Castle's Red Barn, 1952

The El Rancho Lodge was built in 1951 by Don and Zetta Castle , and was originally called Castle's Red Barn. The buildings were painted barn-red, green grass surrounded the pool and waterfall, and tennis courts lined Palm Canyon Drive .

Don Castle was a former stage and movie character actor with MGM, and was featured in the early Andy Hardy movies, Northwest Passage , and Gunfight at the O.K. Corral . He and Zetta were close friends of producer Jack Wrather and actress Bonita Granville. Don was associate producer for Jack's television series Lassie . Jack and Bonita went on to build their own hotel next door. Don died in 1966, at the young age of 49, following a traffic accident. He and Zetta had been divorced, and she went on to manage her friend Bonita's hotel the L'Horizon.

Don Castle

Opened in January 1952, Castle's Red Barn was Hollywood 's “in” place to stay. Now the El Rancho Lodge, it has hosted Gig Young, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jeff Chandler, Lee Marvin, Alan Ladd, Robert Altman, Hal Wallis, Lizabeth Scott, George Reeves, Fess Parker, Buddy Hackett, John Cassavettes, Gina Rowland, Patricia Crowley, Sal Mineo, Jay North, Barbara Hale, Motown founder Berry Gordy, and more, as well as numerous writers.

The El Rancho Lodge retains the same charm and structure of the original Castle's Red Barn, although the tennis courts were lost when Palm Canyon Drive was widened many years ago. The buildings are now white rather than red, and the original olive and palm trees are still here. The El Rancho features the charm of Old Palm Springs, with modern conveniences and comfort.