Part 2.... The same Design District master plan that calls for the demo the SMB Streamline Moderne is now calling for the demo of The Factory. This Wednesday, January 7th, there is a meeting at the West Hollywood Library regarding the potential demolition of The Factory. (6:30 PM, Community Mtg Rm, 625 San Vicente Blvd) Part 1 continued.... Turning the abandoned factory into a nightclub was the brainchild of Ron Buck, a lawyer, architect and artist who bought the space in 1967 and transformed it into the most exclusive of invitation-only nightclubs. His investors, also club regulars, included Hollywood director Dick Donner (of “Salt and Pepper,” “Superman,” “Lethal Weapon” and “The Goonies”), Peter Lawford (of the Rat Pack), Anthony Newley, Paul Newman, Peter Bren, Jerry Orbach and Pierre Salinger. In the 70s and 80s, The Factory was Studio One (and the cabaret space called The Backlot), created/owned by Scott Forbes (an optometrist and graduate from USC) Forbes designed the club to fill a void in the community. According to his long-time partner: Scott thought it right that gays have a place to go to that was a dynamic spot, a place of prominence in the community, Studio One was planned, designed and conceived for gay people, gay male people, Forbes said. Any straight people here are guests of the gay community. This is gay! (A very revolutionary act/statement for the times!) The club was an immediate success. Most major recording artists of the time performed there. And in 1978, Forbes created the first Gay Day at a major theme park- Disneyland! Once we had the contract signed, I invited them to Studio One, Forbes said. That was a little shock for them. But the first ever Gay Day at Disneyland was a big success- about 18,000 people jammed Disneyland on the night of the party, May 25, 1978. (Now, gay days at Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, Magic Mountain are regular things.) Save The Factory!! Save the SMB Streamline Moderne!
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 20:40:13 +0000
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