Discover Hollywood Magazine Winter 2024

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WINTER 2024

COMPLIMENTARY

HOLLYWOOD discoverhollywood.com

M

the

Go-Go’s

We Got the Beat...of LA!

Aline Barnsdall

Creating Hollyhock House

The Cat & Fiddle England in Hollywood

Winter Reading

Editor’s Choices!

Visual Arts • Performing Arts • Dining • Studios • Places of Interest

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HOLLYWOOD

®

MAGAZINE

Features

WINTER 2024 www.discoverhollywood.com

8 The Go-Go’s

We Got the Beat...of LA!

10 Aline Barnsdall Creating Hollyhock House

16 The Cat & Fiddle

England in Hollywood

20 Where is this Place Called Hollywood?

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Departments 6 From the Editor 14 Places of Interest 18 Dining 22 Visual Arts 26 Oscar’s Hollywood 24 Performing Arts 25 Comedy, Film 26 Oscar’s Hollywood 28 Museums 29 Book Reviews 32 Learning Hollywood’s Arts 33 Architecture 34 Studios 35 Shopping Around 36 Tours and Sightseeing

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On The Cover: Downtown Los Angeles sunrise as seen from Hollywood Photo by L Pettet Getty Images

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®

From the Editor

Publisher Oscar Arslanian Editor Nyla Arslanian

T

his issue marks the completion of 85 issues. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished through the years, sharing our corner of the world.

The journey has been filled with countless stories and wonderful relationships. Michael Darling’s story about the beginning of the Cat & Fiddle Restaurant and the women who keep the family legacy alive is a tribute to the spirit of this town. We never give up.

Certainly this could be true of Aline Barnsdall who had the resources to commission an architect who would take architecture into the future and inspire countless others to follow his path. Culminating in an UNESCO World Heritage Site at Barnsdall Art Park, was nothing Aline could have ever imagined—or maybe she did. Cheryl Johnson takes us on that journey.

This issue is about our town and no one symbolizes that spirit more than the Go-Go’s. In his article, record producer/writer Chris Cassone, an industry insider, shares some little known factoids about these women who grew out of the 80s punk scene and never gave up.

Their lyric, “This town is our town, this town is so glamorous, bet you’d live here if you could and be one of us,” is my favorite and captures how I feel about this place I call home.

Speaking of which, it’s my pleasure to share some insights about the Hollywood I’ve found so fascinating. While some get old, give up, and pass away, she remains alluring and beautiful, a place that once in your heart and psyche you never forget.

That’s been our mission: to inform you, our readers, about the unique culture and lore of Hollywood, the Place. I thank you, and our many advertisers and sponsors for this opportunity. I am profoundly grateful.

Design & Production Dave Destler/The Magazine Factory Contributing Writers Chris Cassone Michael Darling, Cheryl Johnson Website Consultants COP Web Solutions Social Media & E-News Adam Fisher Performing Arts Reviewers Dana Benson, Amanda Callas, Chris Cassone Michael Edwards, Amalisha HuEck 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 Subscribe to Weekly E-News

Nyla Arslanian

P.S. Dear readers: Times change and Discover Hollywood is evolving. Subscribe to our weekly E-News to explore the arts of Hollywood. Check out p. 26 and if you sign up before March 31, you have a chance to win three nights in beautiful Zihuatanejo, Mexico!

What To See and Do in Hollywood at

www.discoverhollywood.com Social Media:

facebook.com/Discover Hollywood Instagram: discoverhollywood Twitter: @DHMagazine Visit our website for a daily calendar to take advantage of the wealth of music, live theatre and comedy available in the greater Hollywood area and sign up to received our weekly E-News.

Copyright 2024 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.

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Our History

D

iscover Hollywood Magazine

Presenting our Sponsors THIS ISSUE

was first published in 1979 as a Hollywood Arts Council survey booklet Hollywood Is A Summer Festival of the Arts. Fourteen thousand were distributed throughout the community.

From 1982-85, the Council partnered with Meredith Newspaper to produce a tabloid newsprint version and Discover Hollywood: A Summer A Festival of the Arts with 200,000 copies (with a 100,000 copy overrun distributed to hotels, theatres and galleries throughout the area). In 1986, the publication became a magazine and in 1989 went glossy and published annually until 1994 when the Council spun it off to Hollywood Is A Festival, Inc. a destination marketing organization as a biannual with 75,000 copies per issue.

In 2005, Arslanian & Associates, Inc. acquired the magazine and increased to quarterly frequency. The publication has grown from an initial 14,000 copies to over 340,000 printed each year with an estimated readership of 650,000.

Today Discover Hollywood Magazine is the only publication devoted to what to see and do in the world-famed LA district known as “Hollywood.” Its mission is to provide information to residents and visitors alike about the unique culture and lore of this place called Hollywood. In essence, assisting its readers to “discover” Hollywood.

Although the past couple of years have been challenging, cutting back frequency, pages and reducing print run to 50,000, the website with a daily calendar and our weekly E-News keeps people engaged and informed.

Visit our website www.discoverhollywood.com to sign up for Discover Hollywood’s weekly E-News and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.

e

Contact us if you would like to see your company highlighted in our Sponsorship box next issue! (323) 465-0533

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 7

We’ve Got the Beat... of LA!

By Chris Cassone

M

any say the musical face of LA is The Doors, Van Halen, Guns and Roses, CSN or the Beach Boys.

While their body of work is not as all encompassing, I am going to nominate the Go-Go’s for that position. Yes, the Go-Go’s—the most successful female rock band of all time.

Say that again and let it sink in.

Their first LP, “Beauty and the Beat,” sold north of three million copies and cemented them in their meteoric rise to the top. Thirty years later, almost to the day, they got their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, coincidentally next to the site of their first gig. This meteor peaked with their 2021 inclusion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The five girls have done it all, but mostly, they spoke for and about their hometown with more emotion than many.

The Go-Go’s.

The most successful female rock band of all time.

We at Discover Hollywood want to shine a light on Los Angeles’ true face of music. Randy Newman might “love LA,” but to the Go-Go’s, this was their town.

This town is our town, This town is so glamorous, Bet you’d live here if you could, And be one of us.

— This Town Charlotte Caffey featured on lead guitar and keyboards, Belinda Carlisle on lead vocals, Gina Schock on drums, Kathy Valentine on bass and Jane Wiedlin on rhythm guitar. They wanted to be punk rockers, dress that iconic punk style and play punk clubs but—in reality—they couldn’t suppress their power pop inclinations. Good thing, because the angst-ridden LA teen scene needed a band they could bounce to, dance to and sing to.

When they returned from their brief England tour opening for the Specials and Madness, they were well-honed, much like the early Beatles returning from Hamburg. And they would sign with an LA label, I.R.S. Records, cut their first official album and within a year have the No. 2 song in the country, We Got the Beat.

The album Beauty and the Beat topped the Billboard album chart No. 1 at that time, and remains the only girl band that wrote its own music and played its own instruments to do so.

That was the Go-Go’s formula. Simple songs, with power arrangements, and tight harmonies. Their effervescence was their calling card. They had that new wave bounce in all their moves.

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One reviewer even said Wiedlin bounced around the stage like she was on a “new wave pogo stick.” And while they talked a big punk game, when push came to shove, they aban- Th ey ma doned their punk desires de the cover and even jettisoned their last of The Rolling punk remnant, bassist Margaret Stone!

Olavarria who wanted to remain true to the cause.

When they did return from England and had their live performance down, they signed with Miles Copeland from I.R.S., a subsidiary of A&M Records. Copeland hired producer Richard Gottehrer, who had his hands in such monster pop hits as My Boyfriend’s Back, I Want Candy, and the ever-huge, Hang On Sloopy by the McCoys. Gottehrer brought Rob Freeman onboard to co-produce and engineer, fresh from his success with Blondie and the Ramones.

This is where this story gets interesting because I was chief engineer at Jon Voight’s and his brother, Chip “Wild Thing” Taylor’s studio in White Plains in the 1980s and who brings a new band in to record while the Go-Go’s are top of the charts? Rob Freeman. I reached out to him for inside scoops on what it was like back then.

