Historic Hollywood Photographs

The aerial photographs in this gallery were almost all taken by the renowned aerial photographer Robert Spence. Beginning in about 1920, Spence took most of his photos from a big-plane, then later from a helicopter. Because there were no flight restrictions at the time, he was able to fly close to the ground and produce incredibly clear images. Over 150 of his photos are in the collection, which show the development of neighborhoods, street patterns, movie studios, and even Hollywood airfields in Southern California. Over five decades of development are represented here.

American Legion Post 43 has a long and storied history in Hollywood. The organization was formed in 1919 at the Toberman Hall, 6416 Hollywood Blvd. Needing a steady income stream to fund its mission, Post 43 ran the Hollywood Legion Boxing Stadium at Selma and El Centro beginning in 1920. The stadium was one of two major boxing venues in Los Angeles, (the other being the Olympic Auditorium) and was considered the most stable and successful venue of its type in California during the 1920s and 30s. The proceeds from the Hollywood Legion Stadium were used to build the post’s 33,000 square foot Egyptian Revival/Moroccan/ Art Deco Memorial Clubhouse in 1929. This building at 2035 N. Highland Avenue just south of the Hollywood Bowl, is a Cultural Heritage Monument in the City of Los Angeles. Its members have eighteen stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, including four for member Gene Autry. Post 43 is a veteran service organization whose mission is to guide veterans in their efforts to continue to be active in their communities while receiving assistance with health, education and other needs. It is also a rental facility used for weddings, community events, and filming. The photos in this gallery highlight the years 1939 to 1943.

Olive Hill, as this site near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vermont Avenue was historically known, is the location of Barnsdall Park. Its creator, Aline Barnsdall, heiress to an oil fortune and patron of the arts, envisioned an innovative theatrical community in the location. She hired architect Frank Llloyd Wright to help her realize this vision, starting with her own residence, which she named Hollyhock House after her favorite flower. Hollyhock House, decorated with an abstract “hollyhock” pattern, was Wright’s first Los Angeles project and is an example of how he incorporated nature into his designs. Built between 1919 and 1921, it represents his earliest efforts to develop a regionally appropriate style of architecture for Southern California. In 1927, Barnsdall gave the residence and eleven surrounding acres to the City of Los Angeles for use as a public park. Additional buildings on the site include a theatre, art gallery and studios. The world renowned site has recently been recognized by UNESCO and is a Cultural Heritage Monument in the City of Los Angeles. (NR?) The 10 photos in this gallery span the years 1921- 1974.

Part of the Rancho de las Aguas, Beverly Hills is approximately 5.7 square miles bounded by the City of Los Angeles and West Hollywood. Development began in the area in the 1880s as developers acquired the land for a subdivision to be called “Morocco”. This effort did not come to fruition due to an economic crisis in the late 1880s. By 1900, a group headed by Burton E. Green was drilling for oil on the land, and while the company did not strike oil, it did find enough water for real estate subdivision and cityhood to take place. Green reorganized his venture into the Rodeo Land and Water Company in 1906. He named the city “Beverly Hills” (inspired by Beverley Farms, Massachusetts). Landscape professional Wilbur Cook designed a planned development with curving streets in the hills, a platted grid for the flat land, riding trails, parks, and other amenities. Sales were slow at first, and Green decided to add a resort hotel on Sunset Boulevard. To the west, another town (Hollywood) had used this concept successfully. Green convinced Margaret Anderson, who had an association with the Hollywood Hotel, to manage the facility which opened in 1912. By 1914, the city had incorporated. Large lots in the hills were marketed as estates, and successful silent film stars and producers bought large parcels. Among the first were Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, whose “Pickfair” set the standard for lavish architecture and entertaining. The sixteen photographs in this gallery were taken between 1912 and 1966 and highlight the role of the hotel and early celebrity involvement in the development of the city.

The Bronson Caves are located in the southwest section of Griffith Park. In 1903, the Union Rock Company founded a quarry in the area then known as Brush Canyon, several miles north of Franklin Avenue. Crushed rock from the quarry was used as railroad ballast and for paving the streets of Hollywood and other newly formed communities. As the hillsides were populated by new homes, the quarry ceased operations in the late 1920s, leaving a series of caves behind. The caves became known as the Bronson Caves after a nearby street, and the neighborhood as Bronson Canyon, a name it retains today. With its craggy and remote-looking setting, the Bronson Caves became a location for filming in the early decades of the movies industry. A large number of movies and television series (westerns to science fiction) use the site to this day. The most well known appearance of the tunnel entrance is likely as the entrance to the Batcave in the Batman television series of the 1960s. The 8 images in this gallery are rare photographs of the Union Rock Quarry in operation from 1909-1929.

Central to the social life of Hollywood celebrities during the Golden Age, the Brown Derby restaurants became known as places to “see and be seen”. Founded by Herbert K. Somborn (husband of Gloria Swanson) in 1926, the original restaurant at 3427 Wilshire Boulevard was indeed in the shape of a derby hat, designed to catch the eye of passing motorists. The second location opened in 1929 at 1628 N. Vine Street. In the heart of Hollywood close to movie studios, its distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture was popular for commercial establishments in the Hollywood core. Anecdotes are endless: Clark Gable proposing to Carole Lombard; rival columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons gathering gossip; numerous celebrities and community leaders filling the room. Caricatures of patrons lined the walls, and the venue was the birthplace of the now infamous Cobb salad. Two more locations, one in Beverly Hills (1931) and one in Los Feliz (1940), completed the group. The restaurants closed between 1975 and 1990. The photographs in this gallery contain views of all four locations, and span six decades.

Cahuenga Avenue (now Boulevard) is named for the Cahuenga (Tongva/Gabrielino) band of Native Americans who once inhabited the area that is today Hollywood. The northern portion of the street begins in the Cahuenga Pass. From there it winds south and east to Rosewood Avenue in Hancock Park. The street is steeped in the history of early Hollywood and is one of its most important north-south thoroughfares, linking Hollywood with the San Fernando Valley, to the neighborhood of Hancock Park to the south. The first City Hall of Hollywood was a small wood-sided building located at 131 S. Cahuenga Avenue. The founders of Hollywood, Harvey and Daeida Wilcox, occupied property on Cahuenga Avenue, which ran through their ranch. Daeida is credited with naming her portion of the Cahuenga Valley “Hollywood”. Artist Paul DeLongpre made his home on Cahuenga. His studio and gardens became Hollywood’s first tourist attraction which could be reached by streetcar from Los Angeles. In the 1920s and 30s, Metro Studios occupied several blocks on Cahuenga near Romaine. Many of Hollywood’s best “talking pictures” were made here. During World War II, one of the most popular entertainment establishments, The Hollywood Canteen, was located at 1451 Cahuenga, and was place where enlisted servicemen could go to be entertained by some of Hollywood’s best known celebrities. The Canteen served more than three million servicemen in three years. The images in this gallery record the street from 1913-1979.

The Cahuenga Pass traverses the eastern end of the Santa Monica Mountains, connecting Hollywood and the Los Angeles Basin to the San Fernando Valley. Historically, it was the site of two major battles: the Battle of Cahuenga Pass in 1831, and the Battle of La Providencia, or Second Battle of Cahuenga Pass in 1845, over issues of territory and succession. Both of these took place on the San Fernando Valley side of the Pass near present-day Studio City. Part of the route of the historic El Camino Real, it was initially nothing more than a single wagon track, dusty in the summer and muddy in the winter. Freight wagons and personal carriages travelled through the Pass on a continuous basis to reach the valleys of fields and orchards. The first overland mail to California also travelled through the Pass. Two of the most prominent entertainment venues in Hollywood lie in the Pass: the Hollywood Bowl and the Pilgrimage Theater, both founded in the 1920s. As travel increased between Los Angeles and the Valley, the road was widened to two lanes in each direction, and then again by two more, as the population of the Valley increased after WWII. In an effort to alleviate traffic problems and speed up travel to/from downtown Los Angeles, the state of California allocated $55 million dollars for the building of the Hollywood 101 Freeway. Construction of the 10 mile thoroughfare began in 1947. Its first phase was dedicated in 1951, and its second phase was completed in 1953, with the final dedication ceremony in April 1954. Today, the Hollywood Freeway is one of the most heavily travelled freeways in the country.

The Capitol Records Company was founded in 1942 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, songwriter/movie producer Buddy DeSylva, and music store owner Glenn Wallich. At the time, Wallich's Music City was the biggest record store in Hollywood. Mercer had the idea to start a record company where artists and musicians could play more of an integral role. He agreed to deal with the talent - if Wallich would run the business. Wallich presented a free copy their first album "Capitol Presents Songs By Johnny Mercer”, a three 78-rpm set featuring the recordings of Mercer, Stafford and the Pied Pipers, accompanied by Paul Weston's Orchestra, to LA disc jockey Peter Potter in order to promote the new label. Capitol was the first company to try this marketing tact, and by the mid-1950s, became a hugely successful label, thanks to the popular music of legends like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason, Andy Griffith, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, and the Andrew Sisters. Their rapid expansion required larger facilities, so the site at 1750 North Vine Street was purchased and the groundbreaking ceremony for the world’s first circular office building took place in 1954. The building, designed by Louis Naidorf for Welton Becket Architects, is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable landmarks and an Historic Cultural Monument. Due to its association with British recording company EMI, Capitol took part in bringing The Beatles to America in 1964. Capitol was also instrumental in the careers of The Band, Pink Floyd, Linda Rondstat, The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, the Steve Miller Band, and many more. The 6 images in this gallery are our most popular Capitol Records images. For more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Capitol-Records/G0000ZsKSPlDWJPs/

The Capitol Records Company was founded in 1942 by songwriter Johnny Mercer, songwriter/movie producer Buddy DeSylva, and music store owner Glenn Wallich. At the time, Wallich's Music City was the biggest record store in Hollywood. Mercer had the idea to start a record company where artists and musicians could play more of an integral role. He agreed to deal with the talent - if Wallich would run the business. Wallich presented a free copy their first album "Capitol Presents Songs By Johnny Mercer”, a three 78-rpm set featuring the recordings of Mercer, Stafford and the Pied Pipers, accompanied by Paul Weston's Orchestra, to LA disc jockey Peter Potter in order to promote the new label. Capitol was the first company to try this marketing tact, and by the mid-1950s, became a hugely successful label, thanks to the popular music of legends like Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Judy Garland, Jackie Gleason, Andy Griffith, Dean Martin, Dinah Shore, and the Andrew Sisters. Their rapid expansion required larger facilities, so the site at 1750 North Vine Street was purchased and the groundbreaking ceremony for the world’s first circular office building took place in 1954. The building, designed by Louis Naidorf for Welton Becket Architects, is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable landmarks and an Historic Cultural Monument. Due to its association with British recording company EMI, Capitol took part in bringing The Beatles to America in 1964. Capitol was also instrumental in the careers of The Band, Pink Floyd, Linda Rondstat, The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, the Steve Miller Band, and many more.

