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Life at the Marmont: The Inside Story of Hollywood's Legendary Hotel of the Stars--Chateau Marmont
Back in print after two decades, the story of Hollywood’s most exclusive hotel and its star-studded guest list Raymond Sarlot bought the Chateau Marmont in 1975, but what was originally a business purchase became a love affair as he delved into the hotel’s incredible history. From its perch overlooking the Sunset Strip, the glamorous Marmont reigned for decades as the spot for artists, writers, musicians, and actors of every stripe and remains a home-away-from-home for A-listers like Scarlett Johansson and Johnny Depp. Here, Sarlot and coauthor Fred E. Basten share a wealth of scandalous and intriguing tales about them all, from the stars of Hollywood’s Golden Era like Jean Harlow and Grace Kelly to idols of the sixties and seventies like Jim Morrison and John Belushi (who tragically died there in 1982). Whether your obsession is Hollywood history or celebrity gossip, Life at the Marmont has plenty of gripping, juicy stories to fascinate.
348 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1987
61 people are currently reading
801 people want to read
About the author
Raymond Sarlot
2 books5 followersRAYMOND SARLOT owned the Chateau Marmont from 1975 to 1991. When Sarlot and his business partner Karl Kantarjian originally purchased the hotel, he was interested in it as a tax shelter, but a “love affair” with the landmark building soon developed and he commited himself to the hotel’s restoration. Sarlot is a Charter Founder of the Museum of Contemporary Art and founder of the first Los Angeles Marathon. He currently lives in Los Angeles, CA.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 15, 2011
A gossipy book about one of the icons of old Hollywood....the Chateau Marmont, a hotel/apartment overlooking the city. The book traces the history of the building from the early 1920s until the mid-1980s (when the book was written). It is a very quick read and contains some interesting bits about the famous and not-so-famous who resided there. If you are a fan of the golden age of Tinsel Town, this is a fun book for you.
September 23, 2013
Magnifique! Made me wish I had been born earlier, and in a different country, to have been able to witness old Hollywood
October 24, 2020
This was a neat book to read. Tons of great stories about old Hollywood. I love history about Hollywood so that made this book very enjoyable for myself. I often had to look up some of the older stars on my phone to place the face but that was part of what was fun about the book and some of the stars mentioned. I had wanted to read this book for awhile and glad that I finally got to it.
With the history of the Chateau Marmont it would have been nice if more photos were present. The few that were provided were pretty vague, almost like they were thrown in last minute. Also would have been nice to have more of a scoop on the celebs in the last few decades. Some of those eras seemed to be glossed over. More detail about the hard times would have been interesting to read as the hotel had many owners. Sometimes the stories seemed rushed. It’s pretty common that each paragraph had a new tidbit, but it made it seemed incomplete. That’s where you could see some of the writing skills lacking. It was like run on sentences. Two many stories to a page like a cluttered desktop. Despite that, the book was an interesting combination of history, gossip and heresay. Quite enjoyable
Would love a follow up with the current status of hotel and the celebs that frequent it. Looked it up online and was actually surprised that some of the rooms looked pretty shabby considering what you pay for a visit.
With the history of the Chateau Marmont it would have been nice if more photos were present. The few that were provided were pretty vague, almost like they were thrown in last minute. Also would have been nice to have more of a scoop on the celebs in the last few decades. Some of those eras seemed to be glossed over. More detail about the hard times would have been interesting to read as the hotel had many owners. Sometimes the stories seemed rushed. It’s pretty common that each paragraph had a new tidbit, but it made it seemed incomplete. That’s where you could see some of the writing skills lacking. It was like run on sentences. Two many stories to a page like a cluttered desktop. Despite that, the book was an interesting combination of history, gossip and heresay. Quite enjoyable
Would love a follow up with the current status of hotel and the celebs that frequent it. Looked it up online and was actually surprised that some of the rooms looked pretty shabby considering what you pay for a visit.
May 25, 2013
Good book! I enjoyed reading about the early Hollywood stars and their days at the Marmont. There was gossip, scandal, and humor in this book; it was interesting to see the "everyday" faces of people whose names are synonymous with glamor.
