The Sportsmen's Lodge is a hotel located on

Ventura Boulevard Ventura Boulevard is one of the primary east–west thoroughfares in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California. Ventura Boulevard is one of the oldest routes in the San Fernando Valley as it was originally a part o ...

Studio City, Los Angeles, California Studio City is a neighborhood in the city of Los Angeles, California, in the southeast San Fernando Valley, just west of the Cahuenga Pass. It is named after the studio lot that was established in the area by film producer Mack Sennett in 1927, ...

. Operating under various names (including "Hollywood Trout Farms") since the 1880s, the Sportsmen's Lodge is a San Fernando Valley landmark and remains a popular spot for celebrations, dinners and public events. Located in the heart of the Valley's studio district, the Sportsmen's Lodge was a popular gathering spot for cast and crew in old Hollywood, including

Clark Gable William Clark Gable (February 1, 1901November 16, 1960) was an American film actor, often referred to as "The King of Hollywood". He had roles in more than 60 motion pictures in multiple genres during a career that lasted 37 years, three decades ...

Bette Davis Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis (; April 5, 1908 – October 6, 1989) was an American actress with a career spanning more than 50 years and 100 acting credits. She was noted for playing unsympathetic, sardonic characters, and was famous for her p ...

, John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart,

Lauren Bacall Lauren Bacall (; born Betty Joan Perske; September 16, 1924 – August 12, 2014) was an American actress. She was named the 20th-greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute and received an Academy Honorary Aw ...

Spencer Tracy Spencer Bonaventure Tracy (April 5, 1900 – June 10, 1967) was an American actor. He was known for his natural performing style and versatility. One of the major stars of Hollywood's Golden Age, Tracy was the first actor to win two conse ...

and

Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...

Early days

The original Sportsmen's Lodge opened in the 1880s before the movie business existed and before Studio City had its name. A history of Studio City published by the ''Studio City Sun'' describes the Lodge as an "enduring symbol of lost rural Valley life." The ''Sun'' notes that the site has had many owners since the 1880s but was "always a geographic crossroads for travelers because of its proximity to the

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the ...

, the canyons, and watering holes created by a natural

artesian spring An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. An artesian aquifer has trapped water, surrounded by layers of impermeable rock or clay, which apply positive pressure to the water contained within the ...

." In the days before freeways were built across the Valley, "all traffic passed along

’s two dirt lanes in the sparsely populated Valley, and 'when people were starting to take

road trip A road trip, sometimes spelled roadtrip, is a long-distance journey on the road. Typically, road trips are long distances travelled by automobile. History First road trips by automobile The world's first recorded long-distance road trip by ...

s, this was an

oasis In ecology, an oasis (; ) is a fertile area of a desert or semi-desert environment In the first half of the 20th century, the Sportsmen's Lodge was known for its

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', '' Salmo'' and '' Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-sa ...

-fishing lake where families came to catch and eat their own dinners, cooked courtesy of the lodge's restaurant. In the 1910s, the Lodge was called "Hollywood Trout Farms" and was described as "a ramshackle collection of huts." The ponds were augmented with man-made lakes in the 1920s, and fish were grown and delivered from as far as

Las Vegas Las Vegas (; Spanish language, Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the List of United States cities by population, 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the U.S. state, state of Neva ...

and

San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly h ...

. From the late 1930s until the end of World War II, it was known as "Trout Lakes".

Hollywood hangout

The Sportsmen's Lodge became the place to hang out for cast and crew members working at the nearby

Republic Studios Republic Pictures Corporation (currently held under Melange Pictures, LLC) was an American motion picture production-distribution corporation in operation from 1935 to 1967, that was based in Los Angeles. It had studio facilities in Studio City an ...

. The heart of Republic Studios was its B-westerns, and many western-film leads, including John Wayne,

Gene Autry Orvon Grover "Gene" Autry (September 29, 1907 – October 2, 1998), nicknamed the Singing Cowboy, was an American singer, songwriter, actor, musician, rodeo performer, and baseball owner who gained fame largely by singing in a crooning s ...

Rex Allen Rex Elvie Allen (December 31, 1920 – December 17, 1999), known as "the Arizona Cowboy", was an American film and television actor, singer and songwriter; he was also the narrator of many Disney nature and Western productions. For his contribu ...

, and

Roy Rogers Roy Rogers (born Leonard Franklin Slye; November 5, 1911 – July 6, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and television host. Following early work under his given name, first as co-founder of the Sons of the Pioneers and then acting, the rebra ...