The 50 images in this gallery are the most popular and requested photographs of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in our collection. For more architectural photographs of the Chinese Theater, go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Chinese-Theatre/G0000NMD4s5.cvaE/ For more photographs of the hand and footprint ceremonies held in the forecourt of the theatre, go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Chinese-Theatre-Handprint-Ceremonies/G0000q_HXRSI6rWc/

One of the most famous theaters in the world, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, is located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd. After his success with the Egyptian Theatre, Sid Grauman, once again turned to real estate pioneer C.E. Toberman to secure a long term lease on the Hollywood Blvd. site and together they contracted the same architectural firm of Meyer and Holler to design a dramatic "palace type theatre" with decorative Chinese elements. The theatre was constructed in 18 months and opened on May 18, 1927 with the premiere of Cecil B. DeMille's film “The King of Kings”. It's since hosted many premieres, special events and 3 Academy Awards ceremonies. In addition to its signature architecture, one of the site’s most distinctive features are the forecourt's concrete blocks which bear the signatures, hand and footprints of popular movie personalities. Sid Grauman sold his share to William Fox in 1929, but remained the theatre's Managing Director until his death in 1950. In 1968, the Chinese Theatre was declared a historic cultural landmark, and has since undergone various restoration projects. In 1985, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These 3 galleries comprise the largest collection of historic images of this iconic Hollywood landmark from 1927-1980:

There have been many stories about the origins of the hand/footprints at the Chinese Theatre, and all but one can be dismissed as folklore. As legend has it, during construction, Sid Grauman was crossing the forecourt when suddenly confronted by his chief cement mason, Jean Klossner, who scolded him for walking in the freshly laid cement. After making peace with Klossner, Sid asked Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford and Norma Talmadge to immediately come to the theatre. Upon their arrival, he asked them to place their feet in the new curbstone but it was nearly dry, so the impressions were too faint. Three weeks before the completion of construction, Pickford & Fairbanks were invited back to formally place their signatures and prints in the center of the forecourt. A few days later, Sid invited Talmadge to make her impressions next to theirs. Knowing the theatre's grand opening was set for May 18, 1927, she scribbled that date above her signature. Today, there are nearly 200 prints and autographs in the theatre's forecourt. Variations of this honored tradition are imprints of the eye glasses of Harold Lloyd, the cigars of Groucho Marx and George Burns, the legs of Betty Grable, the fist of John Wayne, the knees of Al Jolson, the noses of Jimmy Durante & Bob Hope, the guns of Western stars William S. Hart & Roy Rogers, the hoofprints of famous horses beside the prints of the stars who rode them, and the magic wands of Harry Potter. During World War II the theatre discontinued installing concrete prints. The tradition later resumed in 1945 with Gene Tierney. The only person not associated with the movie industry to etch their signature and print in the concrete is Grauman's mother, Rosa.

Places of worship were part of the Cahuenga Valley development of the 1870s. It began first with the 1876 construction of the German Methodist Church located at the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd and Kingsley Drive, and later by the Hollywood Christian Church in 1888. Daeida Wilcox donated land at the corner of Selma and Cahuenga in 1891, the year her husband Harvey passed away, and also donated land to the First Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1903, the Catholic Church formed Blessed Sacrament whose 1928 campus still stands today on Sunset Blvd. Other denominations arrived soon after. Many of the buildings built in the 1920s for then substantial congregations also exist today. Among the most prominent are the Hollywood Methodist Church at the intersection of Franklin and Highland Avenues; and Hollywood Presbyterian Church on Gower Street, north of Hollywood Boulevard. Both of these, designed in the ecclesiastical revival styles popular in that era are Historic Cultural Monuments. The former Hollywood Congregational Church is part of the Hollywood Commercial and Entertainment District listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The 36 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1907 - 1978 and depict 17 different sites.

Several of Hollywood's Golden Age restaurants and nightclubs were located on Sunset Blvd., aka the Sunset Strip, a part of then unincorporated Los Angeles County where regulations were more relaxed than in the City of Los Angeles. Entrepreneur Billy Wilkerson, owner of the Hollywood Reporter and Trocadero Cafe, opened Ciro's in January 1940 and it was an instant hit. The stars flocked to Hollywood's newest place to “see and be seen”. They were greeted by a sophisticated exterior facade by George Vernon Russell with a Baroque interior designed by Tom Douglas. Douglas' style epitomized the latest in Hollywood glamour - walls draped in heavy ribbed silk dyed pale green and ceilings painted American Beauty red. The stars luxuriated on red silk wall sofas, while bronze urn lighting fixtures flanked the bandstand. Hollywood Reporter ads preceding the opening were a constant reminder that "Everybody that's anybody, will be at Ciro's." Post premiere parties, benefits, and birthday parties were celebrated there. The nightclub was naturally under surveillance by columnists Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons, who filed many of their stories based on celebrity encounters there. Lana Turner named it her favorite haunt, and with high powered endorsements such as hers, Ciro's entered the realm of legend, packing in nightly audiences to watch Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peggy Lee, Liberace, and more. Competition from Las Vegas changed the culture and economics of 1950s Hollywood. Ciro's closed in January 1958, but it later reopened as "Le Crazy Horse" featuring the famous Crazy Horse Revue from Paris. New owners reverted back to Ciro's in 1967, and the venue later became the Comedy Store in the 1970s. The 60 photos in this gallery represent Ciro’s in its heyday from 1941-1955.

The Ambassador Hotel formally opened on January 1, 1921. Located at 3400 Wilshire Blvd. in the mid-Wilshire District, the hotel was designed by Pasadena architect, Myron Hunt. The Ambassador Hotel's Coconut Grove restaurant and nightclub was a favorite of Hollywood personalities during the Roaring Twenties, attracting the likes of Louis B. Mayer, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Howard Hughes, Clara Bow, Rudolph Valentino, and Gloria Swanson. From 1930 - 1943, six Academy Awards ceremonies were held at the Coconut Grove. The club became a playground for such film legends as Norma Shearer, Errol Flynn, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Katherine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, and countless others. As many as 7 U.S. Presidents stayed at The Ambassador Hotel, from Hoover to Nixon, along with heads of state from around the world. For decades, the nightclub hosted the biggest names in entertainment, such as Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, Bing Crosby, Lisa Minnelli, The Supremes, Dorothy Dandridge, Perry Como, and Richard Pryor. The 1968 assassination of Robert F. Kennedy hastened the hotel's demise in an already rapidly changing neighborhood. Despite a renovation in the mid-1970s, the hotel was unable to return to its former splendor and was closed in 1989. The 17 photographs in this gallery showcase the nightclub in its heyday between 1922 - 1949.

Columbia Drug Co. occupied a prime commercial location in the heart of Hollywood’s studio district. Located on the southeast corner of Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street, the one story pharmacy was adjacent to Columbia Pictures and across the street from CBS' Columbia Square radio and television facility. To the east was Warner Brothers studio at Sunset and Bronson; to the west was Famous Players Lasky Studio at Sunset and Vine, and then NBC Radio. The location attracted residents and studio workers alike, particularly the newsstand. Actors congregated across the street at “Gower Gulch” waiting for casting calls. The building was demolished in the 1980s. The nine photographs in this gallery depict it between 1939 - 1977.

Crossroads of the World has been called America's first outdoor shopping mall. Located on Sunset Boulevard at Las Palmas, the complex is centered around a moderne building designed to resemble an ocean liner. The building is surmounted by a 60 foot tower on which an 8 foot diameter globe revolves. A small village of cottage-style bungalows in a variety of European revival styles (Italian, French, Spanish) are arranged in rows. Morrish and Turkish design are also present, as is a narrow street reminiscent of Cape Cod. Designed in 1936 by architect Robert V. Derrah for owner Ella Crawford, the complex was once a busy shopping center and is now the creative home to music publishers, recording companies, writers, costume designers, casting agents and publicists. It's been used for location shoots in many films and TV including “L.A. Confidential” and "Dragnet”. The complex has been well maintained and in 1974, it was declared a Historic-Cultural Monument of the City of Los Angeles. This gallery features 25 images documenting the site from 1937-1976.

The drive-in restaurant is an iconic image of life in Southern California. During the golden age of the automobile, people enjoyed eating in their cars and gravitated to the unique style of these restaurants. The speedy and informal service was novel and Southern California weather permitted the outdoor experience almost year round. Servers known as "carhops" would hand-deliver each order on special trays that would hang from the windows. Their uniforms depended on the theme of the establishment. Eighteen of these establishments are featured in this gallery, including one of the longest surviving drive ins, Tiny Naylor’s. This Hollywood favorite was located at the intersection of Sunset Blvd and La Brea Ave until its demise in the mid-1990s.

Earl Carroll built his second Earl Carroll Theatre at 6230 Sunset Blvd. and opened its doors on December 26, 1938. As he'd done at his New York theatre, Caroll the emblazoned the words "through these portals pass the most beautiful girls in the world" above the entrance. The glamorous supper club-theatre offered shows on its massive stage featuring a 60-foot wide, double revolving turntable and staircase. Swings could also be lowered from the ceiling during performances. Another major feature of the theatre was its "Wall of Fame" where many of Hollywood's most glamorous stars inscribed a personal message. The building's facade was adorned by what was at the time one of Hollywood's most famous landmarks: a 20-foot high neon portrait of entertainer Beryl Wallace, one of Earl Carroll's "most beautiful girls" as well as his companion. Following both of their deaths in a 1948 plane crash, the theater continued to operate for a few years before falling on hard times. In 1953, it operated as another nightclub known as the "Moulin Rouge." From 1956 to 1964, it was the Aquarius Theater, where the popular TV game show “Queen for a Day” was broadcast, and 60s counter culture musical “Hair” enjoyed a long run. The Doors also famously performed here on July 21, 1969. In 1983, it was converted it into a state-of-the-art television theater and used for programs and telethons. By late 1990s, the theatre was leased by cable television channel Nickelodeon and served as their West Coast headquarters. In 2004, it was sold to a private equity firm. The Earl Carroll Theater remains a designated Historic Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. This gallery includes over 40 images from its heyday from 1939-1948.

The Egyptian Theatre was the first collaboration of showman Sid Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman. They later collaborated again on the Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. The Egyptian Theatre cost $800,000 to build and took eighteen months to construct. Architects Meyer & Holler designed the building and it was built by The Milwaukee Building Company. The Egyptian was the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere, Robin Hood, starring Douglas Fairbanks in 1922. The exterior of the Egyptian Theatre is in the Egyptian Revival style. It's probable that this was due to public fascination with the multiple expeditions searching for the tomb of Tutankhamun by archaeologist Howard Carter in years prior. (Carter eventually discovered the tomb on November 4, 1922 - just two weeks after the Egyptian Theatre opened.) The exterior and interior walls contain Egyptian-style paintings and hieroglyphics. Four massive columns mark the theatre's main entrance. Capitalizing on Southern California's sunny weather is the large front courtyard complete with fountain and queen palm trees. The "entrance hall" (the theatre doors used to open directly into the auditorium) were specifically designed to host the theatre's famous red carpet ceremonies. As Hollywood declined in the 80s, the theatre fell into disrepair and was severely damaged in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. In 1996, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles sold the theatre to the American Cinematheque for a nominal one dollar with the proviso that the landmark building be restored to its original grandeur and re-opened as a movie theatre. The Egyptian was re-opened to the public on December 4, 1998, after a $12.8 million renovation. It is an Historic Cultural Monument and listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This gallery contains 27 historic photographs of the Egyptian Theatre taken between 1922 - 1973.