August 23, 2019
My parents, who were born just after the inception of this famous hotel, grew up in Los Angeles. They raised me only 30 miles from Hollywood. I grew up loving old, new and everything in-between about the movies and the stars who filled them with wonder and magic and awe. Suffice it to say, if you adore the movies and know anything about the Golden Age of Hollywood, you will love this book.
From Garbo to Gable to Harlow to Monroe and every famous star since is mentioned in this historical treasure chest of juicy tales. I dare you to name a star who didn't stay in this gothic castle, which includes writers, artists, musicians and dancers. Every page is full of the stuff that made movie magazines sell back in the day, and continues to dazzle us through social media and TMZ. In this book, you learn who drank to excess, who partied to excess, who hid out, who paraded for attention, who harbored animals, who harbored lovers, who stayed forever, who disappeared, and unfortunately, who died during their tenure at the Chateau Marmont.
My favorite stories included the loyal employees who lived through so many social and political changes over the decades that began in the late 1920's. It is always those people who are the foundation of an institution that give it its gravitas. So many stars formed connections with the help that lasted for their lifetimes. When I think of the years I lived in Santa Monica and drove by the Marmont on Sunset Blvd., I am intrigued that I lived parallel to the history of this hotel. I was living in Santa Monica when John Belushi died at the Marmont. Thank God this book takes the onus off of John's overdose, which could have happened anywhere.
I am thrilled that this hotel is still going strong and has retained its glory from its storied past. Who knows, I might even treat myself to a night there as one of my bucket list To Do's.
From Garbo to Gable to Harlow to Monroe and every famous star since is mentioned in this historical treasure chest of juicy tales. I dare you to name a star who didn't stay in this gothic castle, which includes writers, artists, musicians and dancers. Every page is full of the stuff that made movie magazines sell back in the day, and continues to dazzle us through social media and TMZ. In this book, you learn who drank to excess, who partied to excess, who hid out, who paraded for attention, who harbored animals, who harbored lovers, who stayed forever, who disappeared, and unfortunately, who died during their tenure at the Chateau Marmont.
My favorite stories included the loyal employees who lived through so many social and political changes over the decades that began in the late 1920's. It is always those people who are the foundation of an institution that give it its gravitas. So many stars formed connections with the help that lasted for their lifetimes. When I think of the years I lived in Santa Monica and drove by the Marmont on Sunset Blvd., I am intrigued that I lived parallel to the history of this hotel. I was living in Santa Monica when John Belushi died at the Marmont. Thank God this book takes the onus off of John's overdose, which could have happened anywhere.
I am thrilled that this hotel is still going strong and has retained its glory from its storied past. Who knows, I might even treat myself to a night there as one of my bucket list To Do's.
August 15, 2021
If only has 328 pages but it’s the longest book I’ve ever read. Covering that many instances with hundreds of people had to be trying. I’m just not cut out for that much superficiality. It’s page after page, celebrity after celebrity, sometimes five to a paragraph. Exhausting. What I wanted most was to know about the hotel itself, the inspiration of the architecture, the special nooks and crannies that make it sweet. What I got was gossip, piles and piles of gossip about the people who stayed there. I appreciated some of it because I loved Paul Lynde, Estelle Winwood, and Hermione Gingold, but I wanted the romance of the place itself. I love that so many film scripts and sound scores were written there. It’s clearly a place where creative juices flow, and that’s the real romance, that the place itself inspires creativity. It was fun in it’s way, but the things I wanted most were near the end when the author, Raymond Sarlot, purchased the property. What he brought to Chateau Marmot, the restoration to it’s original glory, and his appreciation of the building itself, was the romance I was looking for all along. But hey, if you like gossip on stars, it could be the book for you.
July 17, 2020
The Chateau Marmont has been a part of Hollywood history since near the beginning, and so there are a lot of stories of the stars from within its walls. At times, parts of the book read like little more than a list of names. But there were always little tidbits that made me keep reading. If you're interested in Hollywood history, I'd recommend reading this. For me, it was a nice glimpse into that bit of history and a fairly relaxing read, easy to pick up and put down again.
