Tony Powell: Former soccer star and Holloway Motel fixture

Tony Powell, a former professional soccer player for England’s Norwich City Football Club, has become the subject of a new documentary following his life as a fixture at the Holloway Motel in West Hollywood.

Powell, who was named Player of the Season in 1979, moved from England to the United States in 1981, playing for the San Jose Earthquakes and the Seattle Sounders before retiring in 1983. He eventually settled in West Hollywood, where he served as the manager of the Holloway Motel.

The motel, originally a glamorous Route 66 lodging option built in 1954, later faced challenges with crime and drug use. It is currently being converted into a shelter for unhoused individuals. Filmmakers Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman documented Powell’s transition from a celebrated athlete to a local neighborhood icon.