Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/44039
LEFT: The library at the post includes everything from rare vintage war texts to modern fiction. BELOW: Relics from various American wars and conflicts share space with autographed photos of Hollywood pinup girls. Right: The ornate terra cotta front façade a work of art created by artists and craftsmen from the post. Temple nestled between military medals and ribbons. e four-room museum boasts donations from vet- erans and families of veterans, and includes a wealth of personal docu- ments and artifacts. e building also has its share of ghosts. Maria Zambrana, who is archiving records and photographs at the post, has heard some unexplained noises. "I terracotta tiles, wide steps, terraces and pyramid, gives an in- delible impression of strength and solidity. On July 4, 1929 the permanent home of American Legion Post 43 was opened at a cost of $168,000. . e building features a ballroom, a cabaret-style din- ing room, auditorium, four- room museum, library, conference room, dressing rooms, and a Deco bar. In 1989 the clubhouse was des- ignated as an historic location by the City of Los Angeles. e building holds a treasure trove of military memorabilia in its museum. It is a testa- ment to the close relationship of Hollywood glamour and the United States military forces, with signed photo- graphs of Marilyn Monroe, Rita Hayworth and Shirley Shirley Temple with Post Commander Louis A. Canepa who made her an Honorary Colonel at the Post in 1935 immediately after doing her hand- & footprints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. think he's a nice ghost, though," laughed Zambrana. Duddy has had conversations with one of the ghostly res- idents, Marshall Wyatt, who was the bar manager for 31 years. "His spirit is still here," Duddy remarked. "e Can- teen" or bar at the post was open during Prohibition. "If the walls could talk," Duddy sighed. Dances and live performances were a mainstay throughout the years. e Legion was in its heyday during World War Two when the post was crowded by legion members who filled a neon-lit Art Deco bar and swelled into a nightclub-like dining area called the "Cabaret Room." Singers and top acts of the day per- formed from a stage above a small dance floor. Larger performances showcasing top-name artists drew crowds of more than 1,000 upstairs in the main auditorium. Hollywood stars and studio moguls regularly lent FALL 2011 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35