“THE GARDEN OF ALLAH: COCKTAILS, SCANDALS & MISCHIEF”
About this episode
This episode explores the magical and scandalous history of the Garden of Allah hotel in Hollywood.
“THE GARDEN OF ALLAH: COCKTAILS, SCANDALS & MISCHIEF” - 5/25/2026 (141) Once upon a time, there was a magical, decadent hotel in Hollywood where stars could avoid the scrutiny of the public and studio executives and really let their hair down. And, boy, did they! It was a place where there were no rules, there was a party every night, and the rich and famous could frolic carelessly around the pool - and sometimes in the pool, fully dressed. This magical place was the Garden of Allah — the brainchild of actress ALLA NAZIMOVA. This week, we will discuss the magic, the mystery, the decadence, and the debauchery of one of Hollywood’s most famous hotels. SHOW NOTES: Sources: Garden of Allah: Hollywood Homosexual Haven (2020), by Michael Hone; Laid Back in Hollywood (1998), by Patricia Medina Cotten; The Garden of Allah (1970), by Sheilah Grahame; “The Garden of Allah,” by Jon Ponder, WestHollywoodHistory.org; “The People V. Hill,” Stanford Law School; “Forgotten Hollywood: The Garden of Allah,” September 22, 2022, by Meher Tatna, GoldenGlobes.com; “Hedonist Hollywood’s Lost Garden of Allah,” October 13, 2020, by MessyNessy, MessyNessyChic.com; “Hollywood's Hotel Hedonism: It's one of…
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