The gruesome and abrupt end to Elizabeth Short’s life is as famous now as it was immediately after the discovery of her body on January 15, 1947 in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles.
There’s a million theories about whether or not her killer was also the Cleveland Torso Murderer or even The Zodiac. We’re not going into that in this article but perhaps in the near future.
For this article we’re going to write about the six spots that lay claim to being either the last place Elizabeth Short was seen in public, or just a spot she hung out at. All of these places are open so you can swing by when you’re in Los Angeles.
Pig N’ Whistle
6714 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Opening in 1927 next door to the Egyptian Theater, the Pig N’ Whistle has seen it’s share of famous people. They claim on their website; Shirley Temple, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable and Loretta Young were all regulars. They closed for a while but re-opened in 1999 after being restored to what it used to look like back in Beth’s day. Apparently Beth Short was seen here weeks before she was killed.
I’ve been here a few times, it’s chock-full of tourists outside on the sidewalks. Everyone’s looking down at the Hollywood walk of fame and not up at the sights. Inside it’s got that faint smell of stale beer and vomit that you get you go to a night club during the daytime. Last time I was there the TV had TMC’s Noir Alley on which was nice and the waiter was talking about his Grindr exploits from the night before with the lady tending bar. But hey, the Black Dahlia may have been there.
Florentine Gardens
5951 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
OK so maybe this one doesn’t lay claim to being the last spot the Black Dahlia was seen but when her belongings were found in a dumpster down in DTLA 10 days after her body was discovered there was a little brown address book with the name Mark M. Hansen stamped on the cover. Hansen was owner of Florentine Gardens at the time and Beth Short and some friends rented rooms in Hansen’s home at 6024 Carlos Avenue, which is behind the Florentine Gardens. Anyway, I’m adding it here. It was a nightclub then as it is now, Beth liked night clubs and knew the owner so she more than likely went here on numerous occasions.
The Frolic Room
6245 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Like the Pig N’ Whistle the Frolic Room was popular with theater-goers. Back then they didn’t have concessions in theaters so restaurants would pop up near theaters. The Frolic Room doesn’t serve food, it’s only for those on a liquid diet but it’s a cool little spot. Directly next to the Pantages Theatre, this place saw more famous people than just the Black Dahlia belly up at the bar. It was a regular haunt of Charles Bukowski’s but then again so was every place in Hollywood that served alcohol. This is one of the spots that claims to be the last place Elizabeth Short was seen. Regardless, it’s my favorite spot on the list. They boast a mural by Al Hirschfeld inside.
The Biltmore
506 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90071
This is the only one of the bars on the list located in downtown Los Angeles. It’s claim on the story is backed up by a book written by John Gilmore called Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder. This is also corroborated with the Daily Police Bulletin at the top of the page courtesy of the LAPD. They also say it’s haunted.
The Gallery Bar serves a dark drink called “The Black Dahlia” in her honor. It’s made with citron vodka, Chambourd and a spash of Kaluha, in a martini glass and garnished with a curl of orange peel. It’s a beautiful bar in a very classy hotel and it’s only a block away from my favorite rooftop bar in Los Angeles, Perch.
Boardner’s
1652 N Cherokee Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Built in 1942, this place still has a cool vintage, art deco vibe to it. They also claim to be where the Black Dahlia was last scene. Robert Mitchum was seen here many times, he was a bit of a regular. It’s worth checking out if you’re in the area.
