Paramount Studio Cafe, Hollywood 1936
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This is a fascinating menu from the commissary at Paramount Pictures' studio lot during the Golden Age of Hollywood. In tiny letters underneath the Paramount logo, there’s the cautionary advice:’ Eat, drink and make merry, for ye shall be a long time dead.’ Good advice!
1936 – the year of this menu – was when the studio was emerging out of bankruptcy from its previous entity called Paramount Productions Inc.
Barney Balaban (1887-1971) was the new president of the company. He was innovator in the movie business in Chicago and built the first cinema with a balcony. He also created a ‘cooling system,’ a precursor to air-conditioning, in cinemas.
During this era, Paramount relied on the contract system, keeping stars like Marlene Dietrich, Henry Fonda, Cary Grant, Bing Crosby and Mae West, as well as directors and technical crews, exclusively bonded to Paramount for fixed periods.
Some of the movies produced in 1936 included The Plainsman, directed by Cecil B. DeMille and starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. Another was the romantic comedy Desire, with Marlene Dietreich as a sophisticated European jewel thief and Gary Cooper as an innocent American on vacation.
Balaban remained head of the studio until 1964.
As you will see from this extensive menu, both stars, directors and crews were very well fed in the commissary during the ‘30s.
Courtesy Private Collection.
Gallery quality Giclée print on natural white, matte, 100% cotton rag, acid and lignin free archival paper using Epson K3 archival inks. Custom printed with border for matting and framing.
All printed in USA.
