More than 60 years after the fact, the Hotel del Coronado is still remembered as the place where Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon brought a little bit of Hollywood magic to San Diego.
In 1958, the historic seaside resort became the backdrop for exterior scenes of Some Like It Hot, the comedy that would become one of the most celebrated films in movie history.
Most movie fans know the story of Some Like It Hot — the disguises, mistaken identities and Marilyn Monroe’s unforgettable performance as singer Sugar Kane. Released in 1959, the film became a Hollywood classic.
But behind the famous scenes with Monroe, Curtis and Lemmon is another story: the week when one of Hollywood’s biggest productions transformed the Hotel del Coronado into a movie set and brought national attention to a San Diego landmark.
Finding the perfect Hollywood backdrop
Although Some Like It Hot is set in Florida, filmmakers were searching for a location that could capture the glamour of a 1920s seaside resort.
The Hotel del Coronado, with its Victorian architecture, oceanfront setting and historic charm, provided the look director Billy Wilder wanted. The hotel appeared in the film as the fictional Seminole Ritz Hotel, while its beach and exterior spaces helped create the movie’s memorable atmosphere.
Although some viewers assume they are seeing the inside of the famous hotel, many interior scenes were recreated on Hollywood soundstages. The production carefully copied details of the Del’s interior, helping preserve the illusion that the story unfolded
By 1958, Marilyn Monroe was one of the most recognizable actresses in the world. Her films, including Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and The Seven Year Itch, had made her a global star.
In August and September 1958, director Billy Wilder brought the cast and crew of Some Like It Hot to Coronado to film exterior scenes for the comedy. For a little more than a week, the historic seaside resort became a Hollywood movie set, attracting crowds eager to see one of the world’s biggest stars.
Monroe was accompanied by her husband, playwright Arthur Miller, and acting coach Paula Strasberg. The production also brought Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon to Coronado, along with a large cast and crew who stayed at the hotel during the location shoot.
Crowds gathered near the hotel, hoping to catch a glimpse of Monroe while cameras rolled along the beach and around the resort grounds.
The excitement surrounding the production turned the Hotel del Coronado into a temporary gathering place for Hollywood and the public alike.
A comedy that became a classic
In Some Like It Hot, Curtis and Lemmon play musicians who disguise themselves as women after witnessing a crime and join an all-female band. Monroe plays Sugar Kane Kowalczyk, the singer they meet while on the run.
The movie became a major success after its release in 1959, earning six Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress for Monroe and Best Actor for Lemmon.
Over the decades, its reputation only grew. The American Film Institute later ranked Some Like It Hot No. 1 on its list of the greatest American comedies.
Coronado’s Hollywood legacy
More than six decades later, the connection between Marilyn Monroe and the Hotel del Coronado remains one of the resort’s most recognizable chapters.
The filming of Some Like It Hot did more than provide a backdrop for a Hollywood comedy. It linked a San Diego landmark forever with one of cinema’s most beloved films.
For a brief moment in 1958, Coronado became part of Hollywood history — with Marilyn Monroe at the center of it all.
Side note
Marilyn Monroe: The Defining Roles is on view at Hotel del Coronado’s Ice House Museum through July 31. The exhibition explores Monroe’s efforts to take control of her career during the mid-1950s and features photographs by Lawrence Schiller, archival materials and behind-the-scenes content connected to her career. Guests can also take the self-guided Marilyn: On Location audio tour, highlighting filming locations from the classic movie.
Sources:
Hotel del Coronado — Some Like It Hot filming history and historic timeline
Coronado Historical Association — Hotel del Coronado history and archival collections
San Diego History Center Digital Archives
American Film Institute — Some Like It Hot recognition and film history
Library of Congress — National Film Registry, Some Like It Hot
Read more history stories here. Do you have a story to tell? Send an email to DebbieSklar@cox.net.
