LASHELLE, Art

Art LaShelle (1904-1985)

Art LaShelle, Santa Catalina Island, 1952

Christian's Hut, 1930

LASHELLE, Arthur Gregg Wellington (1904-1985) [SS#550-10-7415] was born in Los Angeles on October 23, 1904, the son of Edyth Wellington and Clarence McNair LaShelle. He had a high school education.

Art LaShelle began his career as an assistant cameraman for Paramount Famous Lasky Corporation in the 1920s. His older brother Joseph Wellington LaShelle (1900-1989) was a busy camera operator for Paramount Studios, and rose to become an Oscar-winning cinematographer (Laura). Joe likely got Art that job. Although Art started modestly working ‘in pictures,’ he soon found himself an early resident of Santa Catalina Island, catering to the Hollywood elite. From the 1920s through the mid 1940s LaShelle worked on Santa Catalina Island.

In 1928 Art managed the Riviera Theater in Avalon for Tom White, a Hollywood promoter. William Wrigley, and his Santa Catalina Island Company bought a construction business owned by Charles M. LaShelle, moved its heavy equipment over to the island, and built the Avalon Casino. White became general manager of the new Casino, but ‘his lifestyle proved too flamboyant,’ and his association with Wrigley ended in December 1929. Art LaShelle then manage both the Riviera and Avalon theaters. He was responsible for booking acts and films for the ballroom.

During the 1930s, many Hollywood films that required "tropical" backgrounds were shot at the island's Isthmus, including: the original Mutiny on the Bounty; Old Ironsides; Treasure Island; King of Kings; Captain Blood; Rain; Count of Monte Cristo; Captain's Courageous; Hurricane; The Sea Hawk; The Ten Commandments; and Ebb Tide. (More movies were filmed at the Isthmus than anywhere, other than Hollywood, during that time.) Art managed the Isthmus for a decade, acting as the go between for the movie industry and the SCICo. When Clark Gable came to Catalina to make Mutiny on the Bounty, he and Art became good friends. After the film was completed, Art convinced the studio to allow him to keep the beach shacks and some of the props from the set. He used these to open a bar in 1935 that he called Christian's Hut, after the character, Fletcher Christian, that Clark Gable had played in the movie.

According to LaShelle's second son, Rod, he said that he and his brother didn’t really know their father that well. He wasn't much of a family man and was known by many as a womanizer. Art went around with fiery actress Lupe Vélez who dumped Johnny Weissmuller for him — all the while Art was married to Muriel Frost Hewitson Landman. When asked, he told gossip maven Louella Parsons there was ‘never a dull moment with Lupe’ and that his nine-year-old son Art Jr was ‘completely captivated by her.’ Needless to say his wife sued for divorce. By the Summer of 1940 Art was renting a small apartment in Beverly Hills next to Bö Roos. Perhaps Bö set him up with it until he could get back on his feet, or it might have been a secret hideaway. In the Fall, he was running a restaurant called Catalina John’s on the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles.

Art was a pilot for the United States Air Force during World War II where he flew over "The Hump". It was during that time that he opened an additional Christian's Hut in what is now Bangladesh. After the war ended, he leased and operated the entire Isthmus on Catalina, and opened up several more Christian’s Hut restaurants: in Honolulu, Hawaii; Laguna Beach, California and Corona Del Mar, California. To finance his projects, Art went to childhood friend and Hollywood ‘business manager to the stars’ Bö Christian Roos, who invested funds from several of his clients including Fred MacMurray, John Wayne and Red Skelton. Roos would routinely invest his money alongside that of his clients, most times on a simple handshake. Old-school, no contracts. John Wayne is said to have been one of his partners, and pictures and letters between the two men are in possession of a collector of John Wayne memorabilia. It is said that Art was very popular with the movie colonies that came to Catalina and with the starlets of the 1930s and 1940s. Art was also friends with Johnny Weismiller who played Tarzan.

• In 1928, Art LaShelle married Muriel Frost Hewitson "Happy" Landman. They had two sons - Arthur Gregg Wellington LaShelle, II and Roderick McNair LaShelle.

• 1930 census: LaShelle, 26, lived in Avalon and worked as the Casino theatre manager. Married in 1928 to Muriel F. Landmann, age 21 in 1930.

• 1940 census: Divorced, listed as a manager.

• 1940 draft registration describes him as having black hair and hazel eyes and just over 5 feet tall. He is employed by Mr. Wrigley.

• 1950 census: LaShelle liveed in Newport Beach and owned a cocktail bar and restaurant. He was now married to Camilla, age 33, and they had a son, Kirk Wellington Lashelle.

Art LaShelle died April 10, 1985 at the Balboa Bay Club, on Balboa Island in Los Angeles County, California, where he was a well known resident for 29 years.