John Dunn Photo Archive – A Life in Music, Business and Reinvention

Explore the official John Dunn photo archive, including his Los Angeles DJ and nightclub years, Insomnia Café, Smashbucks, Hurdz Hemp, sobriety journey, family life and Dunn Farms in Jupiter, Florida.

Portrait of John Dunn with a cigar — John Dunn — from the personal archive.

Los Angeles Nightlife and Clubs

Marquees, club flyers and nights out from John Dunn's Los Angeles years: Whisky a Go Go, Flipper's, the Roxy, Le Hot Club and more. The original captions preserve the names and memories recorded with these photographs.

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Whisky a Go Go Marquee — John Dunn and Joel Larson Present Dance Crazy Night - Whisky a Go Go, Sunset Strip

Flipper's Roller Boogie Palace — Denny Cordell Presents Flipper's — Where everything changed, 1979–1981. The first big venue in the city for John Dunn Presents — the parties started in 1979.

Roxy Theatre Marquee — John Dunn & Joel Larson Present Dance Craze Night

John Dunn at Le Hot Club in the 1980s — John Dunn at Le Hot Club, 1980s

Mark Vitanza at the Le Hot Club door with Riki Rachtman in the background — Doorman Mark Vitanza working the door at Le Hot Club, with Riki Rachtman in the background — John Dunn Presents, 1980s. Rest in peace, Mark. We loved you.

Le Hot Club & PG's Bar and Grill Flyer — John Dunn Presents — Dance Craze Night, Le Hot Club, 15910 Ventura Blvd Encino. No Polyester. Ladies Free. Saturday Nights at PG's Bar & Grill, 666 N. La Cienega.

Dave Knowles, John Dunn, Chris Wilson and Steve Shroyer on a night out — Dave Knowles, John Dunn, Chris Wilson and Steve Shroyer — boys' night out. Rest in peace, Steve.

Checking IDs at a club door in the 1980s — At the door - checking IDs, 1980s

LA nightlife crew sitting on a couch — The crew on the couch - LA nightlife scene

A night on the Sunset Strip with LAPD — A night on the Strip with LAPD

Kaos Flyer — Kaos Saturday - Brad Stanley & John Dunn, Westwood Village '89

Rodney Bingenheimer and John Dunn in the DJ booth — Rodney Bingenheimer and JD in the DJ booth.

Cattle Barons Flyer — John Dunn Rides Again - Cattle Barons, Beverly Hills - Another Joel Larson John Dunn Presentation

Richard and Mark Stagner from the Le Hot Club crew — Le Hot Club crew — Richard and Mark Stagner. Mark was the one who walked me into Harry Lewis's office, setting the stage for almost a decade of historic Le Hot Club parties. Rest in peace, Mark. Thank you — we miss you.

Skip, Craig and Eddie at Le Hot Club in the 1980s — Skip, Craig and Eddie at Le Hot Club — 1980s.

Filming Can You See Me, Do I Matter on Hollywood Boulevard — Filming a commercial on Hollywood Blvd — Can You See Me, Do I Matter

Whisky a Go Go Friday and Saturday Night Flyer — John Dunn & Joel Larson Presents Whisky a Go Go — 8901 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood — 1980s Sunset Strip, amazing Friday and Saturday nights

Corby Timbrook — Le Hot Club Shirt — World-famous Corby Timbrook wearing a vintage John Dunn Presents Le Hot Club shirt — circa 1980s.

Insomnia Café

Building the café, late-night conversations, live music and the people who gathered there. Menus, coffee cards and newspaper clippings sit alongside photographs from the original Insomnia Café archive.

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Robin Williams and Steve Landesberg at Bob Cat's birthday party at Insomnia Café — Robin Williams and Steve Landesberg attend Bob Cat's birthday party at Insomnia Café.

Ibrahimoff Blues Band with Chris Wilson performing at Insomnia Café's open mic night — Open mic night at the original Insomnia Cafe, featuring the Ibrahimoff Blues Band and the very talented Chris Wilson on guitar and lead vocals.

The library corner inside Insomnia Café — The library corner - inspiration for Central Perk

Late-night coffee toast at Insomnia Café — Late night coffee at Insomnia Cafe

People gathered at Insomnia Café — The scene at Insomnia Cafe

Regular patrons at Insomnia Café — The regulars at Insomnia Cafe

Our man Ray at the bar at Insomnia Café. Rest in peace, Ray.