In July 1934 a contingent of farmers pulled their trucks onto an expanse of empty land known as Gilmore Island at the corner of Third and Fairfax in Los Angeles. They displayed their produce on the tailgates of their vehicles, and to their delight, customers quickly arrived lured by the casual, open air atmosphere, fresh produce and flowers. Farmers Market became an instant institution and central meeting place for Angelenos. "Meet me at 3rd and Fairfax" is still one of the most common phrases in the city. It became and remains, a must-see tourist attraction in Southern California. As a part of an expansion and reconstruction project in 1941, Farmers Market became the home of the Clock Tower, which has also become an internationally recognized landmark. At the turn of the millennium, A.F. Gilmore Company completed an arrangement with Caruso Affiliated Holdings to develop several acres of adjacent property into a shopping and entertainment venue called The Grove. At the same time, the Gilmore Company created North Market, home to the ultra-modern Gilmore Bank building with street-level shops and two stories of offices. Now entering its 8th decade, the Market remains a Los Angeles institution.

These bucolic images show a time which has long since passed into history. It's worth remembering, however, that the patterns of today’s busy metropolis were created by the grid system imposed by small farming in this fertile plain. The area we now know as Hollywood was originally called the Cahuenga Valley. Consisting of small farms and ranches at the turn of the 20th century, this prime farmland was located south of the hills near what is now Santa Monica Blvd., formerly Foothill Road. The land north of Sunset Boulevard was considered useless for anything but sheep grazing. It lay in a frostless belt, however, making it possible to raise sub-tropical fruits and winter vegetables, with an almost daily fresh ocean breeze that tempers the summer heat and winter cold. In 1895, the valley’s lemon growers formed the Cahuenga Valley Lemon Growers’ Exchange to operate a packing house. There the bounteous lemon crop could be graded for uniform size and quality and packed for shipment to eastern markets. In addition to the 11 photographs in this gallery which were taken between 1880 and 1937, other photos of farmland and ranches can be found in our Aerial and Panorama galleries.

On Tuesday, July 1, 1930, Engine Co. No. 27, Hose Co. No. 2, Truck Co. No. 9, Rescue Co. No. 2, and Salvage Co. No. 4 moved into the city’s newest fire station at 1355 N. Cahuenga Blvd. Prior to this, when Hollywood was incorporated, services were housed in a simple wooden structure, and then in a combination police/fire station at the same location for more than 15 years. The largest fire station west of the Mississippi at the time, the first emergency response came on their first day at 3:14 p.m. - a two-story brick hotel at 6724 Hollywood Blvd. For decades, Fire Station 27 served Hollywood, the motion picture studios, the stars who lived in the hills and along Sunset Boulevard, and during major emergencies, the entire city at large. In 1994, the Northridge earthquake damaged the building. Today, Old Fire Station 27, as it's now known, is a completely restored facility that functions as the Hollywood Fire Museum. Three apparatus bays are filled with equipment, some dating back to the early 1900s. Artifacts of all types dating back to the 1880s are on display and it includes a Fire Service Research Library and educational learning center. The building has been designated an Historic Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. A new Station 27 was constructed next door to the old in June 2012, and a new fire station (#82) was dedicated and placed in service at 5769 Hollywood Boulevard. The sixteen photographs in this gallery show Old Fire Station 27 and its predecessor from 1913 - 1977.

Fremont Place is a privately owned subdivision originally developed in 1911 by Charles Ingram, David Barry and George Briggs. Like the nearby neighborhoods of Windsor Square and Hancock Park, Fremont Place's 50 acre site was promoted as a park-like refuge of sedate mansions. The project would consist of 48 lots measuring 200 x 200 feet and costing less than $7,500. Fremont Place would be accessed through an elegant entrance with granite gateways designed by J. Martyn Haenke. The neighborhood began construction in 1916 with No. 55 designed in the Italian Rennaissance style by John C. Austin. Similar mansions by distinguished architects followed. Residents included oil barons, bankers, and movie stars. Following the Depression, many of the originally proposed lots were subdivided and the lots fronting on Wilshire were sold for commercial buildings. Initially, preservation of Fremont Place was ensured by a set of reciprocal codes, covenants and restrictions (CC&Rs), which were legally enforceable for all the properties. Over time, some homeowners did not renew these covenants and eventually they lapsed altogether. Cooperative efforts in the 1970s enabled an active homeowners association to reverse declining property values and restore the enclave’s desirability. For over 90 years, Fremont Place has been home to movie stars, civic leaders and entrepreneurs. Several residences are Historic Cultural Monuments. The four photographs in this gallery depict early views taken in 1921.

The Garden of Allah Hotel was once Hollywood's most famous (perhaps infamous) hotel during the 1930s - 40s. In 1918, Nazimova, a successful silent film actress who co-starred opposite Rudolph Valentino in “Camille”, bought an 8 room Spanish-style mansion on the southwest corner of Sunset and Crescent Heights Blvds. The building was surrounded by 3 1/2 acres of lush tropical plants and fruit trees. At the urging of her manager, she decided to turn her estate into a hotel. After months of construction building 25 villas, Miss Nazimova's Garden of Allah Hotel opened on January 9, 1927, with an 18 hour party. Some of Nazimova's early guests included Hollywood's royal couple, Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, as well as stars Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, and Tom Mix. Two years after she opened, the Depression hit and Nazimova lost the hotel, but managed to hold on to an apartment for herself, where she lived until her death in 1945. The hotel had several subsequent owners. Some of the celebrities who visited were in town working on films, others lived there long-term. Some were between marriages or homes; some were there for the parties from sunset until dawn. Frank Sinatra, John Barrymore, Marlene Dietrich, Ginger Rogers, Greta Garbo, and Errol Flynn resided there. The Garden was also a sanctuary for the many literati who gravitated to Hollywood in the '30s, including Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Ernest Hemingway. Its popularity waned in the 1950s and it closed in August 1959, after one last huge party. The property was sold to Lytton Savings and Loan which demolished the complex and built its offices and a large strip mall. Another proposed redevelopment is planned. The 19 photos in this gallery were taken between 1936 - 1954.

Eighty photos in this gallery depict two gay pride parades on Hollywood Blvd. in 1975 and 1977.

Gilmore Field and Stadium were recreational venues located on the Gilmore Family property at the intersection of Beverly Boulevard, Third Street and Fairfax Avenue, adjacent to the popular Farmers Market. The field opened on May 2, 1939 and was home of the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League until September 1957. Located next to the field, the stadium was built in 1934 and held 18,000 spectators for football games, midget racing (invented here) and other sporting events. The Hollywood Stars Baseball Team moved from Wrigley Field to the newly built Gilmore Field and fast became a very popular team, winning three pennants before 1958. They also began the custom of dragging the infield during the 5th inning, creating an break in the action in hopes that fans would run to the concession stands. The last game was attended by 6000 fans. The Stadium was demolished in 1952. The Field survived for two decades before being razed in 1958 and replaced with one of the first TV facilities in Hollywood, CBS Television City. The 18 photos in this gallery were taken between 1939-1954.

The Greek Theatre is one of three outdoor amphitheatres built in a natural outdoor setting in Hollywood. Joining the Hollywood Bowl and the Pilgrimage Theater, the venue is nestled in Griffith Park, just south of the Griffith Observatory. The two facilities were envisioned by the park’s founder, Colonel Griffith J. Griffith, who gifted the property to the City of Los Angeles. The cultural arts facility was planned in conjunction with the observatory in order to create facilities for the public's enjoyment of art and science in the park. Since its opening in 1929, the Greek Revival style of the complex and its bucolic setting have made it a fixture among Hollywood's cultural institutions. The theater has programmed summer concerts and other dramatic performances for 9 decades. The seven photos in this gallery were taken between 1930 - 1971.

Griffith Observatory's unique architecture and setting, compelling programmatic offerings, and cinematic exposure have made it one of the most visited destinations in Southern California. This cultural landmark, scientific icon, and Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument owes its existence to one man, Griffith Jenkins Griffith, the donor/planner of Griffith Park and visionary who worked to make astronomy and observation accessible to all. Griffith was introduced to astronomy through the Astronomical Section of the Southern California Academy of Sciences. Inspired by his visits to the research observatory on Mount Wilson, on December 12, 1912, he offered the City of Los Angeles $100,000 for an observatory to be built on the top of Mount Hollywood. His plan included an astronomical telescope open to free viewing, a Hall of Science devoted to exhibits about the physical sciences, and a theater to screen educational films. This last aspect of the plan would eventually evolve into the planetarium, though the technology was not invented until the 1920s.

 Years into the construction, Griffith realized that his vision would not be realized in his lifetime, so he left explicit instructions for its creation before his death in 1919. The Observatory's groundbreaking took place on June 20, 1933; the formal opening took place on May 14, 1935. The Griffith Trust transferred ownership of the building to the City of Los Angeles that day and the City's Department of Parks and Recreation has operated it ever since. More people have looked through the Observatory’s Zeiss refracting telescope than any other in the world. Located in the roof-top dome on the building's east end, the telescope is intended mainly for nighttime viewing by the public, commonly targeting the Moon, planets, and brightest objects of our galaxy. The Griffith Park Observatory has been the location of many Hollywood movies, including "Rebel Without A Cause", starring James Dean and Natalie Wood. The 18 photographs in this gallery are from 1933-1966.

Hancock Park owes its name to developer-philanthropist George Allen Hancock, who developed the 4400 acre property he inherited from his father, Major Henry Hancock, between Van Ness Ave to the east, Melrose Ave to the north, La Brea Ave to the west, and Wilshire Blvd to the south. In 1919, Hancock subdivided the property into residential lots and leased 105 acres to the Wilshire Country Club with an option to buy. The Hancock Park development began on Rossmore Ave and moved west to Highland Ave in 1921. Architects Paul Williams, A. C. Chisholm, and John Austin were hired to design homes for many of the city's pioneer families, a list that reads like a "Who's Who" of California - Doheny, Chandler, Huntington, Van Nuys, Crocker, Banning, Newmark, Van de Kamp, Duque - to name just a few of the earliest residents. With its abundance of classic Los Angeles architecture and proximity to Wilshire Country Club, it remains one of the most desirable neighbors in Southern California. Neighboring Windsor Square is directly east of Hancock Park and was developed between 1900 - 1910 by George A.G. Howard, who envisioned a beautiful tranquil park setting for family homes reminiscent of the English countryside. Robert A. Rowan initiated this unique residential development and designed the original "Square" to run from Wilshire Blvd to Third St, Plymouth to Irving Blvd. Nurseryman Paul J. Howard designed a majority of the magnificent gardens and supervised tree planting. Windsor Square was later expanded to include the commercial strip of Larchmont Village, between First Street and Beverly Blvd. Many of the homes in these neighborhoods are designated Historic Cultural Monuments and the two areas are Historic Preservation Overlay Zones. The seven photographs in this collection show its early development between 1920 - 1924.

