Mocambo Club

Los Angeles

The Mocambo opened on January 3, 1941, and became an immediate success. Tony Duquette designed the club's Latin American themed decor which cost $100,000 (equivalent to $1,738,235 in 2019). Along the walls were glass cages holding live cockatoos, macaws, seagulls, pigeons and parrots. With big band music, the club became one of the most popular dance-till-dawn spots in town. On any given night, one might find the room filled with the leading men and women of the motion picture industry. In 1943, when Frank Sinatra became a solo act, he made his Los Angeles debut at the Mocambo

The bar at the Mocambo designed by Billy Haines c. 1941 exclusively with decorations specially created by Tony Duquette. Decorative themes included circus acts, tropical birds and fantasy figural bas reliefs in painted and jeweled plaster.

The bar at the Mocambo designed by Billy Haines c. 1941 exclusively with decorations specially created by Tony Duquette. Decorative themes included circus acts, tropical birds and fantasy figural bas reliefs in painted and jeweled plaster.

A top hatted and tail coated cat sits atop a plaster topiary tree all created as decorations for Mocambo by Tony Duquette.

A top hatted and tail coated cat sits atop a plaster topiary tree all created as decorations for Mocambo by Tony Duquette.

One of the painted plaster and jeweled bas relief wall sconces which decorated the walls at Mocambo c. 1941.

One of the painted plaster and jeweled bas relief wall sconces which decorated the walls at Mocambo c. 1941.

A wire and painted gesso bird cage (with jeweled bird) created by Tony Duquette to decorate the Mocambo.

A wire and painted gesso bird cage (with jeweled bird) created by Tony Duquette to decorate the Mocambo.

A painted plaster lamb by Tony Duquette walks the high wire high above Mocambo’s bar.

A painted plaster lamb by Tony Duquette walks the high wire high above Mocambo’s bar.

An entourage of Tony Duquette fantasy painted plaster pussycats dressed for a party parade atop the bar at Mocambo.

An entourage of Tony Duquette fantasy painted plaster pussycats dressed for a party parade atop the bar at Mocambo.

One of the painted plaster and jeweled bas relief wall sconces which decorated the walls at Mocambo c. 1941.

One of the painted plaster and jeweled bas relief wall sconces which decorated the walls at Mocambo c. 1941.

A painted plaster figural urn by Tony Duquette in the form of a lady wearing a fantastic headdress which holds flowers sits on a ledge between two windows in an early Duquette interior.

A painted plaster figural urn by Tony Duquette in the form of a lady wearing a fantastic headdress which holds flowers sits on a ledge between two windows in an early Duquette interior.