“They were amiable, funny, hard-working, and determined,” Rob offered, reminding me that this was their first recording experience. “Like many young bands hearing themselves on excellent control room monitors for the first time, I think they were surprised—and clearly pleased—by what they heard, marveling

“The most successful female rock band of all time!”

FROM LEFT: Belinda Carlisle, Jane Wiedlin, Kathy Valentine, Gina Schock, Charlotte Caffey.

BELOW: Their star is just west of Cherokee at 6652 Hollywood Blvd. at site of 80s punk scene basement club where they started. at how different they sounded in the studio (New York’s Penny Lane) from the way they imagined themselves to sound. Everybody worked really hard to record solid, powerful basic tracks— drums, bass, two guitars, and scratch vocals—before adding a round of overdubs including guitar solos, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals, etc.”

Rob worked hard at recording them in a new way. LA had this reputation for close-miking everything. Listen to any Steely Dan record and you’ll hear what I mean. Doesn’t make it bad. It makes it dry and close. Meanwhile, engineers like Rob and his contemporary, Eddie Kramer (Hendrix, KISS, Zeppelin) were utilizing a more “English” style of recording—live. They would put the drums in the big room and place microphones everywhere to get a bigger sound.

Rob also revealed that he helped Belinda Carlisle improve her vocals. These were the days before “Auto-Tune” but a good engineer work-

ing in step with a vocalist could get very good results. In his words he “soloed her vocals for her—after everybody else had left the studio—in order for her to hear the nuances of what she was doing.”

But it wasn’t all work with no play. As Rob remembers, “Most of the Go-Go’s

sessions began after 6pm and would go well past midnight. At the conclusion of many of those sessions, the band members would all line up and do the “booty dance” out the door as they headed out into the NYC night.”

Many VIPs would drop in during the recording to check the girls out. “Notably, members of Elvis Costello’s band, The Attractions, and members of Springsteen’s E-Street band, as well as John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd and others from Saturday Night Live would come by to check out what we were doing.

“So, the question I had to ask was, did you realize that this was going to be the mega hit it became? By the end of the project, both the band and the production team were brimming with confidence and excitement about the record we were making, though I doubt anyone could have anticipated the huge success and lasting impact the album would have over the years.”

Rob was wonderful and gave Discover Hollywood everything I asked for.

Finally, an inside “fun fact:” “The single mix of Our Lips Are Sealed was actually a late-night 10-minute rough mix I did after an overdub session at Record Plant. I ran the song through, made a few quick tweaks, ran it through a second time, and then did a razorblade edit between the two at the bridge, just before “Hush my darling…”. That quick mix sounded so good!

Although we tried to top it as part of mixing the rest of the album, we somehow never captured the same magic, so we just went with it. Yes, the hit version that was aired on the radio was actually a ten-minute rough mix.”

There you have it. From the lips of the producer (that weren’t sealed) about one of rock’s iconic power pop singles.

So, Los Angeles, keep the Go-Go’s in mind when the discussion comes up on who represents LA more.

Keep repeating: The most successful female rock band of all time. DH Recording engineer and record producer, Chris Cassone is a songwriter (Billboard #9 with Ace Frehley of KISS,) an off-Broadway musical writer. His “Stomp Box Art” a coffee table book about guitar effects pedals is coming soon. He lives in Los Feliz with his childhood sweetheart wife.

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 9

A

Aline Barnsdall: Creating Hollyhock House

by Cheryl Johnson

line Barnsdall, the donor of Barnsdall Art Park, was the ultimate iconoclast—a fiercely independent feminist, a bohemian, a devotee and producer of experimental theater, and an enormously wealthy heiress. She was a single mother at a time when women were simply not single mothers. More importantly, she was also the real mother of modern architecture, having brought Frank Lloyd Wright, Rudolph Schindler, and Richard Neutra to California to work on the avante garde theater colony she envisioned for Olive Hill in Los Feliz.

Kindred spirits in many ways, it was Barnsdall who reached out and bankrolled Frank Lloyd Wright after his notoriety killed his domestic practice. She was generous, supportive and patient while Wright was consumed with his personal travails and the construction of the monumental Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.

Aline’s father, Theodore Barnsdall, was the largest independent oil producer of his time in the United States. Aline would travel extensively with her father throughout Europe, where she studied theater—her real passion in life—that landed her in Chicago in 1913. This pioneering, avante garde theater troop was located in the same building as Frank Lloyd Wright, and they met shortly after his Taliesin disaster.

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RIGHT: Aline Barnsdall with daughter “Sugartop.”

BELOW: Hollyhock House, interior courtyard.

Anthony Nelson photo Wright was a celebrated, prominent architect before his major self-destruction. In 1909, Wright had fled to Europe with the neighbor’s wife, abandoning his wife and six children and his Chicago architectural practice and reputation. Wright was just beginning to overcome the notoriety of abandoning his family when the horrific murder of his mistress by a berserk employee put him back in the headlines.

By 1916, however, Barnsdall had tired of Chicago and after a short stay in San Francisco, left for Los Angeles where she spent a year producing plays at a theater at Ninth and Figueroa drawing enthusiastic raves and a congratulatory telegram from Charlie Chaplin. That year Barnsdall revealed that she was pregnant and was open about the fact that Richard Ordynski, a Polish actor, was the father.

Theodore Barnsdall died in 1917, leaving his estate to Aline and her half-sister, Francis, who bought out Aline’s interest in the Barnsdall Oil Company for $3 million. Aline had retreated to the Seattle area with Roy George, a writer and author who agreed to be named as the father of Barnsdall’s baby girl nicknamed “Sugartop.” For his part, George received a mortgage-free ranch.

Neither her pregnancy nor the closure of her LA theater productions dampened Aline’s desire to create a visionary theater venue. Without any particular site in mind, Aline pestered Frank Lloyd Wright in early 1916 to design a new theater colony. Her timing was bad, however, as Wright had no domestic practice left, and had thrown himself into construction of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo between 1917 and 1921.

Between 1916 and 1918, Wright did manage to do some rough sketches of a theater and residence for Barnsdall. These earlier sketches, including those of the Hollyhock House, were made without any idea where the project would be sited.

In 1919, Barnsdall settled on the 36-acre plot of land bounded by Vermont, Hollywood, Sunset and Edgemont planted with olive trees.

She bought this parcel with its gently rising hill and vistas of the Pacific Ocean, surrounding citrus groves and olive hills for $300,000. [$5.4 million today—still a bargain!]

A few days after Barnsdall’s purchase of Olive Hill, the press reported her plan to include an ambitious art community with “one of the most exquisite theaters the world has ever seen” with seating for 1,250 persons, “supreme attention to acoustics,” promenades among the olive groves, a residence for Miss Barnsdall, and buildings for the training of actors and dancers.

According to many architectural historians, it was Schindler who drew or refined many of the plans for the home, director’s house, apartments for the actors and the terrace shops. He also organized and supervised the construction of Hollyhock House.

At the urging of Schindler, Richard Neutra came to Los Angeles in 1925, after most of the construction on Olive Hill was either finished or abandoned. Neutra worked on the garden and the pergola on the Theodore Barnsdall memorial, while staying with Schindler.

Barnsdall’s influence in bringing together these titans of architecture did not stop with her employment of them. Through her connections, they obtained other commissions that would also become recognized architectural landmarks.

ABOVE: Tranquil water feature.

LEFT: Living room includes furniture designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

BELOW: Dining room. Paul Cozzi photo Barnsdall did not think much of living in the architectural monument that Frank Lloyd Wright and his coterie of fledgling architects had built for her on Olive Hill. The Hollyhock House, so named for her favorite flower, had 17 rooms and seven bathrooms—a massive, almost medieval castle with a Mayan motif.

While its details and architectural breakthroughs place it in the continues

Barnsdall wrote of the “importance of Mr. Wright to our plan, i.e. a place to work that is also an architectural masterpiece that’s an inspiration to everyone. It would also have an element of permanency, which would bring confidence to the community and even the country.”

Construction began on what was to be the Hollyhock House with Wright’s son, Lloyd, designated as the supervisor in his father’s absence in Tokyo. Though Aline told Wright she wanted the house to cost no more than $30,000, the actual cost came in between $125,000 and $150,000. When things got too out of hand, Wright induced Rudolph Schindler to come to Los Angeles to take over. His son would go on to become a prominent architect in his own right.