Highland Avenue is one of the oldest streets in Hollywood. Oriented north to south, it begins at the south end of the Cahuenga Pass near the Hollywood Bowl and runs south to Wilshire Blvd, where it connects to La Brea Ave, north of San Vicente. Like Vine Street and Cahuenga Blvd, Highland is one of the three most important north-south arteries in Hollywood. The nucleus of one of three early Hollywood development nodes, it anchored the activities of prominent developers CE Toberman, HJ Whitley and their real estate syndicates, acting as a major conduit to the prestigious neighborhood of Hancock Park as well as Hollywood’s industrial district. On Highland are several famous Hollywood structures: the Hollywood Bowl, the oldest outdoor concert venue; the Hollywood Heritage Museum, housed in the barn where Cecil B. DeMille made the first full length motion picture in Hollywood; Highland-Camrose Bungalow Village, American Legion Post 43, and Roman Villa, all designated landmarks. At Hollywood Blvd and Highland was the famous Hollywood Hotel, built in 1902 for wintering tourists and movie actors. Just south of the boulevard is the Max Factor salon, which today houses of the Hollywood Museum. Further south at the corner of Sunset Blvd is the campus of Hollywood High School, and just south of Santa Monica Boulevard in the industrial district are the Hollywood Storage building and the Community Laundry, both built by Charles E. Toberman. These 47 photographs taken between 1927 - 1987 showcase the development of the street.

Cecil B. DeMille was one of Hollywood's aviation pioneers. With a plane he acquired and restored in 1917, he became a competent pilot and spent time in the U.S. Air Service. He built his first Hollywood Airfield at Crescent Blvd (now Fairfax Ave) and Melrose. With 8 planes, he formed the Mercury Aviation Company and established DeMille Field No. 2 on the north side of Wilshire Boulevard. In August of 1920, DeMille bought his first factory new plane [JL-6] from Junkers, and it was delivered to DeMille Field No. 2 by famed WWI ace, Eddie Rickenbacker. As the public was not yet ready to embrace the idea of using aircraft for serious traveling, DeMille’s airline never became a viable business. He added his last airfield in Altadena in 1922, now the sight of the Altadena Country Club. Businessman Syd Chaplin came to Hollywood in 1919 to manage his brother Charles Chaplin. Being well financed, he explored the struggling aeronautical industry, founding Chaplin Airdrome with Emory Rogers. They established their Airdrome airfield across from DeMille's Field #2 at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and Fairfax Ave. Chaplin & Rogers established the first successful regular service between Wilmington and Avalon with a Curtiss 'Seagull' flying boat, operating the Airdrome for a short while before it was taken over by Emory Rogers. When DeMille left Mercury Aviation, it was added to Rogers Airfield. These Hollywood airfields lasted until 1922 when the aviation industry shifted to other less crowded locations and the fields were developed for commercial and residential uses. These 35 photos taken between 1920-1921 show a little known connection between two very significant Southern California industries which shaped the future of the area.

In 1921, civic leaders sensed a need for a club in which businessmen could not only meet socially, but develop their minds and bodies through physical exercise. Frank K. Galloway and George Moore pursued the idea after calling a meeting in the basement of the old library building and attracting more than 75 Hollywood citizens. Moore and Clarence Huron thus incorporated the Hollywood Finance Company and began selling memberships, first at a nominal cost, using the funds to purchase a site and build a clubhouse. The idea quickly found favor, at a greatly increased price, and the club's officers struck a deal for the purchase of a site on the northeast corner of Sunset Blvd and Hudson Ave. Plans for a larger clubhouse were then drawn and construction of the nine-story building was completed in late 1923. Hollywood boasted of having the most modern and envied athletic club in the country. Appointments included a billiard room, a 25 yard indoor pool, a large gymnasium, spacious lounging rooms, library, mens' and womens' locker rooms, barber shop, cigar store, haberdashery, as well as apartments for bachelor members. The club was so popular that by 1926, it had close to 1000 members. Even though the club was built primarily for men, the wives and daughters of members were allowed to partake in the gymnasium, swim classes, and complete physical education program. For more than thirty years, the Hollywood Athletic Club was a central social establishment and home for numerous service clubs and civic organizations responsible for the development of Hollywood. The club closed in 1956 due to waning membership and ballooning operating costs. The building later became the University of Judaism and gradually fell into disrepair. It had been up for sale for 8 years when preservationist Gary Berwin purchased it in November 1978 and undertook a thorough restoration. It is now a Historic Cultural Monument. The five photos in this gallery were taken between 1929 and 1931.

One of the most famous thoroughfares in the world, Hollywood Blvd begins at Sunset Blvd on the east and proceeds northwest to Vermont Avenue where it straightens out and runs due west to Laurel Canyon Blvd. West of Laurel Canyon, it continues as a small residential street in the hills, ending at Sunset Plaza Drive, just off Sunset Blvd. On Hollywood's east side, the Boulevard passes through the neighborhoods of Little Armenia and Thai Town, west to the commercial core of central Hollywood. The heart of the Boulevard is its commercial core between Gower and La Brea. Listed as a historic district in the National Register of Historic Places, it's home to over 100 buildings built between 1903-1964. The “Main Street” of Hollywood during its Golden Era, the district embodies decades of development and a diversity of popular architectural styles. A large concentration of movie palaces, banks, office buildings, hotels and restaurants cater to residents and tourists alike. Within the district is the Walk of Fame which pays tribute to significant figures of the movie, radio, TV, theater and recording industries. There are over 500 images of Hollywood Blvd in our collection. The 47 images in this gallery are the most popular and requested photographs of Hollywood Blvd in our collection. For more images of Hollywood Blvd between 1899-1940, go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hollywood-Blvd-1899-1940/G0000VbcX_htzEo8/ For images of Hollywood Blvd between 1941-1990, go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hollywood-Blvd-1941-1990/G0000QNIC3RueZIQ/

This famous street was originally named Prospect Avenue from 1887-1910 when the town of Hollywood was annexed to the city of Los Angeles. By the turn of the 20th century, street cars ran regularly east and west on the street. The street was residential for the first few decades of its existence, but the advent of the movie industry and its ensuing growth ushered in a transition to more commercial enterprises. One residence, the Janes House, survives today as an example of the Victorian mansions which once lined the street. During the 1920s - 1940s, Hollywood Boulevard was one of the most popular shopping areas in Southern California, featuring the most stylish retail shops, restaurants, nightclubs, and “movie palaces”. Due to the wealth of the motion picture industry, many banks and high rise office building projects were taken on by well known architects. The work of these architects between 1910 - 1940 represented a variety of popular architectural styles: Beaux Arts, Renaissance Revival and Spanish Colonial Revival, predominately. Fanciful movie palaces such as the Egyptian and Chinese Theatre lend an eclecticism to the streetscape.

After World War II, shopping in Hollywood began to decline primarily due to the development of suburbs in the San Fernando Valley and the advent of "shopping centers" that replaced traditional main streets. By the mid-1960s, many of the upscale stores along Hollywood Boulevard began having massive sales and other promotions to attract customers. Many retailers closed their doors, leaving storefronts vacant. In an effort to revitalize the area, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which runs from Gower Street to La Brea Avenue, was created by the Chamber of Commerce in 1958 as a tribute to artists working in the entertainment industry. The Walk of Fame has since honored over 1,800 people by placing their names on the terrazzo sidewalk. The Hollywood extension of the Metro R subway line opened in June 1999. Running from downtown LA to the San Fernando Valley, it stops on Hollywood Blvd at Western Ave, Vine St and Highland Ave. Metro local lines 180, 181 and 217 and Metro Rapid line 780 also serve Hollywood Blvd.

The Hollywood Bowl is a modern amphitheater with a seating capacity of 17,376 and is used primarily for music performances. Its stage has been a series of band shells, most of them a distinctive set of concentric arches of varying sizes. The shell is set against the backdrop of the Hollywood Hills and the Hollywood Sign to the northeast. The "bowl" refers to the shape of the concave hillside in which the amphitheater is set. Owned by Los Angeles County, it's the summer home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic and hundreds of musical events each year. It is one of the first community cultural sites in Hollywood and a significant portion of the Cahuenga Pass landscape. The 42 images in this gallery are the most popular and requested photographs of the Hollywood Bowl in our collection. For our complete collection of Hollywood Bowl images, go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hollywood-Bowl/G0000tZwzTqc2I0o/

The Bowl's first afternoon concerts and Easter Sunrise Service were held in 1921 in the natural amphitheater formerly known as the Daisy Dell. At first, the Bowl stayed very close to its natural state. Makeshift wooden benches provided seats for the audience and eventually a simple awning was erected over the stage. In 1926, a group known as the Allied Architects was contracted to regrade the Bowl, provide permanent seating and a shell. These improvements increased capacity considerably, but degraded the natural acoustics. For the 1927 season, Lloyd Wright built a pyramidal shell with a Southwestern look, out of leftover lumber from the Pickford Fairbanks Studios production of “Robin Hood”. It was regarded as the best shell the Bowl ever had acoustically speaking, but its appearance was deemed too avant-garde and it was demolished at the end of the season. Wright was given a second chance for the 1928 season and built a fiberglass shell in the shape of concentric 120-degree arches with movable panels inside that could be used to tune the acoustics. It was designed to be easily dismantled and stored between concert seasons, but this wasn't done and it didn't survive the winter. In 1929, the Allied Architects built a shell with transite skin over a metal frame in a similar concentric shape that lasted until 2003. As the subpar acoustics deteriorated, additional amplification was used to mitigate issues until a new shell with modern technology was built in 2004. Sculptor George Stanley, creator of the Oscar statuette, designed the Muse Fountain. While much has changed in the ensuing years, the tradition of presenting the world's greatest musicians and highlighting musical excellence has remained a constant goal of this famed Los Angeles cultural landmark. Artists that have appeared at the Bowl include: The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Nat King Cole, Queen, The Eagles, the LA Philharmonic, and countless others. The 208 photographs in this gallery taken over 7 decades from 1917-1987 tell the story of this world famous venue.

Shortly after the outbreak of World War II, actress Bette Davis approached fellow actor John Garfield and Dr. Jules Stein about starting a canteen for servicemen in Hollywood, similar to the Stage Door Canteen in New York. The three approached all the entertainment unions, guilds, movie studios and radio stations for support. They found a dilapidated barn located at 1451 N. Cahuenga Blvd and leased it for $100 a month for the duration of the war. Hollywood's motion picture craftsmen volunteered their services to do the renovation and transformed the place. It was unanimously agreed that the Hollywood Canteen would be exclusively for enlisted servicemen, no officers allowed. The servicemen's uniform was his admission ticket. The only people allowed to volunteer were those who worked in some facet of the entertainment business. The Canteen had its grand opening on October 3rd, 1942 with Eddie Cantor as MC. The forecourt was filled with thousands of servicemen, dignitaries and civic leaders. All food, beverages, and cigarettes were free. Each night, two bands played to packed dance floors. Entertainers included Red Skelton, Spencer Tracy, Rosemary Clooney, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby. Hostesses included Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich, Paulette Goddard and Joan Crawford. When the war ended in 1945, fewer servicemen visited and the canteen closed by November. Over the course of its 3 year existence, the Hollywood Canteen had over 3 million servicemen come through its doors. It was truly Hollywood's finest home-front contribution to the war. The over 400 photographs of the Canteen in this gallery were taken between 1942 - 1945.

