Steve Crane: The Hollywood Tiki King Behind The Luau & Kon-Tiki

From Actor to Tiki Visionary

Born Joseph Stephen Crane in 1916, Crane initially made a name for himself as an actor in the 1940s, but his true legacy would be built in the world of hospitality. In 1953, he purchased an existing restaurant called The Tropics at 427 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and transformed it into The Luau, one of the most glamorous Polynesian restaurants of its time.

The Luau: A Hollywood Haven

The Luau opened its doors in 1953, quickly becoming a celebrity hotspot. The restaurant was more than just a place to dine; it was an experience, a step into a world of tiki torches, waterfalls, fish-filled streams, and bamboo-lined walls. The ambiance made it the go-to escape for Hollywood's elite, including Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Crane’s attention to detail was legendary. He collaborated with designers like Gabe Florian, who created the restaurant’s signature tiki mugs and serveware items now highly sought after by collectors.

The Kon-Tiki Expansion

The Luau’s success caught the attention of Sheraton Hotels, which saw potential in expanding the tiki experience to a national audience. In 1958, Crane partnered with Sheraton to launch a chain of Kon-Tiki restaurants, each replicating the exotic escapism of The Luau.

The Kon-Tiki locations opened in: Montreal, Portland, Cleveland, Chicago, Cincinnati, Honolulu Boston (under the name Kon-Tiki Ports)

He also operated the Ports o' Call restaurants in Beverly Hills, Dallas, and Toronto. Each Kon-Tiki location was a tiki lover’s dream, with towering totems, bamboo bars, and extensive cocktail menus featuring drinks like the Molokai Mule and the Bo-Lo, a pineapple-filled rum concoction.

One of the most famous bartenders from Crane’s establishments was José Valencia Galsim (1900–1982), better known as Popo Galsini.

The Fall of an Empire

Despite its massive popularity, the tiki craze began to fade in the late 1970s, as changing tastes and economic shifts led to the decline of Polynesian-themed restaurants. The Luau closed in 1978, and many Kon-Tiki locations eventually followed. Crane himself passed away in 1985, but his contributions to tiki culture continue to influence the modern craft cocktail movement.

Legacy & Revival

Today, remnants of Crane’s empire live on. Many of the original Kon-Tiki buildings still stand, and vintage mugs, menus, and matchbooks from The Luau and Kon-Tiki are highly collectible. Tiki bars across the world continue to pay homage to Crane’s vision, ensuring that his role in shaping the golden age of Polynesian pop culture will never be forgotten, in an era when every night out could feel like a tropical adventure.

The Bo Lo cocktail

While the exact origins of the Bo Lo are somewhat obscure, it is believed to have been crafted during this era to cater to the burgeoning interest in tropical libations. The drink's name is thought to derive from the Creole term "boo loo," though its specific meaning remains a topic of debate among cocktail historians.

As appear on the 1956 Steve Crain’s LUAU menu BO-LO...

“Fresh Hawaiian pineapple filled with liq.id sunshine and the fragrance of the Jasmine. This is a delight to the eye and a treat to the connoisseur of light Cuban and delicate Barbados Rums”

BO-LO

LUAU 1956

Ingredients:

0.75 aged  Martinique rum**

1 oz gold Puerto Rican rum

0.50 oz passion fruit syrup

0,25 oz honey mix

1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

0.50 oz fresh lime juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a blender, add ice.

Blend on high speed for 5 seconds, then pour into a hollowed-out pineapple.

Source: Jeff "Beachbum" Berry

**When you come across references to "Martinique rum" in older cocktail recipes, such as the Mai Tai or the Bolo, it's important to note that it likely refers to rhum traditionnel, which was made on the French islands from molasses. This style of rum, more widely available in the mid-20th century, was often a black rum with a rich, bold flavor profile.

In the case of classic recipes, such as Trader Vic's calls for "Dark Jamaica OR Martinique" rum, it’s essential to understand that Martinique agricole rum (which is made from sugarcane juice) would not be an ideal substitute for a traditional dark rum. Agricole rum is much lighter and has an earthy, grassy character that doesn't align with the robust and deep flavors of a dark molasses-based rum.

Both Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber described Martinique rum in the context of a dark Jamaican rum, which is typically rich, full-bodied, and made from molasses. This would make sense in the context of their tiki cocktails, where a darker rum was preferred for its depth of flavor and ability to stand up to the other ingredients in these bold and tropical drinks.

BO-LO

DDP simplified.