December 30, 2017
Light, breezy, and full of stories of the stars that can't really be substantiated. A fun read, but probably not a particularly factual one.
One major jarring note: The fawning portrayal of Roman Polanski, with a strong current of depicting him as wrongly accused of rape (spoiler alert: he was quite rightly accused and convicted).
One major jarring note: The fawning portrayal of Roman Polanski, with a strong current of depicting him as wrongly accused of rape (spoiler alert: he was quite rightly accused and convicted).
May 24, 2022
Gossipy Hollywood Babylon-type account of the long life and many famous guests at this apartment hotel on the Sunset Strip. Keep your device handy so you can look up at least the faces of the many celebrities mentioned in the book. Fascinating, fast read about this "chateau" that hosted Hollywood royalty.
June 22, 2017
3.5 Stars. Interesting look into Hollywood history and some fun/scandalous stories about some really big names from the 1930's thru the 1990's. Not quite jaw-droppingly fascinating, but a good fun glimpse into exclusive and elite celebrity private moments.
January 2, 2018
I absolutely loved this book! It was jammed packed with gossip about the actors, writers, etc... that lived there. A lot of surprises in one book, hated to see it end! If you like Old Hollywood, this is a great book to start the year with! 🥂🎉👍🏼
July 5, 2018
So many stories! All wrapped within the chateau's history, from vacant lot to its opening, through each owner, wars, politics, economies and cultural climates. I could smell the wood polish and see the late afternoon sun streaming onto those rugs in the lobby.
April 10, 2021
I've only actually been to the Chateau Marmont once for brunch, but now I feel I've stayed there for years, partying by the pool with the stars of old Hollywood, privy to all their gossip, allure and lore.
June 28, 2017
This book takes the reader back in time to Hollywood's heyday years and up to the 90's. Loads of stories about hundreds of famous stars who stayed there over the years. Excellent!
June 9, 2019
Fun, dishy read.
January 8, 2020
chismofono hollywoodense. bien divertido aunque terriblemente disperso.
May 2, 2020
I loved this book! If you love LA and stories of Hollywood glamour - both new and old - you will love this story. I am ready to book a trip to see the Marmont.
August 5, 2020
Good clean look at Hollyweird and the infamous Chateau Marmont. Trails from early 1900's- heyday of Fairbanks and Astor- to the mid 80's. Great stories.
June 6, 2021
no stars because life is too short to waste your time reading a mediocre book!
July 22, 2021
A former owner relates anecdotes from the famed Los Angeles landmark.
November 19, 2021
A must read for classic Hollywood and historic building buffs. It's a who's who of Hollywood at the beginning through today.
November 23, 2021
One of my all time favorites!
August 30, 2025
Gossipy, light and trivial history of a famous hotel. Interesting, mostly, but would like to know how true some of these anecdotes are.
December 29, 2020
Reads like many of the old Hollywood tell alls, with a never-ending stream of namedropping and juicy tidbits. Just as it should.
December 25, 2013
‘If you must get into trouble, go to the Marmont.’ So said legendary Hollywood studio boss Harry Cohn back at the height of the studio system, when the corporations that kept their stars under contract went to great lengths to ensure that nothing damaging to their reputation leaked to the press. The origin of this quote was in the small penthouse Cohn rented out for the use of Glen Ford and William Holden in 1939 at the Chateau Marmont, a hotel on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood which cultivated a reputation for privacy and discretion among its many famous guests. And there were many famous guests, according to this book, ‘Life at the Marmont’. So many that at times this nostalgic history of the hotel gets suspended as paragraphs laden with actors, directors, writers, and musicians get dropped in the middle of a page with little additional information apart from the fact that they stayed at least a night in the hotel. This gets to be an annoyance, particularly in the last third of the book where it seems the editorial standards slipped more than a bit (ever heard of the artist ‘Roy Licktenstein’? Me neither. Oh, wait...) but for the Marmont the famous guests make up much of the allure and almost the only reason one would be interested in reading a whole book about a hotel that lacks so many of the normal features of notable hotels like a central urban location, a ballroom, or even a pool (the Marmont’s pool was a post-WWII addition).