, became stars at Republic. Movie posters signed by Hollywood cowboys who stayed there still hang on the walls of the Lodge's coffee shop. Some of Hollywood's remaining silver screen cowboys still gather at the Sportsmen's Lodge for the annual Golden Boot and Silver Spur Awards. Bette Davis in All About Eve trailer

In 1945, the property was renamed the Sportsmen's Lodge, and a formal restaurant and cocktail lounge were added. Guests were given rods and bait to catch their fish and make dinner.

, Humphrey Bogart,

and John Wayne are reported to have taught their kids how to fish at the Lodge's trout ponds. According to one account, the Lodge's trout ponds "drew luminaries such as

Tallulah Bankhead Tallulah Brockman Bankhead (January 31, 1902 – December 12, 1968) was an American actress. Primarily an actress of the stage, Bankhead also appeared in several prominent films including an award-winning performance in Alfred Hitchcock's ''Lif ...

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

, Bette Davis, and

Joan Blondell Joan Blondell (born Rose Joan Bluestein; August 30, 1906 – December 25, 1979) was an American actress who performed in film and television for 50 years. Blondell began her career in vaudeville. After winning a beauty pageant, she embarked on ...

, who baited hooks with

liverwurst Liverwurst, leberwurst, or liver sausage is a kind of sausage made from liver. It is eaten in many parts of Europe, including Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Polan ...

and drank martinis as waiters served dinner on white tablecloths. When celebrities such as Clark Gable frequented the Lodge, rates were $9 for a single room and $25 for a suite. A small pier adjacent to the restaurant catered to celebrities who worked in nearby studios. The pier was said to be Clark Gable's favorite fishing spot, and Humphrey Bogart and

were regulars. Syndicated entertainment columnist Ron Miller wrote that the "venerable" Sportsmen's Lodge was his favorite Valley hangout. Miller wrote about the old days at the Lodge when character actor

Jack Elam William Scott "Jack" Elam (November 13, 1920 – October 20, 2003) was an American film and television actor best known for his numerous roles as villains in Western films and, later in his career, comedies (sometimes spoofing his villaino ...

had a luxury suite on the top floor while working on the movie "Easy Street". Miller recalled that Elam was a drinking man and "mornings were not his best time." On one occasion, Elam walked into the Lodge's coffee shop with a bewildered look on his face. "He'd forgotten where he'd parked his car the night before because he'd had a snootful. I remember him telling the waitresses he was pretty sure it was parked, 'Somewhere in the valley.'" According to Miller, one "well-seasoned" waitress coddled Elam through breakfast and assured him: "That's all right, Darlin'. We'll help you find it after breakfast. Now you'd better eat something, Jack." As the San Fernando Valley grew in the years after World War II, the urban sprawl sprung up around the Sportsmen's Lodge and its trout fishing lakes. In 1962, the modern Sportsmen's Lodge Hotel was built adjacent to the original lodge. When the hotel was built, the lakes became home to a family of swans and some of the Valley's first fine dining establishments, frequented by legendary Hollywood stars. According to the ''Studio City Sun'', the Los Angeles Health Department ended the era of fishing at the Lodge when the

1971 San Fernando earthquake The 1971 San Fernando earthquake (also known as the 1971 Sylmar earthquake) occurred in the early morning of February 9 in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in southern California. The unanticipated thrust earthquake had a magnitude of ...

diverted the natural spring.

Connections to the entertainment business

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in Adams Rib trailer

The Sportsmen's Lodge has a long history of celebrity guests. In a 2007 article on "Where the A-listers lay low," Newscorp described the Sportsmen's Lodge as "a pleasant and unpretentious establishment." General manager Steve Scheck noted, "There are always some stars who need to stay at the most expensive, fanciest places, but others just want to be comfortable, relaxed and feel at home."

and

were visitors, and former Beach Boy

Brian Wilson Brian Douglas Wilson (born June 20, 1942) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer who co-founded the Beach Boys. Often called a genius for his novel approaches to pop composition, extraordinary musical aptitude, and m ...

reportedly likes to lounge by the Olympic pool. Other celebrities known to have stayed or hung out at the Sportsmen's Lodge include Marlon Brando,

Doris Day Doris Day (born Doris Mary Kappelhoff; April 3, 1922 – May 13, 2019) was an American actress, singer, and activist. She began her career as a big band singer in 1939, achieving commercial success in 1945 with two No. 1 recordings, " Sent ...