One of Hollywood’s first institutions, the Hollywood Cemetery (now Hollywood Forever Cemetery) is at 6000 Santa Monica Blvd. The cemetery was founded in 1899 on 100 acres as Hollywood Memorial Park Cemetery. The Beth Olam Cemetery in the southwestern section is a dedicated Jewish burial ground. It is adjacent to the north wall of Paramount Studios, which acquired forty acres of cemetery property in 1920. The parklike setting has winding pathways leading to above ground crypts, chapels and other buildings. Many of Hollywood’s most notable citizens are interred here, including Rudolph Valentino whose untimely death in 1926 generated an outpouring of grief across the country. He is interred in the Cathedral Mausoleum. One of Hollywood’s most prominent pioneer developers, Charles E Toberman is also buried here along with his wife and son. By the latter part of the 20th century, allegations of financial mismanagement caused the State of California to forbid the sale of plots. On the verge of bankruptcy, Tyler Cassity of Forever Enterprises purchased the now 62-acre property in 1998. The company renamed the property "Hollywood Forever," and refurbished it. The cemetery continues to actively accept interments and host community events. The 11 photos in this gallery show the early stages of cemetery development from 1903-1937.

Less well known than Bette Davis’ efforts at the Hollywood Canteen are the efforts of others to provide for soldiers during World War II. The closest thing to home for soldiers who came to Hollywood was Mrs. Anne "Mom" Lehr's Hollywood Guild and Canteen at 1284 North Crescent Heights Blvd. On an average, Mrs. Lehr and her volunteers accommodated 800 to 1000 servicemen in her complex of buildings. Soldiers were attracted by a clean comfortable bed, 3 meals a day, the privilege of coming and going as they pleased at any hour of the day or night, and staying as long as they wished. Mrs. Lehr saw a need when the war broke out as she began noticing servicemen walking the streets of Hollywood all night, sleeping on benches, in doorways or parked cars. When the USO was open, they could grab a hot coffee and write a letter home; the star-studded Hollywood Canteen offered them a glamorous night out; but neither place was designed to provide shelter, so she decided to turn her home into a free hotel for servicemen. Aside from Mrs. Lehr’s own house, new structures were built on her grounds and nearby buildings were taken over. Soon there were nearly 1,000 beds. A house in the next block was home to about 100 servicemen, and there was also a place for officers. About 1,000 women cleaned, washed dishes, made beds, waited tables, and danced with the boys to keep the place running. It was an expensive operation and nearly folded until W.R. Wilkerson, publisher of the influential Hollywood Reporter, wrote an editorial praising "Mom's" and helped raise funds via collections at local nightclubs, studios, and at the Hollywood Canteen, allowing the enterprise to survive until the end of the war. These 6 photos from 1943 show this little known story.

In 1901, a group prominent real estate investors decided to promote Hollywood and their holdings by building a resort hotel. The company bought 60 acres of the Rancho LaBrea east of Highland Ave. They completed the first unit of the hotel, consisting of 25 rooms, in February 1903. Shortly thereafter, the Hollywood Hotel Company turned to one of its largest stockholders, Myra Hershey of the Pennsylvania chocolate candy bar family, to manage the hotel and an additional 50 rooms were then constructed in 1905. Miss Hershey acquired all the stock in the company in 1907, placed the deed in her name, and added an additional 50 rooms within the next year, bringing the total number to 125. The Mission Revival edifice operated as a resort hotel, drawing wealthy vacationers to Southern California for months long visits. During the ensuing years, the hotel became the social center of Hollywood and was home to many silent film stars including Douglas Fairbanks, Anita Stewart, Lon Chaney, Pola Negri and Norma Shearer. The hotel gained international fame when movie columnist Louella Parsons put film stars on the radio and announced, "This is Louella Parsons broadcasting from the Hollywood Hotel". By 1947 the hotel was deteriorating and it was sold to CE Toberman (one of the founders of the Hollywood Bowl and developer of Grauman's Chinese and the Egyptian Theatre) in 1947. In August 1956, it was razed and a 12 story office building took its place on the northwest corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave. Redeveloped again in 1998, the entire property was sold to Trizec Properties which built a shopping and entertainment complex which opened in 2001. Hollywood and Highland, as it's now known, includes the Kodak Theatre, the "official" home of the Academy Awards. The 37 photographs in this gallery span all 5 decades of the hotel’s existence.

The Mulholland Dam, known as “Lake Hollywood” was named for William Mulholland, the self-taught civil engineer who designed and built the Owens River Aqueduct, among other marvels of water engineering. A man-made reservoir built between August 1923 and December 1924, it was filled and officially dedicated in 1925. The dam is capable of holding more than 2.5 billion gallons of water and is located in Weid Canyon, east of the Cahuenga Pass, just south of the Hollywood Sign. It is 210 feet high, 933 feet long and 16 feet wide at the crest with a maximum depth of 183 feet. 172,000 cubic yards of concrete were used for the construction of the dam. After the failure of the Saint Francis Dam, the Mulholland Dam was reinforced in 1933. When the department of Water & Power mandated that reservoirs be covered and chlorinated in 1988, homeowners groups advocated to save the existing “lake”. According to the Hollywood Knolls Community Club, two new Toyon tanks, among the largest in the world, have taken over the water storage role previously played by both Hollywood Reservoirs. The reservoirs remain full in case of emergency, but reservoir's water is no longer used for drinking. This Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument is a much loved recreation area for the Hollywood Knolls, Beachwood Canyon, and Lake Hollywood communities. The 41 photographs in this gallery show over five decades of its history.

The Hollywood (American) Legion Stadium was one of the two major boxing venues of Los Angeles from the 1920s to 1950s (the other being Olympic Auditorium). The most stable and most successful venue in California during the 1920s and 1930s, it was opened as an 8,000-seat venue on August 12, 1921 under the auspices of American Legion Post No. 43. The first ring was replaced by a more permanent version in 1938 at a cost of over $250,000. African American boxers were not allowed to fight here until 1940, but a large number of them fought at the Hollywood Legion Stadium in subsequent years, including Henry Armstrong. On March 15, 1952, programming was changed from Friday nights to Saturday nights so the televising of Friday night East Coast boxing matches could be accommodated and revenues wouldn't be further lost. The Legion Stadium televised their shows as well, showing them locally on TV station KECA. The Hollywood Legion Stadium closed in 1959. At present, it is the Legion Lanes Bowling Alley on Gower Boulevard, up the street from the Paramount Studios. The 9 photographs in this gallery cover 1926 to 1949.

In February 1929, the Mandarin Market located on the northeast corner of Vine and La Mirada Street opened to the public. Designed in a Chinese architectural style, the market had two fully enclosed stores in addition to fruit and vegetable stalls. Success was short-lived for the small market, however, and it closed in 1933. The structure stayed vacant until 1936 when Nate Gilbert and Larry Fredrick purchased the property. After months of remodeling and expansion, the Hollywood Ranch Market was again unveiled to the public, with added the distinction of being the first self-service market open 24 hours. Their motto was "we never close." The snack bar on Vine Street was a popular gathering place for many celebrities due to its proximity to all the Radio & TV studios on Sunset and Vine. It was common to see such personalities as Frank Sinatra, Red Skelton and Steve Allen at Hollywood Ranch Market's snack bar. With the increasing popularity of all night supermarkets, the Hollywood Ranch Market struggled to compete and finally closed its doors in the 1990s. These 9 photographs from the 1960s and 1970s tell a part of the market’s story.

The “ Hollywood Sign” was originally the ”Hollywoodland Sign” built to advertise a hillside subdivision and premiere residential enclave being developed by SH Woodruff and Tracy Shoults with investors such as Harry Chandler. Hollywoodland had cutting edge infrastructure and strict design controls. Thomas Fisk Goff and his Crescent Sign Company designed and engineered the sign while The Electrical Products Corporation manufactured and installed the electrical and lighting system. The sign site was accessed by a steep dirt road and construction materials were delivered by mule teams. When finished, the sign was 543 feet in length. Each letter was about 45 feet high by 30 feet wide, reaching about 60 feet high when elevated. Spaced 12 feet apart, the letters were not in a completely straight line due to the uneven terrain. Attached to the perimeter of all the letters and the inside of the “O” and “D” were a series of light boxes that illuminated the 2150 foot sign so it could be seen throughout Los Angeles. In the early 1930s, maintenance of the sign was discontinued. In 1945, the land on which the sign sits was deeded to the City of Los Angeles. By the early 1940s the sign was in serious disrepair. In 1944, the letter “H” was knocked over by a windstorm. Five years later the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce paid to have the “H” rebuilt, the last four letters removed, and the sign restored. Ever since, the sign has read HOLLYWOOD. In 1973, the sign underwent a facelift, replacing the missing pieces of sheet metal and painting the letters. In 1978, the sign was seriously damaged by one of the worst storms in Southern California’s history. After an extensive fund raising campaign, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce led the charge to replace the old sign with one made of state-of-the-art materials. More history is available at hollywoodsignhistory.com. The 27 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Hollywood Sign images. For many more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hollywood-Sign/G0000hEKWq6dM2uI/

Finished in less than 90 days, the construction of the Hollywood Sign was an engineering marvel in its day. Nine letters were each supported by two 60 foot long telephone type poles which were sunk approximately 8 feet into the ground. Each of the three “Ls” were supported by one 60 foot long telephone pole; the letter “W” was supported by three 60 foot poles. Additional vertical supports consisted of 96 beams, which were 50 feet long and 4 inches square placed approximately 3 feet from each other. It was to these vertical supports and the telephone type poles that the sheet metal face of the sign was nailed. All the pieces of sheet metal were punched with hundreds of one-inch holes to reduce wind resistance. Hundreds of feet of heavy gauge wire was used as additional bracing and support. Each letter was braced by additional beams attached to the back and buried in the hillside. Cement was not used, and as a result, the poles and wood supports were subjected to wood-rot and termites. Sequencing was intricate: hauling the material, then more time to dig the holes, place the supports, anchor them, install the frame and guide wiring and cover it with sheet metal. Ladders and scaffolds were used to install some of the lower pieces of sheet metal, but the vast majority were nailed to the frame by workmen sitting in bosun’s chairs raised and lowered from the top of each letter. The same technique was used to install the lights. Constructed at a cost of $23,501.32, the sign was first illuminated on December 8, 1923. A complete history of the storied sign can be found at hollywoodsignhistory.com and in the gallery of our most popular and requested Hollywood Sign photographs: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Hollywood-Sign/G0000Jipgv.9WE8s/ The 256 photos in this gallery were taken between 1923 and 1979.

Gilmore Field on Beverly Blvd at Fairfax Ave in Hollywood was the home of the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League from 1939 to 1957. Owner Herbert Fleishaker moved his Mission Reds baseball team from San Francisco to Los Angeles and renamed it the "Hollywood Stars Baseball Team". After one season, the team was sold to new owners, a list that read like a "Who's Who" of Hollywood, including Robert H. "Bob" Cobb (also owner of the Brown Derby), Barbara Stanwick, Gary Cooper, Cecil B. DeMille, Bing Crosby, and Walt Disney. It quickly became a very popular team, winning three pennants before 1958. The team became genuine rivals of the Los Angeles Angels and it was fairly common for fights between the teams or fans to break out during games. The Stars were said to be innovators, beginning the custom of dragging the infield during the fifth inning, creating a break in the action for fans to use the concession stands and restrooms without missing anything. They also opted to be the first team in their league to discontinue the use of woolen uniforms and long socks. In the mid 1950s, things changed. The Stars, under the management of Clay Hopper, ended up in fourth place. The acquisition of the Brooklyn Dodgers by Los Angeles also meant the ruin of the Pacific Coast League. The Hollywood Stars played their last game on September 5, 1957, in front of 6,354 spectators. The 19 photographs in this gallery show the team in its heyday.

