LASHELLE, Art
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.
From the 1920s through the mid 1940s LaShelle worked on Santa Catalina Island. 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 LaShelle had helped to establish the Casino Theatre in 1929 and was its managing operator. He was a friend of William Wrigley, and during the 1930s Art managed the Isthmus for 10 years. He was 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 he called Christian's Hut, after the character, Fletcher Christian, that Clark Gable had played in the movie.
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. He later opened three more in Honolulu, Hawaii; Laguna Beach, California and Corona Del Mar, California. 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.