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those albu ...

, David Lee Roth,

Billy Bob Thornton Billy Bob Thornton (born August 4, 1955) is an American actor, filmmaker and musician. He had his first break when he co-wrote and starred in the 1992 thriller '' One False Move'', and received international attention after writing, directing, ...

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

, and

Trisha Yearwood Patricia Lynn Yearwood (born September 19, 1964) is an American singer, actress, author and television personality. She rose to fame with her 1991 debut single "She's in Love with the Boy," which became a number one hit on the '' Billboard'' c ...

. For several years, noted salsa promoter Albert Torres operated a salsa club at the Sportsmen's Lodge that was frequented by celebrities including

Vanessa L. Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, and fashion designer. She gained recognition as the first African-American woman to receive the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She resign ...

and

Randa Haines Randa Jo Haines (born February 20, 1945, in Los Angeles) is a film and television director and producer. Haines started her career as a script supervisor on several low-budget features in the 1970s, including '' Let's Scare Jessica to Death'' a ...

Recent years

The Sportsmen's Lodge remained a popular location for events, dining and lodging. Motion pictures and TV shows are occasionally shot around the waterfalls, lagoons, lily ponds, swans and gazebos, and recording stars and their entire road crews regularly stay. One writer recently noted of the Lodge: "It's unexpected, finding a mountain chalet bar complete with massive stone fireplace, antique wooden snow-skis, log-beamed ceilings, and moose antlers here in the midst of strip malls and suburbia. But this is Hollywood's back yard, why not enjoy a hunting lodge right off

?" According to Los Angeles City Search, the hotel "isn't nearly as fun as it once was, utit's still a peaceful place with lots of character." The hotel has undergone renovations, a process that one writer said "robbed it of some of its goofy charm." Nevertheless, the spacious rooms overlooking an Olympic-size heated pool in the courtyard, the old-fashioned Patio Cafe and neighboring Caribou restaurant and Muddy Moose Bar remain popular. LosAngeles.com says: "This contemporary Los Angeles hotel sits on of gorgeous landscaped grounds, featuring waterfalls, California native plants and beautiful wildlife, including swans and other waterbirds. Tons of celebrities ... and top execs in the entertainment industry have frequented this luxurious Studio City hotel."

Efforts to secure historical site designation

In the early 2000s, efforts were taken to secure protected historical status for the Sportsmen's Lodge. In 2002, the Studio City Residents Association, backed by the

Los Angeles Conservancy The Los Angeles Conservancy is a historic preservation organization in Los Angeles, California. It works to document, rescue and revitalize historic buildings, places and neighborhoods in the city. The Conservancy is the largest membership based ...

, submitted an application to designate the Lodge's banquet center as a Historic-Cultural Monument. The Conservancy featured the Sportsmen's Lodge as one of just a handful of docent-led stops on its driving tours of the San Fernando Valley—an event that attracted 1,000 tour-goers and won national media attention. The Cultural Heritage Commission approved the historic designation and sent it on to the

Los Angeles City Council The Los Angeles City Council is the legislative body of the City of Los Angeles in California. The council is composed of 15 members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tem ...

. However, the proposal was opposed by City Councilman

Jack Weiss Jack Stephen Weiss (born August 21, 1964) is an American entrepreneur and former politician. He is co-founder of BlueLine Grid, Inc., formerly known as Bratton Technologies, Inc. Weiss is also a former member of the Los Angeles City Council repre ...

, who said that "he does not know anyone who considers Sportsmens Lodge to be significant." The Conservancy responded to Weiss by noting that the Sportsmen's Lodge, "while not an architectural wonder, has long been considered a site that epitomizes the story of the San Fernando Valley itself -- as a site whose evolving uses, from rural to urban, mirrored the Valley's growth; as a roadside attraction to the Valley's vibrant automobile culture; as one of the Valley's earliest and most significant 'fine dining' locations; and as a site that has reflected this community's unique connection to the entertainment industry." Efforts to obtain some protected status for the Lodge are ongoing.

Redevelopment plans

In 2021, Midwood Investment and Development, the owners of Sportsmen's Lodge announced plans to redevelop the hotel with apartments and additional retail to complement the new Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge.

Notes

External sources

* {{Coord, 34, 08, 44, N, 118, 24, 45, W, format=dms, display=title, type:landmark_region:US-CA Landmarks in Los Angeles Studio City, Los Angeles Hotels in Los Angeles Recreational fishing Buildings and structures in the San Fernando Valley