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 11

Aline Barnsdall Continued

pantheon of famous Wright houses, it was not what Barnsdall wanted or was willing to live in.

She decided to give the Hollyhock House and crown of Olive Hill to Los Angeles as a public library and park, and to remain in the smaller, more commodious Residence B. Her generous donation was initially spurned by the city. Finally in 1927, the city accepted the donation, with the hill and its buildings to be used and devoted to an art park for the Los Angeles public.

Books could be written about Barnsdall’s wars with the city of Los Angeles for its neglect of her gift of Barnsdall Park as a cultural center. At one point the park had fallen into such disrepair that the city contemplated demolishing the Hollyhock House.

Hollyhock House and its Residence A survived and was painstakingly restored. Thankfully, Jeffrey Herr, Curator Emeritus, retired from LA’s Department of Cultural Affairs, championed the Hollyhock House nomination as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was designated along with four other Wright landmarks. Other UNESCO sites in California are Yosemite and the Redwoods—Aline Barnsdall’s legacy. DH Interior detail. Paul Cozzi photo Cheryl Johnson is a lawyer specializing in Antitrust, Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, and Patents. She is a former co-president of the Barnsdall Art Park Foundation.

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Places

of interest 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-LLY-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 Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd Alley 1640 Cahuenga Blvd. Site of Charlie Chaplin (The Kid), Buster Keaton (chased by Keystone Kops) and Harold Lloyd silent films.For more silent film locations visit www.silentlocations.com.

Chateau Elysee restored to its former glory as Scientology's Celebrity Centre.

Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Mary Pickford Center 1313 N. Vine St. Built in 1949, first Hollywood TV studio. Early shows and sitcoms included Queen for a Day and I Love Lucy. Includes 286-seat Linwood Dunn Theater, Academy offices and Academy Film Archive. www.oscars.org/about/facilities/linwood-dunn-theater

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.manorscientology.org

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

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.

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Crossroads of the World 6671 Sunset Blvd.(323)463-5611. 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 awaiting restoration. www.crossroadshollywood.com De Longpre Park 1350 Cherokee Ave. 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.

Dodger Stadium Tours (See TOURS & SIGHTSEEING Pg 36) 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. Owned and being restored by Netflix. www.egyptiantheatre.com

American Film Institute 2021 N. Western Ave. (323) 856-7600. Historic Immaculate Heart College campus now famed institute and one of the best film and video libraries in the world. www.afi.com

Attractions: • Escape Hotel Hollywood, 6633 Hollywood Blvd. www.escapehotelhollywood.com • Funko Hollywood, 6201 Hollywood Blvd. www.funko.com/hollywood • Hollywood Wax Museum, 6767 Hollywood Blvd. www.hollywoodwaxmuseum.com • Guinness World of Records Museum, 6764 Hollywood Blvd. www.guinness.com • Madame Tussauds, 6933 Hollywood Blvd. www.madametussauds.com • Ripley’s Believe it or Not! 6780 Hollywood Blvd. www.ripleyshollywood.com

For the visitor to truly enjoy a visit to Hollywood, venture off the beaten path to explore and discover what the town is all about.

Autry National Center Chase Bank/Millard Sheets 1500 N. Vine St. 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 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 Cinerama Dome 6360 Sunset Blvd. (323) 464-1478. The unique geodesic-shaped theatre designed by Buckminster Fuller was built in 1963. Closed awaiting new ownership.

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 and offices for Neuhaus, Viacom and Fender Guitars. www.columbiasquare.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 The Original Farmers Market 6333 W. 3rd St. (323) 933-9211. World-famous market, a Los Angeles tradition for 85 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 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. Often used as a film and TV location, most recently for La La Land. www.laparks.org/griffithpark#attractions Frances Howard Goldwyn Public Library 1623 Ivar Ave. (323)856-8260. Designed by Frank Gehry houses an extensive collection of Hollywood-related books.

Places

of interest 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 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

El Capitan Theatre Griffith Observatory 2800 Observatory Rd. (213) 473-0800. Art deco landmark located in 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 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. This is not only a historic park but also the largest city park in the U.S. Home to abundant wildlife with hiking and riding trails, golf, tennis, playgrounds, travel museum, zoo, hilltop observatory and Greek Theatre. www.laparks.org/griffithpark

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

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 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.

Places continues on page 27

Enjoy the Catalina Beach Resort experience...

Your home away from home!

Hudson Apartments (formerly Hillview Apartments) 6533 Hollywood Blvd. Built by movie moguls Jesse Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn in 1917 for Broadway actors who left New York for Hollywood. Many 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 it “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. Browse Hollywood Heritage Museum and Larry Edmonds bookstores.

Hollywood American Legion Post #43 2035 N. Highland Ave. (323) 851-3030. Glittering example of the 1929 Egyptian Revival/Moroccan art deco is 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

Website: catalinabeachresort.com Phone & WhatsApp: +52 755 55 49325 Toll-free USA: 1-877-287-2411

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 15

The Cat & Fiddle

F

England in Hollywood:

or more than 40 years, The Cat & Fiddle has served as Hollywood’s unofficial British embassy. At this cozy pub—now located on Highland Avenue—families and rock stars rub shoulders and enjoy pints and British staples like fish and chips.

The story of The Cat & Fiddle begins with Kim Gardner, a British bassist who came to America as part of the 1960s British rock invasion. Gardner played with many English groups, most prominently the English band The Birds (Not to be confused with the American band, The Byrds) with future Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. While rock ‘n roll would always be Gardner’s passion, it was in 1982 that he discovered his true calling: creating an English pub in Hollywood.

Kim and Paula had first met in New Orleans, and moved to LA. By chance, some friends had a restaurant space in Laurel Canyon. Although it was a busy time for the Gardners—not only did the couple have a threeyear-old daughter, but Paula was pregnant with twins. Still, The Cat & Fiddle opened in October 1982, and soon became popular with the city’s Brits and the entertainment community. The twins were born two weeks later.

by Michael Darling

Chinese restaurant Mouling. “When we married we bought a little book of coupons that had coupons for cleaners and restaurants and one of them was for this space. When we walked in, we said “Oh my god, we’ve been here before,” recalled Paula.

While Kim Gardner sadly passed away from cancer in 2001, the Cat has remained a family business with Paula and the couples’three daughters running the show. For the Gardner sisters; Eva, Ashlee, and Camille, this is a natural extension of

ABOVE: Newspaper article shows Kim Gardner, proud new restauranteur, in front of the first Laurel Canyon location.

RIGHT: An industry favorite for over thirty years, The Cat's Sunset Blvd. outside patio.

TOP RIGHT: In its newest incarnation, on Highland Ave. just north of Melrose.

By 1984, the Cat had become a little too popular. It was hard for patrons to find a seat in the small bar, and the bar’s neighbors weren’t happy with the traffic and late night noise. According to Paula Gardner, there was also a zoning issue that became a problem. “It was not zoned properly and technically it was supposed to be an ice cream parlor,” says Paula.

Again, a friend at their bank told the Gardners about a restaurant space opening on Sunset Boulevard. The 1920s Spanish-style plaza had been built by silent film cowboy Fed Thompson, and had been home to several restaurants over the years including the 16 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

their growing up at the pub. “We went to school across the street at Blessed Sacrament, right next to Crossroads of the World. I went there from first grade to eighth grade, so when we were old enough, we’d just walk across the street to the pub and do our homework,” says Ashlee Gardner. “We’d always help the host do little tasks to keep us busy and not too loud.” In return, the Cat’s staff and regulars would help the girls

The Garner Family: L-R Camille, Kim, wife Paula, Eva and Ashlee. with school projects and fundraisers.

Ashlee has officially worked in one form or another at the Cat since she was 16, first starting as a hostess.

The Cat called the Sunset location home and was a Hollywood institution until they and the building’s other tenants were pushed out in a lease dispute in 2014. It wasn’t easy but the pub found a new home in 2017 where has nestled seamlessly into the neighborhood.

