Hot Dog Show, Toluca Lake 1950s

Launched in 1949 as a roadside hot dog stand, The Hot Dog Show was part of the Toluca Lake, California, community until it closed in 2011 after a 62-year run. There were six sizzling selections of hot dogs - the Mutt, the Dachshund, the Chihuahua, the Boston Bull, the Hound and the Beagle. The Husky, with chilli, onions and melted cheddar cheese was added later. A hangout for high school kids over the decades, wall posters showed vintage Corvettes, Thunderbirds, Mustangs and a Kansas – US 66 highway sign. The Hot Dog Show menu had wonderfully witty anthropomorphic hot dog illustrations – including angel hot dogs who presumably went to heaven after sacrificing themselves as someone’s tasty snack – created by artist Don Stafford. In the late 1970s the name changed to Papoo’s Hot Dog Show with a new owner (Papoo means grandfather in Greek).  Through subsequent owners the name stayed the same. The Hot Dog show grew into a small chain with outlets in Studio City, the Pacific Palisades, La Cienega Blvd and Crenshaw Blvd. Changing tastes, fierce competition from other fast-food outlets meant all shut down by the early 2000s. This illustration is from a giant Hot Dog Show matchbook and is from the 1950s.

Hollywood still loves its hot dogs.  Pink’s Hot Dogs, founded in 1939 by Betty and Paul Pink, is still serving dogs on N La Brea Avenue today and, of course, there’s the Tail O’ The Pup that started selling its frankfurters in 1946. The Tail O’ the Pup’s 18ft-long hot dog stand, shaped like a hot dog, has been lovingly restored by the 1933 Group. You can see this great example of novelty architecture and buy hot dogs at 8512 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.