The sources of many of the stories in this book are the famous guests themselves along with a few of the staff members, some of whom had extremely long tenures, as long as forty three years in one case. This gives the book the tone of the raconteur and it reads like a series of stories relayed second and third hand. One of the authors was an owner of the hotel and several of the staff members collected material related to the hotel over the years, including one, Corinne Patten, who kept a detailed scrapbook of memories. The history of the hotel extends from the days of silent movies, having opened in 1929, so many of the celebrities won’t even be familiar to every reader, particularly the ones who represent that little remembered era of cinema. But the book gives equal weight to all eras from those early days just after it was built as an apartment building through the Great Depression when the movie industry thrived to the post-war period and into the 1960s when Hollywood declined along with the studios and the hotel began attracting more rock and roll related guests who came for its proximity to the Sunset Strip, a collection of nightclubs and concert venues nearby.
Some of the sections of the book are based on features of the hotel like its front desk, pool, garage, and lobby but mostly its a linear history of the hotel full of lots of gossip. The Chateau Marmont is a unique hotel, known, to whom it is known at all, for its quiet, old world charm, and its eccentricity with a hint of scandal and this book does convey the history, the stories, and the people responsible for its singular reputation.
The sources of many of the stories in this book are the famous guests themselves along with a few of the staff members, some of whom had extremely long tenures, as long as forty three years in one case. This gives the book the tone of the raconteur and it reads like a series of stories relayed second and third hand. One of the authors was an owner of the hotel and several of the staff members collected material related to the hotel over the years, including one, Corinne Patten, who kept a detailed scrapbook of memories. The history of the hotel extends from the days of silent movies, having opened in 1929, so many of the celebrities won’t even be familiar to every reader, particularly the ones who represent that little remembered era of cinema. But the book gives equal weight to all eras from those early days just after it was built as an apartment building through the Great Depression when the movie industry thrived to the post-war period and into the 1960s when Hollywood declined along with the studios and the hotel began attracting more rock and roll related guests who came for its proximity to the Sunset Strip, a collection of nightclubs and concert venues nearby.
Some of the sections of the book are based on features of the hotel like its front desk, pool, garage, and lobby but mostly its a linear history of the hotel full of lots of gossip. The Chateau Marmont is a unique hotel, known, to whom it is known at all, for its quiet, old world charm, and its eccentricity with a hint of scandal and this book does convey the history, the stories, and the people responsible for its singular reputation.
May 13, 2013
LIFE AT THE MARMONT STILL SHINES!
OK I admit it, I'm a junkie of the "golden" days of Hollywood. When stars looked like stars and there was a sense of glamour and fantasy. And that's as it should be, they were, after all, selling illusions, pretending to be someone they weren't, living fictional lives that were projected on huge screens in places that used to be called movie "palaces."
So I was destined to lap up every page and every story that authors Raymond Sarlot and Fred E. Basten told. And just for the record, I've stayed at the Marmont many times, on various floors, in various sized rooms, and once, just once, in a poolside bungalow. I got upgraded for that treat! And it was swell! So I know the hallways, the back doors, the infamous lobby and the little cubby that's the front desk.
Now, about this fantastic book! Starting in 1977 then whooshing you back to the beginning in 1926, it's gossipy and dishy and full of details, and that's what you want in any book about Hollywood. This book was first published back in 1987, co-author Basten has included a really great afterward that brings more recent thoughts about the Marmont into the mix.
One of favorite parts is when you find out HOW the dishy gossip was getting into the press, back when the hotel was newer. Word of warning that's still true today, never assume. People are never who they say they are. I was intrigued to read the dish about the late Grace Kelly and her uh... friendliness towards men. That blonde bombshell Jean Harlow had a super protective "stage mom," who was also a Christian Scientist and didn't want her daughter hospitalized for surgery.