Of course, it’s not just the family element that maintains a sense of history at the Cat. The walls of the bar are covered in antiques purchased by the Gardner family on their many trips to England, and the Cat’s rock connection is still very strong. Bands like Guns N’ Roses and the Pixies have held events at the Cat. While Morrisey has been known to drop by and play music from his personal playlists.

“Morrisey isn’t a very animated person. When he’d be at the pub he’d be reserved, but he supports us a lot. At the end of his shows, he’d tell everyone he was going to the Cat and Fiddle and we’d get bombarded by people who were coming in,” says Ashlee. Rod Stewart once

dropped in with his club soccer team; a friendly rival to Hollywood United, a club team sponsored by the Cat and founded by English rockers who frequented the bar.

Keeping the music connection and tradition alive, Eva Gardner followed in her father’s footsteps and has served as a bassist for P!NK and Cher. In fact, she’s the only woman with a signature Fender bass.

While some things have changed over the Cat’s 41 years, the cocktail menu has modernized and the pub recently introduced an afternoon tea, but much has stayed the same. It’s still the best place in Hollywood to grab a pint and a Scotch egg, and remains a humble watering hole for rockers and movie stars. At the heart of it all remains the Gardner family. Even though they all have business outside of the family pub, they’re maintaining Kim’s legacy. According to Ashlee, “During the holidays we had all four of us working; my mom and I, my twin sister, my older sister;” with Paula adding “and the kids and their dads.” While a certain chain restaurant claims that “when you’re here, you’re family,” at the Cat & Fiddle, that actually is true. DH

See a downed wire?

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Stay away, and immediately call 9-1-1!

ladwp.com/ElectricSafety

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 17

Dining

where to eat

Shirley Brasserie 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.

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 The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood ALK and I/O Rooftop 1400 N. Cahuenga Blvd. (323)762-1000 ALK (About Last Knife) Located on the Godfrey Hotel’s ground floor, ALK features a SoCal-centric restaurant bar and gastropub features premium fish and meat dishes with California’s fresh seasonal produce. The retro-chic aesthetic is inspired by Hollywood’s historic past and present while encouraging a social and vibrant ambiance. Chef Olivier Rousselle brings his decades of local and international culinary expertise to make any meal memorable www.godfreyhotelhollywood.com culinary expertise to About Last Knife (ALK). www.godfreyhotelhollywood.com I|O Rooftop Located on the 7th floor of The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, is a sophisticated oasis in the middle of the L.A. buzz with 360 views of the LA Skylines from the Hollywood Sign to Downtown LA to the Sea. By day, relax by the pool, work remotely, listen to soothing music and sip a fruity drink. By night, cocktail in hand mingle, laugh, dance.www.godfreyhotelhollywood.com

L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele Katsuya Hollywood 6300 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 871-8777. With more than ten locations worldwide, Katsuya’s trademark award-winning Japanese cuisine and acclaimed sushi and bold design has created an international empire.

Using only the freshest ingredients, Chef Katsuya Uechi crafts dishes with a modern twist and elegance, paired with signature cocktails and an extensive sake list. Open Sun-Wed 5-10pm; Thurs-Sat 5-11pm. www.katsuyarestaurants.com L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele 1534 N. McCadden Pl., Hollywood 90028 (323)366-2408 Opening in the heart of Hollywood in 2019 as the first U.S. location. In the beautiful courtyards, the restaurant’s authentic Neapolitan pizza is made in the restaurant’s imported stone oven using the same centuriesold recipe, techniques, and Italian imported ingredients at its origin restaurant in Naples, established in 1870. Head Pizzaiolo Michele Rubini helms the famed pizzeria, that also serves many Italian and Mediterranean specialties. damicheleusa.com Miceli’s 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 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. New private dining rooms. Tue-Sat 5pm-11pm. Sun 410pm. Closed Mon. www.mussoandfrank.com

18 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

Miceli’s 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 Palermo Italian Restaurant 1858 N Vermont Ave., (323) 663- 1178. World Famous Palermo Italian Restaurant specializes in crafting mouth-watering Italian cuisine and providing superb customer service. Meals are prepared fresh to order and made with pride. Order online for delivery or pickup. Hours 11am-9:30pm; closed Mon & Tues. www.palermorestuarant.net 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-11pm, Fri-Sat 9:30am-1am. 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. Sun-Thurs 11am-11pm, Fri and Sat 11am-12am. www.raffallospizzala.com Shirley Brasserie 7000 Hollywood Blvd. (323)769-8888. A new brasserie in the historic Hollywood Roosevelt hotel blends old-world ambiance with contemporary sophistication. Enjoy a warm and inviting open-air kitchen dining experience. shirleyreservations@hollywoodroosevelt.com RDEN Bar & Restaurant 6280 Hollywood Blvd. (323)977-1680 offers a one-of-a-kind dining and drinking experience that seamlessly merges the timeless glamour of old Hollywood with contemporary excellence. Its menu pays homage to classic steakhouse fare while infusing it with modern global twists. To make RDEN even more exceptional, a full sushi menu also delights patrons with traditional rolls, sashimi, carpaccio, nigiri sushi and sashimi, ensuring there's something for every sushi lover. Rdenla.com WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 19

Where is this Place Called Hollywood?

How ironic that the most famous town in the world is also nearly impossible to find. How can that be?

by Nyla Arslanian

T

here are four Hollywoods. First, the Hollywood I call “from sea to shining sea”—the one that is not only gobbled up by Los Angeles, but as far south as Disneyland and west to the ocean; indistinguishable and enormous. Then there is Hollywood the Industry which has evolved from many studios scattered throughout bean fields and lemon groves into an international enterprise. Next there is the Hollywood of glitz and glamour that exists in the minds of millions who come looking for their vision of the town, only to leave confused or disappointed. And, lastly, there is Hollywood the Place, first named in 1887 by its first real estate developer, Harvey Wilcox’s wife Daeida.

Annexed to the City of Los Angeles in 1910, it was a rural community populated by gentlemen (and women) farmers until the arrival of Cecil B. DeMille in 1912. Until Hollywood’s main street was established, its product— silent movies—were shown in converted vaudeville theatres in downtown Los Angeles. Gradually, more real estate developers built homes large and small around Hollywood’s many movie studios, a main street lined with shops, restaurants and movie theatres and a community was born and grew along with its signature industry. For a time, the two were one, but times change.

20 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

A giant sign erected on Mount Lee proclaimed HOLLYWOODLAND, and through the years (and the removal in 1949 of ‘LAND’ from the famed sign), millions have come to Hollywood to seek fame and fortune or—in later years—to see its movie stars. At its roots, it was a factory town...but times change.

Los Angeles, in a continual identity crisis, markets itself using the sign and the town’s fame and allure. The millions who walk its streets searching for the magic often leave disappointed that their quest was not totally satisfied with sidewalk stars and footprints in concrete.

So, where is Hollywood?

For over 40 years, Discover Hollywood has shared this enigmatic place with residents and visitors. Like a budding actor, musician, artist, or craftsperson who comes to Hollywood, it takes hard work, time, and patience to be discovered.

Like any town, Hollywood has its Main Street and rather than paved with gold, the stars that line it prove that for some, the dream is attainable. But like countless towns throughout the nation, its once shop-lined boulevard may have seen better days, but great possibility still exists in the many historic buildings awaiting restoration.

Much still remains from Hollywood’s Golden Age, its boulevard has landmark status with the National Trust as an early commercial corridor. Today, sadly, many property owners “land bank” their holdings while others see the promise and capitalize on the town’s buildings and history. Netflix’ recent $70 million restoration of the iconic Egyptian Theatre is an example of melding possibility with promise. Overseeing the 80 blocks in Hollywood’s central core, the Hollywood Partnership has a big job keeping the area clean, safe, and hospitable with innovative programs. Once mostly commercial, the addition of 10,000 new apartments and more being added, Hollywood’s center has attracted new residents who enjoy an urban lifestyle.

These streets, whether hillside and curvy or treelined and straight, capture the real essence.

It’s here that one gets a sense of the place and can even experience its evolution.

Nearby throughout what is sometimes called “the flats,” south of Sunset Boulevard on land first developed by Senator Cornelius Cole—then known as Colegrove— small bungalow homes—some dating back well over one hundred years—remain. Scattered throughout are apartments that, in times past, were home to the town’s “New American” population and are now part of the gentrification of the community.

