The Tradition of the Pump Room

Chicago (nd. ca. 1949): The Ambassador Hotels. 12mo. 14 unnumbered pages. Introduction by Ernest Byfield. The elegance and flamboyance of the Pump Room was legendary. Here is an introduction and with the list of The lobby of the hotel, including the entrance to The Pump Room, is seen in Alfred Hitchcock's 1959 North by Northwest. Besides Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland who ad-libbed about "The Pump Room", many others were still attending in the early 2000's such as Maya Angelou, Bob Dylan, and Micky Dolenz makes reference to "the elegant Pump Room...high over Chicago" against a background of drunken patter, clinking glasses and lounge piano. At the end of the guide, there is a list of over 100 celebrities ranging from Cary Grant, John Barrymore, Jack Benny, Maureen O'Hara and John Steinbeck who were famous guests. Strangely the list does not include Humphry Bogart or Lauren Becall both of whom flew to Chicago to attend his funeral in 1950. Stamp from Jimmy Starr, Hollywood columnist and screen writer. Staple bound in blue paper wraps stamped in silver. A fine copy.