Ingredients:

2 oz Appleton 8yo Jamaican Rum

0.75 oz Dan's Mix***

1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

0.50 oz fresh lime juice

1 dash Angostura bitters

Method:

Combine all ingredients in a shaker except bitters 

Add crushed ice and shake until frost 

Strain into a Nick and Nora glass

Add the bitters 

***Dan's Mix: Equal parts, Blue agave nectar + passion fruit puree [ frozen one work perfectly ]

Most likely this was a reef of Don the Beachcomber's Pi-Yi

From "Hawai'i Topical Drinks & Cuisine by Don the Beachcomber" by Arnold Bittner and Phoebe Beach

PI -YI

Ingredients:

1 oz. Dark Jamaican rum [ I use Coruba ]

1 oz. gold Puerto Rican rum [ I use Bacardi Ocho or Don Q 7yo ]

3 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice

0.75 oz fresh lime juice

0.50 oz honey cream mix*

0.50 oz. Fassionola*

1 oz. Passion fruit juice

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

2 dashes falernum

Method:

Pour all the ingredients into a blender add 6 oz cracked ice.

Turn speed to high and blend for 1/2 minute.

Pour into hollowed-out pineapple and replace the top. Serve with a straw.

*Gently heat sweet, unsalted butter and honey separately using a bain-marie (double boiler) until melted. Whisk together until fully blended and use immediately

Another cocktail, way more stronger appeared a decade later in some other menus, the Boo Loo. Source: Jeff "Beachbum" Berry.

BOO - LOO

Ingredients:

1.5 Dark Jamaican Rum [ I use Myer's rum ]

1.5 Gold Puerto Rican rum [ I use Don Q 7yo ]

1.5 Demerara rum [ I use El Dorado 3yo ]

0.75 Overproof Demerara Rum [ I use Lemon Hart 151 ]

1 oz Honey mix [ equal parts honey and warm water ]

1 oz fresh lime juice

2.5 oz pineapple juice [ without sugar ]

a few small pieces of pineapple

1.5 oz Club soda

Method:

In a blender, combine the fresh pineapple chunks, pineapple juice, lime juice, and honey mix. Blend until the pineapple is fully liquefied.

Add the rums to the blender and blend briefly to mix.

Pour the mixture into a hollowed-out pineapple filled with crushed ice.

Top with club soda and stir gently to combine.

Garnish as desired and serve with straws.

Here my remix 🍍

BULU

Ingredients

1 oz Voyage "Pukka" Amber rum

1 oz Appleton 8yo Jamaican rum

0.5 oz Lemon Hart 151 Demerara Overproof rum

1 oz Fassionola*

1 oz Dan's Falernum

3 oz fresh pineapple juice

1.5 oz citrus mix

Top with Perrier water

Method:

Place all the ingredients in an electric mixer blend for less then 10 seconds.

Pour  into a hollowed-out pineapple

Top with Perrier water

*Fassionola Gold 2.0 [Make 1 Liter]

Ingredients:

100 ml Dan’s Falernum

500 ml Passion fruit puree ( unsweetened )

300 ml Reàl Blue Agave Nectar or Rich Honey Syrup 

100 ml  Pineapple juice  ( unsweetened )

Instructions:

1. Blend ingredients until smooth.

2. Bottle and refrigerate.

The Mysterious Fassionola: History and Fun Facts

Fassionola is a long-lost, vibrant cocktail ingredient that has mystified and intrigued tiki enthusiasts and mixologists for decades. Known for its exotic red hue and fruity complexity, Fassionola has often been shrouded in mystery, with its origins and exact composition remaining elusive. Its allure lies in its enigmatic role in early tiki cocktail history, particularly as a rumored secret ingredient in the original Hurricane cocktail and other tropical recipes.

The Origins of Fassionola

The precise origins of Fassionola are unclear, but it is believed to have been a syrup popular in the 1930s and 1940s, during the golden age of tiki. It was marketed as a pre-mixed fruit syrup, available in multiple flavors, including red (the most iconic), green, and gold. The syrup was versatile, serving as a flavor base for punches, cocktails, and even non-alcoholic drinks.

Some sources suggest that Fassionola was originally a proprietary product made by Jonathan English, a company known for producing syrups and mixers for cocktails. However, the brand faded into obscurity as tiki culture waned in the latter half of the 20th century. This disappearance has only added to its mystique.

Sources:

Personal notes from Martin Cate’s seminars at Tales of the Cocktail 2011, DDP personal Archives, Wikipedia, My Tiki Life, Uproxx, Martin Turnbull, Tiki Central.