San Francisco in Cinema: Lady of the House

600 Strockton Street
Lady of the House is the 1978 made for TV version of the autobiography of San Francisco's most famous bordello operator, Sally Stanford. Dyan Cannon stars the madam who would be mayor (of Sausalito). Legendary San Franciscan Melvin Belli appears in the role of "Mayor Jim of San Francisco," aka Sunny Jim Rolph. The Ritz Carlton Hotel on Stockton Street stands in for City Hall, where Cannon and Armand Assante tie the knot. In 1978 the Ritz Carlton was still the Cogswell College. Cannon and Assante are seen jumping out of their car and running joyfully up the staircase which then led to the school's main entrance under the portico. The staircase was removed for the valet parking shelter and covered entrance seen here. The Assante character, Ernest de Paulo, is based on Stanford's real life husband, Ernest Spagnoli. Directed by Ralph Nelson and Vincent Sherman.

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Copyright 2002 Hank Donat
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