Johnie's broiler
Encyclopedia
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
located in Downey
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
from 1958 until 2001. From 2002-2006 it was a used car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
. It was largely demolished in January, 2007. Johnie's Broiler has been featured in several movies and TV shows due to its "authentic" 1950s look. As of 2009, reconstruction began and is now re-opened under the Bob's Big Boy chain, while retaining the original look and design of Johnie's.
History
Johnie's Broiler is a Googie style coffee shop and diveDive bar
A dive bar is a type of bar or pub. Dive bars generally have a relaxed and informal atmosphere—they are often referred to by local residents as "neighborhood bars," where people in the neighborhood gather to drink and socialize...
restaurant founded and initially named after owner Harvey Ortner who was previously a partner in the famous Clock Broiler Restaurants of Alhambra, Lynwood, Bellflower, Culver City and Temple City. He and his wife Minnie Ortner purchased the former poultry farm property located on Firestone Boulevard and Old River School Road in 1950 and hired architect Paul B. Clayton to design the restaurant. Harvey's Broiler was completed in 1958. Its design incorporates Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
Googie architectural elements intended to help attract customers and motorists traveling in either direction on Firestone Boulevard.
Harvey's Broiler was an overnight success and thousands of people came from all over the United States to experience the phenomenon of "The Broiler." The restaurant was renamed Johnie's Broiler in 1968 and additional sign-age was installed in 1969 after a sale of the restaurant to an interim owner by the name of Johnson (hence the reason for one "N" in the name Johnie's). Apparently this interim owner couldn't meet the terms of the agreement and the sign had already been changed from Harvey's to Johnie's.Dive service ceased in 1970.
Current property owner Christos Smyrniotis leased to buy it from Harvey Ortner in 1970 according to city construction permits in Smyrniotis' name.
Christos had been employed as a 2nd chef at The Broiler. Legend has it that it was named "Johnie's Broiler" (after Christos) instead of the more commonly spelled "Johnnie" because the extra "n" would not fit on the sign.This has proven to not be true by way of interviews and city records. Johnies Broiler was a Harvey Ortner Enterprise listed on his business card as late as 1983 and according to an interview done by Burly Burlile in June of that year.
The famous "Fat Boy" mascot, is modeled after Beanie from the cartoon show "Beanie and Cecil," [not modeled after Bob's Big Boy] animated incandescent yellow bulbs on the roof edges and the "OPEN 24 HOURS", were added in 1969 and Downey's Broiler became a sister store to Johnies Coffee Shop Wilshire (Originally a Simon's Drive-In site and currently employing its former 1955 Romeo's Times Square construction-(An Armet & Davis
Armet & Davis
Armet Davis Newlove Architects, formerly known as Armet & Davis, is a California based architectural firm known for working in the Googie architecture style that marks many distinctive coffee shops and eateries in Southern California. The firm designed Pann's, the first Norms Restaurant, the...
Design). This location appears to have been owned by the Johnsons who could not satisfy their agreement for the Downey location with Harvey & Minnie.
During The Broiler's heyday, hot rods and "Kustom Kars
Custom car
A custom car is a passenger vehicle that has been modified in either of the following two ways. First, a custom car may be altered to improve its performance, often by altering or replacing the engine and transmission. Second, a custom car may be a personal "styling" statement, making the car look...
" would cruise a route of popular carhop
Carhop
A carhop is a waiter or waitress who brings food to people in their cars at drive-in restaurants. Usually car hops work on foot but sometimes use rollerskates. The popularity of movies such as American Graffiti and shows like Happy Days created a misconception of carhops as exclusively roller...
dive restaurants. One of the cruise circuits began in Long Beach
Long Beach, California
Long Beach is a city situated in Los Angeles County in Southern California, on the Pacific coast of the United States. The city is the 36th-largest city in the nation and the seventh-largest in California. As of 2010, its population was 462,257...
at Grisinger's (now George's) drive-in, continuing on to Holly's (featured in the movie "Pulp Fiction" just prior to its demolition) in Hawthorne
Hawthorne, California
Hawthorne is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. The city at the 2010 census had a population of 84,293, up from 84,112 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
on to the Wich Stand
Wich Stand
Wich Stand was a 1950s style coffee shop with a tilting blue roof and a 35-foot spire. It housed a cocktail lounge and featured carhop service. It was declared a landmark by Los Angeles County in 1989....
on Slauson and Overhill, and ending in Downey at the famous "Broiler". As many as 3,000 young people took part in the ritual on some nights.
