CLUB REVIEW : Casting Office Isn’t Going Hollywood

Chances are you won’t meet Mrs. Right, rub elbows with Oliver Stone or meet anyone of industry import at the Casting Office. But that’s what makes this Cahuenga Boulevard spot such a choice hangout.

There’s no reason to don any proverbial masks at the low-key, honky-tonk joint--unless you’re a felon on the lam. In its 18 years of operation, the Casting Office has been an off-duty police officer hangout, and true to its name, you’ll also find the occasional actor at the bar, playing darts or pinball. The only regular, however, is a Humphrey Bogart look-alike.

Like many L.A. finds, this one is tucked away in a mini-mall. People who do chance in--and the place does get packed on weekends--can explore a wide-ranging jukebox selection, from AC/DC and Garth Brooks to Bix Beiderbecke and the Doors. Add Jimi Hendrix and Marvin Gaye--also in generous supply--to the mix and you’ll understand why the customers don’t shy away from shimmying in the aisles.

And as with all things “unhip” in L.A., true hep cats favor such places, as witnessed by a recent impromptu performance at the Casting Office by L.A. power-pop quartet Wax, whose agile lead singer Joe Sib may have been the first and last performer to jam on the cigarette machine.

* The Casting Office, 3256 Cahuenga Blvd. West., Los Angeles . Over 21, (213) 851-4300.