The Hollywood Storage Building was located at 1025 N. Highland Avenue and was built in 1926. The substantial concrete structure was part of Hollywood’s industrial zone, formed in 1919 to provide support services for the motion picture and real estate industries. The impetus for the zone was the increasing tension between the burgeoning motion picture industry and the development of the surrounding area for residential use. Charles E. Toberman, active in both arenas, advocated for the separation. The zone is located close to nearby studio facilities and home to lumber yards, film laboratories, camera repair, prop storage, and other industry related businesses. Originally known as the Terminal Building, owner Toberman changed the name to the Hollywood Storage Building in July 1926. Later, the building was known as the Bekins Van and Storage building. It is an Historic Cultural Monument designated by the City of Los Angeles. The 10 photographs in this gallery show the property between 1926 and 1973.

One of Hollywood’s first institutions to support the film industry, the Hollywood Studio Club was formed in 1916 in response to the needs of young women coming to Hollywood to find work but having no suitable place to congregate or live. The local YWCA, studios and businessmen donated money to rent a house on Carlos Avenue with space for 20 women. Mrs. Cecil B. DeMille and Mary Pickford were active in the club's operations. The only qualification needed for admittance to the Studio Club was that the applicant had to be seeking a career in the motion picture business. The facility offered classes in various aspects of the performing arts and held social events. With the facility at capacity in 1923, a widely-publicized fundraising campaign was held to build a new one. By 1925, a final $5,000 donation from silent screen star Norma Talmadge allowed the group to begin construction. The organization hired noted architect Julia Morgan to design the substantial new building in a Mediterranean style, including several recurring signature elements: full-length arched windows, balconies with iron ballustrades, and decorative brackets. Located on Lodi Place, the residence opened in 1926. Some of its illustrious alumni include Marilyn Monroe, Maureen O’Sullivan, Rita Moreno, Barbara Eden, and Kim Novak. By the mid 1960s, the idea of a chaperoned dormitory became dated and the club was losing money. It survived as a transient hotel for women for a decade, but closed its doors in 1975. Re-opened in 2018, the building serves as a shelter for homeless women. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Over 100 photographs in this gallery show both locations between 1916 and 1954.

In 1923, a subdivision of the 500-acre Sherman & Clark Ranch atop Beachwood Drive to be known as "Hollywoodland" was announced in the Los Angeles Times as "one of the most attractive residential sections of the City of Los Angeles". The real estate syndicate comprised of General M. H. Sherman (founder of West Hollywood), Harry Chandler (Publisher of the LA Times) and developer Sidney H. Woodruff, created Hollywoodland as a Mediterranean Riviera in the Hollywood Hills. Situated between Griffith Park and Lake Hollywood with architecture and landscaping inspiration drawn from the southern regions of France, Italy, and Spain, Hollywoodland was marketed to wealthy winter visitors to Los Angeles from the East Coast. Much of the attention and press coverage was due to a huge sign reading "Hollywoodland" which crowned Beachwood Canyon. Known today as "The Hollywood Sign" and recognized as one of the world's best known landmarks, the sign was originally erected as a temporary advertisement for the development. Today, Hollywoodland remains one of Los Angeles' most popular neighborhoods, known for its hamlet-like charm, recreational activities, and historical significance. Throughout its 80 year history, artists, actors, writers and others have called it home. Some of America's foremost architects: John Delario (the chief designer of Hollywoodland), Richard Neutra, and John Lautner, have all designed homes and commercial buildings here, many of which have been placed on the City of Los Angeles' list of Historic Cultural Monuments. The 66 photos in this gallery chronicle Hollywoodland’s development from 1923 to 1976.

Hollywoodland Riding Stables was started in the early 1920s. It provided riding facilities and stables for the horses owned by residents of the Hollywoodland subdivision. Located at the end of Beachwood Avenue, the stables are a neighborhood amenity which connect to riding trails in Griffith Park. The 10 images in this gallery showcase this popular facility between 1924 and 1973.

Some of California’s finest hotels and apartments were located in Hollywood. The fluidity of the film industry and large volumes of tourists provided the need for temporary housing at various price points. Many of these facilities were social centers which provided a wide variety of amenities. The earliest were the Sackett Hotel at Hollywood Blvd and Cahuenga (1887), the Hollywood Hotel (1901), the Lookout Mountain Inn in Laurel Canyon (1910), and the Beverly Hills Hotel (1912). The Ambassador Hotel (1921) on Wilshire Blvd, designed by architect Myron Hunt, was frequented by celebrities; six Academy Award ceremonies were held there; seven U.S. Presidents stayed. The demand for high quality housing in Hollywood resulted in a number of prestigious hotels and apartments being erected. The Garden Court Apartments (1919), a Renaissance Revival design near the Hollywood Hotel boasted thick Oriental carpets, grand pianos, and art in each apartment for residents like Mack Sennet and Louis B. Mayer. The Plaza Hotel (1925) at 1627 Vine became popular with radio personalities. The Roosevelt Hotel (1927) was home to the first Academy Award ceremony. The Knickerbocker/ Christie Hotel, built by the Christie film syndicate, Chateau Elysee, was a venture of Mrs. Thomas Ince; and the Hillview Apartments (1917) was also a favorite. Designated Historic Cultural Monuments and listed in the National Register of Historic Places, these buildings are recognized for their architectural and cultural significance. The 94 photographs in this gallery taken between 1912 and 1973 showcase these residential treasures.

Ken Murray's Blackouts was the longest running variety revue in the history of American theater. The "Blackouts" first opened at the El Capitan Theater (now the Avalon) on Vine Street in 1942. Murray spent months assembling a line up of personalities and acts including comedienne Marie Wilson; dancers the Nicholas Brothers; singer Connie Russell; and impersonator Roy Davis; patterning the show in a vaudeville format. The opening night audience included celebrities Mae West, Al Jolson and Rudy Valee. An ensemble cast continued to play to packed audiences each night. While there were many remarkable acts, the real star was Marie Wilson who performed in 3,126 consecutive performances. Other acts were actor Jack Mulhall; Rennie Renfro and Daisy The Wonder Dog; acrobatic act The Liphams; pantomimist Fred Sanborn; trick ropers Mardie and Ray; acrobatic dancer Joyce Elaine; singer Bonnie Baker; trained bird act Burton's Birds; exotic dancers Harold & Lola; comic dancers Harris & Shore; quick-clothes change artist Owen McGiveney; singer/guitarist Nick Lucas; dancer Peg-Leg Bates; actress Elizabeth Walters; and many others. In addition to the many variety acts, Murray opened the show with his "Glamour Lovelies", many of whom (Rhonda Fleming, Cara Williams, and Mary Ford) later became stars in their own right. During the 7 years, 2 months, and 3 days the show ran, it played 3,844 performances, entertained 4,693,524 patrons, employed 1,456 people, and helped launch more that 100 performers to stardom. These 35 photographs feature the show from 1943 to 1949.

The La Brea Tar Pits (or Rancho La Brea Tar Pits) are surface deposits of tar located in the Hancock Park area. Asphalt or tar (brea in Spanish) has seeped up from the ground in this area for tens of thousands of years. Often covered with water, the pits lured animals to drink. Over the centuries, animals became trapped, sank in the tar, and their bones were preserved. The crude oil seeps up along the 6th Street Fault from the Salt Lake Oil Field, which underlies much of the Fairfax District north of the park. Apart from the dramatic fossils of large mammals, the asphalt also preserves small "microfossils": wood and plant remnants, insects, dust, even pollen grains. Radiometric dating of preserved wood and bones tells us that the oldest known material in the tar pits is about 38,000 years old. The Portola expedition, a group of Spanish explorers led by Gaspar de Portola, made the first written record of the tar pits in 1769. Father Juan Crespi wrote, "While crossing the basin the scouts reported having seen some geysers of tar issuing from the ground like springs; it boils up molten, the water runs to one side and the tar to the other. The scouts reported that they had come across many of these springs and had seen large swamps of them, enough, they said, to caulk many vessels...We christened them Los Volcanes de Brea [the Tar Volcanoes]." The George C.Page Museum, part of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, opened in 1977 and is dedicated to researching the tar pits and exhibiting the specimens found in them. Paleontologists supervise and direct the work of volunteers. The La Brea Tar Pits are a now registered National Natural Landmark. These 7 early photos were taken between 1920 - 1934.

Larchmont Village, the Main Street retail district and commercial heart of the Windsor Square and Hancock Park neighborhoods, is centered on Larchmont Blvd between Beverly Blvd and 3rd Street. A quaint, friendly shopping district in the center of the city, it's bordered by some of the most well preserved older homes, ranging from 1920's California bungalows to grand old estates. Hollywood and Vine is just one mile north, with Paramount Studios on Melrose close to its northern terminus. Wilshire Country Club, Los Angeles Tennis Club and Black Foxe Military Academy are also a stone's throw from Larchmont. The trendy street is home to Chevalier's Bookstore, Landis General Store, several real estate companies, restaurants, and the area’s own newspaper, the Larchmont Chronicle. A streetcar went up and down the street until the 1940s. "Keystone Cops" chases were filmed on Larchmont Blvd. "Abbott and Costello Meet The Three Stooges" and "False Alarms" used both Third Street and Larchmont Blvd. Today many of the local homes and streets are still used to film commercials and movies. These 73 photos taken between 1922 - 1977 chronicle the first 5 decades of the street’s development.

First developed in the 1910s, Laurel Canyon became a part of the city of Los Angeles in 1923. Lookout Mountain at its apex had one of the best panoramic views of the Cahuenga Valley. It is an important transit route between West Hollywood and the San Fernando Valley. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish, the area was inhabited by the local Tongva tribe of Native Americans. A spring-fed stream flowed year round, providing water. That water also attracted Mexican ranchers who established sheep grazing on the hillsides in the late 1700s. The area later caught the attention of Anglo settlers and the canyon was subdivided and marketed as mountain vacation properties. Between 1912 - 1918, a trackless electric trolley (i.e. streetcar) ran up the canyon from Sunset Blvd to the base of Lookout Mountain Rd where a roadhouse served visitors. Travel to the newly subdivided lots and cabins were at first made on foot or by mule, but as the roads were improved, they became accessible by automobile. Among the famous residences in Laurel Canyon are the log cabin once owned by silent star Tom Mix (later home to the Zappa clan) and another (directly across the street) that legendary magician Harry Houdini may have lived in. Laurel Canyon found itself the center of counterculture activity in the 1960s, becoming famous as home to many of LA's rock bands, such as Frank Zappa, Jim Morrison of the Doors, The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, and Joni Mitchell. That bohemian spirit still endures today. The 35 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1902 - 1974.