Over the years since it first opened it's doors, film and theater stars, producers, directors, as well as writers and always the incredibly wealthy, which in more recent time included rockers and TV people, were covered in this book. The sad death of Jim Belushi is tastefully covered too.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you love old Hollywood or want to read about the way people lived and how Hollywood grew, these are the stories for you. LIFE AT THE MARMONT is told through brief bits and snags, tidbits and quick glimpses, but those are enough to tell the story of the castle on the hill, about LIFE AT THE MARMONT.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I'll be adding this to my book shelf about Hollywood, you should too!
OK I admit it, I'm a junkie of the "golden" days of Hollywood. When stars looked like stars and there was a sense of glamour and fantasy. And that's as it should be, they were, after all, selling illusions, pretending to be someone they weren't, living fictional lives that were projected on huge screens in places that used to be called movie "palaces."
So I was destined to lap up every page and every story that authors Raymond Sarlot and Fred E. Basten told. And just for the record, I've stayed at the Marmont many times, on various floors, in various sized rooms, and once, just once, in a poolside bungalow. I got upgraded for that treat! And it was swell! So I know the hallways, the back doors, the infamous lobby and the little cubby that's the front desk.
Now, about this fantastic book! Starting in 1977 then whooshing you back to the beginning in 1926, it's gossipy and dishy and full of details, and that's what you want in any book about Hollywood. This book was first published back in 1987, co-author Basten has included a really great afterward that brings more recent thoughts about the Marmont into the mix.
One of favorite parts is when you find out HOW the dishy gossip was getting into the press, back when the hotel was newer. Word of warning that's still true today, never assume. People are never who they say they are. I was intrigued to read the dish about the late Grace Kelly and her uh... friendliness towards men. That blonde bombshell Jean Harlow had a super protective "stage mom," who was also a Christian Scientist and didn't want her daughter hospitalized for surgery.
Over the years since it first opened it's doors, film and theater stars, producers, directors, as well as writers and always the incredibly wealthy, which in more recent time included rockers and TV people, were covered in this book. The sad death of Jim Belushi is tastefully covered too.
This book won't be for everyone, but if you love old Hollywood or want to read about the way people lived and how Hollywood grew, these are the stories for you. LIFE AT THE MARMONT is told through brief bits and snags, tidbits and quick glimpses, but those are enough to tell the story of the castle on the hill, about LIFE AT THE MARMONT.
I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
I'll be adding this to my book shelf about Hollywood, you should too!
January 31, 2014
The Marmont at Sunset Strip: The playing field for the rich & famous since 1920s
This is a fascinating history of one of the most famous apartment turned hotel in Tinseltown that was the home of many celebrities. Currently named as Chateau Marmont is located at the Sunset strip, and it reigned as the hotspot for men and women of show business since Feb 1929. The rents which peaked at $750 a month at that time was regarded as outrageous by some, but most were too happy to take up residence. It started very nervously as the nearby Beverly Hills Hotel had closed its door because of losses, and so was the Garden of Allah situated in the same neighborhood, which was near bankruptcy after two years in business.
The setup was perfect because it was very private. Just drive into the garage, get in the elevator, go upstairs and nobody would see you. Ladies came in and out at all hours to see the famous male residents, and no questions were asked. Marmont also became a place to stay after spending nights on town at celebrity hangouts on Sunset Strip. Major attractions included nightclubs such as; Trocadero, Mocambo, Ciro's and Preston Sturges's Players.
The great stars have come and gone, replaced by newer names and faces. Many of the giant studios have dwindled and disappeared. Movie moguls; Mayer, Cohn, Zanuck, Warner and others no longer rule. The Garden of Allah and the glittering nightclubs and the famed Sunset Strip's Schwab's Pharmacy are a memory but Marmont remains. The years of glamorous highs and lows, storybook romances, fast times and wild parties, overnight success and failures and even tragedies; through them all, Marmont remained as Hollywood's Grand Hotel. It is a proud legacy of times past. The memories of Garbo, Gable, Harlow, Monroe and many others are linked by this magnificent place some called their home. Actress, Sandra Bullock once commented that "it has an incredibly seductive atmosphere, no wonder people come here to have affairs, and it has that air of mystery."