To the north, however, dotting the hillsides are numerous homes dating back to 1923 when the Hollywood Sign was built as an advertising gimmick to attract buyers to the Hollywoodland development. In the late 1990s, Madonna led the way renovating a home in the “new” Hollywood Hills and soon was followed by scores of other notables who enjoy the urban proximity, while battling coyotes, skunks, raccoons and other wildlife. Where else but Hollywood would a lone mountain lion become beloved as it roamed these hillside neighborhoods? Here you can ABOVE: Early Hollywood resident surveys the broad, agricultural valley below. find the small commercial clusters known as BeachBELOW: Orchard Gables, a remnant of Hollywood’s past. wood and Franklin Villages.

Like an archeologist, to find Hollywood, The larger village to the east, Los Feliz— one has to dig around, venture off the main while eschewing its Hollywood roots—is thoroughfares and into its neighborhoods. perhaps the most authentic and intact of its neighborhoods. Close enough to Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles, notables from the early film industry lived here. Also going back more than one hundred years—when news barons Otis and Chandlers built large estates, later Cecil B. DeMille, Deanna Durbin, Norma Talmadge, W. C. Fields, and a host of others— stars, directors and producers lived the life of luxury and continues page 32 WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 21

A rts Entertainment &

Visual arts

Katharina Husslein, The GreatOutdoors, ArtspaceWarehouse

While Hollywood’s claim to fame has been the moving image, in recent years many noted art galleries have sprouted up throughout the area—a veritable explosion of art to enjoy or collect.

Perfect Chairs by Iqi Qoror at Artplex Gallery.

7811 Gallery 7811 Melrose Avenue (323) 272-4330 7811.com ADVOCARTSY 434 N. La Cienega Blvd. www.advocartsy.com Anat Ebgi 4859 Fountain Ave Los Angeles, CA 90029 (323) 407-6806 anatebgi.com Artspace Warehouse 7358 Beverly Blvd. (323) 936-7020. Wide selection of affordable original artworks from established and emerging international artists. www.artspacewarehouse.com Artplex Gallery 7377 Beverly Blvd. (323) 452-9628 A broad spectrum of contemporary art from major international artists and features promising emerging and mid-career artists worldwide. www.artplexgallery.com 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) Albertz Benda Gallery 8260 Marmont Ln. (310)913-3289 www.albertzbenda.com Sarah Brook Gallery 5229 Hollywood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90027 www.sarahbrookgallery.com Control Gallery 434 N. LaBrea Ave. https://control.gallery Corita Art Center 5515 Franklin Ave. (323) 450-4650. Work of activist, artist and former nun Corita Kent www.corita.org Deitch Projects Gallery 11/6 925 N Orange Drive and 7000 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 925-3000. exhibitions.deitch.com/los-angeles Fahey/Klein Gallery 148 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 934-2250. www.faheykleingallery.com

22 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

Gallery 825 (LA Art Association) 825 N. La Cienega Blvd. (310) 652-8272. www.laaa.org Gemini G.E.L. 8365 Melrose Ave. (323) 651-0513. www.geminigel.com HVW8 Art + Design Gallery 661 N. Spaulding Ave. 323-655-HVW8 (4898) hvw8.com Hamilton-Selway Fine Art 8678 Melrose Ave. (310) 657-1711. www.hamiltonselway.com Harper’s Los Angeles Gallery 8115 Melrose Ave. (631)324-1131. Opened Oct 2021. www.harpersgallery.com Hauser & Wirth WeHo 8980 Santa Monica Blvd. (424) 404-1200 www.hauserwirth.com Timothy Hawkinson Gallery 7424 Beverly Blvd. (510)289-1466 www.timothyhawkisongallery.com Helen J. Gallery 929 Cole Ave. (323)462-1318 www.helenjgallery.com The Hole Gallery 844 N. LaBrea Ave. (323)297-3288 https://thehole.com/about/#la 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. www.japanhouse.com Karma Gallery 7351 Santa Monica Blvd. (310)736-1367 www.karmakarma.org Michael Kohn Gallery 1227 N. Highland Ave. (323) 461-3311. www.kohngallery.com KP Projects Gallery 633 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 933-4408. www.kpprojects.net Launch Gallery 170 S. La Brea Ave., upstairs. (323) 899-1363. www.launchla.org La Luz de Jesus Gallery 4633 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 666-7667.

Located inside the Soap Plant/Wacko. www.laluzdejesus.com Libertine Gallery 6817 Melrose Ave. (213)706-3737 www.libertine.org Lisson Gallery 1037 N. Sycamore Ave. (213)224-7550 www.lissongallery.com The Lodge 1024 N. Western Ave. (323)745-0231 www.thelodge.la Lorin Gallery 607 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles (213) 232-8676. www.loringallery.com

Camille Rose Garcia, The Polyphonic Fortress, exhibit at KP Projects Gallery thru March 9.

LACE (Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions) 6522 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 9571777. Nonprofit incubator for contemporary artists, curators, and cultural workers founded in 1978. www.welcometolace.org Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (LAMAG) See Barnsdall Art Park. www.lamag.org M+B 612 N. Almont Dr. (310) 5500050. www.mbart.com Make Room Los Angeles 6361 Waring Ave. (323)4509228

7811 Gallery exhibits the work of local LA artists.

Mash Gallery 812 N La Cienega Blvd. (323) 272-3235: mashgallery.com

Matthew Marks Gallery 1062 North Orange Grove and 7818 Santa Monica Blvd.

(323) 654-1830. www.matthewmarks.com

Rele, Los Angeles 8215 Melrose Ave. (424)415-1200 www.rele.com Diane Rosenstein Gallery 831 N. Highland Ave. (323) 462-2790. www.dianerosenstein.com Sebastian Gladstone Hollywood 5523 Santa Monica Blvd. www.sebastiangladstone.com Stars Gallery 1659 North El Centro Ave. (646)256-3711. www.stars-gallery.com Louis Stern Fine Arts 9002 Melrose Ave. (310) 276-0147. Focusing on Mid-Century West Coast Geometric Abstraction and represents the artists who defined and epitomized the California Hard Edge movement. www.louissternfinearts.com Steve Turner Contemporary 6830 Santa Monica Blvd.

(323) 460-6830. www.steveturner.la U-Frame-It Gallery All your framing needs (see Shopping)

Meliksetian | Briggs 313 N. Fairfax. (310) 625-7049. www.meliksetianbriggs.com

VSF (Various Small Fires) 812 N. Highland Ave. (310) 4268040. www.vsf.la

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 Moskowitz Bayse 743 N. La Brea Ave. (323) 790-4882. www.moskowitzbayse.com

Vellum LA 7673 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046 www.vellumla.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

David Zwirner 612 N Western Ave. (310) 777-1993 www.davidzwirner.com

Overduin & Co. 6693 Sunset Blvd. (323) 464-3600. www.overduinandco.com Parker Gallery 2441 Glendower Ave. parkergallery.com Lauren Powell Projects 5225 Hollywood Blvd.

(424) 333-0677. www.laurenpowellprojects.com Regen Projects 6750 Santa Monica Blvd. (310) 276-5424. www.regenprojects.com

A Survey Exhibition: Louis Stern Fine Arts through the decades thru March 9.

Arts & Entertainment continues

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 23

A rts Entertainment &

Performing arts theatre

W

hile Hollywood is popularly associated with movies, the live theatre scene ranges from intimate 99 seats and fewer to the spectacular Pantages and iconic Dolby Theatre. Also, music is the heartbeat of Hollywood with small clubs and major outdoor stages.

Likewise, everyone wants a good laugh now and then and Hollywood’s comedy clubs showcase comedians before they become household names. Visit our website www.discoverhollywood.com for a daily calendar and venue information.

The Wiz runs at the spectacular Hollywood Pantages Theatre Feb 13-Mar 3.