In 1986, Lee McCullough requested and received financial compensation and started up Harvey's Cruise Nite based on the success of an earlier cruise originated by Street Rodder magazine contributing editor and Harvey's alumni Burlie Burlile in tribute to the Broiler's heyday of 1960s and late 50s cruising. A DJ Randy Roubal played oldies and hundreds of hot rods and vintage cars from the 30s to the early 70s attended the popular cruise nite on each Wed evening. In July 1990, because of a dispute with the owner, the McCullough Cruise Nite ended.
Cruisers returned in 91 and Car Clubs like the Auto Butchers, Sultans and others kept the Rod & Custom flame lit till 94,then it kind of lost its flavor and just was a memory. Much filming was done at the site and in Oct of 1999, Harvey's-Johnie's was lit up once again in all of its glory. Rods & Customs lined its huge parking lot and craft services cooked up "Fat Boy's" in the vein of "Chubby The Champ"-(The Broilers original Double Deck Burger)
Rod & Custom Magazine shot their Dec,93 cover there and raised public awareness.
On New Year's Eve 2001, Johnie's Broiler closed its doors and stopped operating as a restaurant. Early in 2002 it was leased and converted into a used car dealership by new operators. Smyrniotis still owned the property. In August 2006, The dealerships lease was terminated and a then new 99 year lease was signed with a new tenant Ardas Yanik who took it upon himself to illegally demolish the restaurant after the city had turned down a demolition permit in November of that year.
In Early 2002, following a local grassroots campaign (led by Adriene Biondo, John Eng and Alan Leib of the Los Angeles Conservancy
Los Angeles Conservancy
The Los Angeles Conservancy is an historic preservation organization in Los Angeles, California. It works to document, rescue and revitalize historic buildings, places and neighborhoods in the city. The Conservancy is the largest membership based historic preservation organization in the country...
's Modern Committee and Analisa Ridenour-Hungerford of the Friends of Johnie's advocacy group) to preserve the dive restaurant's exterior, the State of California's Historic Resources Commission unanimously voted to include Johnie's Broiler on the State's official Register of Historical Places. Approval of the property's owner is also required, however, Smyrniotis objected on economic grounds. Nonetheless, The Broiler's "eligible" status offers the same protections as if it were actually listed.
Following its illegal demolition that occurred on Sunday afternoon January 7 2007, shocked supporters of the project re-grouped and the Mod-Com-(Adriene Biondo=Chair), Friends of Johnie's-(Analisa Ridenour=President) and Coalition to Save & Rebuild Harvey's Broiler-(Kevin Preciado=Lead) sprang into action and again attended hearings, city council meetings and just got the word out that Broiler needed the people's help.
In April 2008, the Broiler found a new lease on life and was committed to a rebuild in a partial (original) incarnation.
The Bob's Big Boy corporation completed a reconstruction of the property, based upon original blueprints (with a new sign unique to Bob's and modern specs) in 2009. The restaurant now maintains a Facebook page.
Illegal demolition
A report in the Los Angeles Times by Valerie Reitman credits Helen Burns, who had been part of the 2002 drive to designate the restaurant as a state historic landmark, with noticing the demolition around 5 p.m. on Jan. 7. The original kitchen and the back of the coffee shop had been demolished by the time Burns arrived. She phoned the police and then began phoning other preservationists and car buffs, urging them to notify the police as well.
Police arrived on the scene within a half-hour and stopped the illegal demolition, according to Reitman. "People could have been injured or killed; the electrical was live," noted Downey
Downey, California
Downey is a city located in southeast Los Angeles County, California, United States, southeast of downtown Los Angeles. The city is best known as the birthplace of the Apollo space program, and is the city where folk singer Karen Carpenter lived and died...
City Councilman Mario Guerra. By that time, much of the structure had been demolished but Friends of Johnie's joined with fans, neighbors, classic car clubs, cruisers and preservationists to rally for Johnie's and coordinated the sale of t-shirts with events, cruises and kept attention focused on the demolished building. By April 2008, a lease was signed between Bob's Big Boy franchise owner Jim Louder and the property owner. Plans are currently in the works to reconstruct the building and its famous neon signage.
Restoration And Renaming
After the demolition was halted on January 7, 2007, the city council of Downey supported the efforts of citizens to preserve and restore the building. In April 2008, Jim Louder, owner of the Bob's Big Boy restaurant in Torrance, California, entered into a long-term lease agreement with the owner of Johnie's Broiler. The restaurant was rebuilt with the help of Downey's Redevelopment Agency and the Downey Historical Society. Construction was completed in October of 2009. The restaurant was rebuilt as a Bob's Broiler and incorporated the surviving architectural elements of the old structure into the new restaurant.Bob's Big Boy Broiler is now open for business. Since opening, the restaurant has continued to host car shows and be used in TV and Films, as it has been in the past.
