The Comstock Hotel On Wilshire Blvd

The original Comstock Hotel was located at 10300 Wilshire Blvd in Westwood. It was designed by Kenneth Lind in 1956. There’s a lot of history here.... some of it is fun, some of it is tragic.... 

     Color slide courtesy of Carol Watson. 

     Black & whites taken by photographer 

     Maynard Parker in 1957

During the late 1950s until the early 1980s the Comstock was a classic mid century / contemporary design. Very reminiscent to the Standard Hotel on Sunset Strip or a mini version of the Beverly Hilton not too far away. It was THE place for displaced BH residents. 

In 1972, a small Italian place called Derrick’s opened on the second floor owned by the Shwartz family. Richard Simmons was a waiter and eventually became Maitre D’ before he became a sensation with those exercise videos. He created a unique experience with his overly ecstatic personality. He would also insult the customers in a humorous way. 

        Richard Simmons was the main event at Derrick's restaurant.

Derrick’s regulars were Henry Mancini, Sidney Poitier, Johnny Carson, Joe Cocker (who was living there at the time), and Ed McMahon and Johnny Carson who brought a host of celebrities and fun people who closed the place down nightly. Those famous names would give Simmons extra tips, knowing that he would do something special with his life and was eventually discovered there. Los Angeles Times restaurant critic Lois Dwan, in a March 1973 piece, made reference to Maitre D’ Simmons as an “effervescent catalyst.” The perfect prelude to describe the soon to be flamboyant fitness guru. 

I remember the Comstock and Derrick’s well as a kid because my parents were also regulars and would bring me along. It was there where I tried Manicotti for the first time: A favorite dish of mine until this day. I also remember a manager named Raphael who gave me a little rubber dog that I carried around as a kid for years. 

Raphael and Richard both eventually opened up their own restaurants including the Roughage in Beverly Hills. So did the Comstock's attorneys, Larry Flax and Rick Rosenthal who opened a little thing called California Pizza Kitchen! Lot's of talent started at the Beverly Comstock Hotel. 

Old School recipes. Photo provided by Annie Schwartz

On a much sadder note, the Comstock Hotel was the location of actor Freddie Prinze's tragic suicide. Prinze, known for his role as "Chico" in the 1970's hit show "Chico and the Man" shot himself on January 28, 1977 in room 216 in front of his business manager. It has been reported that Freddie playing the soundtrack to "Car Wash" when he took his life. Such a shocking and tragic story at the time. I still think of him when driving by. 

Annie Schwartz shares the following personal sentiments: "My parents owned the Comstock and Derrick's for several years. My father Derrick, (who the restaurant was named after was also the chef). This is a picture of my dad and Mom Judy, who I sadly lost  almost 30 years ago. This was us celebrating my 21st birthday". 

Annie continues....

"I spent 4 years living at the Beverly Comstock Hotel when my parents owned it. I was 12 years old when we moved into the hotel. I watched my parents build a business out of the passion of my father wanting to share his incredible desire to share and prepare delicious gourmet Italian delicacies. Before the hotel, my Dad would prepare these dishes nightly for just our family. You can't imagine as a child how difficult it was to try and taste vegetables and sauces that were just way to complex, and yet today, I would kill to have some of those amazing meals that my father made. Anyway, a few things, Ed McMahon became a dear friend of my parents. He was never an owner of Derrick's, but he did spend a tremendous amount of time enjoying the restaurant and bar. He was a HUGE driver in bringing celebs to the restaurant, since the Tonight Show taped at 4 in the afternoon, Ed often brought or invited those guests on the show to Derrick's. It became a celebrity hangout in no time. Joe Cocker was a resident for quite a while and WILD. I was 13 when I met him, and had really no idea the magnitude of who I was hanging out with at the pool as a young child. Richard Simmons was our host for the restaurant, and many memorable events took place. But unfortunately, while we lived in the hotel, Freddie Prinze tragically killed himself.

Many notable people and wonderful stayed at the hotel. The vibe that was created was magical. The hotel had a piano bar in the lobby of the hotel and when people came to the restaurant it wasn't just a meal, it was an experience. Yes Richard Simmons cut off all the men's ties, and sat on everyone's lap, his energy was infectious and entertaining nightly. Sometimes my dad wanted to ring his neck...But then after the customers ate there meal, they would make there way down to the Piano Bar. Many famous musicians throughout our time there would play the piano and just enjoy the energy of the small crowd that was lucky enough that night to hear some incredibly famous musicians play. Anyway, there are so many amazing memories, and throughout the years, I have never experienced anything remotely like the experience at Derrick's 2nd Floor in the Beverly Comstock Hotel.  I recently came across my fathers recipes from the restaurant. This is how he kept them old school for sure."

In the 1980s Donald Sterling purchased the Comstock and expanded it. He sold it soon after that. It eventually became the the Beverly Hills Ritz Hotel in the 90's.  

Today it’s the Beverly Plaza Hotel. The mid century features are long gone, but its legacy and history lives on. 

Alison Martino is a writer, television producer and personality, and L.A. pop culture historian. She founded the Facebook page Vintage Los Angeles in 2010. 

Martino muses on L.A’s. past and present on Twitter and Instagram and also writes articles about the history of L.A for Los Angeles Magazine and appears on weekly show called the SO CAL SCENE airing on Spectrum News 1

Alison's book of unpublished photos of L.A.'s past is also currently in production.