Photo by Jeremy Daniel (c) 2023

McCadden Theatre 1157 N McCadden Pl. (323) 465-1008 www.mccaddentheatre.com Ricardo Montalban Theatre 1615 N. Vine St. (323)461-6999 www.themontalban.com Pantages Theatre 6233 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 468-1770. www.hollywoodpantages.com Sacred Fools Theatre (see The Broadwater) Skylight Theatre Company 1816 1⁄2 N. Vermont Ave. (213) 761-7061. skylighttheatre.org Theatre of NOTE 1517 Cahuenga Blvd. (323)856-8611 www.theatreofnote.com

Actors Co-op Theatre Company 1760 N. Gower St. (323) 462-8460. Two 99-seat theatres. Located on Hollywood Presbyterian Church campus. www.actorsco-op.org

Theatre West 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West. (323) 851-7977. www.theatrewest.org

Stella Adler Theatre and Academy of Acting 6773 Hollywood Blvd. 2nd floor. (323) 465-4446. www.stellaadler.la

Zephyr Theatre 7456 Melrose Ave. (661) 670-8328. www.zephyrtheatre.com

Atwater Village Theatre 3269 Casitas Ave. Home of Open Fist Theatre, Echo Theatre, Circle X and IAMA Four theatres. www.atwatervillagetheatre.org

music

Broadwater Theatre 1076 Lillian Way (323) 207-5605. Three theatres plus their own pub.www.thebroadwaterla.com

Amoeba Music 6400 Sunset Blvd. (323) 245-6400. Features live in-store musical performances weekly. www.amoeba.com

Celebration Theatre (323) 957-1884 Now in residence at LA LGBT Center. www.celebrationtheatre.org

Catalina Jazz Club 6725 Sunset Blvd. (323) 466-2210. www.catalinajazzclub.com

Dolby Theatre (at The Ovation) 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 308-6300. www.dolbytheatre.com Fountain Theatre 5060 Fountain Ave. (323) 663-1525. www.fountaintheatre.com Greenway Court Theatre 544 N. Fairfax Ave. (323) 673-0544. www.greenwaycourttheatre.org The Hudson Theatres 6539 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 856-4249. Three theatres. www.hudsontheatre.com Independent Shakespeare Company 3191 Casitas Ave. #130.(818) 710-6306. Presents Free Griffith Park Shakespeare Festival each summer. www.iscla.org LA LGBT Center Theatres Village at Ed Gould Plaza1125 N. McCadden Pl. (323) 860-7300. www.lalgbtcenter.org/theatre

Dolby Theatre 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 308-6300. www.dolbytheatre.com Dresden Restaurant 1760 N. Vermont Ave. (323) 665-4294. www.thedresden.com El Cid 4212 Sunset Blvd. (323) 668-0318. www.elcidsunset.com El Floridita Cuban Restaurant 1253 N. Vine St. (323) 871-8612. Mon. www.elfloridita.com The Fonda 6126 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 464-6269. www.fondatheatre.com Greek Theatre (Closes October 30) 2700 Vermont Ave. www.lagreektheatre.com Hollywood Bowl 2301 Highland Ave. www.hollywoodbowl.com (See PLACES)

Lounge Theatre 6201 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 469-9988. www.theatreplanners.com

Hollywood Forever Cemetery/Masonic Lodge 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. (323) 886-0181. www.hollywoodforever.com/culture

Matrix Theatre Company 7657 Melrose Ave. (323) 852-1445 www.matrixtheatre.com

Hollywood Palladium 6215 Sunset Blvd. (323) 962-7600.. www.hollywoodpalladium.com

24 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

Cookin' With Gas at The Groundlings.

Film The Hotel Café 1623 1⁄2 Cahuenga Blvd.. www.hotelcafe.com Largo at The Coronet 366 N. La Cienega (310) 855-0350. www.largo-la.com (See COMEDY) Roxy 9009 Sunset Blvd.. www.theroxy.com Troubadour 9081 Santa Monica Blvd. www.troubadour.com

AMC 14 at The Grove 189 The Grove Dr. (323) 615-2202. 14 theatres with a beautifully designed Neo-Deco lobby. Amctheatres.com AMC Sunset 5 8000 Sunset Blvd. West Hollywood. (323) 654-2217. New releases with reserved seating, cocktails, craft beers, and dine-in options.

21+ amctheatres.com American Cinematheque See Los Feliz and Egyptian Theatres. www.americancinematheque.com American Legion 2035 N Highland Ave. (323)851-3030 www.hollywoodpost43.org Arena Cinelounge 6464 Sunset Blvd. lobby level (323) 924-1644. Premier boutique arthouse cinema presents new feature films every night of the week. www.arenascreen.com Egyptian Theatre 6712 Hollywood Blvd. Owned and recently renovated by Netfix (See p.27) El Capitan Theatre 6838 Hollywood Blvd. (818) 845-3110. A classic movie palace, built in 1925 .www.elcapitantheatre.com. (See PLACES)

Young Gun Silver yacht rock band on tour recently appeared at The Troubadour.

Viper Room 8852 Sunset Blvd. (310) 358-1881. www.viperroom.com Whisky A-Go-Go 8901 Sunset Blvd. (310) 652-4202. www.whiskyagogo.com

comedy Groundlings Theatre 7307 Melrose Ave. (323) 934-4747. www.groundlings.com The Comedy Store 8433 Sunset Blvd. (323) 650-6268. www.thecomedystore.com Hollywood Improv Comedy Club 8162 Melrose Ave. (323) 651-2583. www.improv.com/hollywoo Largo at the Coronet 366 N. La Cienega Blvd. (310) 855-0350. www.largo-la.com Laugh Factory 8001 W. Sunset Blvd. (323) 656-1336. www.laughfactory.com Upright Citizens Brigade 5919 Franklin Avenue (323)908-8702 www.ucbtheatre.com

Los Feliz 3 1822 N. Vermont Ave. (323) 664-2169. Neighborhood theatre converted to 3 screens. www.vintagecinemas.com/losfeliz Montalban Theatre Montalban Theatre 1615 N. Vine St. Outdoor rooftop weather permitting. www.themontalban.com New Beverly Cinema 7165 Beverly Blvd. (323) 938-4038. The premier revival theater in LA shows all films in 35mm for $10. www.thenewbev.com.

NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) (323) 521-7385. Hollywood-based non-profit showcases innovative works by emerging filmmakers. Monthly screenings at 1139 South Hill St, DTLA. www.newfilmmakersla.com TCL Chinese 6 Theatres 6801 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 461-3331. First-run movies in the world’s most famous movie theatre formerly known as “Grauman’s Chinese.” Six theatres,. www.tclchinesetheatres.com (See PLACES) Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk 100 Universal City Plaza (818) 508-0711. Eighteen screens. www.amctheatres.com Vista Theatre 4473 Sunset Blvd. (323)660-6639 Circa 1929 theatre recently bought and refurbished by Quentin Tarantino.

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 25

Oscar’s Hollywood The Hollywood Arts Collective: Space for People and The Arts

Discover Hollywood Special Report

by Oscar Arslanian

O

ne of the most recent additions to rental housing is the Hollywood Arts Collective—a 152-unit community for artists in the heart of Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard between Wilcox and Schrader.

Just steps away from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the project has access to public transportation, health facilities, community services, restaurants and shopping.

The Collective offers studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom units with modern amenities, air conditioning and balconies. Preference is given to artists—someone who is regularly engaged in an artistic, creative, or cultural activity or practice, pursues such practice on a professional basis and who earns below the area media income.

A culmination of 13 years of cultural planning and development by the Entertainment Community Fund (formerly the Actors Fund), developers Thomas Safran & Associates and the City of Los Angeles Departments of Cultural Affairs, Housing and Transportation, the Hollywood Arts Collective is designed to meet the affordable housing and space needs of the

The Collective's Cecily Tyson Residential Building.

Rendering of the project's Hollywood Blvd. with new LACE gallery façade.

Rendering by HGA. Gallery design by Formation Assoc.

Los Angeles cultural community and the economic and job development goals of Hollywood.

In addition to the apartments, the Cicely Tyson Residential Building has three resident gardens, a fitness room, rehearsal studios for resident performers, as well as the new home for the Entertainment Community Fund Western Region Headquarters.

According to the Fund’s Western Region Executive Director Keith McNutt. “This project will allow professionals in our industry to live, work and perform in the center of creativity in Los Angeles. Their presence and their work will be an engine of the continued arts-based revitalization of Hollywood.”

