Lunching on the Lot: Remembering the Golden Age of Hollywood Commissaries
16.10.2023 - 20:29
/ variety.com
Pat Saperstein Deputy Editor With both Disney and Warner Bros. turning 100 this year, it’s a great time to remember the Golden Age of moviemaking. The business is changing at a precipitous rate, and recent studio mergers have forever altered the longtime map of Hollywood production.
Actors and crew members, like armies, march on their stomachs, and since the dawn of the industry, it’s been up to the studios where they’re shooting to keep them well fortified. Studio executives and office workers, too, needed a convenient place to eat on the lots. While researching the recent Culinary Historians presentation “Lunching on the Lot,” a 1997 quote from Variety story turned up which deftly explained what studio commissaries meant to the business.
“After a gourmet tour of studio eateries, however, one thing is clear It ain’t the chow that’s important. When the tribe hunkers down for its daily repast, ritual and symbolism are the rule. Who goes to which lot, who sits where and what kinds of food are served — it’s all about power.” Most studios still have commissaries and executive dining rooms, some with solid culinary credentials, but it’s safe to say things are quite a bit different from when a visitor could run into Cary Grant, spot Hedda Hopper chatting up Walt Disney or witness Lew Wasserman holding court at Universal.
In 2004, Variety wrote a cover story looking back at those glory days, which started off, “The commissary was a mandatory destination where ideas, stories and gossip were traded.” Even 19 years ago, Hollywood was changing fast. Peter Bart, former editor of Variety and head of production at Paramount, recalled that kibitzing at commissaries often led to dealmaking — and even Oscars. “I used to have my table
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