Donn Beach | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ernest Raymond Gantt February 22, 1907 Limestone County, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | June 7, 1989 (aged 82) Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. |
| Resting place | National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific |
| Other names | Don Gantt, Don E.R.G. Beach-Comber, Donn E.R.G. Beach |
| Spouse(s) | Cora Irene "Sunny" Sund, Carla Dupree, Phoebe Beach |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Lt Col |
| Service number | AO 904 870 |
| Awards |
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Donn Beach (born Ernest Raymond Gantt; February 22, 1907 – June 7, 1989) was an American adventurer, businessman, and World War II veteran who was the "founding father" of tiki culture. He is known for opening the first prototypical tiki bar, Don’s Beachcomber, during the 1930s in Hollywood, California, which was expanded to a chain of dozens of restaurants throughout the United States. He later built the International Market Place and additional establishments in what was then the Territory of Hawaii. He married three times.