Schiller was manning the hotel pantry one recent evening when Alex Ramirez came by to get some food. Schiller gave Ramirez a plastic container with chili mac, a piece of bread and utensils.

The Original Pantry Café, an iconic Downtown L.A. landmark featured in Knocked Up, Snowfall, The Million Dollar Hotel and many of Michael Connelly’s bestsellers featuring Detective Harry Bosch — later ...