This is a fascinating history of one of the most famous apartment turned hotel in Tinseltown that was the home of many celebrities. Currently named as Chateau Marmont is located at the Sunset strip, and it reigned as the hotspot for men and women of show business since Feb 1929. The rents which peaked at $750 a month at that time was regarded as outrageous by some, but most were too happy to take up residence. It started very nervously as the nearby Beverly Hills Hotel had closed its door because of losses, and so was the Garden of Allah situated in the same neighborhood, which was near bankruptcy after two years in business.
The setup was perfect because it was very private. Just drive into the garage, get in the elevator, go upstairs and nobody would see you. Ladies came in and out at all hours to see the famous male residents, and no questions were asked. Marmont also became a place to stay after spending nights on town at celebrity hangouts on Sunset Strip. Major attractions included nightclubs such as; Trocadero, Mocambo, Ciro's and Preston Sturges's Players.
The great stars have come and gone, replaced by newer names and faces. Many of the giant studios have dwindled and disappeared. Movie moguls; Mayer, Cohn, Zanuck, Warner and others no longer rule. The Garden of Allah and the glittering nightclubs and the famed Sunset Strip's Schwab's Pharmacy are a memory but Marmont remains. The years of glamorous highs and lows, storybook romances, fast times and wild parties, overnight success and failures and even tragedies; through them all, Marmont remained as Hollywood's Grand Hotel. It is a proud legacy of times past. The memories of Garbo, Gable, Harlow, Monroe and many others are linked by this magnificent place some called their home. Actress, Sandra Bullock once commented that "it has an incredibly seductive atmosphere, no wonder people come here to have affairs, and it has that air of mystery."
December 17, 2017
Now I know why I read Of All the Gin Joints - it was so I would recognize more of the names in Life at the Marmont. It's part celebrity gossip and part Hollywood history. From the days of the talkies to Johnny Depp and Lady Gaga, pretty much every actor and writer stayed here. We also learn quite a lot about the staff, most of whom worked there for decades.
The book has an almost claustrophobic focus on life at the Marmont and doesn't discuss what went on afterwards in guests' lives. That's especially jarring when it comes to Rita Hayworth, Vivian Leigh, and Sharon Tate. The book also stops at 1987, with only a brief afterword to update the Marmont's status. I would wish that, with the reissue, more information had been added for the last 25 years. Still, if you're at all interested in movie history, this is an interesting book.
The book has an almost claustrophobic focus on life at the Marmont and doesn't discuss what went on afterwards in guests' lives. That's especially jarring when it comes to Rita Hayworth, Vivian Leigh, and Sharon Tate. The book also stops at 1987, with only a brief afterword to update the Marmont's status. I would wish that, with the reissue, more information had been added for the last 25 years. Still, if you're at all interested in movie history, this is an interesting book.
June 27, 2016
A fascinatng look at the history of the hotel and its guests over the first 50 years or so (it was published in '87). I made my first visit last year, so was eager to know more.
You get to see everyone from Jean Harlow to Myrna Loy, then up through the 50s to Grace Kelly and Boris Karloff, then into the 60s during its shabby period, when it was beset by hippies from down on the strip.
My only complaint was that it REALLY needed a better editor (assuming it had one). Especially toward the end, the misspellings of peoples' names became really annoying. Multiple instances of "Rondstadt" for Linda's last name, Susan Sarandan, and others. This stuff would have been easy enough to look up, even back in the 80s, fer cryin out loud. That's what knocked this down to a 3 rating instead of something higher.
You get to see everyone from Jean Harlow to Myrna Loy, then up through the 50s to Grace Kelly and Boris Karloff, then into the 60s during its shabby period, when it was beset by hippies from down on the strip.
My only complaint was that it REALLY needed a better editor (assuming it had one). Especially toward the end, the misspellings of peoples' names became really annoying. Multiple instances of "Rondstadt" for Linda's last name, Susan Sarandan, and others. This stuff would have been easy enough to look up, even back in the 80s, fer cryin out loud. That's what knocked this down to a 3 rating instead of something higher.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews