Discover Hollywood - Summer 2021

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SUMMER 2021 COMPLIMENTARY

HOLLYWOOD discoverhollywood.com

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MAGAZ I NE

Hollywood’s Back!

New Attractions Opening

Caution:

Balancing Development with Preservation

Summer Reading

Escape into these great books!

Visual Arts • Studio Tours • Places of Interest • Where to Eat

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HOLLYWOOD

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MAGAZINE

Features

SUMMER 2021

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www.discoverhollywood.com

Moving Hollywood Forward Local leaders weigh in on Hollywood’s future

12 Hollywood at a Crossroads Hollywood Heritage’s Call to Action!

22 Villa Feliz Where art and architecture meet

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Hollywood’s Back!

New Attractions Opening

Departments 6 11 16 17 18 22

From the Editor Shopping Around Oscar’s Hollywood Places of Interest Dining Arts & Entertainment 26 30 30 31 35 36 38 38

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Visual Arts Featured Tours Museums Book Reviews Architecture Movie Studios Learning Hollywood’s Arts Getting Around Hollywood

On The Cover: That yellow caution light tells the tale of a re-emerging Hollywood at a crossroads.

Photo: Nyla Arslanian 4 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

From the Editor

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A

s the old story goes “There must be a pony in here somewhere,” as we are gradually becoming out of all that these past many months have brought us, the term introspection comes to mind.

We’ve definitely had a lot of time to reflect, to question, looking inward to what is important and outward to what is not.

It seems to me as a community observer for over 40 years, that having been holed up, restricted to our neighborhoods, to spending more family time than many ever had, to facing loss of family members, jobs, businesses and friends, the comfort and safety of home and having a sense of place has become more valuable.

A few of our community leaders share with us their vision of the future—a future that we know we are making. Rana Ghadbran, Kris Larson, Dwayne Gathers and Anastasia Mann share a bit of what they see for the central part of Hollywood. Michael Darling revisits our restaurants and the toll the pandemic took on so many. We rejoice that the venerable and beloved Musso & Frank Grill survived.

As this issue goes to print, the anticipation of returning to some semblance of our normal lives is building. Although central Hollywood is not experiencing its usual influx of visitors from around the world, there are millions of folks who live close enough for a day trip or those from the usual five-state drivable market who will soon be taking advantage of the sights and sounds of Hollywood. Anticipating our local attractions reopening, James Bartlett, uncovered some surprises.

Hollywood Heritage shares their concern for preserving Hollywood’s historic infrastructure. As an update to the Hollywood Community Plan that will soon become the planning guide for the future, its president Brian Curran and his team of preservationists have prepared a treatise that calls on all who value Hollywood’s character and, yes, sense of place, important to act and join in their efforts.

If you have been a devoted reader of Discover Hollywood, you certainly know where my heart lies. Our mission is and always has been to inform residents as well as visitors about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood. For the many years we’ve been involved with this community, it has been our highest goal to bring recognition to the history and importance of this place. It’s remarkable that we have over 300 declared landmarks and over 1,000 structures that have been surveyed and are notable for their significance to the character of our neighborhoods, both flat and hilly. Few seem to realize that Hollywood Boulevard is a National Register Historic Commercial District and much of it remains intact.

Now, more than ever, as we’ve come through a calamity of unprecedented proportions, like other disasters, it’s a time to rebuild. We’ve had time to think, now it’s time to plan and to build our new Hollywood firmly on the foundation of its memorable past. We must not forget that we are the dreammakers.

And finally, a big thank you to our advertisers who have stood by us. For this issue, a significant number of businesses—big and small—contributed as sponsors. We are humbled by their support and their acknowledgement of Discover Hollywood Magazine and our mission to provide information to residents and visitors about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood.

Nyla Arslanian

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Publisher Oscar Arslanian Editor Nyla Arslanian Design & Production The Magazine Factory Contributing Writers James Bartlett, Brian Curran Michael Darling Website Consultants COP Web Solutions Social Media & E-News Adam Fisher Sales & Marketing Shana Wong Solares, Steve Meek Out and About Online Correspondent Susan Hornik Discover Hollywood is published quarterly by

Arslanian & Associates, Inc. Oscar Arslanian, President Direct advertising inquiries and correspondence to: Discover Hollywood Magazine 5419 Hollywood Blvd., Suite C717 Hollywood, CA 90027 323-465-0533 or email oscar@discoverhollywood.com

www.discoverhollywood.com Copyright 2021 Discover Hollywood Magazine. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any way without prior written permission. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, with schedule changes, etc., it is impossible to make such a guarantee. We recommend calling to avoid disappointment.

Attention Readers

W

e are living through the most unusual of circumstances. The only thing that’s certain is uncertainty. We do not know exactly what the future will bring or in what form. But there is one thing that we do know for certain:

Presenting our Sponsors THIS ISSUE

Discover Hollywood is committed to providing information to illuminate and inform you about the unique culture and lore of this most wonderful place—Hollywood. We will continue to fulfill on this mission as long as we are able.

Residents: You receive the magazine in your mailbox in a blanket distribution in key zip code areas. Your comments and feedback through the 35 years we’ve mailed our publication have kept us going. We know that Discover Hollywood is read and appreciated.

This is a costly undertaking but worth it to reach you, our faithful readers.

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Also, please support our advertisers and let them know you saw their ad in this magazine.

Visit our website. Soon our daily calendar will be filled with the many opportunities to take advantage of the wealth of music, live theatre and comedy available in the greater Hollywood area. Sign up to receive our weekly E-News on what’s happening in Hollywood.

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SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 7

Moving Hollywood Forward

by Nyla Arslanian

H

ollywood is in my heart, but unlike many, it was never in my dreams as a wondrous starfilled utopia whose reality is a disappointment. In the 40 years I’ve been part of this community, Hollywood has always been fascinating and ever-changing.

Today as we emerge from one of the world’s greatest disasters, it seems we are at a crossroads.

We’ve been in an era of unprecedented growth; thousands of apartments have gone up with many more in the pipeline.

The same is true for our industry with new studios and production facilities being added to historic movie lots.

The question remains: Has our fame placed us in the crosshairs of growth or have we had, thanks to a pandemic a period to pause, reflect and chart a new course? As we emerge from all this, will we have discovered what is important to us as a community?

When Hollywood entered 2020, the future looked bright with promise. Netflix was poised to open its Vine Street location, the Heart of Hollywood Initiative to improve the streetscape of the famed boulevard was moving along, tourism—which had hit a high of 50 million visitors the preceding year—looked like to would keep pace or exceed those numbers. Who would have guessed, who would have imagined what was about to happen?

It wasn’t as if Hollywood hadn’t faced serious problems before. We’d survived civil unrest, arson and looting in 1990, a massive earthquake in 1994, the digging of a subway directly under Hollywood Blvd., the 9/11 tragedy, and various economic downturns. Bottom line: the town has had its share of ups and downs. With all this under our belt, the question might be: Based on past experience, will Hollywood bounce and come back better than ever? After more than a year-long shutdown, what will be the new reality?

Let’s ask the experts.

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Dwayne A. Gathers, Immediate Past Chair, Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; Creator & Host, CivitasLA podcast, keeps a keen eye on the entire region to give his perspective.

“While we don’t know what economic recovery may look like, what I do believe is that Hollywood is poised to resume its role as the central player in our regional economic progression.

Hollywood is blessed with significant tent-pole assets, key business engines driven by NBCUniversal, ViacomCBS/Paramount Pictures and Netflix. These three massive business entities foster a creative ecosystem second to none and this will all greatly benefit the Hollywood regional economy.

“Secondly, as the Los Angeles region gets set to welcome the world for a series of global events, starting with the Super Bowl in 2022, it is Hollywood’s global brand and brand recognition that will be in the spotlight, greatly benefitting our hospitality ecosystem. I am extremely excited about how Hollywood is positioned going forward.”

While the pandemic delivered catastrophic challenges, the forces of creative destruction will yield new businesses, enterprises, and opportunities in the wake of the losses endured and storefronts vacated throughout Hollywood.

Kristopher Larson, President & CEO of the Hollywood Partnership, peered into his crystal ball: “Historically, innovation and entrepreneurship have emerged from every economic downturn and led the eventual upswings. While the pandemic delivered catastrophic challenges, the forces of creative destruction will yield new businesses, enterprises, and opportunities in the wake of the losses endured and storefronts vacated throughout Hollywood. Tourism will also recover more rapidly than forecasted, which will help the hospitality sector rebound the coming months and year. In fact, vibrancy on the boulevard is rebuilding quickly. The languages spoken on the boulevard will be less diverse, as tourism will be primarily domestic in origin rather than international visitors.

We’re anticipating other Tinseltown-type signs as star ceremonies, movie premieres, and a deep pent-up demand for entertainment production return. New laws permitting a more liberal use of space for alfresco dining will likely become more permanent as people have developed a deeper appreciation for outdoor dining.

Finally, the office sector will likely remain a laggard, as many places of work continue allowing remote work at least partially.

“In early 2021, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, the Hollywood Walk of Fame Master Plan—the signature project of Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell’s “HEART of Hollywood” initiative—officially completed schematic design, the second stage toward developing a full master plan. The schematic design envisions massive overhaul for Hollywood Boulevard that will require extensive review and evaluation of underground infrastructure. In early 2021, the LA Metro Board of Directors approved approximately $7 million to help fund improvements

in the vicinity of the two transit stations at Hollywood/Highland and Hollywood/Vine on the Metro B (Red) Line and will help fund design for environmental review for a larger portion of the Walk of Fame Master Plan. Design development, the next phase of design work for the Master Plan, is expected to begin this summer. Meanwhile Councilmember O’Farrell’s team is working to develop partnerships and financing strategies to bring more resources to the project.

At press time, there is a concern for our arts community.

Los Angeles County Department of Arts & Culture study on wages and diversity states, “as arts nonprofits fight to survive the financial storm of the COVID-19 crisis, many are looking ahead to a ‘new normal’ that will likely be a hybrid of in-person and virtual, touchless, financed by new revenue streams, and more centered on meeting community needs than ever before.

This is an opportunity to reflect on mission and purpose. Arts and culture can be part of rebuilding both social cohesion and the local economy.” At this point it’s difficult to determine how this will play out.

Anastasia Mann, president of the Hollywood Hills West Neighborhood Council “We’ve enjoyed a level of civic engagement not experienced since the beginning of the neighborhood council process.

While our neighborhood council has a good following, being able to attend meetings from home via zoom has reinvigorated the process.

“Neighborhood Councils created over the past 15 years are seen as a mixed bag. Essential to the process is citizen involvecontinues SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 9

Moving Hollywood Forward continued

ment in the processes of city government. The ease of attending council board and committee meetings coupled with being able to attend and testify at city council and city department meetings without the extreme hardship of travelling downtown and sitting through lengthy meetings waiting for your item to be called has been a boon to constituents. We’d like to see this ease and convenience continue. This could be a good thing to come out of the pandemic’s shutdown.”

ABOVE: The Hollywood Partnership’s Ambassador Program includes three major areas of focus: cleaning, safety/security, and now...hospitality.

Welcome to Hollywood!

Rana Ghadban, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Finally, Rana Ghadbran, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce— which celebrates its 100th Birthday this year—has not let the pandemic slow her down a bit. Since joining the Chamber in 2019, Rana has had an ambitious agenda. Under her guidance the Chamber is thriving, but the Hollywood community is challenged. With serious social issues—namely the unhoused on our streets—she has worked to corral the business community to support and engage with many agencies serving this population. Rana currently serves as a founding board member for Hollywood4WRD, a coalition of businesses, local government officials, service providers, neighborhood representatives, and the faith community. With a call to action during the pandemic to formalize the coalition, the Hollywood Chamber Community Foundation will serve as the fiscal agent for Hollywood4WRD and assist during its formation process in order to better advocate for systemic change in Hollywood.

If there’s any one word that best describes the community of Hollywood, I vote for resilient. It has proven over and over again that it is able to withstand and recover from difficult conditions. Often knocked down, but never knocked out, working together as we always have, we see a bright future ahead. DH

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BELOW: While developing new structures and infrastructure is an ongoing process in Hollywood, so is the simple maintenance of the existing landscape...such as the regular powerwashing of the Walk of Fame stars as seen below.

where to shop

Hollywood

offers an amazing array of shops along its boulevards and avenues. While the pandemic took its toll on retail shopping everywhere, we’re beginning to open up and no matter what, it’s great to be out and about.

Amoeba Music 6200 Hollywood Blvd. Music fans head to this bustling at its new location on the famed boulevard at Argle Ave. for its huge selection of vinyl, video and CDs plus live shows. www.amoeba.com

Original Farmers Market 6333 West Third St. (323) 933-9211.Over 100 shops, grocers and restaurants, including dozens of specialty retail stores and kiosks offering everything from high fashion, to designer jewelry, souvenirs, soaps and scents, and one-of-a-kind collectibles. 2 hours free parking with validation. Hours: 9am-9pm daily. www.farmersmarketla.com

Fred Segal 8500 Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles 9069. (310) 432-0560. With over five decades of history behind it, Fred Segal Sunset continues its legacy with a 13,000 square foot one-stop lifestyle shop. The flagship features permanent shops-within-a-shop, a pop-up and event space, and a café. Locations also in Malibu, LAX, Switzerland and Taiwan. www.FredSegal.com

West Hollywood Gateway 7100 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 785-2560. This extraordinary Shopping Center houses arguably the most popular Target in the U.S. where celebrities and the Hollywood elite shop. Also includes Best Buy and numerous restaurants and shops. While there, stop by the historical Formosa Café located on the original Route 66 Highway! Who knows what local celebs you’ll run into who frequent there! www.westhollywoodgateway.com

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 11

Hollywood at a Crossroads Hollywood Heritage issues a Call to Action!

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ew American urban main streets have captured the imagination both in the United States and abroad more than Hollywood Boulevard. With its evocations of cinematic glamor, movie stars, and premiers, its reputation projects a well cultivated vision of American success and opportunity. The opportunity to be discovered, to reinvent yourself, to practice art through acting, writing, designing and directing or simply to become a star. With such a legendary renown it can be difficult to imagine Hollywood Boulevard listed on the National Register threatened facing dangers both real and imminent.

The threats confronting the National Register Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District are both recent and longstanding. Battered by a year of the coronavirus pandemic, civil unrest and economic calamity, the loss of retail, restaurants and other businesses has been catastrophic, threatening even legacy businesses such as Musso and Frank’s, Miceli’s and the last bookstore on the boulevard, Larry Edmunds. But the growing pressure of development and new proposed community plan could enshrine these threats in new zoning and planning regulations. Without changes in the proposed plan, erosion of the integrity of the district could occur which will threaten its status as a National Register District.

The Hollywood Galaxy was Hollywood Boulevard’s first new major development.

It rose on the site of the historic landmark Garden Court Apartments which succumbed to the wrecking ball.

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by Brian Curran The effects of the new plan are most felt in the central portion of the National Register District, a low rise and walkable area providing a quieter respite, between the buzzing Times Square like atmosphere of Hollywood and Highland Avenues and the nightlife hub of Hollywood and Vine. These long blocks of low-rise one and two-story buildings are lined with shopfronts, restaurants and bars and make up the heart of Hollywood Boulevard. They connect it to the residential streets to the north and south of the Boulevard and give the district its historic Main Street character. At its center is the G. Albert Landsburgh’s Spanish Renaissance Revival Warner Hollywood Theater, sadly shuttered since 1994, the last unrestored movie palace on Hollywood Boulevard. Even in good times this stretch of the boulevard struggles with a high turnover of tenants, neglected buildings, and poor street lighting.

To protect this historic resource, Hollywood Heritage has created its Vision Hollywood 2021, laying out principles and specifics for how Hollywood Community Plan Update can be amended to fulfill goals for preserving Hollywood’s historic infrastructure. Throughout the U.S. and the world, cities have shown that promoting sustainable re-use of existing buildings, maintaining, and enhancing historic affordable housing, creates livable and enjoyable environments for residents and visitors.

Hollywood Heritage, established in 1980, was instrumental in the survey of historic buildings resulting in the listing of the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District on the National Register in 1985. When Paramount Pictures moved the first movie studio—an old barn originally located at

LEFT: When first renovated, former Hillview Apartments (now The Hudson) was a bright spot on The Boulevard.

BELOW: Historic Earl Carroll Theatre is under restoration and now flanked by two major new apartment projects.

Selma and Vine—it was Hollywood Heritage who took on the challenge ultimately relocated it opposite the Hollywood Bowl. Known as the Hollywood Heritage Museum, that was the first of its landmark preservation efforts which included the Wattles Mansion and providing input to the restoration of the El Capitan, The Egyptian, and the Pantages Theatres and, most recently, the Earl Carroll Theatre. With the support of the Community Redevelopment Agency and its Hollywood Redevelopment Project, HH supported the professional identification of historic resources producing a list of nearly 1,000 landmarks within Central Hollywood area.

While pandemic restrictions caused a halt to all manner of activities, construction and development in Hollywood continued in earnest. According to the Hollywood Partnership, of a total of 77 projects are slated for the Hollywood area, 38 of which are in the historic core on and around Hollywood Boulevard. At the same time the City of Los Angeles Planning Department pushed forward with its review process for the Hollywood Community Plan Update, which will determine new zoning for Hollywood Boulevard. While a new community plan is necessary to manage Hollywood’s continued growth and need for affordable housing, the plan as written has the potential to threaten the majority of Hollywood’s historic buildings, including many within the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District.

Of all the Hollywood Community Plan components, the most significant is the “Land Use Plan” which, according to the Hollywood Heritage, has the potential for historic buildings to be razed; and neighborhoods and districts to lose cohesiveness, historic character, and livability.

While the plan itself states, “Hollywood’s renaissance over the past two decades has been spurred by the rehabilitation and adaptive reuse of its remarkable historical resources. From the revitalization of Hollywood’s historical theaters to the conversion of historical commercial buildings to new housing opporcontinues SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 13

vard’s modest 1920s commercial storefronts nor its more recognizable monuments such as Graumann’s Chinese Theater from the well-funded development threats.

Anyone who has worked or lived in Hollywood sees the vast potential—a vibrant Boulevard that preserves historic character for the future. It is incumbent upon Hollywood Heritage, the Hollywood Partnership, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and Councilman Mitch O’Farrell of District 13 to work with LA City Planning and the Office of Historic Resources to include detailed and strong protections for historic resources throughout Hollywood, and specifically for the National Register Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District.

What then is required from the City Planning Department and the Hollywood Community Plan Update? Hollywood Heritage’s Vision Hollywood 2021 has principles and positions to protect historic resources, save historic Hollywood and historic affordable housing and stop the displacement of Hollywood’s communities. It asks that a list of professionally identified historic resources be certified that Hollywood’s significant buildings—National Regiscontinued

tunities, historic preservation and rehabilitation has enhanced Hollywood’s authenticity and economic vitality,” it provides a series of goals and policies but little process and implementation.

There is no policy which supported such adaptive re-use projects as the Broadway, the Taft and the Equitable Buildings bringing new life to the corner of Hollywood and Vine.

This lack of clarity regarding protections for historic buildings and compatible new design may not protect Hollywood BouleRIGHT: The Janes House, a Queen Anne/Dutch Colonial Revival landmark from 1903, was moved off Hollywood Boulevard to make room for small shopping complex.

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ter, California Register and surveyed— have equivalent review procedures developed for Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monuments and Historic Preservation Overlay Zones and that new and additional information regarding the Hollywood Blvd National Register District’s architecturally and culturally significant buildings be incorporated into the plan.

Hollywood can and will change, welcoming those in pursuit of a new life, a new career, or a new dream, and it can still preserve the history, the architecture, the communities, and the attributes that make it a draw for people from around the world. Hollywood Heritage’s Vision Hollywood 2021 can ensure this, melding affirmative planning for preservation and the protection of historic Hollywood’s buildings and districts for the future.

To realize the dream, it will take a groundswell of voices joined together.

For, above all, Hollywood belongs to the people of the world. DH Brian Curran, recently elected President of Hollywood Heritage Inc., has been at the forefront of the protection of endangered heritage for two decades. Having studied Historic Preservation at Columbia University in New York, he went on to work with the World Monuments Fund and was later named Director of Projects for the WMF in Britain.

In 2011, he joined the Global Heritage Fund to assist in the funding and development of international conservation and community building projects. Brian writes a monthly column for the Larchmont Chronicle and has also authored three books, The Lost World of Pompeii, St. Petersburg and Vanishing Histories all with the late British architectural historian, critic and heritage activist Colin Amery.

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 15

Oscar’s Hollywood

Discover Hollywood Special Report

by Oscar Arslanian

C

BS Television City at Beverly & Fairfax is about to enter the future as TVC2050. Los Angeles based Hackman Capital Partners has a planned $1 billion plus investment to modernize the complex, create thousands of entertainment jobs, and reaffirm Los Angeles’ status as the entertainment capital of the world.

Since Television City opened its gates in 1952, it has been home to iconic shows from All In The Family and The Judy Garland Show to American Idol and Dancing With The Stars. Designed by architect William Pereira, the original master plan had focused on flexibility and adaptability, and called for the development of dozens of stages and multi-story office buildings. TVC2050 will finally realize his futuristic vision.

The four original stages will be preserved and restored, and over one million square feet of production space—soundstages, production office, support space— will expand TVC’s operational capacity. The project will also include nearly four acres of basecamp and parking structures to accommodate approximately 5,300 vehicles.

Rapidly evolving technological needs and growing demand for stage space necessitate the modernization, and an estimated 18,760 direct, indirect, and induced jobs —as well as $2.4 billion annually in new economic output—will result upon completion.

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TVC2050 artist’s conception This plan will deliver new, technology-rich studio facilities that content creators demand and provide the ability to adapt to an ever-evolving entertainment industry, keeping production and jobs in Los Angeles. For more information, visit tvc2050.com. DH

Places

of interest Chase Bank/Millard Sheets 1500 N. Vine St. Unusual mosaics, murals and stained glass created by noted California artist Millard Sheets depict Hollywood personalities.

Chateau Marmont 8221 Sunset Blvd. (323) 656-1010. Since 1929, this castle-like hotel has been popular with stars for its privacy. From secret romances to untimely deaths, guests include Errol Flynn, Bob Dylan, Paul Newman, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Jim Morrison, Marilyn Monroe, Mick Jagger, and John Belushi who died there. www.chateaumarmont.com

Amoeba Records’ new home on Hollywood Blvd. at Argyle (see Where to Shop page 11) Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Mary Pickford Center 1313 N. Vine St. Built in 1949, first Hollywood TV studio. Early shows and sitcoms including Queen for a Day and I Love Lucy broadcast from here. Includes 286-seat Linwood Dunn Theater, Academy offices and Academy Film Archive. www.oscars.org/about/facilities/linwood-dunn-theater American Film Institute 2021 N. Western Ave. (323) 856-7600. Historic Immaculate Heart College’s campus buildings now house famed institute and one of the best film and video libraries in the world. www.afi.com American Society of Cinematographers 1782 N. Orange Dr. (323) 969-4333. Built in 1903, this classic Mission Revival residence has been lovingly cared for by the Society since 1936. www.theasc.com

Cinerama Dome 6360 Sunset Blvd. (323) 464-1478. Restored as part of the Arclight Hollywood movie-going experience, the unique geodesic-shaped theatre designed by Buckminster Fuller was built in 1963. www.arclightcinemas.com Columbia Square 6121 Sunset Blvd. Originally a CBS broadcasting center for many early radio and TV shows, the development features a 20-story residential tower, new office buildings and underground parking. www.columbiasquare.com Crossroads of the World 6671 Sunset Blvd. Historical landmark built in 1936 as “the world’s first modern shopping center.” An architectural potpourri with Streamline Moderne, Tudor, Moorish, French Provincial and pseudo Spanish styles. Used for locations for films L.A. Confidential, Indecent Proposal and Argo. Now an office complex. www.crossroadshollywood.com

De Longpre Park 1350 Cherokee Ave. (323) 664-1407. A lovely old “pocket” park in neighborhood one block south of Sunset Blvd. Jerry Fuller wrote Travelin’ Man (recorded by Rick Nelson) here. Features sculptures honoring Rudolph Valentino.

Academy Awards/Dolby Theatre 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 308-6300. Inside the Hollywood & Highland complex. Home of the Academy Awards. www.dolbytheatre.com Larry Edmunds Book Store 6644 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 463-3273. Believed to have the largest collection of theatre and film related books in Los Angeles, offers photographs, posters and other memorabilia from the movies. www.larryedmunds.com Egyptian Theatre 6712 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 461-2020. Built in 1922 by impresario Sid Grauman. Egyptian décor inspired by 1920’s King Tut craze complete with hieroglyphics and murals. Site of Hollywood’s first movie premiere, Robin Hood with Douglas Fairbanks and Cecil B. DeMille premiered The Ten Commandments here in 1923. Recently bought by Netflix, American Cinematheque also presents programs here. www.egyptiantheatre.com El Capitan Theatre 6838 Hollywood Blvd. (818) 845-3110. Built in 1925 as a stage and movie theater, Orson Welles‘ Citizen Kane premiered here in 1941. Renovations in 1942 concealed its lavish interior restored in the 1980s. Now the venue for most Disney film premieres. elcapitantheatre.com

Places continues on page 19

Bronson Caves 3200 Canyon Dr. Used as backdrop for countless movies and TV shows such as Gunsmoke and Bonanza, the jungle island in the original King Kong, a distant planet in Star Trek: The Movie, and the entrance to Batman’s Bat Cave in TV’s Batman and the first Batman movie.

Cahuenga Pass/US101 Named “Cahuenga” or “Little Hills” by the Tongva tribe of Native Americans. The ancient way through the hills was travelled by Spanish explorer Don Gaspar de Portola in the 18th century and later by the American frontiersman Kit Carson.

Capitol Records 1750 N. Vine St. World’s first circular office building was built in 1956, the light on its rooftop spire flashes “H-O-L-LY-W-O-O-D” in Morse code. Gold albums of its many artists displayed in lobby. John Lennon and other Capitol artists’ stars on sidewalk.

Artist Richard Wyatt’s LA Jazz mural in tile depicts jazz greats. www.capitolstudios.com Château Élysée/Church of Scientology Celebrity Centre International 5930 Franklin Ave. (323) 960-3100. Built in the late 1920s, Hollywood’s first residential hotel, guests included Clark Gable, Bette Davis, Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and Ginger Rogers. Now owned by Church of Scientology. www.manor-scientology.org

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 17

Dining

where to eat

O

ur overall philosophy during the entire pandemic was to take care of our team and do as much as we could financially to get them through the pandemic,” says Musso & Frank owner Mark Echeverria. It was determined early on that without indoor dining, the 102year-old restaurant was shuttered for most of the pandemic. While the restaurant was able to pay its employees in full for the first two weeks of the shut-down, after longtime customers began sending checks to the restaurant, a GoFundMe was established for the staff. The Musso Employee Relief Fund raised $100,000 and helped ensure that 78 of Musso’s 84 pre-pandemic staff members were able to return to work when the restaurant reopened in May. Echeverria promises that the postCOVID Musso’s will be roughly the same as what you remember. “The menu is 99% intact and no prices have been raised more than a dollar. The only difference now will be the COVID protocols.”

Unlike Musso & Frank, Miceli’s, Hollywood’s oldest Italian restaurant, continued operating during the pandemic, adapting on the fly to new restrictions and protocols. Owner Frank Miceli and his staff set up a few tables on the sidewalk outside the restaurant, but that meant having to worry about diners’ exposure to people walking around without masks and other outdoor issues. The pandemic has taken a financial toll on Miceli’s, as well as a physical one. When some customers balked at the use of cheap folding tables for al fresco dining, the restaurant moved their heavy dining tables out front. “We started using the stuff from inside outside to class it up a little bit,” says

Miceli. With indoor dining now at 50% capacity, the restaurant is starting to feel like its old self again. Although the restaurant also used GoFundMe, Frank Miceli is concerned that they may need a government loan to survive.

Surprisingly, acclaimed chef Nancy Silverton’s new restaurant in the Hollywood Roosevelt, although primed to open in March 202, The Barish last fall, the restaurant opened its dining room in April. While Silverton thinks people have enjoyed the convenience of delivery or honing their own cooking skills at home; she also believes people will still want the experience of a nice dinner out.

“Many people wonder if fine dining will ever go back to the way it used to be. Will people want to go back to sitting shoulder-to-shoulder?,” wonders Silverton, adding “It will take more time to get back to 100% normalcy, but we’re very optimistic.”

It's hard to tell what the future will hold for Hollywood’s restaurants, but Echeverria remains optimist. After all, Musso’s opened during the 1918 influenza pandemic. While he doesn’t know how the restaurant operated back then, he was able to look over his greatgrandfather’s notes from the Great Depression and World War II for advice on how to operate in hard times. “Their approach was always very long term and community-centric,” he says.

Hopefully, with the pandemic waning, diners and restaurants can come together as a community to support Hollywood’s beloved restaurants. ~ Michael Darling

25 Degrees 7000 Hollywood Blvd. (323)785-7244. Hands down the best burger on the Boulevard! Menu fills every craving from rancher’s eggs and griddle favorities in the morning to draft beers and spiked shakes at night. Grab a plush leather booth or bar seating. Open 7am-10pm; breakfast til 11 am; limited all day menu. Delivery available.

Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 467-7788. Once you savor the superior food and drink, soak in the unparalleled history, you’ll understand why tastemakers and power brokers keep coming back. Ready to be wowed by legendary service and savoir-faire? Step into our door and into another time. Tue-Sat 11am-11pm. Sun 4-9pm. Closed Mon. www.mussoandfrank.com

The Cat and Fiddle Restaurant and Pub 742 N. Highland Ave. (323)468-3800. A Hollywood institution since 1982. Offering lunch and dinner daily. Homemade British specialties like Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Beef Wellington, a lovely Sunday Roast; also burgers, salads and more! Vegan and catering. www.thecatandfiddle.com Market Tavern At The Original Farmers Market, 3rd & Fairfax Ave. 323-452-9299. A stylish British gastro-pub with a rock n’ roll vibe, offering the best in British comfort food, including classics like Full English Breakfast, Sunday Roast and homemade meat pies plus vegetarian options. With 24 beers on tap and a stunning cocktail menu, come here to rub shoulders with Hollywood’s creative community in their favorite local meet-up. Outside patio Miceli’s Italian Restaurant 1646 N. Las Palmas Ave. (323) 466-3438. Hollywood’s oldest Italian Restaurant. Owned and Operated by the Miceli Family since 1949.

Lunch. Dinner. Take-out. Free delivery. Banquet Facilities. Full Bar. Live Piano. Singing Servers. www.micelisrestaurant.com

The Original Farmers Market 3rd St. & Fairfax Ave. (323) 933-9211. A Los Angeles favorite for over 75 years. Enjoy over 30 eateries ranging from Japanese to Texas barbecue. The ultimate in casual dining. www.farmersmarketla.com Pink’s Hot Dogs 709 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. (323) 931-4223. The ultimate Mom and Pop hot dog stand. It's a Hollywood love story, starting with Paul & Betty Pink selling hot dogs from a cart on a neighborhood street corner at La Brea & Melrose in 1939. Pink’s is renowned for its delicious variety of hot dogs and hamburgers, huge portions, and affordable prices. Its historic, fun atmosphere is considered a quintessential Hollywood experience, particularly for the late-night club crowd. Hours: Sun-Thurs 9:30am-2am, Fri- Sat 9:30am to 3am. www.pinkshollywood.com Raffalo’s Pizza 1657 N La Brea Ave., (323) 462-1344 or (323) 851-4022. “The best pizza in town.” Since 1977 serving pizza, dinners, sandwiches, salads, beer and wine in a rustic setting at the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and La Brea Ave. They deliver to home or office. SunThurs 11am-11pm, Fri and Sat 11am12am. www.raffallospizzala.com Village Pizzeria 131 N. Larchmont Blvd. (323) 465-5566.

Pizza, pasta, salads, sandwiches, soup. Free delivery; catering. Homemade meatballs, sausage, sauces, dressings, hand-spun dough prepared daily. Larchmont location includes sit down waiter service with beer and wine. From Brooklyn to San Francisco to Los Angeles. www.villagepizzeria.net

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Places

of interest

Continued from page 17 The Original Farmers Market 6333 W. 3rd St. (323) 933-9211. World-famous market, a Los Angeles tradition for more than 80 years. The Grove shopping and entertainment complex was added adjacent to the market in 2002, making this a first-rate attraction and shopping destination. www.farmersmarketla.com (See feature this issue) Ferndell Trail and Nature Museum Ferndell Dr. & Los Feliz Blvd. 5375 Red Oak Dr. Settled by Gabrielino Indians over 10,000 years ago, now a quarter-mile walking trail set along a stream banked by tropical plants imported from all over the world. Used often as a film and TV location, most recently for La La Land. www.laparks.org/griffithpark#attractions

Hudson Apartments (formerly Hillview Apartments) 6533 Hollywood Blvd. Built by movie moguls Jesse Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn in 1917. Broadway actors who left New York for Hollywood had a difficult time finding housing. Most boarding houses had signs “No Actors and No Dogs Allowed.”

Historic Hollywood In 1886, Kansas prohibitionist Harvey Wilcox and his wife, Daeida, bought 120 acres of the Cahuenga Valley and named their home “Hollywood.” The serious explorer can read John Pashdag’s Hollywoodland U.S.A., Charles Lockwood’s Guide to Hollywood, Hollywood: The First 100 Years pictorial history by Bruce Torrance and Early Hollywood by Marc Wanamaker and Robert W. Nudelman.

Griffith Observatory 2800 Observatory Rd. (213) 473-0800. Art deco landmark located in the popular Griffith Park features a state-of-the-art planetarium, sweeping city views, and various exhibits. Location for final scenes from classic Rebel Without a Cause.

Closed Monday. Free. www.griffithobservatory.org

Hollywood American Legion Post #43 2035 N. Highland Ave. (323) 851-3030. Glittering example of Egyptian Revival/Moroccan art deco was built in 1929 and perhaps one of the most spectacular Veterans’ facilities in the U.S. Still active, past members include Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, Gene Autry, Ronald Reagan, Ernest Borgnine and Adolph Menjou. www.hollywoodpost43.org

Griffith Park 4730 Crystal Springs Dr. (323) 913-4688. Celebrating its centennial, this is not only a historic park but also the largest city park in the U.S. Provides hiking and riding trails, golf, tennis, playgrounds, pony rides, travel museum, zoo and majestic hilltop observatory. www.laparks.org/griffithpark

Hollywood Athletic Club 6525 Sunset Blvd. (323) 460-6360. Built in 1924 as an ultra-exclusive club, it was the site of the first Emmy Awards in 1949. Members included Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Buster Crabbe, John Wayne, Walt Disney, Abbott and Costello, and Bela Lugosi. www.thehollywoodathleticclub.com

Artist George Sportelli’s Frank Sinatra mural next to Miceli’s Restaurant Hollywood Boulevard The famed Boulevard is a designated National Historic Register Entertainment and Commercial District.

Many Hollywood hopefuls have walked “The Boulevard of Broken Dreams” and imagined their names embedded in the sidewalk stars.

Hollywood Bowl 2301 Highland Ave. An important piece of Los Angeles performing arts history and world-class cultural attraction, the 60-acre site, famous for its acoustics, opened in 1921. Note the Art Deco fountain at the Highland Ave. entrance with the figure of a harpist sculpted in granite by George Stanley (who also sculpted the original Oscar statuette as designed by Cedric Gibbons). www.hollywoodbowl.com

Places continues on page 32

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 19

! w The e Hollywood N Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of the Hollywood

T

he Hollywood Chamber of Commerce recently unveiled the Hollywood Walk of Fame Mural, to commemorate and celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the iconic stretch of bedazzled pavement, festooned with the names of beloved stars in many creative categories. The mural enhances the wall along Hollywood Boulevard adjacent to the Roosevelt Hotel and will remain for three years.

Designed to entice and engage locals and visitors to Hollywood and encourage the return of the exciting and thriving community that is Hollywood.

This 100-foot long artwork is a tribute to Hollywood and the Walk of Fame and was created by artist Ian “Anthroe” Roberston-Salt and facilitated by L.A. Art Share.

The mixed media mural consists of a detailed graphic design mesh banner and painted imagery. Robertson-Salt conducted months of comprehensive research on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and met with the Walk of Fame Mural Committee that provided community input to the process.

The mural is an explosion of imagery that will not only provide an exciting backdrop for photos, it will also engage onlookers who take the time to study all that it entails. The work has three distinct sections, at the time there is a timeline, with the middle portion partially painted on the wall

20 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

Walk of Fame Mural

Walk of Fame and the 100th Birthday of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce

and on the vinyl depicting star categories, certain recipients and familiar sites along the Walk of Fame. The bottom portion brings all this history into the present.

The mural presents a comprehensive story of the history of the Walk of Fame from its beginning, capturing its 60year history, the diversity and the beauty of the Walk of Fame and its recipients since the first star belonging to director Stanley Kramer was placed on the sidewalk in 1960.

“We’re so excited to bring this historic piece of artwork to Hollywood Boulevard. We feel honored to be able to celebrate Hollywood’s rich and diverse history with this incredible Walk of Fame Anniversary mural” said Rana Ghadban, President and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. “In partnership with Art Share L.A. and Anthroe, one of L.A.’s most innovative artists, we have chosen to depict some of our everlasting Hollywood icons. We anticipate seeing locals and tourists alike reconnect and rediscover the Hollywood experience.”

In addition to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the Hollywood Historic Trust, Hollywood Hotel, Hollywood Museum, Hollywood Partnership, Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, and Variety sponsored the mural. DH

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 21

by Nyla Arslanian

ulti-million dollar homes are a common commodity throughout the greater Hollywood area and beyond. Considering that the astonishing average cost of single family homes in Los Angeles County exceeds $700,000, it's surprising that even during a pandemic buyers are snapping up homes, often having to compete as realtors field multiple offers.

According to real estate broker Jay Schoenfeldt, who specializes in residential and multi-family properties, "We are in an unprecedented sellers’ market; the current market demand is absolutely in their favor. One out of three recent home sales in Los Feliz, Hollywood Hills, Hancock Park, and West Hollywood sold for more than the list price. Updated and move-in-ready properties are the most in demand and it's common to see these sell at 15 percent or more above list price.”

Always on the lookout for exceptional properties to feature, one of the most distinctive properties to come on the market recently, tweaked our interest—not because of its provenance, architecture or even a past celebrity owner—but because it is a project of a noted fashion designer.

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Renamed Villa Feliz, this extraordinary 6,106 square foot, six-bedroom, eight-bath home is a rambling 1928 Spanish-style Andalusian hacienda with vintage Hollywood glamour—exquisitely reimagined by renowned Hollywood fashion designer Sue Wong—is causing quite a stir. No stranger to Hollywood glamour, Wong incorporated her fashion sense with her love of the Golden Age. What

It’s important for everyone to surround themselves with all forms of Beauty that in turn fuel and inspire their own sense of well-being, creativity, and lifestyle. better place to put this amalgam of style to work than this exceptional treasure from the past?

The sense of style and glamour is Sue Wong’s stock in trade. No stranger to restoring historic properties, in 2004, she acquired The Cedars, a hilltop villa in Los Feliz, originally built in 1926 for French film director and screenwriter Maurice Tourneur and—it’s said—rented by legendary actress Norma Talmadge.

Born in a remote country village in Southern China, Sue and her family immigrated to Los Angeles. The daughter of struggling immigrants, there was no budget for toys. Sue would create her own paper dolls and their entire lavish wardrobe. She started making her own clothes when she was nine years old using her mother’s Singer sewing machine.

Chosen to be a member of the May Company Teen Board, she had the opportunity to work in various capacities including modeling, window display and merchandising.

While pursuing her Fashion Degree, she apprenticed with resource brand Arpeja, eventually becoming its head designer and increasing its sales from $5 million to $50 million. Sue Wong launched her namesake brand with an initial collection of day dresses and separates to critical acclaim in 1985.

In 1999, she introduced more elaborate evening wear, a move that firmly established her signature style of haute glamour, femininity and romantic vintage sensibilities. Her celebrity clientele includes Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Vanessa Minnillo, Kelly Osbourne, and Tyra Banks. In 2019, a sensational exhibit of her fashion was on display at the LA Art Show.

Wong describes herself as a visual artist and creative intuitive. She rose in the fashion industry without formal education in the field. Following her own star in fashion as well as real estate, her latest creation, Villa Feliz reflects her attention to beauty and detail.

The resort-style home sits on a sun-draped 15,000 square foot corner lot near the entrance to Griffith Park’s Ferndell. Every detail was envisioned to elevate the house to a “Living Canvas of Art.” Touring the residence, it is obvious that Wong used the home as a canvas for her palette of jewel tones, whimsical tile work and attention to detail. Nowhere does this house

Sue Wong (left) designed the “Tree of Life” stained glass window as the focal point of the villa (above).

The house has been totally reimagined...a lush visual feast. Available with all art and furnishings! show its age. From the gracious flow of entertainment spaces on its main level to the spacious bedrooms above, this is a home built for all the fun and excitement that the Roaring 20s could muster.

Set on lush, parklike grounds with ancient sycamore trees providing shade and connection to Griffith Park’s continues SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 23

Imported Talavera tile and mosaics add visual interest and color throughout the home. continued

Ferndell Canyon directly across the street, there’s ample room to enjoy the outdoor patio and nearby pool. With ample grounds surrounding the home, there’s a lawn with plenty of space for kids and pets, artistically designed succulent plantings and even a tinkling tile-studded fountain—all designed by Wong.