Movies and television
Johnie's Broiler has been featured in several popular movies and TV shows because of its authentic 1950s look. Some of the films and TV shows that it was featured in are:- Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's music video "Things Have Changed " was filmed at Johnie's Broiler. - One Hour PhotoOne Hour PhotoOne Hour Photo is a 2002 American psychological thriller written and directed by Mark Romanek and starring Robin Williams. Fox Searchlight Pictures distributed the film in the United States. One Hour Photo also starred Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, and Eriq La Salle. Williams won a...
, a 2002 motion picture directed by Mark Romanek. Coffee shop where the Robin Williams' character has his meals. The illuminated outdoor neon sign is seen at the beginning of the first coffee shop scene. - The Beach BoysThe Beach BoysThe Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...
- An American Family, a 2000 ABC-TV movie. Used as an authentic location depicting life in 1960s Los Angeles, complete with vintage hot rods & roadsters. - The X-FilesThe X-FilesThe X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
- Johnie's posed as a bus station for a 1999 episode. - License to DriveLicense to DriveLicense to Drive is a 1988 teen adventure film starring Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Heather Graham, Carol Kane, Richard Masur, Michael Manasseri and Nina Siemaszko. The screenplay was written by Neil Tolkin and directed by Greg Beeman....
, forever immortalized as "Archie's Atomic Drive-In". - What's Love Got to Do with It, coffee shop used where the fight scene occurred between Ike & Tina Turner.
- Can't Hardly WaitCan't Hardly WaitCan't Hardly Wait is a 1998 American teen comedy film written and directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont. It stars Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Green, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, and is notable for a number of "before-they-were-famous" appearances by various...
, with a great crane shot showing an aerial view of Johnie's and the Fat Boy - JawbreakerJawbreaker (film)Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
- Unstrung HeroesUnstrung HeroesUnstrung Heroes is a 1995 American comedy-drama film directed by Diane Keaton. The screenplay by Richard LaGravenese is based on a memoir by journalist Franz Lidz.-Plot synopsis:...
- Midnight Madness
- Reality BitesReality BitesReality Bites is a 1994 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Helen Childress and featuring the directorial debut of Ben Stiller. It stars Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke and Stiller, with major supporting roles played by Janeane Garofalo and Steve Zahn. The film was shot on location in Austin...
- Short CutsShort CutsShort Cuts is a 1993 American drama film directed by Robert Altman. Filmed from a screenplay by Robert Altman and Frank Barhydt, it is inspired by nine short stories and a poem by Raymond Carver...
- Sean KingstonSean KingstonSean Kingston is a Jamaican-American singer. He pursued a music career and debuted in 2007 with the album Sean Kingston.-Early life:...
's music video "Beautiful Girls" - The Country BearsThe Country BearsThe Country Bears is a 2002 American live-action comedy film, produced by Walt Disney Pictures, based on the Disney attraction Country Bear Jamboree, and released July 26, 2002...
- Matchstick MenMatchstick Men (film)Matchstick Men is a 2003 American drama film directed by Ridley Scott. Based on Eric Garcia's novel Matchstick Men: A Novel about Grifters with Issues , the motion picture stars Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, and Alison Lohman.-Plot:...
- Heat
- The GameThe Game (film)The Game is a 1997 neo-noir psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher, starring Michael Douglas and Sean Penn, and produced by Polygram. It tells the story of an investment banker who is given a mysterious gift: participation in a game that integrates in strange ways with his life...
- Mission Impossible 2
- BounceBounce (film)Bounce is a 2000 romantic drama film starring Ben Affleck and Gwyneth Paltrow and directed by Don Roos.-Plot:Advertising executive Buddy has just signed an airline in Chicago as a big client but is later delayed by a snow storm waiting for a flight to Los Angeles on the same airline...
, in the scene where Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck exit the restaurant. - Rock group StaindStaindStaind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
's music video "For You" was partially filmed at Johnie's Broiler. The video has some good interior and exterior shots of the original diner. - American History XAmerican History XAmerican History X is a 1998 American drama film directed by Tony Kaye and starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. It was distributed by New Line Cinema....
, At the end Edward NortonEdward NortonEdward Harrison Norton is an American actor, screenwriter, film director and producer. In 1996, his supporting role in the courtroom drama Primal Fear garnered him a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor...
and younger brother stopped for a quick breakfast. - Mad MenMad MenMad Men is an American dramatic television series created and produced by Matthew Weiner. The series premiered on Sunday evenings on the American cable network AMC and are produced by Lionsgate Television. It premiered on July 19, 2007, and completed its fourth season on October 17, 2010. Each...
, portions of the 2010 Season Finale were filmed at the newly restored restaurant, now known as "Bob's Big Boy Broiler."