Life at the Marmont by Raymond Sarlot and Fred E. Basten was first published in the 1980s. Now being published again with a new afterward and photographs, the book gives the reader an insight into the passion, happiness, love, and sadness of some of Hollywood’s most famous – and infamous – characters. Sadly, some will remember the hotel as the place where John Belushi died, but there is so much more to learn about this famous Sunset Strip icon.
The book details the history of the hotel itself, which was built in the 1920s as an apartment house but soon was made into a hotel. When it was first built, there wasn’t much in the area, but the Marmont quickly became a home-away-from-home for Hollywood’s elite; from Greta Garbo and Jean Harlow to Scarlett Johansson and Johnny Depp.
The fact that practically every star of stage and screen, writers, producers, and directors have stayed there at one time or another, lends itself to just the sort of stories you would expect: the all-night parties, infidelity, and the family life of famous people. More than a history of the landmark hotel or gossip about the artists who have stayed there, Life at the Marmont also details the lives of the hotel’s staff. The staff was the glue that held the hotel together during very tumultuous times, be it the Depression, two wars, or an invasion of hippies in the ’60s. Staff members also became confidantes of many of the hotel’s guests, enabling them to add previously unknown, colorful and sometimes poignant anecdotes.
The ups-and-downs of the Marmont, the Sunset Strip, and Hollywood, follow the trends of life outside of Los Angeles. From the Depression to World War II, Vietnam to hippies, the book tells of people who, though they lived and live far different lives than you or I, still must face problems with families, finances, and careers.
In 1975, Raymond Sarlot made a business decision to purchase Chateau Marmont. As he learned more about the amazing history of the hotel, he wanted to share this history. Not being at all familiar with the hotel, after reading Life at the Marmont, I plan on including it on my list of places to stay. Of course, I will take my copy of the book with me so I can search for rooms of some of my favorites: Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, and Glenn Ford, just to name a few. Whether you are looking for Hollywood history, especially its Golden Age, or gossip and scandals, you will find it in Life at the Marmont.
– Reviewed by Karen Mitchell
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Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Note: HBO is currently adapting Life at the Marmont into a miniseries produced by Aaron Sorkin (Newsroom, The Social Network, The West Wing) and John Krasinski (The Office).
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