Staging—that is, furnishing—a home for sale is a required expense for a seller. What makes the Villa Feliz a standout is that the home has been reimagined and furnished by noted fashion designer Sue Wong herself and all furnishings are available.

Should a prospective buyer choose, they can purchase an entire furnished, turnkey home. From the Klimt-inspired stain glass window to the tile work throughout the home, every detail is a fully executed reflection of Sue Wong’s notable style.

This remarkable property epitomizes Wong’s life view and the importance of one’s environment.

“I always advise that one should pay attention to one’s surroundings...because paintings, photos, designed and living spaces on the whole are all art. It’s therefore im-

24 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

portant for everyone to surround themselves with all forms of beauty that in turn fuel and inspire their own sense of well-being, creativity and lifestyle. Beautiful environments are inspiring spaces where creativity can flow freely. I design furnishings and living spaces as sanctuaries invoking a continuous process of self-healing and transformation.”

Listed at $5,995,000, Markus Canter of St. James/Canter of Beverly Hills has the listing (310) 704-4248; Email: markus@stjamescanter.com. DH

Save Hollywood for uture enerations!

F G • The Past is our heritage • The Present is our responsibility • The Future is our challenge

Vision for Hollywood 2021:

S

• STOP demolishing historic Hollywood!

• STOP the destruction of affordable housing!

• STOP the displacement of our communities!

upport a Hollywood Community Plan Update that protects historic buildings and existing affordable housing. Stand with us to celebrate Hollywood’s diverse communities! With your support we can help Hollywood grow and thrive while preserving the very culture, character and community that makes Hollywood a beacon of creativity and magic for the entire world!

For over 40 years, Hollywood Heritage has helped preserve the best of Hollywood and its unparalleled historic context—such as saving the barn that was the first film studio, creating National Historic status of Hollywood’s world famous boulevard and buildings. Visit our

®

Preservation Resource Center and see Hollywood in Miniature.Become a member today!

Senior 65+ $25 Individual $40 Household $50 Triangle $100 (includes premium gifts)

All memberships include free admission to the Hollywood Heritage Museum.

www.hollywoodheritage.org

A rts Entertainment &

Visual arts

In a joyous celebration of art, the L.A. Art Show returns to the Los Angeles Convention Center July 29- August 1 and will again feature a vast array of paintings, sculpture, multi-media to the delight of collectors and appreciators from near and far. The 4-day extravaganza is the most comprehensive international contemporary art show in America. More than 200,000 square feet of exhibition space is committed today’s prominent galleries. These domestic and international galleries, beyond their booths, curate special exhibits that are at the forefront of the burgeoning contemporary art movement. The fair offers an extraordinary array of works and experiences in its specialized sections of modern and contemporary art.

LACE: Tanya Aguiñiga, Metabolizing the Border, 2020.

Photo by Gina Clyne.

Arena Cinelounge 6464 Sunset Blvd. (323) 924-1644. Hollywood’s initimate art house presents new and classic feature films every night.

Private cinema bookings. www.arenascreen.com

Meliksetian |Briggs: Yifan Jiang Plaza Monkeys, 2020, oil on canvas Gallery 1988 7308 Melrose Ave. (323) 937-7088. www.nineteeneightyeight.com Gallery 825 (LA Art Association) 825 N. La Cienega Blvd. (310) 652-8272. Founded in 1925, LAAA has launched the art careers of many celebrated artists and played a central role in the formation of Los Angeles' arts community. www.laaa.org Gemini G.E.L. 8365 Melrose Ave. (323) 651-0513. www.geminigel.com Hamilton-Selway Fine Art 8678 Melrose Ave. (310) 657-1711. www.hamiltonselway.com Japan House 6801 Hollywood Blvd., Level 2. (800) 516-0565. An innovative project of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, fosters awareness and appreciation for Japan around the world by showcasing the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, technology, and more. www.japanhouse.com Kohn Gallery 1227 N. Highland Ave. (323) 461-3311. www.kohngallery.com

Artplex Gallery 7377 Beverly Blvd. (323) 452-9628. www.artspacewarehouse.com

KP Projects Gallery 633 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 933-4408. www.kpprojects.net

Artspace Warehouse 7358 Beverly Blvd. (323) 936-7020. www.artspacewarehouse.com

LA><ART 7000 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 871-4140. www.laxart.org

Barnsdall Art Park 4800 Hollywood Blvd. Includes L.A. Municipal Art Gallery, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Hollyhock House, Gallery Theatre, Junior Arts Center and Barnsdall Art Center. www.barnsdall.org (See PLACES)

Launch Gallery 170 S. La Brea Ave., upstairs. (323) 899-1363. www.launchla.org

Michael Benevento 3712 Beverly Blvd. (323) 874-6400. www.beneventolosangeles.com Tanya Bonakdar Gallery 1010 N Highland Ave. (323) 380-7172. www.tanyabonakdargallery.com Corita Art Center 5515 Franklin Ave. (323) 450-4650. The Joyous Revolutionary, a chronological overview of activist, artist, teacher and former nun Corita Kent. Reservations recommended. www.corita.org Deitch Projects Gallery 925 N Orange Drive. (323) 925-3000. Former MOCA director Jeffrey Deitch returns to LA with a gallery for museum-scale exhibitions.deitch.com/los-angeles Fahey/Klein Gallery 148 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 934-2250. www.faheykleingallery.com

26 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

La Luz de Jesus Gallery 4633 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 666-7667. Located inside the Soap Plant/Wacko. www.laluzdejesus.com Leica Gallery Los Angeles 8783 Beverly Blvd. (424) 777-0341. www.leicagalleryla.com Libertine 6817 Melrose Ave. (213) 454-0995. www.libertine.org Los Angeles Center of Photography 1515 Wilcox Ave. (323) 464-0909. Hosts classes, workshops, and shows. www.lacphoto.org Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) 6522 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 957-1777. Cutting-edge multi-media exhibitions. Thru Aug 14: Intergalactix: Against Isolation/contra el aislamiento is an exhibition that brings together artworks examining the violence that is generated from physical and conceptual borders, and severe immigration policies. www.welcometolace.org

Mr. Musichead: Elton John rockin’ at Dodger Stadium 1975 Photo by Terry O’Neill

Nonaka-Hill 720 N Highland Ave. (323) 450-9409. www.nonaka-hill.com Overduin & Co. 6693 Sunset Blvd. (323) 464-3600. www.overduinandco.com

Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) 4800 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 644-6269. A facility of L.A. Dept. of Cultural Affairs in Barnsdall Park. www.lamag.org M+B 612 N. Almont Dr. (310) 550-0050. www.mbart.com

Pacific Design Center 8687 Melrose Ave. (310) 657-0800. www.pacificdesigncenter.com Radiant Space 1444 N Sierra Bonita Ave. (323) 522-4496. www.radiantspacela.com Regen Projects 6750 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 276-5424. www.regenprojects.com

Mak Center at the Schindler House 835 N. Kings Rd. (323) 651-1510. Preserves the vitality of the Rudolf M. Schindler House and Studio (1922). www.makcenter.org Matthew Marks Gallery 1062 North Orange Grove and 7818 Santa Monica Blvd.

(323) 654-1830. www.matthewmarks.com Meliksetian | Briggs 313 N. Fairfax. (310) 625-7049. Gallery exhibits international contemporary art since 2012. Exclusive representative of the Estate of Bas Jan Ader. www.meliksetianbriggs.com Nino Mier Gallery 7277 Santa Monica Blvd. (#1)/7313 Santa Monica Blvd. (#2)/1107 Greenacre Ave. (323) 498-5957. Three West Hollywood locations. www.miergallery.com Morrison Hotel Gallery 1200 Alta Loma Rd. (310) 881-6025. Features inspiring and iconic images of famous musicians. www.morrisonhotelgallery.com Moskowitz Bayse 743 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 790-4882. www.moskowitzbayse.com Mr. Musichead 7420 Sunset Blvd. (323) 876-0042. Celebrating 20 years! The first gallery in Los Angeles devoted exclusively to the art and images of music. www.mrmusichead.com Shulamit Nazarian 616 N La Brea Ave. (310) 281-0961. www.shulamitnazarian.com New Image Art 7920 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 654-2192. www.newimageartgallery.com

George Stern Fine Arts: George Robert Sherriff (1860-1934) Malibu Coast. c.1925 Oil on Canvas, 213⁄4" x 291⁄2" Diane Rosenstein Gallery 831 N. Highland Ave. (323) 462-2790. www.dianerosenstein.com George Stern Fine Arts 501 N Robertson Blvd. (310) 276-2600. Specializes in California Impressionism and American Scene painting. www.sternfinearts.com Louis Stern Fine Arts 9002 Melrose Ave. (310) 276-0147. www.louissternfinearts.com Steve Turner Contemporary 6830 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 460-6830. www.steveturner.la VSF (Various Small Fires) 812 N. Highland Ave. (310) 426-8040. www.vsf.la SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 27

Hollywood’s Back!

S

by James Bartlett

ummer is here, and Hollywood is reopening after the long months of lockdown. We have selected a few of the best experiences in the central Hollywood area, so check online before you go, and be aware that COVID-19 restrictions and safety measures are in place.

Griffith Park

The 4,210-acre Griffith Park never closed to walkers, and Park Superintendent Stefanie Smith says that “hiking exploded during the pandemic, with more people than ever making use of the 53 miles of trails. Family picnicking was a big hit too, especially with the beaches closed.”

Now the park’s many attractions—pony rides, the Travel Town railway museum, the LA Zoo, the much-loved antique Merry-Go-Round—are back, with the Griffith Observatory due to open in late June. The Greek Theatre will continue its 1950s throwback as a drive-in movie theatre for a least a couple more months, with live music shows planned beginning in August.

Hollywood Bowl/Ford Theatre

They delighted us with online concerts over the last year, but music fans will be keen to get back into these open-air auditoriums, as is “the dude” Gustavo Dudamel, who is conducting the LA Phil. “We all feel a profound sense of joy and gratitude to be able to once again share music with you,” he said of the upcoming season.

Enjoy pop, rock, soundtracks, jazz, bossa nova, funk and fireworks at the legendary Bowl, while opposite at the Ford you can also find dance performances, folk, drumming, and the Improvised Shakespeare Company ( July 31). “We wanted this season to be a celebration, bringing communities together that make Los Angeles unlike any other city,” said Cynthia Fuentes, Director of The Ford.