The Magic Castle, located at 7001 Franklin Ave, is a private nightclub for magicians and magic enthusiasts housed in one of Hollywood’s oldest residences. Known as the Academy of Magical Arts, the building is a Chateauesque mansion built in 1909 by banker/real estate developer Rollin B. Lane. Designed by renowned architects Dennis & Farwell, the Lane Residence is an Historic Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. Ownership of the mansion remained in the Lane family until 1955 when it was sold to Thomas O. Glover, whose family still owns the property. In 1961, Glover converted it to its use. Opened on January 2, 1963 as a private club, a typical evening for members and their guest features magic shows and historic displays, as well as a full service dining. The lobby of the Castle has no visible doors to the interior, and visitors must say a secret phrase to gain access. In the music room, a piano is played by invisible "Irma" the Castle's "resident ghost," who takes musical requests. One of the Castle's most famous members was the late Dai Vernon, an expert in slight of hand and Magician-in-Residence at the Castle for many years until his death in 1992. Other famous magicians who have been regular performers at the Magic Castle include Mark Wilson, Jay Ose, Senator Crandall, Johnny Plaatt, Kuda Bux and Billy McComb. Several "celebrity magic hobbyists" have also performed at the Magic Castle, including Cary Grant, Steve Martin, Johnny Carson, Neil Patrick Harris and Jason Alexander. The 18 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1964 - 1976.

The Hollywood Masonic Temple on Hollywood Blvd is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and was designed by architect John C. Austin, one of Los Angeles’ most significant and prolific architects, whose work includes the Griffith Observatory, Shrine Auditorium, and City Hall. The 3-story building's construction was led by lodge master, Charles E. Toberman, who was responsible for the Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theatre, the Roosevelt Hotel and the Max Factor Building. When the new temple opened in 1923, it had a billiard room, pipe organ, ladies parlor, ballroom and lodge rooms. Oliver Hardy, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks, WC Fields, Cecil B. DeMille, DW Griffith, John Wayne, Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were members. During the Great Depression, the organization was forced to rent the ground floor out to a social club, but after World War II the Masons resumed full use. In 1948, more than 300 people attended the memorial service for DW Griffith. Longtime Mason Harold Lloyd was honored in a ceremony as his name was placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, directly in front of the Masonic Temple in 1969. By the late 1970s, Masonic membership had declined and they were no longer using the building. First sold to singer Rosita LaBello for her Hollywood Opera & Theater Company in 1987, the building was renovated and reopened as the Hollywood Live Entertainment Pavilions, including a cabaret, jazz, and dance club. With the renovation of the El Capitan Theater next door in the early 1990s, Disney began leasing the building for special events and in 1998 purchased the building. Now called the El Capitan Entertainment Centre, Disney restored original fixtures, including backlighted stone filigree, wrought iron torchieres, Batchelder tiles and old post boxes once used by Masonic officers. Beginning in 2008, ABC's late-night talk show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” originates from a studio in the building. The 7 photographs in this gallery show Hollywood Masonic buildings between 1915 - 1984.

The Masquers Club became a symbol of thespian fellowship during the Golden Age of Hollywood. This close-knit fraternity maintained a unique clubhouse on 1765 North Sycamore Street in Hollywood for over five decades. Founded in 1925 by a group of eight actors, some original Masquers remain memorable: Warner Baxter, "Fatty" Arbuckle, Harry Langdon, John Ford, John Gilbert, Edmund Goulding and Lionel Barrymore. One of the leading spirits of the club for four decades (who was also one of the founders of the Screen Actors Guild) was the suave British actor, Alan Mowbray, who neatly summed up the purpose of the Masquers: "The Masquers Club in Hollywood is a unique organization founded by a group of lonely stage actors who felt the need for a place to gather and talk nostalgically of "footlights" as opposed to klieg lights." The Masquers Club had an emphasis on thespian tradition which encompassed stage, radio and motion picture productions. Beginning in 1940, its radio show on KNX was an outgrowth of original comedy, dancing and dramatic skits. They landed a studio production deal for short films and made eleven two-reel comedies during 1931-33 with RKO Pictures. The Masquers provided an important venue for many character actors to hone their craft and their evening events became the basis for Dean Martin’s popular televised “roasts” of the 1970s. It became increasingly difficult for the club to maintain its élan in a changing Hollywood. The heavily mortgaged clubhouse finally had to be sold in foreclosure. Now demolished, the old headquarters became an Historic Cultural Monument before its demise. The club continued to meet in the San Fernando Valley and dedicated itself to its historic memorabilia collection. The 5 photographs in this gallery were taken in 1973.

Beginning in the early 1970s, Hollywood saw the proliferation of massage parlors and adult stores, as well as an increase in both female and male prostitution. Names such as "Wild Mary's", "Institute of Oral Love", and "Palace of Love" were used by these massage parlors to convey the idea that more could be obtained than just a massage. The 47 photographs in this gallery taken between 1971-1975 provide a rare glimpse into a particular moment in Hollywood history.

Cosmetics firm Max Factor & Company was founded in 1909 by Maximilian Faktorowicz (1877–1938) and operated by two branches of his family, becoming an international success before its sale in 1973 and acquisition by Procter & Gamble in 1991. In the early years, Factor personally applied his products to actors and actresses, developing a reputation for being able to customize makeup in order to present them in their best possible light on screen. Among his most notable clients were Gloria Swanson, Mary Pickford, Jean Harlow, Claudette Colbert, Bette Davis, Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Judy Garland and many others. Virtually all major movie actresses for over five decades were regular customers of the Max Factor beauty salon on Highland Ave. While Factor was content to remain a specialized supplier of make-up products to the film community, the next generation were convinced that they could grow the company into a much larger enterprise. National distribution began in 1927. Due to their strong ties with the Hollywood film community, the company used celebrity endorsements in all advertising of its products. Today, the former Max Factor Studio Building on Highland Ave with its Art Deco facade is the home of the Hollywood Museum. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Historic Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. The 8 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1933-1975.

The images in this gallery don't quite fall into any of our other topical galleries. Nevertheless, they're an interesting hodge podge of streets, businesses, events, quirky architecture, and citizens of Hollywood that are worth a gander. Looking for something specific? Use our comprehensive search tools to find images according to keyword.

The Mocambo nightclub opened on the Sunset Strip on January 3, 1941. Owners Felix Young and ex-agent Charlie Morrison created an extraordinary setting for their restaurant which was best described as "a cross between decadent Imperial Rome, Salvador Dali, and a birdcage." Allusions to a Mexican motif, as suggested by the name, were carried out in a medley of soft blue, terra cotta, and silver hues. Flaming red columns with harlequin patterns, striped everything, rows of oversized ball fringe decorating lacquered trees, and a dazzling aviary of live birds created its over-the-top interior. Every evening stars abound, including such prominent patrons as Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, Myrna Loy, Carol Lombard, Clark Gable, Louis B. Mayer, Hedy LaMarr, Cary Grant, and many, many more. Mocambo also boasted some of the day's top performers - Edith Piaf, Eartha, Kitt, Dinah Shore, Bob Hope, Jack Benny, and Lena Horne. Hollywood legend has it that Marilyn Monroe persuaded the owners to book Ella Fitzgerald in the 1950s, and Frank Sinatra made his Los Angeles solo act debut here. With the opening of Mocambo, the last great heyday of Hollywood nightclubbing was in full swing. Together with Romanoff's, Ciro's, Cocoanut Grove, the Palladium, and Earl Carroll's, the social life of Hollywood's elite became part of the industry publicity machine. As the end of World War II, the loosening of the studio system and the advent of television began to signal the end of an era, Mocambo managed to survive for a few more years until it closed its doors on June, 30, 1952. The 35 photographs in this gallery capture the magic of the 1940s.

While the American movie industry had its origins in Chicago, New Jersey, and New York City, this "magical" business soon found a fertile climate for growth in Southern California where inclement weather was less of a factor for primarily outdoor productions. William Selig's Polyscope company was first and it wasn't long before there was a migration of production units heading to the west coast. By 1915, Hollywood was on its way to becoming the “motion picture capital of the world.” The distinction of being the first studio in Hollywood proper goes to the Nestor Film Company started by David Horsley and Charles Gorman. DW Griffith, Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse Lasky, among others, soon established permanent studios in Southern California too. Working under relatively primitive conditions at first, converting buildings and using the streets for location filming, the industry graduated to much more sophisticated accommodations with the advent of “studios”, film factories purposely built to house all facets of production. Location filming remained a big part of the industry. However, changes in technology, particularly cameras, sound, and lighting, enabled filmmakers to explore new ways of presenting their films to the public. The several hundred photographs in our collection taken between 1909 - 1980 illustrate the evolving conditions and technologies which the industry employed in its first century. The 43 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Movie Making images. For more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Movie-Making/G0000OP_WNyvuzaQ/

By 1915, Hollywood was on its way to becoming the motion picture capital of the world. With the industry still in the experimental stage, the first studios consisted of ramshackle buildings - usually converted barns, stores, and warehouses. Typically, an early studio consisted of one building which contained all offices, storage for costumes and props, film processing rooms, and the company's laboratory. Movable walls and props were erected on wood platforms or “stages”. To regulate the sometimes intense sunlight, sheets of muslin were draped on guide wires overhead. By the 1920s, the facilities grew more permanent as the industry became more sophisticated and profits rolled in. Small companies consolidated and big studios were born. Among the largest were Famous Players Lasky, Universal, Warner Brothers, Fox, Paramount, and MGM. The advent of “talking pictures” changed the way films were made. The need to control sound led to the demise of open-air filming; stages were perfected for the best audio and lighting technology available. Different and better equipment was used on location and soundstages. The industry continuously adapted to technical innovations as it continues to do so today. The almost two hundred photos in this gallery show the evolution of movie-making between 1909 - 1980.

Constructed in 1924, Mulholland Drive in the City of Los Angeles was envisioned by the famous Water Bureau Chief and City Engineer William D. Mulholland as a scenic road that would transport city dwellers to the mountains and beaches. The winding route starts west of the 101 Freeway in Hollywood, offering panoramic city, mountain, and ocean views. Eight miles of the 55-mile Mulholland Scenic Parkway and Corridor from the 405 freeway west to Woodland Hills remain unpaved. Mulholland Highway starts in the City of Calabasas and twists through the Santa Monica Mountains for thirty miles to Leo Carrillo State Beach. Franklin Canyon Park and Fryman Canyon Park are accessed from Mulholland Drive. Seven scenic overlooks have been developed on the highway by the Santa Monica Conservancy. Built in 1984 at the time of the Summer Olympics, the Hollywood Bowl Scenic Overlook is situated to provide a beautiful view of the Hollywood Bowl Amphitheater, Downtown Los Angeles, and on a clear day, the ocean and Catalina Island. To the east, the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory are clearly visible, with the San Fernando Valley to the north. Other overlooks show views of Universal Studios, the San Fernando Valley, and the various parks and canyons which intersect the highway. The 13 images in this gallery from 1924 document the road’s early development.

Murals have been a feature of Los Angeles architecture for decades. They decorate the interiors and exteriors of buildings, providing a sense of place with their often local subject matter. In the 1980s, the Hollywood Arts Council began a major project for the community. The mural of tennis star John McEnroe was placed on the east side of the Equitable Building on the northeast corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street. An image of local celebrity Angelyne was placed on the south side of the Plaza Hotel on north Vine Street. Another featured photographer Ansel Adams and was located at a gas station at Santa Monica Boulevard and Highland Avenue. One of the most popular is a composite of film stars which graces the Attie Building at the intersection of Wilcox and Hollywood Blvd. The 10 photographs in this gallery various projects in 1987.

