The Rumors Are True: There Was A Secret Celebrity Tunnel Under L.A. — And It’s Not The Only One In Town

Los Angeles, with its rich history and status as the world’s entertainment capital, is the setting for countless urban legends of all kinds. From the Lizard People to the disappearances at the [Cecil Hotel,](https://secretlosangeles.com/haunted-places-los-angeles/) the city is full of stories of questionable truth. Perhaps one of the most famous is the decades-old rumor, dating back to the 1940s, about a supposed tunnel connecting the world-famous celebrity hideout, the Chateau Marmont, to a nightclub. According to an article published very recently by *SF Gate,* there actually was a secret tunnel connecting the hotel to a building down the hill on Sunset Boulevard. The underground passage was supposed to help celebrities to visit The Players (a lively club owned by filmmaker Preston Sturges, featuring guest like Howard Hughes and Lauren Bacall ) on stealth mode. In 2012, while fixing up the restaurant [Pink Taco,](https://secretlosangeles.com/best-tacos-los-angeles/) which was in the old Players building, a group of construction workers found what was left of the tunnel, confirming the story after decades of mystery. The tunnel had been closed off by the city years ago, so no one knows for sure where it started, where it ended, or which celebrities used it. The Players shut down in 1953, and the building later became home to popular nightclubs, including the well-known Roxbury. Even though you can’t walk through it anymore, the tunnel’s discovery adds to the mystery of the Chateau Marmont and keeps the spirit of old Hollywood secrets alive... But that’s not all. In late 2024, a TikTok video by comedian Steven Randolph went viral after actor Bill Posley jokingly claimed that L.A. celebrities could skip traffic by using hidden tunnels called the “Actor-Bahn,” complete with a secret underground Starbucks where the coffee was free. The story blew up online, but *Snopes* later confirmed it was pure satire, and Starbucks itself denied the claim. Still, the very viral rumor struck a chord because it plays off something real: L.A. does have historic underground tunnels dating back to the Prohibition era, once used for moving liquor and other illicit activities. These tunnels stretch roughly 11 miles beneath [DTLA](https://secretlosangeles.com/things-to-do-downtown-la/) and used to be hidden passageways to speakeasies, like the basement of the King Eddie Saloon. But beyond their nightlife history, the tunnels also connected key government buildings such as the Hall of Justice, the Clara Shortridge Fultz Criminal Justice Center, and the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. In the 50s, the tunnels were used to move high-profile criminals during trials, including notorious mobster Mickey Cohen. They also served to transport valuable assets without public knowledge, like during Operation Midnight in 1960, when $1 billion in cash from property tax payments was moved to the new Hall of Administration. Parts of the tunnels were also used as filming locations during the golden era of Hollywood, for movies such as Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard, and Kiss Me Deadly. While most entrances are now sealed, it’s believed that some tunnels still serve as shortcuts for government workers. Source: https://secretlosangeles.com/tunnels-under-los-angeles/