Fresh baked goods at Insomnia Café — Fresh baked goods at Insomnia Cafe

People talking in a booth at Insomnia Café — Late night conversations in the booth

Insomnia Café mug reading Sleep is for Sissies, 13718 Ventura Blvd — Sleep is for Sissies - 13718 Ventura Blvd

Caffeine formula printed on the back of an Insomnia Café mug — The science of staying awake

Vintage Insomnia Café Card — Original Insomnia Café artwork and branding from the archive

Insomnia Café Economy Grinder buy-one, bring-a-friend-for-free coffee card — The original buy-one, bring-a-friend-for-free coffee card from 13718 Ventura Boulevard

Los Angeles Times letter Leave Valley Nightspot Alone, September 2, 1992 — “Leave Valley Nightspot Alone” — Robert Sheahan's letter defending Insomnia Café as a safe, alcohol-free gathering place for young adults in Sherman Oaks

Los Angeles Times article about John Dunn and Insomnia Café, August 18, 1995 — “Insomnia Cafe Owner Moves to End Feud With Neighbors” — Kay Hwangbo reports on John Dunn's move to a private, members-only coffeehouse. Photograph by Jill Sagers / Los Angeles Times shows John holding a membership card.
Credit: Jill Sagers / Los Angeles Times

O.J. Simpson and A.C. Cowlings at Insomnia Café — from John Dunn's personal photo archive.

Behind the scenes of construction at Insomnia Café — Behind the scenes - building the cafe

Erik Hayden and John Dunn creating the golden walls of Insomnia Café — Designer Erik Hayden and John Dunn creating the golden walls of Insomnia.

Insomnia Café during construction — Insomnia Cafe under construction

The Insomnia Café space before opening — The space before opening

Setting up the coffee bar at Insomnia Café — Setting up the coffee bar

Building the counter at Insomnia Café — Crafting the iconic counter

Erik Hayden, designer of Insomnia Café — Erik Hayden, the Insomnia designer.

The iconic Insomnia Cafe branding

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Visitors at Insomnia Café — Celebs at Insomnia Cafe

Snapple Real Fact #160 — Friends was originally titled 'Insomnia Café'

Snapple Real Facts Page — Official Snapple Real Fact #160

Original Sherman Oaks Insomnia Café location as seen in Seinfeld — Sherman Oaks location as seen in Seinfeld

Insomnia Café No. 2 on Beverly Boulevard — Insomnia Café No. 2 on Beverly Blvd — opened in 1993.

John Dunn and Mark Gordon smoking cigars outside Insomnia Café in the 1990s — JD and Mark Gordon smoking stogies in front of Insomnia Café — 1990s.

Bob Cat's Birthday Cake at Insomnia Café — Bob Cat's birthday party at Insomnia Café — circa 1990s.

John Dunn with The Bold and the Beautiful Cast — John Dunn with the Bold and the Beautiful cast on location at the Insomnia Cafe set

Insomnia Cafe Set — The Bold and the Beautiful — On location at the Insomnia Cafe set for The Bold and the Beautiful

John Dunn on The Bold and the Beautiful Set — John Dunn behind the scenes with the cast at the Insomnia Cafe set

Seinfeld scene featured in John Dunn's Insomnia Café story

Coffee Mania news coverage featured in the Insomnia Café story

The Bold and the Beautiful scene featured in the Insomnia Café story

The Bold and the Beautiful cast featured in the Insomnia Café story

Family and Travel

Friends, family and time away: a surf trip, cigars in Curacao, a round at Pebble Beach and other moments from John Dunn's personal archive. Details are included only where they were recorded.

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John Dunn with a classic Ford Falcon in 1996 — John Dunn with the classic Ford Falcon, 1996

Cigars at Gus's, marked MC and JD, December 16, 1993 — Smokin' Fat Cubans at Gus's - 12-16-93 MC & JD

Friends gathered for a dinner party in Los Angeles — Dinner party, LA nights

Chris Gonzalez, Stephanie Dunn, John Dunn and Steve Bugbee in Las Vegas in the early 2000s — Early 2000s — Vegas baby! With Chris Gonzalez, Stephanie Dunn, JD, and Steve Bugbee. Rest in peace, Steve. We miss you.

Cuban cigars in Curacao with Joey Spikes

John Dunn, Bjorn, Kyle and Chuckie at Pebble Beach in 2004 — Pebble Beach with JD, Bjorn, Kyle and Chuckie — 2004.

Corby Timbrook — ZDisco Surf Trip — Corby Timbrook on a surf trip, parked next to the ZDisco 1974 VW van — circa 1970s.