The Roxbury Nightclub of Los Angeles: History & Archive
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The Roxbury was a legendary nightclub located on the famous Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. During the 1990s, there was no disco more famous worldwide than this one. Some might argue that it was the most famous nightclub of all time.
Which celebrities frequented The Roxbury?
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The Roxbury was a celebrity Mecca or sorts. Anybody who was anyone was seen at this establishment.
Celebrities at The Roxbury
The entire list would be too long to leave here, but because The Roxbury was a celebrity and superstar haven, here is a short list:
Shannen Doherty with Mark Wahlberg
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The entire cast from the hit TV show Beverly Hills 90210 were regulars at The Roxbury, and they would hang out in the VIP room.
Where was The Roxbury located?
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The Roxbury was located at 8225 Sunset Blvd on the Sunset Strip. After the nightclub closed, a sushi restaurant named Miyagi's opened, but they were plagued with bad reviews on Yelp. Next was an establishment named Pink Taco took its place, but after 12 years, it closed as well -- "All good things come to an end."
Working at The Roxbury
As you might expect, the pay at The Roxbury was pathetically low. In fact, there was a rumor that some people even paid to work there just so they could earn tips and get access to the movie stars. Many of the club's bouncers became friends with the celebrities' personal assistants, so the best tables could be saved for the movie stars.
What club was A Night at the Roxbury?
The nightclub reached such legendary status that a major Hollywood movie was made by Paramount Studios in 1998. It was aptly named A Night at the Roxbury. So, in short, the movie was about the club of the same name.
Director: John Fortenberry
Cast members:
Director: John Fortenberry
Cast members:
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VIDEO: A Night at the Roxbury dance scene. Watch the full movie on Hulu.
Where is A Night at the Roxbury based?
Club exterior: Click to enlarge
The screenplay is true to life in the sense that The Roxbury club was in Los Angeles, and that is where the movie is filmed. Several of the scenes take place on Sunset Blvd, but the interior of the club is actually a different nightclub in downtown L.A.
In the movie, the exterior of another club on Sunset Blvd was used because the real Roxbury was simply too small without much "wow factor."
In the movie, the exterior of another club on Sunset Blvd was used because the real Roxbury was simply too small without much "wow factor."
Who owned The Roxbury club?
The nightclub was owned by Elie Samaha, who was married to Wayne's World star Tia Carrere from 1992 to 2000.
Elie tried to relaunch The Roxbury at a different location in Hollywood years later, but it didn't capture the original magic the first location had. In fact, the new location only had a rating of 3 out of 5 stars on Yelp.
The original location on Sunset Blvd had the advantage of not having a public rating system because the internet didn't exist back then, so if some overzealous bouncer threw someone to the curb, nobody could vent about it online. Modern nightclubs and restaurants don't have that luxury.
Elie tried to relaunch The Roxbury at a different location in Hollywood years later, but it didn't capture the original magic the first location had. In fact, the new location only had a rating of 3 out of 5 stars on Yelp.
The original location on Sunset Blvd had the advantage of not having a public rating system because the internet didn't exist back then, so if some overzealous bouncer threw someone to the curb, nobody could vent about it online. Modern nightclubs and restaurants don't have that luxury.
In the news
The Roxbury was featured in most of the big magazines of the time, but it was a favorite of the Los Angeles Times.
Why was the nightclub called "The Roxbury"?
Unless you lived in Los Angeles, you wouldn't know, but the club was located on the corner of Sunset Blvd and Roxbury. That location, incidentally, has always been famous. In the 1940s, it was a hot spot called the Players’ Club (pictured above).
Is the Roxbury still open?
No. All of The Roxbury locations have closed. The building at the original location on Sunset Blvd is still there, but it is currently vacant.
TRIVIA: The world-famous Chateau Marmont hotel is still adjacent to the original Roxbury location, and it is still a celebrity haven.
TRIVIA: The world-famous Chateau Marmont hotel is still adjacent to the original Roxbury location, and it is still a celebrity haven.
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