Rudy Schafer Returns To The Sidewalk Cafe

Rudy Schafer was the son of the manager of the Sidewalk Cafe. Both his father and his grandfather had had the same name. In 2002 Rudy Schafer returned to vistit the Sidewalk Cafe where he had played when he was a boy. He took some pictures and sent them to me, along with this message:

"Here are the photos from my recent visit to Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe'. My wife, in the blue, her twin sister, and her husband are with us. Unfortunately, I don't know how to comment on each of these pictures, so you will have to do some guessing. Ask me if you're not sure.

That is me standing in the bar and another one sitting in one of the chairs dating back to TT days. The elegant office was where ( I think ) the gambling casino was located. We're all sitting on a couch in Thelma's apartment. The stove thing was where Stanley cooked his steaks.

The western house scenes are from Will Rogers' home in the hills above the Pacific ocean some 10 miles from the cafe'.

The ocean pictures are from a trip we made from Sacramento to San Francisco on a WW2 military cargo ship. It was either send everything or nothing, so disreguard.

Best wishes- enjoy. RUDY"


Rudy Schafer is gone now, but some of his memories remain with us today.

 

Menu

Menu in frame on the wall.

Rudy Schafer thinks this office is where the gambling casino used to be.

Couch in what was Thelma Todd's apartment.

Sign at top of stairs reads "Ole Jesus".

Rudy Schafer standing at the bar.

Rudy Schafer

Rudy Schafer and friends.

Chairs date back to the days of Thelma Todd.

Entrance

Exterior shot of Thelma Todd's Sidewalk Cafe. The building remains much the same as it was in the 1930's.

Rudy Schafer link