One of most hated chores for many people is dreaded movie return, and it seems that it seldom (or never) goes off without a hitch. Consider this too-frequent scenario. It’s 6:30 p.m. and you’ve just realized that movies you rented are due back to store by 8 p.m. Plenty of time under ordinary circumstances, but you still haven’t had time to watch this particular movie. With a window of an hour and half, you sit down to watch what you can. Children come and go, your spouse asks if you’ve folded laundry (because it was your turn), and phone rings four times. You ignore everyone, determined to enjoy show.

In end, you know what happens. The family is angry at being ignored, you have six voice mails from a frantic coworker and you still have to decide whether to miss end of movie or pay ridiculously expensive late charge to return it late. And movie wasn’t even that good.

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In 1930s and '40s, this is where you came to dance night away with your beau, or perhaps meet that new handsome man or pretty girl. Since its Grand Opening Memorial Day weekend in 1929, Santa Catalina Island’s Casino has been and continues to be a main attraction.

The maple, white oak and rosewood dance floor in circular ballroom on top floor could hold up to 500 dancing couples. Nightly they arrived by steamship from Los Angeles, a two-hour trip one-way.

The art deco masterpiece that is Casino became a world-famous landmark, thanks to nationwide nightly big band broadcasts. “From beautiful Casino Ballroom overlooking Avalon Bay, at Catalina Island, we bring you music of . . . ” told radio listeners they were about to hear best of big bands. Every one from Glen Miller to Harry James to Jimmy Dorsey to Woody Herman performed to enthusiastic dancers and listeners. For 28 seasons Casino Ballroom averaged 4,000 guests every night. The largest group of dancers ever gathered in 1938 for Kay Kaiser’s Band: 6,200 people.

It was an elegant time when dress code included high heels for ladies. Smoking was never allowed in ballroom—floor-to-ceiling doors opened to a balcony outside—so original dance floor has never been sanded down or refinished.

William Wrigley, Jr., who purchased Santa Catalina Island in 1919, built Casino because his wife, Ada, and her sisters loved to dance. In 1920s, word casino was Italian, meaning a place of gathering or entertainment, or a grand dance pavilion—nothing at all to do with gambling.

Although style of Casino is referred to as Moorish Alhambra, building has become premier example of art deco style so prevalent in 1930s.