Japan House LA

At the Hollywood and Highland complex, their two floors and 14,000 square feet welcome visitors seven days a week (with reservations) to showcases of Japanese art, food, design and technology.

Reconnecting: A Vision of Unity is Kengo Kito’s first U.S. exhibition, and he uses hula hoops to create a unified structure, symbolizing the interconnectedness of humanity. After the unprecedented challenges of this past year, we have all been yearning to reconnect, and we hope that the playfulness of this will help lift the spirits of our visitors,” said Japan House LA president, Yuko Kaifu.

Hollywood Museum

Interactive Van Gogh Exhibit opens in the former Amoeba Records site on July 31.

Michael Brosilow Photo

28 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

Memorabilia from American movies and television in the distinctive Max Factor Building. An exciting exhibit celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Hollywood Walk of Fame will be on view this summer.

According to Museum’s president Danielle Dadigan, who also serves as president of Hollywood’s Historic Trust. “This exhibit is

extraordinary when you see so many names and faces of the stars who have received their star on the Walk of Fame over the years. I’m grateful that many have donated items to be displayed at the Museum.

Pantages Theatre

A luxury 1930 movie palace that was fully renovated at the turn of the 21st century in order to recapture its vintage style, its General Manager Jeff Loeb said: “After holding our curtain for an unprecedented 523 days, Broadway is coming back to Hollywood, and we couldn’t imagine a bigger celebration than hosting Lim Manuel Miranda’s smash-hit Hamilton. We have been working hard to make sure everyone can safely return and sit shoulder-toshoulder in the grand auditorium, and we look forward welcoming everyone into ‘The Room Where It Happens.’”

Warner Bros. Studio Tour

In 1927 four brothers took a risk on The Jazz Singer, a movie that saw characters speaking on screen for the first time. The rest is history, and the tours today look behind-the-scenes at Warner Bros., where you will drive through and walk aroundsome famous sets, sit on Batman’s bike or the Friends sofa in Central Perk, and watch and wonder as you learn about the magic of the movies. They might even be shooting a few scenes for the next blockbuster. (Reopening scheduled for summer).

New Attractions Opening

Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains at the Vogue Multicultural Museum The 1935 Vogue Theatre was recently reimagined as a museum, and will be opening its first exhibition on August 3. A huge, immersive, audio expedition of Pink Floyd’s place in history, art and culture from the 1960s and beyond, it features unreleased recordings, instruments, props, pictures, videos, unknown scribbles and personal mementos from the British cult band.

“This will be a really exciting opportunity for people to come together to experience music, culture, design and innovation, all principles that Pink Floyd represent in their music,” said promoter Diego Gonzalez. Keep an eye out for the flying pig!

Pink Floyd Exhibit at the Vogue Theatre

Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit arrives in Los Angeles after wowing millions in Paris and Toronto and settles in Hollywood in the former Amoeba Records building. With 500,000 cubic feet of monumental projections animating Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, guests will wander through entrancing, moving images that highlight brushstrokes, detail, and color illuminating the mind of the genius. Designed and conceived by Massimiliano Siccardi with soundtrack by Luca Longobardi who pioneered immersive digital art experiences in France. Exhibit is scheduled to open July 31. DH

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 29

FEATURED TOURS & SIGHTSEEING Star Track Tours (310)905-7145 LA’s newest and safest tour fleet, Star Track Tours offers 2 hour day and night tours of Hollywood and Beverly Hills to see the biggest stars in the world. On board 32” TV’s show you inside th homes of the rich and famous. Plus, now offering exciting private tours—the absolute best tour value in Hollywood. Visit startracktours.com for details.

&

Museums

www.discoverhollywood.com

Autry Museum of the American West 4700 Western Heritage Way. (323) 667-2000. Founded by Gene Autry, The Singing Cowboy museum is a tribute to the spirit that settled the American West. Closed Mon; Free second Tues of every month www.theautry.org

Hollywood Bowl Museum 2301 N. Highland Ave. (323) 850-2058. Located on the grounds of the Hollywood Bowl. Features photos, footage, programs and artifacts on the history of the Bowl.

Open Tues – Fri 10am – 5pm. Free entrance, free parking. www.hollywoodbowl.com/museum

LEFT: Autry Museum of the American West BELOW: Hollywood Heritage Museum

Starline Tours/Tourcoach Charter (800) 959-3131 6801 Hollywood Blvd. #207. Discover the best of LA with Starline Tours Hollywood! Celebrity Homes Tour, City Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off, Grand City Tour in 9 languages, TCM Movie Locations Tour, Attractions, San Diego, Tijuana and more. Private charters also available. The fun starts here! www.starlinetours.com

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood 818-977-8687 3-hour visit inside a real working Hollywood Studio 3400 Warner Blvd., Burbank Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood get you closer to the entertainment you love with a visit to an actual working studio. New for 2021, guests will experience more action, more magic, and more fun. Visitors ages 5 and up will have new ways to explore where storytelling comes to life, starting with The “Storytelling Showcase” celebrating Warner Bros.’ nearly 100 years of TV and movie making history and culminating in an interactive grand finale called “Action and Magic Made Here,” highlighting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and the DC universe of superheroes and supervillains in ways you could never imagine.

Tour guides take guests on an in-depth look at outdoor sets, props, costumes and soundstages. An incredible new Studio Store provides fans access to exclusive merchandise from their favorite film and TV titles. Book tickets now at wbstudiotour.com.

30 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

Hollywood Heritage Museum 2100 N. Highland Ave. (323) 874-4005. This barn served as the studio for Cecil B. DeMille & Jesse B. Lasky’s The Squaw Man, the first feature length motion picture. A California Historic Monument, it is operated

by Hollywood Heritage, Inc. as a museum of early Hollywood and silent pictures. www.hollywoodheritage.org

L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition 6331 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 960-3511. Permanent exhibition retracing the life of the founder of Scientology. Learn about one of the most acclaimed and widely read authors of all time.

The Hollywood Museum in Max Factor Bldg. 1660 N. Highland Ave. (323) 464-7776.

Make-up studio on ground floor restored to its art deco splendor plus four floors of elaborate displays of movie memorabilia. www.thehollywoodmuseum.com

Madame Tussauds Hollywood 6933 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 798-1670. Hollywood branch of famed wax works. www.madametussauds/Hollywood

Spring Reading L

os Angeles has developed one of the most successful historic preservation programs in the nation. Across the city, historic preservation is now transforming Los Angeles, while also pointing the way for other cities to use preservation to revitalize their neighborhoods and build community. Preserving Los Angeles: How Historic Places Can Transform America's Cities, written by Ken Bernstein—who oversees Los Angeles’s Office of Historic Resources—tells how historic preservation has revived neighborhoods, created a Downtown renaissance, and guided the future of the city. With more than 300 full-color images, Preserving Los Angeles is an authoritative chronicle of urban transformation, a guide for citizens and urban practitioners alike who hope to preserve the unique culture of their own cities.

I

n this captivating portrait of the notorious Jewish gangster who ascended from impoverished beginnings to the glittering Las Vegas strip, author Michael Shnayerson sets out not to absolve Bugsy Siegel but rather to understand him in all his complexity. In a brief life, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel (1906–1947) rose from desperate poverty to a kingdom of his own making in Las Vegas. Through the 1920s, 1930s, and most of the 1940s, Bugsy Siegel and his longtime partner in crime Meyer Lansky engaged in innumerable acts of violence. As World War II ended, Siegel saw the potential for a huge, elegant casino resort in the sands of Las Vegas. Jewish gangsters built nearly all the Vegas casinos that followed. Then, one by one, they disappeared. Siegel’s story laces through a larger, generational story of eastern European Jewish immigrants in the early- to mid-twentieth century.

G

eorge Chakiris famously played the angry gang leader Bernardo in the film version of West Side Story (1961), for which he won an Oscar for best supporting actor. “I know exactly where my gratitude belongs,” Chakiris writes, “and I still marvel at how, unbeknownst to me at the time, the joyful path of my life was paved one night in 1949 when Jerome Robbins sat Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Laurents down in his apartment and announced, ‘I have an idea.’" Penned by Chakiris with

Lindsay Harrison, My West Side Story, is an insider's look at how this theatrical and cinematic landmark evolved from a conversation.

I

n Chris Hillman’s memoir Time Between: My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother, and Beyond he takes readers behind the curtain of his quintessentially Southern California musical journey. Arguably the primary architect of what came to be known as country rock, after playing the Southern California folk and bluegrass circuit, Hillman joined David Crosby, Roger McGuinn, Gene Clark and Michael Clark as an original member of The Byrds. He went on to partner with Gram Parsons to launch The Flying Burrito Brothers. Hillman then embarked on a prolific recording career as a member of Stephen Stills' Manassas, as a solo artist; and in a trio with his fellow former Byrds Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark. In the 1980s, Hillman launched a successful country career when he formed The Desert Rose Band which scored eight Top 10 country hits. He’s been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and has since released a number of solo albums including Bidin' My Time, produced by Tom Petty.

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rom surf music to hot-rod records to the sunny pop of the Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, the Byrds, and the Mama’s & the Papa’s, Joel Selwin’s Hollywood Eden captures the fresh blossom of a young generation who came together in the epic spring of the 1960s to invent the myth of the California Paradise. Central to the story is a group of sun-kissed teens from the University High School class of 1959 that included Jan & Dean, Nancy Sinatra, and future members of the Beach Boys who came of age in Los Angeles at the dawn of a new golden era. What began as a light-hearted frolic under sunny skies ended up crashing down to earth just a few short but action-packed years later. A rock ’n’ roll opera loaded with violence, deceit, intrigue, low comedy, and high drama, it’s the story of a group of young artists and musicians who bumped heads, crashed cars, and ultimately flew too close to the sun. DH SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 31

Places

of interest

Continued from page 19

Hollywood & Highland 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 817-0200. Features the re-created scale set of D.W. Griffith’s 1916 classic film Intolerance. Its Dolby Theatre is the home of the Academy Awards. Note artist Erika Rothenberg’s Road to Hollywood in Babylon Court. www.hollywoodandhighland.com Hollywood High School 1521 N. Highland Ave. (323) 993-1700. Famous alumni include James Garner, John Ritter, Jason Robards, Jr., Stefanie Powers, Jean Peters, Rick and David Nelson, Sally Kellerman, Charlene Tilton and Carol Burnett. WPA-built Art Deco science and liberal arts buildings. (See “Murals in Hollywood”) www.hollywoodhighschool.net

Hollywood Tower

Hollywood Hills From Los Feliz to Beverly Hills, developed in the 20s, intriguing secluded historic neighborhoods offer historical perspective above the city that hums and shimmers below.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 469-1181. The final resting place of many Hollywood legends including Rudolph Valentino, Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Cecil B. De Mille, Marion Davies, Tyrone Power, Peter Lorre, Peter Finch, “Bugsy” Siegel, John Huston, Johnny Ramone and others. Noteworthy are the Mausoleum’s stained-glass windows, possibly by Tiffany. www.hollywoodforever.com

Hollywood Palladium 6215 Sunset Blvd. Opened October 30, 1940 with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and his vocalists, including Frank Sinatra. Hollywood's dance and music venue for over 70 years. www.hollywoodpalladium.com

Hollywood Gateway/The Four Silver Ladies La Brea Ave. at Hollywood Blvd. Gazebo depicts Dolores Del Rio, Anna Mae Wong, Mae West, and Dorothy Dandridge. Designed by Catherine Harwicke and sculpted by Harl West.

Hollywood Post Office 1615 Wilcox Ave. Built in 1936 and on the National Register of Historic Places. Wood relief The Horseman, carved by WPA artist Gordon Newell in 1937.

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Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel 7000 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 856-1970. Built in 1927, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks were among the original owners. The first Academy Awards banquet held in the hotel’s Blossom Room in 1929. Recently renovated to reflect 21st century taste honors its illustrious history, it is Hollywood’s favorite hotel. www.thehollywoodroosevelt.com Hollywood Sign Built on Mt. Lee in 1923 for $21,000 as a temporary sign to promote Hollywoodland real estate development, the 50-foot-high letters were made of wood and with 20-watt bulbs around each letter. In the 70s the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce spearheaded the campaign to rebuild the sign with support from a diverse group of people (including Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner, rock star Alice Cooper, cowboy Gene Autry and singer Andy Williams) each pledging $27,000 per letter for a new, all-metal landmark. www.hollywoodsign.org Hollywood Tower Apartments 6200 Franklin Ave. Recently renovated historic apartments with French-Norman architectural details appeal to those with a taste for glamour, romance, mystery and fine craftsmanship. www.thehollywoodtower.com Hollywoodland Stone Gates Beachwood Dr. Built of rock quarried from Griffith Park and designated a monument in 1968. Beachwood Village was immortalized as a town of zombies in the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers and is one of Hollywood’s favorite hillside neighborhoods.

Lake Hollywood A glimpse of this mountain “lake” nestled in the hills will make you forget that you’re in a major city. Used as a location for countless movies and TV shows—a replica of the dam cracked and burst in the movie Earthquake. Superb view of Hollywood Sign. Walking, hiking, biking from 5am–Sunset.

Las Palmas Hotel 1738 N. Las Palmas. Julia Roberts’ digs before business with Richard Gere moved her “uptown” to Beverly Hills in Pretty Woman. Also, Kramer’s residence when he moved from New York to Hollywood on TV’s Seinfeld.

Richard Neutra-designed Lovell House Janes House 6541 Hollywood Blvd. A true remnant of the past, the 1903 Queen Anne style Victorian residence was the Misses Janes Kindergarten School from 1911-1926.

Attending were the children of Cecil B. DeMille, Jesse Lasky, Douglas Fairbanks and Charlie Chaplin.

The Knickerbocker Hotel 1714 Ivar Avenue. (323) 463-0096. Built in 1925, it was a glamorous hotel popular with celebrities. Errol Flynn lived here when he first came to Hollywood and both Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley stayed many times. Harry Houdini was a guest and his widow held a séance on the roof in 1936. Sadly, Director D.W. Griffith (Birth of a Nation and Intolerance) lived here a mostly forgotten man until his death in 1948. Now a senior residence.

Los Angeles Fire Department Museum and Memorial 1355 N. Cahuenga Blvd. The LAFD houses its historic firefighting collection dating back to the 1880’s in the 1930 Hollywood Fire Station No. 27. Outdoor sculpture memorializes fallen firefighters. www.lafdmuseum.org Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens 5333 Zoo Dr. (323) 644-4200. At Griffith Park.

Where the real wildlife is! One of the world’s finest zoos. Advance tickets recommended. Open daily. www.lazoo.org Magic Castle 7001 Franklin Ave. (323) 851-3313. The chateaustyle mansion was built in 1909 by Rollin B. Lane.

Now world-famous private club for magicians. Operated by the Academy of Magical Arts, a nonprofit organization of 5,000 magicians and magic fans for over 40 years. www.magiccastle.com

Original Farmers Market Max Factor Building 1660 N. Highland Ave. Opened in 1935 with a “premiere” attended by Claudette Colbert, Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich and Judy Garland. It was headquarters for the cosmetics company founded by Max Factor who coined the term “makeup.”

Montecito Apartments 6650 Franklin Ave. Fine example of art deco style with Mayan influence, listed in National Register of Historical Places. Was home to James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Geraldine Page, Rip Torn, George C. Scott, Ben Vereen and Ronald Reagan. Now a residence for seniors.

Mulholland Fountain Los Feliz Blvd. and Riverside Dr. Dedicated August 1, 1940, as a memorial to William Mulholland who engineered the 238-mile-long aqueduct that brought water to L.A. from the Owens River Valley in 1913.

Its location marks the spot where the young Irish immigrant lived near the L.A. River.

Places continues on page 34

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 33

Places

of interest

Continued from page 33 Murals in Hollywood An array of murals provide diversion to the urban streetscape. Don’t miss the spectacular L.A. Jazz tiled mural by Richard Wyatt at Capitol Records on Vine St.See Eloy Torrez’ Legends of Cinema on Hollywood High’s Auditorium on Highland Ave. On Hudson north of Hollywood Blvd. find Alfredo de Batuc’s A Tribute to Delores Del Rio. Thomas Suriya’s You Are The Star is at southwest corner of Wilcox and Hollywood Blvd. On Argyle and Franklin is an untitled mural by the late Dan Collins. See George Sportelli’s Nancy Sinatra steps away from Hollywood Blvd. on Wilcox, Frank Sinatra and Johnny Cash (look up) on Las Palmas south of Hollywood Blvd., Tony Curtis and Charles Bronson (on utility box) at Bronson and Hollywood Blvd.

McNeilly's Jim Morrison and Marilyn are near LaBrea and Hollywood and Hector Ponce’s mural Tribute to Hollywood faces west near Santa Monica Blvd. and Wilton.

Musso & Frank Grill 6667 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 467-7788. Hollywood’s oldest restaurant (1919) was a popular hangout for writers. William Faulkner, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Raymond Chandler, Nathaniel West, Ernest Hemingway and Dashiell Hammett. Featured in Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In… Hollywood. www.mussoandfrank.com (See DINING)

Ozzie & Harriet Nelson’s House 1822 Camino Palmero. Home of Ozzie and Harriet Nelson for about 40 years and where David and Rick Nelson grew up. Hollywood High School, their alma mater, is only a few blocks away. (Do not disturb occupants.)

Orchard Gables 1277 Wilcox Ave. A Historical and Cultural Landmark, this arts & crafts European- style cottage built in 1904 is one of the early homes built before moviemakers arrived in the pastoral Cahuenga Valley.

This section of Hollywood was known as Colegrove, founded by U.S. Senator Cornelius Cole.

Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 468-1770. The last theatre built by magnate Alexander Pantages is historical and cultural landmark and the first art deco movie palace in the U.S. Opened in 1930 with The Floradora Girl starring Marion Davies and a live show featuring Al Jolson as MC. Hosted the Academy Awards from 1949-1959 and Emmy Awards in the 70s. Howard Hughes once had offices upstairs. www.hollywoodpantages.com Rock Walk 7425 Sunset Blvd. Founded Nov 13, 1985, handprints, signatures, and memorabilia from the greatest musical performers and innovators who contributed the most to the growth of Rock ‘n Roll. www.guitarcenter.com/rockwalk.gc

Pantages Theater Sunset Strip Doheny Dr. to Crescent Hts. Once-favorite night spots such as the Trocadero, Mocambo and Ciro’s were located outside the city limits in unincorporated county land. Today the Strip with its assortment of boutiques, restaurants, nightclubs and hotels is part of West Hollywood.

Sunset Tower Hotel 8358 W. Sunset Blvd. (323) 654-7100. Completed in 1931. Originally 46 apartments, and home to such stars as Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, the Gabor Sisters and many more. Now a 64room luxury hotel and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. www.sunsettowerhotel.com TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly Grauman’s) 6925 Hollywood Blvd. Built by Sid Grauman in 1927 and a Hollywood icon. The famous footprint ceremonies were inaugurated in 1927 by Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks. www.tclchinesetheatres.com Universal CityWalk 100 Universal City Plaza. (818) 622-9841. Los Angeles’ landmark urban entertainment, shopping and dining complex, located adjacent to Universal Studios Hollywood. Open daily. www.citywalkhollywood.com (See Studios) Vedanta Society Hollywood Temple 1946 Vedanta Pl. (323) 465-7114. Founded by Swami Prabhavananda in 1929, preaches the philosophical basis of Hinduism in historic setting. This temple has long attracted many Hollywood luminaries to pray and meditate including Aldous Huxley, Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh. Open daily. www.vedanta.org

Places continues on page 37

34 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

&

Architecture

www.discoverhollywood.com

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rom a ramshackle village founded in 1774 to a world-class city, Los Angeles’ architectural significance began when oil heiress Aileen Barnsdall brought Frank Lloyd Wright to Los Angeles. He brought his son, Lloyd, and Rudolph Schindler to assist with construction and the rest is history. The following are a few of the most significant structures by noted architects located in Hollywood.

Hollyhock House (Barnsdall Art Park): 4800 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 913-4030. Designed for oil heiress Aileen Barnsdall and built between 1919 and 1921. Named Los Angeles’ first UNESCO World Heritage site. www.barnsdall.org/hollyhock-house The Storer House: 8161 Hollywood Blvd.

Occupied as a residence since 1924.

Lloyd Wright Frank’s son, Lloyd, supervised the building of FLW’s Hollyhock House and went on to be a noted architect in his own right.

Samuel-Novarro House: 2255 Verde Oak Dr. Textured pre-cast concrete Mayanesque block into pressed metal. The result hints at pre-Columbian Revival and Zigzag Modern composition.

Taggart House: 2158 E. Live Oak Dr. Using wood and stucco, the 1922 house is deftly situated on a small hillside lot.

John Sowden House: 5121 Franklin Ave. Constructed in 1926 has a mysterious presence and history.

