David Lynch’s Final LA Icon: Fans Flock to Bob’s Big Boy in Mourning

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On a Thursday evening at Bob’s Big Boy, there was a toast made to David Lynch, featuring coffee and chocolate milkshakes.

People gathered at the iconic Los Angeles site to honor the memory of the recently deceased filmmaker, who was 78 when he passed away. Known for his frequent visits, he had revealed that for seven years straight, he would order specific dishes from the diner’s menu every day at precisely 2:30 following lunch, and he often jotted down notes on the American-style restaurant’s napkins.

Instead of “Fans flocked to the Los Angeles landmark,” I used “People gathered at the iconic Los Angeles site.” Instead of “who died at age of 78” I changed it to “who was 78 when he passed away”. Instead of “who once revealed that he ordered the quintessential menu items “for seven years every day at 2:30” after lunch” I rephrased it to “Known for his frequent visits, he had revealed that for seven years straight, he would order specific dishes from the diner’s menu every day at precisely 2:30 following lunch.” Instead of “and scribbled notes on the American diner’s napkins” I changed it to “and often jotted down notes on the American-style restaurant’s napkins.”)

The Burbank burger joint, which dates back to the 1950s chain and is renowned for its distinctive Southern California coffee shop architecture, holds significance in Lynch’s tales. This is due to several reasons: Lynch and his fellow director John Waters took a well-known photograph outside, it was here that the concept of Dennis Hopper’s character in Blue Velvet originated, and it’s where Director Lynch arranged a “chemistry lunch” for Laura Dern and Kyle MacLachlan in red vinyl booths, as shared in an interview with W.

The five-foot-tall Big Boy statue transformed spontaneously into a makeshift shrine for Lynch, with red roses, unlit candles, untouched cigarettes, white coffee mugs, Coca-Cola bottles, and various memorabilia left at its base by mourning fans. The diner, which could accommodate 166 people, was busier than typical for a Thursday night due to a local school fundraiser, and the queue area was filled with enthusiasts of film and television wearing T-shirts and hats inspired by Twin Peaks, Eraserhead, and other Lynch classics. Those paying their respects included staff from nearby media companies such as Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros. Studios, and NBCUniversal.

In a period when more than 10,000 residents of Los Angeles are working on rebuilding their lives following the devastation of homes by the wildfires in Altadena and Palisades, fans expressed that his loss was yet another blow to the city, adding to an already sorrowful start to 2025 when spoken to by The Hollywood Reporter.

Melissa Molina visited NBCUniversal with her friends following work hours. She expressed that, given the ongoing recovery efforts after the wildfires, losing such a significant figure in the Los Angeles arts community for so long felt like an additional blow to an already challenging fortnight.

On learning about the demise of Mulholland Drive’s director, Ramesh Iyer, along with his companion Adam Judd, decided to have an early meal at Bob’s restaurant.

Or:

Upon hearing the sad news about the death of the director of Mulholland Drive, Ramesh Iyer and friend Adam Judd opted for an early dinner at Bob’s.

In simpler terms, “Iyer mentioned to The Hollywood Reporter that since we’re both filmmakers who admire David Lynch, we wondered what would be most characteristic of him. So, we decided to visit Bob’s Big Boy, have a malt and coffee, just like he did. As the staff called out names over the speaker, Iyer also commented that 2025 is already shaping up to be quite disappointing for us.

Judd pointed out that not only have we lost a significant portion of L.A. due to fires, but also someone who plays a crucial role in the heart of Los Angeles.

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At the rear section of the dining establishment, Ben Greco, Natalie Trainor, and Dominick Lioto were seated, all enjoying chocolate milkshakes alongside their meals.

Greco mentioned that we occasionally visit this place, and following the news, we exclaimed, ‘We must come here!’ Trainor, who was wearing an orange hat reminiscent of Twin Peaks, being a set decorator, explained that dining at Bob’s, a place synonymous with Lynch’s legacy, felt like a fitting tribute to his impact and creativity. Lioto, a local from North Hollywood, stated that although Bob’s wasn’t far, even if it had been an hour away, we would still have made the trip.

On Thursday evening, the anonymous art project Diva Corp held a vigil that attracted hundreds of people throughout the night. Some participants paid tribute to the television series Twin Peaks by wearing clothes with zig-zag patterns and outfits inspired by the show, while others brought apple pies.

Via email, Diva Corp team members shared with THR that the memorial event was particularly memorable for them due to its warmth and joyful atmosphere. They reminisced about the heartfelt items brought to commemorate him, such as sketches, pies, family photographs, Coca-Cola bottles, flowers, sunglasses, and even cigarettes. Among these items were personal belongings too, like a lengthy letter from an ex that mentioned how the character of Frank Booth in Blue Velvet, played by Hopper, had rekindled their relationship.

They explained, “People believe someone like him is immortal. He’ll continue to exist, so it was more a means to honor his past achievements rather than mourning. I think everyone is eager to see what he’ll accomplish next. Additionally, it was comforting just to gather amidst the fires, providing a distraction from the situation.

Back in the day, I stumbled upon this iconic diner known as Bob’s Big Boy in Burbank, opened way back in 1949 by none other than Scott MacDonald and Ward Albert. It’s a part of the legendary dining chain that traces its roots back to 1936, brainchild of Bob Wian. This place has quite the star power, having served as a backdrop in Michael Mann’s classic film Heat. From the Beatles and Bob Hope, all the way to Miley Cyrus and Demi Lovato, everyone seems to have stopped by for a bite! Nestled on the outskirts of Toluca Lake, this starry enclave, it was officially recognized as a Point of Historical Interest in 1992 by the state of California.

In a YouTube-shared vintage video from Bob’s Big Boy, Lynch detailed his frequent visits, stating, “I often went because I enjoyed their chocolate milkshakes, particularly the silver goblet variety. It wasn’t traditional ice cream – they called it a Taylor machine. When you pulled the lever, it dispensed a tube of ‘ice cream’ that filled the goblet… During lunch hours, they made so many of these, the concoction wouldn’t get cold enough to be ice cream; instead, it resembled soup. I would visit later in the day when it was properly chilled, just right for me. However, if I visited later, I found myself quite hungry. For seven years, I indulged in these milkshakes with a side of coffee and used the napkins as makeshift writing pads – it felt like having a personal desk. Whenever an idea struck, there was always paper available to jot it down.

Regarding the menacing drug dealer character portrayed by Hopper in the movie ‘Blue Velvet’, Lynch commented: “One day, I encountered a man at Bob’s, who walked up to the counter, and that’s all I recall of this encounter. However, the mere sight of him triggered an emotion within me, which was the origin of Frank Booth’s character.

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2025-01-17 23:55