Opened as a speakeasy in 1930, Frolic Room converted to a legal bar in 1934. It is considered a dive bar by many publications,[1][2][3][4] although it bills itself as being a cocktail bar since 1941.[5]
Due to its location next to the Pantages Theater, Frolic Room was a popular celebrity hangout, particularly during the eleven years (1949–1959) the Pantages hosted the Academy Awards. Regular patrons included Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Charles Bukowski, and others, and from 1949 to 1954 both the Pantages and Frolic Room were owned by Howard Hughes. Hughes added the iconic neon sign to the building exterior during his ownership.[1][2][3]
Frolic Room was the last location Elizabeth Short AKA the Black Dahlia was seen alive before her murder in 1947.[1][2][3]