The Rita Moreno Arts Building will be home to the 71-seat Glorya Kaufman Performing Arts Theater, LA Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE), the LA County High School for the Arts (LACHSA) and the Entertainment Community Fund’s Phil and Monica Rosenthal Family Foundation Training Center.

“LACE is excited to plan a space with new lighting and technology that will be even more responsive to the needs of the emerging artists, curators and cultural workers we champion. We’re especially thrilled to be part of this unique venture where our neighbors are a community of artists,” added Sarah Russin, LACE’s Executive Director. DH

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For the past few years, the magazine’s weekly E-News has been an easy way to keep informed about the latest arts and cultural offerings in Hollywood.

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Situated on La Ropa Beach on the beautiful and tranquil bay, you’ll relax in the warm Pacific and leave your cares behind. Each room features a large patio to enjoy the sunset. The restaurant serves delicious Mexican and Continental fare.

Entering is as easy as subscribing to our E-Newsletter at www.discoverhollywood.com. If you have any questions, please call or email the DH office. Enter today—contest ends March 31!

Reservations not available during Christmas, New Year's, Easter or peak summer holidays.

26 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

Places

of interest

Continued from page 15

Netflix Graumans Egyptian Theatre

The Egyptian Theatre, a fixture of cinematic history since Hollywood’s Golden Age. A classic and esteemed movie palace originally built during the silent film era by Sid Grauman, the designated historic landmark hosted the first Hollywood movie premiere and was the birthplace of the red carpet. Thanks to acquisition by Netflix and its $70 million investment, the renovation leads the way to the restoration of Hollywood Blvd. The King Tut Tomb-inspired theatre is a must-see visit for local film lovers and visitors from around the world. (See Film: American Cinematheque and Places p.14) Places continues on page 30

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 27

&

Museums

www.discoverhollywood.com

LEFT: Hollywood Heritage Museum

BELOW: L Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition BOTTOM: Hollywood Museum

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures 6067 Wilshire Blvd.

(323) 930-3000 Devoted to the history, science, and cultural impact of the film industry. It is the first large-scale museum of its kind in the United States. www.academymuseum.org

The Hollywood Museum in Max Factor Bldg. 1660 N. Highland Ave. (323) 464-7776. makeup studio on ground floor restored to its art deco splendor plus four floors of elaborate displays of movie memorabilia.

Open Wed-Sun. www.thehollywoodmuseum.com

Autry Museum of the American West 4700 Western Heritage Way. (323) 667-2000. Founded by Gene Autry, the museum is a tribute to the spirit that settled the American West. Closed Mon; Free second Tues of every month www.theautry.org Hollywood Heritage Museum 2100 N. Highland Ave. (323) 874-4005. A barn was the first studio of Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse B. Lasky. A California Historic Monument, it is operated by Hollywood Heritage, Inc. as a museum of early Hollywood and silent pictures; bookstore.Open weekends only. www.hollywoodheritage.org

Looking forward to serving the Hollywood community

28 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

Hollywood Bowl Museum 2301 N. Highland Ave. (323) 850-2058. 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 L. Ron Hubbard Life Exhibition 6331 Hollywood Blvd.

(323) 960-3511. Permanent exhibition retracing the life of the founder of Scientology and one of the most acclaimed and widely read authors of all time.

Winter Reading

by Nyla Arslanian

A

.K.A. Lucy – The Dynamic and Determined Life of Lucille Ball Full of fresh perspective, richly informative, and officially authorized by the estate of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, this is a book on Lucille Ball like no other. With profiles spotlighting the many different faces of the woman, A.K.A. Lucy by Sarah Royal details how Ball changed the face of comedy and the entertainment industry. It sheds new light on the star’s history, from her childhood through hard-scrabble days trying to make it in show business, falling head-over-heels in love and embarking on one of the great romances of the twentieth century to becoming the biggest star in the world, a pioneer in television, and an icon for the ages. She is adored and idolized by millions—from modern-day comedians, the queer community, feminists, risk takers, go-getters, and TV fans from around the globe.

Filled with photos, this is a volume both vivid and compelling, like the woman herself.

I

n Charlie Chaplin vs. America, bestselling biographer and film historian Scott Eyman tells the surprising, disturbing story of the decades when the movie genius who brought us such masterpieces as City Lights and Modern Times became too controversial for his adopted homeland. This is a perceptive, insightful portrait of Chaplin and of an America, not unlike today, consumed by political turmoil. In the aftermath of World War II, Chaplin was criticized for being politically liberal and internationalist in outlook.

He had never become a U.S. citizen since emigrating from England— something that would be held against him as xenophobia set in during the postwar Red Scare. The dramatic story of how Charlie Chaplin—perhaps the most important figure in Hollywood history—suddenly became a pariah in his adopted country and went into a 20-year exile abroad, is a story as relevant today as when it happened.

H

ollywood’s foremost historian, Marc Wanamaker, partnered with lifeguard historian Arthur C. Verge to produce Hollywood on The Santa Monca Beach, a colorful history of the beach that brought Hollywood to the world. Since pioneer filmmakers arrived on its shoreline in the early 20th century, the Santa Monica beach has been a popular location for the making of movies and television productions. Its enchanting beauty led studio moguls, producers, and celebrities to build beach houses on its Pacific shore, creating what became known as “Hollywood’s Playground.” In addition to its comprehensive history from a late 19th century resort, the photographic tour de force culminates with images from film and TV productions through the years. Playground, indeed!

G

eorge Geary’s passion for preserving culinary history and his talent for storytelling shine through every page of LA's Landmark Restaurants, a history of an iconic city told through the restaurants and restaurateurs that helped create it. In this beautiful tribute to Los Angeles and its historic restaurants, each location profiled is illustrated with a collection of historic and contemporary photographs and ephemera, such as menus, matchbooks, and advertisements.

Every entry features a brief history of the restaurant, entertaining anecdotes, and such details as the year of opening, address, phone number (both original and current), type of cuisine, and the name of the restaurant’s founder. Notable Hollywood restaurants profiled include the Villa Capri, La Conga and Sardis. Gone but not forgotten.

A

nita Rosenberg, a pioneering film director, invited her most interesting and successful movie business friends— writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, production designers, costume designers, editors, and actors—to explore what it takes to succeed in a famously difficult, male-dominated, and competitive industry. Each chapter of How Be The Star of Your Life: Lessons from Hollywood & Beyond includes short biographical sketches and well-edited excerpts from these intimate conversations. Illustrated with 121 photos from the author’s personal archive, the book is an absolute gem of lessons learned, advice and inspiration.

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 29

Places

of interest

Continued from page 27

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.

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.

First National Bank, vacant and awaiting restoration.

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

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www.discoverhollwood.com 30 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

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.

Hollywood Sign (Happy 100th Birthday!)

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.

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.

Johnny Ramone, Hollywood Forever Cemetery 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) 6444200. 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

Hollywood Post Office Max Factor Building (Hollwood Museum) 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.”

(See MUSEUMS) 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.

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 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. Visit artist Ian “Anthroe” Roberston-Salt 100foot long Walk of Fame Mural at 7025 Hollywood Blvd. celebrating the walk’s 60th anniversary.

Los Angeles Zoo

Places continues page 37

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 31

Where is this place...

Coninued from page 21

excess. By the 1930s, Hollywood’s streetcar accessibility to Los Angeles attracted doctors, lawyers, and business leaders. Commercial streets Hillhurst and Vermont have become a shopper’s delight dotted with restaurants and bars along the way. Madonna’s next property buy was here, and a host of A-list celebrities now call it home.

Yes, this is the real place, one not made up of dreams, but of many people like any hometown, some famous, most not. They meet and mingle, walk and jog, catch an art opening, attend a live theatre performance, and love their small corner of this immense city. On Sundays, in the morning you’ll find them at the Farmers Market at Ivar and Hollywood Blvd. and later they’ll be browsing for treasures at the Melrose Trading Post.

Perhaps more than anyplace, this famed town epitomizes the American dream...growing from bean fields and lemon groves to a name recognized around the world. Success can be found here, but so can failure—and that adds to its fascination.

I think this place will always be an enigma, but the quest to find You never know what you’re going to see in Hollywood. Cowboys? No! LAPD it is an adventure worth pursuing. DH mounted police.

AMDA COLLEGE OF THE PERFORMING ARTS 6305 Yucca St. (323) 603-5915. When you attend AMDA Los Angeles, you become a part of Hollywood's creative community; the studios, theatres and landmarks are your inspiration. Hundreds of films, television shows and live performances take place here each day. With Hollywood as your classroom, you'll get a real understanding of how show business actually works. Rising to the top of entertainment is rewarding, but getting there takes more than just talent: You need discipline, determination and-most importantly-the right training. For over 50 years, AMDA has been transforming talented performers from all over the world into respected, working professionals. Your journey to a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree all begins with an audition. www.amda.edu NYFA 3800 Barham Blvd. (818) 333-3558. The degree, certificate, and short-term workshops at NYFA Los Angeles offer students real-world experience in film, media, and the performing arts. The NYFA Los Angeles campus, located in Burbank, is within proximity to some of the top entertainment and media companies and productions in the world, giving aspiring visual storytellers a chance to learn in an immersive creative environment. Surrounded by the best film studios in Los Angeles — Universal and Warner Bros. — students may also have the opportunity to participate in production workshops on the prestigious Universal Studios backlot.

NYFA Los Angeles currently has programs in filmmaking, acting for film, producing, screenwriting, photography, cinematography, 3D animation and VFX, documentary filmmaking, game design, and digital editing. For students who must balance their studies with other commitments, there are also part-time and online programs. www.nyfa.edu 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.

32 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

&

Architecture

www.discoverhollywood.com

F

rom a ramshackle village founded in 1774 to a world-class city, Los Angeles’ architectural significance began when Frank Lloyd Wright accepted a commission from oil heiress Aileen Barnsdall. 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.

The Storer House: 8161 Hollywood Blvd.

Occupied as a residence since 1924.

Lloyd Wright Frank’s son, Lloyd, became a noted architect in his own right. See article this issue.

Samuel-Novarro House: 2255 Verde Oak Dr. Textured pre-cast concrete Mayanesque block and copper façade hints at preColumbian Revival and Zigzag Modern composition.

Richard Neutra’s Lovell Health House

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. Built in 1926, it has a mysterious presence and history.

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

Frances Howard Goldwyn Public Library: 1623 N. Ivar Ave. (323) 8568260. The noted architect was commissioned to rebuild the Hollywood library destroyed by fire in 1982 early in his career. The Samuel Goldwyn Foundation donated the entire cost.

Frank Lloyd Wright 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.

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

Richard Neutra Lovell Health House: 4616 Dundee Dr. An International style modernist residence, completed in 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 and studio, considered to be the first house built in the Modern style www.schindlerhouse.org; also the MAK Center for study of 20th century architecture www.makcenter.org.

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 33

A rts Entertainment & 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 close-up.”

Also studio for Godfather, Mission Impossible, Terminator and Top Gun films. Tours available. www.paramountstudiotour.com

The Netflix building. Their many productions keep Hollywood studio space humming. (Photo by Leonardo Calderon)

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.

Warner Brothers Studios Tour Red Studios Hollywood 846 N Cahuenga Blvd. (323) 463-0808. 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 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

34 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

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.

Melrose Trading Post

Amoeba Music

Original Farmers Market

6200 Hollywood Blvd. (323) 245-6400. 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

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. 90 minutes free parking with validation. Hours: 9am-9pm daily. www.farmersmarketla.com

Counterpoint Records & Books 5911 Franklin Ave., (323) 957-7965, Franklin Village, orders@counterpointla.com. A wide selection of books on the arts, literature, poetry, film, stage, and philosophy with a variety of other categories. Celebrating over 40 years in business with books focusing mainly on the arts, literature, poetry, film, stage, and philosophy as well as memorabilia and ephemera and a large selection of VHS. Our vinyl and cd's cover all genres with particular strengths in Classical, Jazz and Rock.

U-Frame It Gallery

Melrose Trading Post

West Hollywood Gateway

Melrose Trading Post (Fairfax High School) 7850 Melrose Ave (323) 655-7679) Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the outdoor flea market offers a continuously evolving experience, including a curated selection of handcrafted artisan goods, eclectic arts and craft, vintage fashion, antique furniture and countless one-of-a-kind treasures. It also features local performers and helps fund Fairfax High School arts and leadership programming.

6203 Lankershim Blvd. N. Hollywood 91606, (818) 781-4500. One-stop for all your framing needs. Specializing in 1-hour custom framing, serving the entertainment industry for over 40 years. Restoration and conservation framing. Experienced designers, 3,000 styles, good selection of ready-made frames and excellent service. Hours M-F 8:30am-5pm; Sat 11am-5pm; closed Sun. www.uframeitgallery.com

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

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35

TOURS & SIGHTSEEING TMZ Celebrity Tour Experience the secrets of Hollywood. You’ll see the real Hollywood on this 2-hour tour.

See where celebs go to party and play, and discover the hotspots where you can mingle with the stars. Immerse yourself in the ultimate Hollywood experience. Travelling through Hollywood, West Hollywood, The Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills, see the locations TMZ has made famous and watch celebrity entertainment news come to life. This tour is a must for anyone hoping to spot their favorite star, you’ll never know who you’ll see! The fun includes tour guides equipped with video cameras always on the lookout for celebrity interviews along the way to send back to the TMZ Newsroom. TMZ Tour Kiosk is inside Hard Rock Café 6801 Hollywood Blvd.

(844)TMZ-TOUR TMZTour.com

Big Bus Tours Los Angeles 6763 Hollywood Blvd. (877)323-4285 Hop on to journey through the City of Angels on a Big Bus sightseeing tour. See the famous Hollywood sign, shop on Rodeo Drive or sample the fresh food at the Original Farmers Market. With shops conveniently located near the most popular landmarks and attractions, the tour covers it all. Hop off and explore at your leisure, or simply stay on the bus to take a scenic spin. Check out our Celebrity Homes Tour and discover where the brightest stars of music, film and TV live, work and play. www.bigbustours.com

Dodger Stadium Tours Since 1962, Dodger Stadium has welcomed fans from all corners of the globe and enchanted them with its breathtaking views and its storied past. This 56,000-seat icon of American sports history has been home to some of the greatest players in the game and is home to the best fans in all of baseball. Highlights of this 90-minute tour: Field/dugout; newly renovated centerfield plaza and pavilions; team’s Trophy Gallery (World Series, MVP, Cy Young and more); visit the Vin Scully Press box. Tour information, visit dodgers.com/tours or (866)DODGERS.

Melting Pot Food Tours Indulge your tastebuds; delight your senses! Delicious food tasting walking tours. Amazing food, history and culture: Visit Original Farmers Market and eclectic 3rd Street: discover the vibrant past of Old Pasadena; East LA’s Mariachi Plaza and Hispanic culture tour; Long Beach and San Pedro maritime tour. (323)664-4472 www.meltingpottours.com 36 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

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 2023, 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.

Places

of interest

Continued from page 31 Ozzie & Harriet Nelson’s House 1822 Camino Palmero. Home of early TV’s 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.

Gone, but not forgotten. A 28-year art piece, artist George Sportelli's mural of Nancy Sinatra "These Boots Were Made for Walkin'" first graced a wall opposite Hollywood High on Highland Ave. Moved to Wilcox in 2010, sadly just before press time, the mural was painted over by order of the City of Los Angeles.

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)

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

Metro Rail Station Hollywood & Vine 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 64-room luxury hotel and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. www.sunsettowerhotel.com

Places continues on page 38

WINTER 2024 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 37

Places

of interest

Continued from page 37 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) 4657114. 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

Sunset Tower Hotel 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

Walk of Fame Created by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce in 1960, the world’s most famous sidewalk contains nearly 2,800 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

Sunset Strip 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 and many other TV shows, movies and commercials have been filmed here. www.yamashirohollywood.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 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/wattlesmansion-and-gardens

DLA Piper LLP

2000 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 400, North Tower, Los Angeles, CA 90067 www.dlapiper.com

38 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2024

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

1905 Hillhurst Ave. 323-522-3893 Los Feliz

A SMALL TOWN PHARMACY IN THE HEART OF LOS ANGELES Rdpharmacyla.com