Hollywood Brown Derby Caricatures

When you step inside the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood Studios, you'll quickly notice a wide array of caricatures that adorn the wall of this signature Walt Disney World restaurant.  These caricatures are of famous Hollywood celebrities from years gone by and their inclusion is no coincidence.  These caricatures are a design from the original Brown Derby restaurant.

These celebrity caricatures are a design element from both of the original Brown Derby restaurants.  A quick history lesson, the first Brown Derby opened in 1926 at 3427 Wilshire Boulevard and was the building that looked like a brown derby hat.  But a second Brown Derby opened on Valentine's Day 1929 at 1628 North Vine Street in Hollywood and this is the more famous of the two Brown Derbys due to its closer proximity to the movie studios.

Both Brown Derbys were home to hundreds of celebrity caricatures, many of which were drawn by Jack Lane between the years of 1947 and 1985.

In Disney's Hollywood Studios, the caricatures we see in black frames are copies of the originals.  There are however some original caricatures in the restaurant and these are distinguished by their gold frames.

Be sure on your next visit to take some time and try to look at them all. They adorn the walls of most of the restaurant including the lobby, restaurant itself, and even the restrooms.