a cross between the set of frequent customer Joan Crawford's movie Rain, and Tales of the South Pacific. (The entire star-studded cast of the latter, from the director, producer, down to the "gofer", ate and drank there, alone, paired or en masse.) To maintain that 'tropical feel', rain could be ordered to spatter your window depending on where you were seated. Hollywood was the glamor capital of the world in the 1930s and 1940s, the era that produced, created and nurtured the superstars who made it a fairyland, and Don the Beachcomber catered to them all. The stars loved Sunny Sund and she loved them. Everyone fell under Sunny's spell. Now, we're talking movie stars here, superstars. It was nothing to see Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Errol Flynn, Rudy Valle, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Charlie Chaplin, Howard Hughes, and Alfred Hitchock in the room at the same time. While Donn Beach's name often overshadows her impact on the business's history, Sunny Sund emerged as the visionary leader, overseeing its growth from a modest twenty-four-seat bar into a flourishing chain of million-dollar restaurants. Whispers of respect from the formidable Chicago syndicate underscored Sunny's undeniable power and influence. This is the untold story of an empowering and wildly successful female restaurateur in a male-dominated industry. Sunny's daughter, Karen, unveils her mother's enigmatic journey amidst the effervescent glamor and intrigue of the Hollywood elite. Beyond the red velvet ropes, the crowd waited in anticipation for an experience unlike any other.
Opening in 1933, Don the Beachcomber brought the allure of South Sea exotica-along with the iconic Zombie cocktail- securing its place as a Hollywood landmark. Interestingly, a restaurant with a man's name was, in fact, operated by a woman. The Beachcomber was a cross between the set of frequent customer Joan Crawford's movie Rain, and Tales of the South Pacific. (The entire star-studded cast of the latter, from the director, producer, down to the "gofer", ate and drank there, alone, paired or en masse.) To maintain that 'tropical feel', rain could be ordered to spatter your window depending on where you were seated. Hollywood was the glamor capital of the world in the 1930s and 1940s, the era that produced, created and nurtured the superstars who made it a fairyland, and Don the Beachcomber catered to them all. The stars loved Sunny Sund and she loved them. Everyone fell under Sunny's spell. Now, we're talking movie stars here, superstars. It was nothing to see Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Errol Flynn, Rudy Valle, Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Charlie Chaplin, Howard Hughes, and Alfred Hitchock in the room at the same time. While Donn Beach's name often overshadows her impact on the business's history, Sunny Sund emerged as the visionary leader, overseeing its growth from a modest twenty-four-seat bar into a flourishing chain of million-dollar restaurants. Whispers of respect from the formidable Chicago syndicate underscored Sunny's undeniable power and influence. This is the untold story of an empowering and wildly successful female restaurateur in a male-dominated industry. Sunny's daughter, Karen, unveils her mother's enigmatic journey amidst the effervescent glamor and intrigue of the Hollywood elite. Beyond the red velvet ropes, the crowd waited in anticipation for an experience unlike any other.
