This incredible scroll , 42” by19”, was signed by all the stars who frequented Ciro’s Nightclub on Sunset Blvd in the 1940 and 50s.
It’s fun to spot all the signatures, over 95 stars.
The scroll was auctioned in 2014 by Heritage Auctions, but I don’t know how much it sold for.
Ciro’s opened at 8433 Sunset Blvd. in 1940 by Billy Wilkerson who also ran the Hollywood Reporter. The club ran till 1957.
There’s a book, CIRO’S :NIGHTCLUB OF THE STARS which is full of photos.
Apparently the space for dancing was quite small.
Lex Barker and Lana Turner.
Carole Lombard, William Powell.
Louis B. Mayer, Tony Martin, Judy Garland and her husband David Rose.
Ginger Rogers and Jack Benny.
Carole Landis and Franchot Tone.
Columnist Sheila Graham with Marilyn.
Buddy Rogers and Mary Pickford.
Kirk Douglas and Rita Hayworth.
Ida Lupino and Orson Welles
Wonder what Orson is saying to make Ida give him that look!
Back row: Darryl Zanuck ,Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Walter Winchell, Jane Russell.
Front row: Lucille Ball, Jimmy McHugh, Louella Parsons
Rosalind Russell and husband Frederick Brisson.
James Stewart and Myrna Dell.
The club photographer captures Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin.
Kirk Douglas and Rita Hayworth.
Clark Gable and Carole Lombard.
Gregory Peck, his first wife Greta and Fred Clark.
Judy Garland and Humphrey Bogart.
John Payne, Shelley Winters, Herman Hover.
Vienna's Classic Hollywood
The scroll sold for $6,875 (including 25% Buyer’s Premium).
Catalogue entry:- A Movie Star Signed ‘Scroll’ from Ciro’s Nightclub, Circa 1940s. Thick stock tan-colored paper, mounted to a board, top margin is painted with text reading “Ciro’s / Scroll,” rest of piece is signed in black or brown fountain pen ink by over 95 stars who came to this famous nightclub on the Sunset Strip including (in alphabetical order): Gracie Allen, Don Ameche, Amos & Andy (Freeman Gosden and Charles Correll), Dana Andrews, Desi Arnaz, Lucille Ball, Ralph Bellamy, Robert Benchley, Joan Bennett, Jack Benny, Edgar Bergen, Turhan Bey, Vivian Blaine, Joan Blondell (water damaged), George Brent, George Burns, “J”(ames) Cagney, Judy Canova, Hoagy Carmichael, Earl Carroll, Marguerite Chapman, Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, Lou Costello, Joseph Cotten, Stephen Crane, Robert Cummings, Jacqueline Dalya, Yvonne De Carlo, Fred De Cordova, Gloria De Haven, Jack Dempsey, Richard Dix, Deanna Durbin (water damaged), Joan Edwards, Jinx Falkenburg, Gracie Fields (water damaged), Barry Fitzgerald, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable (signed twice), Greer Garson, Betty Grable, Rita Hayworth, Van Heflin, Sonja Henie, Alfred Hitchcock, Bob Hope, Marsha Hunt, Ross Hunter, Betty Hutton, George Jessel, Van Johnson, Al Jolson, Jennifer Jones (water damaged), Danny Kaye, Evelyn Keyes, “Dottie” Lamour, Carole Landis, Mary Livingstone, Harold Lloyd, Peter Lorre, Louis Hayward, Theodora Lynch, Jeanette MacDonald, Harpo Marx, “Vic” Mature, Ray Milland, Ann Miller, Constance Moore, Frank Morgan, Frances Neal, Dennis O’Keefe (water damaged), Merle Oberon, John Payne, Gregory Peck, Mary Pickford, William Powell, George Raft (water damaged), Basil Rathbone, Marjorie Reynolds, Jimmy Ritz, Edward G. Robinson, Roy Rogers, Norma Shearer “Arrouge,” Anne Shirley, Frank Sinatra, Martha Stewart, Sonny Tufts, Lana Turner, Johnny Weismuller, Orson Welles, Esther Williams, Jane Withers, Cobina Wright, Jr., Jane Wyman, and Robert Young, among a few others; piece was likely on display in the restaurant where the maître d’ probably asked the notable guests to sign it over the course of a few years in the mid-1940s. (Please note the bottom 4 inches has evident water damaged and the paper has come unglued from the board there, but all the autographs above are not affected.)
42″ x 19″
The Ida/Orson photo was taken by George Harrell, and the text which accompanied the photo when it was released for publication on Jan 3 1942 joked that it was Orson’s Genghis Khan moustache that caused the reaction.
Next to Marilyn is Walter Winchell; in front is Jimmy McHugh.
The occasion is Winchell’s birthday party, 13th May 1953.
Next to Shelley is Herman Hover, the owner of Ciro’s.
Thanks, Bob, for all that information. Apparently Herman Hover took over Ciro’s management in 1942.
Photos never imagined exist or ever get to see! Thank you. Best regards.
Glad you liked them. I enjoy finding them.