Frank Gehry

Emerson College façade Thom Mayne Emerson College Los Angeles: 5960 Sunset Blvd. (323) 952-6411. West Coast branch of Boston institution.www.emerson.edu/ela

Frank Lloyd Wright Brought to Los Angels by oil heiress, Ailene Barnsdall, Wright constructed four textile block Mayan-insired houses in Hollywood from 1919 to 1924 Ennis House: 2607 Glendower Ave. Monolithic residence dominates its Los Feliz hillside.

Freeman House: 1962 Glencoe Way. Owned by USC, the house has a unique history as a salon of the avant-garde and a haven for artists.

Frances Howard Goldwyn Public Librar y: 1623 N. Ivar Ave. (323) 8568260. The noted architect was just beginning to make a name for himself, when he was commissioned to rebuild the Hollywood library destroyed by fire in 1982. The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation donated the entire cost, the largest cash contribution ever donated to a public library in California.

Richard Neutra Lovell Health House: 4616 Dundee Dr. An International style modernist residence, designed and built between 1927 and 1929 and listed on the National Register, was built for physician and naturopath Philip Lovell, an early proponent of a healthy lifestyle.

Rudolph Schindler Schindler House: 833 N. Kings Rd. (323) 651-1510. Rudolph Schindler’s 1922 home, considered to be the first house built in the Modern style, now a center for study of 20th century architecture. www.schindlerhouse.org

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35

A rts Entertainment &

Charlie Chaplin’s former studio is now home of the Jim Henson Company.

Studios

Charlie Chaplin Studios / The Jim Henson Company 1416 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 802-1500. Built in 1918 to resemble a row of English country homes, Chaplin made many of his films here including Modern Times and City Lights. Formerly A&M Records, the studio was purchased by Jim Henson Productions puppeteers of Muppet fame, who honor Chaplin with a statue of Kermit the Frog dressed as the Little Tramp.

Paramount Pictures 5515 Melrose Ave. (323) 956-1777. Longest continuously operating film studio in Hollywood. The original gates can be seen at Bronson entrance.

The most famous film featuring Paramount is the classic Sunset Boulevard where Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond was “ready for her closeup.” Also studio for Godfather, Mission Impossible and Terminator films. www.paramountstudios.com

Red Studios Hollywood 846 N Cahuenga Blvd.

(323) 4630808. Was Metro Pictures Back Lot #3 in 1915. From the Golden Age of Television to The Golden Girls, from MTV to WB, from High Noon to True Blood, the studio continues a grand Hollywood tradition. www.redstudioshollywood.com Sunset Bronson Studios 5800 Sunset Blvd. (323) 460-5858. Original Warner Bros. Studio where the first sound movie The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, was made in 1927. After the advent of sound, needing more space, Warners moved to Burbank, but continued using the studio for production of Porky Pig, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck cartoons. In the late ‘40s, the studio became KTLA-TV, one of the nation’s first TV studios.

The iconic “mansion” building and new multi-story facility are now home to Netflix. www.hppsunsetstudios.com Sunset Gower Studios 1438 N. Gower St. (323) 467-1001. Formerly Columbia Pictures (1926-1972). Classics It Happened One Night with Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington with Jimmy Stewart were made here as were The Three Stooges movies. I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched, The Flying Nun and later TV shows filmed here. Still a working studio lot for independent productions.

New building at Sunset entrance houses iconic Technicolor. www.hppsunsetstudios.com

Netflix building at Sunset Gower Studio

Prospect Studios 4151 Prospect Ave. One of east Hollywood’s most historic studios, former Vitapath Studio has been continually operating since early 1920s.

As ABC Television Productions, Let’s Make A Deal, The Dating Game, American Bandstand, Welcome Back, Kotter, and more recently, Grey’s Anatomy were created here.

Sunset Las Palmas Studios 1040 N. Las Palmas Ave. (323) 860-0000. Formerly Hollywood Center Studios and located in the Hollywood Media District, it is a recent addition to Hudson Pacific’s holdings. Home of early Harold Lloyd movies and later Francis Ford Coppola’s Zoetrope. Jean Harlow began her career here in Howard Hughes’ 1927 film Hell’s Angels. www.hppsunsetstudios.com

RKO Studios Corner of Melrose & Gower. Formerly owned by Joseph Kennedy, Howard Hughes, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers and Gary Cooper films were made here. Acquired by Paramount, the familiar world globe is still visible and its historic sound stages are still in use.

Universal Studios Hollywood 100 Universal City Plaza. (800) 864-8377. In addition to being a functioning sudio, the full-day movie-based theme park features rides and attractions including the world-famous Studio Tour, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™, Mayhem and the completely reimagined Jurassic World Ride. www.universalstudioshollywood.com

Raleigh Studios 5300 Melrose Ave. (888) 960-3456. Dates back to 1914 and Pickford, Fairbanks and Chaplin. Classic feature films such as The Mark of Zorro, The Three Musketeers, and In the Heat of the Night, and early TV series Hopalong Cassidy and Superman series were made here; and more recently TVs Castle and Straight Outta Compton. www.raleighstudios.com

Warner Bros. Studios 3400 Warner Blvd, Burbank. (818) 977-8687. Moved its studios from Sunset Blvd. to Burbank in 1937, where such film legends as Humphrey Bogart, Errol Flynn, Bette Davis and James Cagney made their mark. Scenes from La La Land filmed on Stage 16, one of the largest stages in the world. www.wbstudiotour.com

36 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021

Your Palapa is

waiting for you!

Catalina Beach Resort Playa La Ropa Zihuatanejo, Mexico

CatalinaBeachResort.com

Places

of interest

Continued from page 34

Visitor/Tourist Information Hollywood & Highland at 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 467-6412. 2nd level, #209. Open daily.

Walk of Fame Created by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 1960, the world’s most famous sidewalk contains nearly 2,000 stars embedded along Hollywood Blvd. from La Brea to Gower, and on Vine St. from Yucca to Sunset Blvd.

Stars are awarded in five categories: motion pictures, television, recorded music, radio and live theatre. About 15 new stars are dedicated each year. www.walkoffame.com Woman’s Club of Hollywood 1749 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 876-8383. Founded in 1905, the club has occupied its current building since the 1930s. www.wchollywood.org

Wattles Mansion

Wattles Mansion 1824 N. Curson Ave. (323) 969-9106. Private mansion completed in 1909. May be rented for private events. Gardens behind the mansion are open to the public.www.laparks.org/historic/wattles-mansionand-gardens Whitley Heights Whitley Ave. A few blocks north of Hollywood Blvd. Built in 1918 by H. J. Whitley to resemble an Italian hill town. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 20s Maurice Chevalier, Bette Davis, Rudolph Valentino, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Rosalind Russell, Janet Gaynor, Francis X. Bushman, William Faulkner, Carmen Miranda and Norma Shearer lived here. www.whitleyheights.org Yamashiro Restaurant 1999 N. Sycamore Ave. (323) 466-5125. Built in 1911 as a private residence, this replica of a Japanese palace has one of the most spectacular views in the city and a perfect place to watch a Hollywood sunset. Gardens include 600-year-old pagoda and authentic teahouse open to visitors during the day.

Scenes from Marlon Brando’s Sayonara were filmed here. www.yamashirohollywood.com

SUMMER 2021 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 37

THE LOS ANGELES FILM SCHOOL 6363 Sunset Blvd. (323) 860-0789. The Los Angeles Film School, located in the heart of Hollywood is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), VA-approved, and offers entertainment-focused Bachelor of Science degrees in Animation, Audio Production, Digital Filmmaking, Entertainment Business, Film Production, Graphic Design, and Writing for Film & TV as well as Associate of Science degrees in Audio Production, Music Production, and Film. The L.A. Film School has been an academic leader in the entertainment community since 1999. Our goal is to equip every student with the necessary skills they need to succeed in this industry. Whether our students choose to take classes online or on campus in Hollywood, we train the next generation of creative professionals.

Students thrive in our experimental environment under the instruction of seasoned faculty members, many of whom are still actively involved in the entertainment industry. www.lafilm.edu LOS ANGELES CITY COLLEGE Established in 1929, LACC provides a dynamic innovative learning environment offering more than 100 vocational and professional programs including degrees, transfer programs and certificates to more than 18,000 students. Los Angeles City College is home to one of the most vibrant and diverse campuses in the country and houses state of the art equipment, soundstages and editing rooms for students majoring in cinema/tv, theatre and music. The campus provides a wide range of professional and vocational programs at a fraction of the cost of state and private colleges. Notable alumni include Morgan Freeman, Mark Hamill, Alvin Ailey, Nick Beck, Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams and Clint Eastwood. www.lacitycollege.edu.

GA ollywood

G

etting around Hollywood offers many choices other than a car. Enjoy the convenience of DASH Hollywood and Metro Rail. With the evolved regional transportation system, you can use the easy-to-follow map to easily arrive at Hollywood locations. Also, with rent-by-the-mile scooters and bikes available throughout the area, there are more choices than ever to get around.

DASH Hollywood shuttle runs between Highland and Vermont Aves., Franklin Ave. and Santa Monica Blvd. Hop on the free DASH shuttle at one of the many Hollywood stops where they arrive about every half hour. DASH Beachwood Canyon connects Argyle & Hollywood Red Line Station and runs north to Beachwood with 18 stops along the route.

Navigate Hollywood with ease The DASH Los Feliz travels the Vermont and Hillhurst Avenue loop but service to the Greek Theatre, the Observatory has been temporarily suspended as has the Griffith Parkline Shuttle. Hours 7am-6pm M-F and 10am-5pm Sat/Sun. DASH Hollywood runs from 6am to 7:50pm M-F and 9am to 7:20pm Sat. and 9am-6:50 Sun. DASH Beachwood runs from 7am to 6pm M-F and 9am-5pm Sat/Sun. No service on major holidays.

Questions? Call (323) 466-3876. Schedules and maps at www.ladottransit.com/dash For other destinations, use the Metro Rail subway system. Buy a $1.75 ticket at the self-service machines at stations. An all-day pass, good for DASH, Metro buses, and the Metro subway, is only $7.00. The Metro Rail Red (B) Line runs between North Hollywood and Union Station, with trains arriving approximately every twelve minutes at the three Hollywood stops.

The Red (B) Line operates from 4:10 am to 12:30 am daily. Maps are available at stations which clearly mark distances and appropriate transfers. You can find schedules and maps at www.metro.net/riding/maps.

Connect to Pasadena on the Gold Line, LAX via the Green Line, Long Beach via the Blue Line and to a number of other regional locations from downtown’s Union Station via Metrolink trains and across the U.S. via Amtrak.

H

etting round in

38 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / SUMMER 2021