Wylog Fong produced art for Jerry’s Joynt in the Los Angeles Old Chinatown. The Los Angeles Evening Herald, March 3, 1932, said the restaurant would open that evening. Fong’s mural was described in Elisabeth Webb Herrick’s 1934 book, Curious California Customs.
Jerry’s Joynt, 209 Ferguson Alley—what does this sound like? Well, it’s all this and more. Sawdust on the floor and a bar n’everything that goes with it.Natalie Zhang informed me that a “Jerrys Joynt” menu, with Fong’s art on a white background, is in the collection of the Chinese Historical Society of Southern California. There are two menus at Getty Images: Chinatown menu with yellow background; and Wilshire menu with white background. The chef and the pig artwork was also used in advertisements and match cover.
The walls are painted with murals by a young Chinese boy with a rare ability to depict charm in Chinese damsels. Sort of a frieze of Harrison Fisher girls with an Oriental twist, so to speak, admirably executed in soft pastel colors. They call attention very pridefully to their bar, as being “the most beautiful little bar in the world”, and it is certainly a surprise—all indirect lights, and with a gilded statue of Buddha presiding amiably in the background, apparently wrapped in the impenetrable Yogi calm. There’s just a smattering of diabolical Chinese humor about this touch, but Jerry himself is not Chinese—he’s white. ...
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Los Angeles Examiner, December 31, 1935
and Los Angeles Times, February 14, 1936
Match cover art possibly by Fong
In the advertisement below, I believe another artist did the drawing of the chef and pig and flopped their positions.
About “Jerry” Surprenant
Gerald Henry “Jerry” Surprenant was born on January 8, 1891 in Anaconda, Montana according to his Montana service record at Ancestry.com.
The 1900 United States Census counted Surprenant as the youngest of four children born to Henry, a decorator, and Ricka. They lived in Lewiston, Montana. The Fergus County Argus (Lewistown, Montana), March 21, 1900, reported the public school entertainment. Surprenant and his sister, Stella, performed the “Cake Walk”.
The 1910 census said nineteen-year-old Surprenant was an inmate at the reform school where he was a shoemaker.
On June 5, 1917, Surprenant signed his World War I draft card. His address was 417 High Street in Fergus County, Montana. He worked for his father. Surprenant was described as five feet ten inches, medium build, with blue eyes and dark brown hair. Surprenant had some military training at the St. Aloysius School in Helena, Montana. He was a corporal in the infantry. Surprenant was inducted on March 28, 1918 and stationed at the 166th Depot Brigade in Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. Sergeant Surprenant was discharged on December 4, 1918.
According to the 1920 census, enumerated in January, Surprenant and his wife, Cura, resided at 660 West Jefferson Street in Los Angeles, California. He was an interior decorator at Barker Bros. Furniture. The 1920 California voter register, at Ancestry.com, had the same information and the couple’s party affiliation, Democrat.
The Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part 4, Works of Art, Photos, Prints, etc., 1920, New Series, Volume 15, Number 4 included Surprenant’s arrowhead design.
Surprenant has not yet been found in the 1930 census which counted his brother, George, sister-in-law, Alice, nephew, George Jr., and niece, Katherine, in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Evening Herald, March 3, 1932, said Surprenant’s Chinatown eatery, Jerry’s Joynt, opened that evening. A postcard was reproduced here and here.
Gerald Henry “Jerry” Surprenant was born on January 8, 1891 in Anaconda, Montana according to his Montana service record at Ancestry.com.
The 1900 United States Census counted Surprenant as the youngest of four children born to Henry, a decorator, and Ricka. They lived in Lewiston, Montana. The Fergus County Argus (Lewistown, Montana), March 21, 1900, reported the public school entertainment. Surprenant and his sister, Stella, performed the “Cake Walk”.
The 1910 census said nineteen-year-old Surprenant was an inmate at the reform school where he was a shoemaker.
On June 5, 1917, Surprenant signed his World War I draft card. His address was 417 High Street in Fergus County, Montana. He worked for his father. Surprenant was described as five feet ten inches, medium build, with blue eyes and dark brown hair. Surprenant had some military training at the St. Aloysius School in Helena, Montana. He was a corporal in the infantry. Surprenant was inducted on March 28, 1918 and stationed at the 166th Depot Brigade in Camp Lewis near Tacoma, Washington. Sergeant Surprenant was discharged on December 4, 1918.
According to the 1920 census, enumerated in January, Surprenant and his wife, Cura, resided at 660 West Jefferson Street in Los Angeles, California. He was an interior decorator at Barker Bros. Furniture. The 1920 California voter register, at Ancestry.com, had the same information and the couple’s party affiliation, Democrat.
The Catalogue of Copyright Entries, Part 4, Works of Art, Photos, Prints, etc., 1920, New Series, Volume 15, Number 4 included Surprenant’s arrowhead design.
Surprenant has not yet been found in the 1930 census which counted his brother, George, sister-in-law, Alice, nephew, George Jr., and niece, Katherine, in Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Evening Herald, March 3, 1932, said Surprenant’s Chinatown eatery, Jerry’s Joynt, opened that evening. A postcard was reproduced here and here.
The 1936 and 1938 California voter registers listed Surprenant (restaurant owner and Democrat), and his brother, George (restaurant employee and Socialist), at 6637 Olympic Boulevard. The status of Surprenant’s wife in not known.
In August 1937, Surprenant and others were called as witnesses to an alleged bribery at Jerry’s Joynt.
The Los Angeles Times, October 9, 1939, reported the raid at the Club Mandalay. Surprenant was one of four employees arrested and booked for violation of the State Liquor Control Act.
Surprenant has not yet been found in the 1940 census. The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, March 26, 1940, published the patent for a bottle breaker which was held by Surprenant and two others.
Surprenant signed his World War II draft card on April 25, 1942. His address was 101 Stockbridge Avenue in Alhambra, California. He employed by the Olympic Corporation.
In August 1937, Surprenant and others were called as witnesses to an alleged bribery at Jerry’s Joynt.
The Los Angeles Times, October 9, 1939, reported the raid at the Club Mandalay. Surprenant was one of four employees arrested and booked for violation of the State Liquor Control Act.
Surprenant has not yet been found in the 1940 census. The Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office, March 26, 1940, published the patent for a bottle breaker which was held by Surprenant and two others.
Surprenant signed his World War II draft card on April 25, 1942. His address was 101 Stockbridge Avenue in Alhambra, California. He employed by the Olympic Corporation.
The 1950 census counted Surprenant and his wife, Twyla, in Los Angeles at 341 North Crescent Heights. He was a self-employed paint salesman who earned $5,000 in 1949.
Surprenant passed away on October 3, 1956. An obituary appeared in the Los Angeles Examiner, October 6, 1956.
G. H. SurprenantSurprenant was laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. (At Find a Grave, George Sylvester Surprenant is listed as a parent which is incorrect. He was a brother. Their father, John Henry Surprenant passed away on July 29, 1920.)
Private funeral services for retired Restauranteur G. H. “Jerry” Surprenant, 65, owner and operator of Jerry’s Joynt in Chinatown and a restaurant at San Vicente and Wilshire boulevards, will be conducted Monday by Forest Lawn Mortuary with interment following at Forest Lawn Memorial Park. Mr. Surprenant made his home at 1138 South Weymouth avenue in San Pedro. He died Wednesday at San Pedro Community Hospital, leaving his widow, Marie; his mother, Mrs. Rickka Surprenant, Los Angeles; a brother and four sisters.
(Next post on Wednesday: The Ng-Lee School)