Glenn Wallich, a great innovator in the record industry, founded Music City at Sunset and Vine in 1940. The storied music store operated for over 40 years and was renowned for offering the most complete selection of new records in the country. Glenn and his brother Clyde provided personal service and a new concept in record merchandising: demonstration records that patrons could preview in private listening booths before purchasing. The store welcomed customers in the morning and stayed open until 2:00 am. Local radio personalities often roamed through the store, sometimes broadcasting from a makeshift studio in the storefront windows on Vine. Movies stars Burt Lancaster, Rock Hudson, Johnny Mathis and Red Skelton were regular customers. The Rolling Stones, the Byrds, the Mamas and Papas all shopped at there. Wallich's Music City was more than a record store; it was a place to meet friends, listen to records, hang out and see rockstars, making it a mecca for music lovers and celebrities alike. The store remained open until the 1980's. The 7 photos in this gallery give a glimpse of the store in the 1970s.

Oil was identified as a major natural resource in Los Angeles when large deposits were identified throughout the area, including Rancho La Brea, then owned in part by the Hancock family. In 1885, Mrs. Ida Hancock entered an agreement with developers to drill on her property, stipulating 1/8 royalty, reserving agricultural rights and the privilege of continuing to mine the La Brea Tar Pits, her chief source of income. These operations marked the beginning of the present Union Oil Company of California. By 1910, nearly 250 wells were producing over 3,800,000 barrels a year. Subsequently, Mrs. Hancock’s son, G. Allan, became interested in the business and began studying every phase of the industry, including its geology, running gas engines for pumps, handling delivery, and drilling shafts. By 1907, Hancock had begun the La Brea Oil Company which eventually had over seventy wells. Just north of the Hancock holdings, dairy farmer Arthur Gilmore struck oil while drilling for water in 1903. One well after another followed, quickly converting the farm into an oilfield of derricks and processing plants. Gilmore sold his dairy and established the E.F. Gilmore Oil Company which his son Earl developed into the largest independent oil business on the West Coast. Today, this property is the Farmers Market and CBS Television City site. By the early 1920s, the residential areas of Los Angeles and Hollywood were expanding and it wasn't long before this land use encroached into the oil fields just south of Hollywood. By 1925, all of the oil wells were gone. The 8 photographs in this gallery, taken from 1924 to 1930, provide a glimpse of this industry.

Outpost Estates is one of the most significant subdivisions in Hollywood with many of the original houses preserved, so it still looks much like it did in the 1920s. The land has been used since 1853, when Don Urquidez built the first adobe home on a Native American site, at what is now the intersection of Outpost & Hillside Drive. Harrison Gray Otis purchased the original acreage from Urquidez, using the property as a rural retreat which he named "The Outpost". Charles E. Toberman, developer of Outpost Estates, acquired, sold it, then re-acquired it and expanded his holdings to create the hillside neighborhood. It was touted as "one of the most exclusive and beautiful residential parks in the world" and Toberman regarded the planned community as his supreme achievement, out of the more than 53 subdivisions he developed in total. Design restrictions gave the community a distinct character: Spanish architecture with sloped roofs of genuine kiln tiles; plaster wall construction to ensure enduring strength and earthquake resistance. Infrastructure included ornamental street lights, concrete roads and sidewalks, and underground utilities. Building sites in the area were in great demand throughout the 1920s until the Depression caused temporary setbacks. The primary clientele interested in buying Outpost Estates were top movie stars and multimillionaires, so palatial home building never ceased entirely. An all steel model home located at 2227 Outpost Drive was acquired by Bela Lugosi. Additional tracts were developed in the early 1940s and after World War II, Toberman resumed building in earnest. Mr. Toberman remained in a residence he built on La Presa Drive until his death in 1981. The development is documented in SurveyLA, and several homes are Historic Cultural Monuments. Over 300 photographs in this gallery document Toberman’s achievement.

Los Angeles Times publisher Norman Chandler funded the construction of the Art Deco styled Hollywood Palladium at a cost of $1.6 million in 1940. Built on a part of the original Famous Players Lasky Studio lot on Argyle and El Centro Ave, the stylish dance hall was designed by Gordon Kaufmann, architect of the Greystone Mansion, Los Angeles Times Building, Santa Anita Racetrack, Hoover Dam and Caltech. The theater opened October 31, 1940 with a concert by Frank Sinatra and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. During WWII, the venue hosted radio broadcasts featuring Betty Grable. In 1961, it became the home to the long-running Lawrence Welk Show. Over the years, it's hosted the Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, The Grateful Dead, The Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Barbara Streisand, Madonna, and hundreds of others. In 2007, the owners agreed to a long-term lease to operate, manage and exclusively book the Hollywood Palladium with Live Nation. A major renovation included an overhaul of the venue’s interior and exterior, a new dance floor, upgraded acoustics and concessions, and an improved stage infrastructure. It reopened with a Jay-Z concert on October 15, 2008. The building is an Historic Cultural Monument. The 21 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1941 and 1987.

To get a real sense of the growth of Hollywood, one only has to look at these panoramic views. Early panorama photos show a rural and sparsely populated Cahuenga Valley. One of the photos from 1895 was taken from Barnsdall Park and shows only a couple of ranch/farm houses, surrounded by fields and orchards. Another 1906 panoramic view shows just a few residences, commercial buildings, and the first building at Hollywood High School. As time goes on, the panoramic photos illustrate the city's increasing development. Hollywood’s real growth spurt took place after the motion picture business settled there in 1911. By 1914, more than 15 film companies called Hollywood home. The film industry and subsequent tourism attracted many and as a result, commercial and residential development exploded in the early years of the 20th century. Most of the panoramas were taken from the hills just north of the Cahuenga Valley and Hollywood. As high rise buildings were built, panorama photos were shot from building rooftops. The 63 photographs in this gallery span a century of growth and development (1887-1987) and provide a clear record of Southern California land use patterns.

A landmark structure in the Fairfax District of Los Angeles, the Pan Pacific Auditorium once stood at 7600 West Beverly Blvd. Designed by Los Angeles architectural firm Wurdeman & Beckett (also responsible for the Music Center and space-age "Theme Building" at Los Angeles International Airport), the Pan-Pacific Auditorium opened May 18, 1935 for a 16-day model home exhibition. Noted as one of the finest examples of Streamline moderne architecture in the United States, the green and white facade faced west, was 228 feet long, and had 4 stylized towers and flagpoles meant to evoke upswept aircraft fins. Industrial designer Norman Bel Geddes was reported to have been a consultant on the building's design in 1934. With 100,000 square feet of space and seating for up to 6,000, it hosted the Ice Capades and the Harlem Globetrotters, served as home to the Los Angeles Monarchs of the Pacific Coast Hockey League and UCLA sports events, car shows, radio programs, political rallies and circuses. General Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke to a crowd of 10,000 in 1952 before being elected President of the United States; Elvis Presley performed in 1957 before he was drafted into the Army; and Vice President Richard Nixon addressed a national audience in November 1960. It remained Los Angeles' primary indoor venue until the 1972 opening of the much larger Los Angeles Convention Center. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, it was destroyed by a spectacular fire in 1989 and is now the site of Pan-Pacific Park. The 30 photographs in this gallery document 3 decades of the auditorium’s use.

The Pantages Theatre, formerly known as RKO Pantages Theatre, is located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. A palatial Art Deco design by architect B. Marcus Priteca, it was the last theatre built for impresario Alexander Pantages and opened on June 4, 1930. The Pantages Theatre Circuit was built around vaudeville and this new Hollywood theatre alternated its programming between first-run movies and vaudeville acts for its first two years before becoming strictly a movie theatre. Sold in 1932 to Fox West Coast Theaters, it was purchased in 1949 by Howard Hughes for his RKO Theatre Circuit. From 1949 - 1959, the theatre hosted the annual Academy Award Ceremonies. It continued to be a major venue for movies well into the 1970s, closing as a movie theatre in January 1977. The Pantages reopened the following month with “Bubbling Brown Sugar”, the first of the many stage productions that have since become its regular fare. Now operated by an arm of the Nederlander Organization, the Pantages is one of Los Angeles' leading homes of legitimate theatre and Broadway musicals, including “Lion King”, “Wicked”, and “Hamilton”, and is a favorite location for television shows, movies, music videos and concerts. The theater underwent a $10-million restoration and upgrade in 2000. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and is a Historic Cultural Monument. The 23 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1930 and 1987.

Parades have been popular community events in Hollywood since the newly incorporated city of Hollywood held the Hollywood May Day Tilting and Floral Parade in 1903. Entries included floral bedecked automobiles, horses and small floats. In 1927, the community held an Old Settlers Day parade which included the participation of residents who had lived in the Cahuenga Valley, including Charles E. Toberman, a successful real estate developer, and Dr. Edwin O. Palmer, author of Hollywood’s first comprehensive history. Unquestionably, the most popular Hollywood parade was the Santa Claus Lane Parade. Begun in 1928, the first entry was a simple wheeled platform on which a sleigh was placed. Santa Claus sat in the sleigh while two reindeers pulled it through central Hollywood. After a while, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began to promote this parade which in time had more than a million spectators each year. The course of the parade encompassed Hollywood Blvd, Vine Street and a portion of Sunset Blvd. The parades’ participants include many of Hollywood’s most popular entertainers, including Jayne Mansfield, Gene Autry, The Three Stooges and Francis X. Bushman. The parade is now televised annually on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. The first gay pride parade was held in 1975 on Hollywood Blvd which is often the site of political and social demonstrations. This collection contains 114 photographs documenting community celebrations between 1908 and 1979.

In 1920, community activist Christine Witherill Stevenson purchased 29 acres in the Cahuenga Pass canyon across from the Hollywood Bowl and developed it into the Pilgrimage Play Theater. Stevenson wrote a "passion play" about the life of Christ, translating the four gospels of the New Testament, and journeyed to the Holy Land to obtain props. The first performance of the Pilgrimage Play was held on June 27, 1920 and it ran for 8 weeks. Realistic replicas of essential scenes were constructed and elaborately illuminated under the direction of Ellis Reed in the canyon's natural amphitheater. Many fine actors portrayed Jesus over the years, but none for as long as Nelson Leigh who held the role for over fifteen years. The tradition continued after Mrs. Stevenson's untimely death just two years later. Her parents then deeded the property and the Pilgrimage Play itself, together with a trust fund for its continuance to the Pilgrimage Play Association. Performances were given every summer in the original structure until it was destroyed by fire on October 24, 1924. A new theater, with a seating capacity of 1,312 was built of concrete in 1929 in the ancient Judean architectural style and the play reopened in 1931, continuing until 1940. In 1941, the Pilgrimage Play Association deeded the property to the County of Los Angeles, subject to a 99 year lease on terms similar to the Hollywood Bowl lease. In 1964, a lawsuit brought against the County for using a County facility exclusively for a religious performance put an end to The Pilgrimage Play. The venue then became an outdoor performing arts center showcasing Shakespearean theater and jazz performances. Major capital improvements to the site in the 1990s and again in recent years have increased capacity, amenities, and access. Now called the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, it is one of the oldest performing arts venues in Los Angeles. The 37 photos in this gallery show the play and theater between 1920 and 1951.

The first police station in Hollywood was located at 131 S. Cahuenga Ave., in a building which had previously been Hollywood’s City Hall. After annexation to the City of Los Angeles in 1910, a combination police and fire station was erected on Cahuenga and DeLongpre Ave. The fire department was located on the ground floor; the police occupied the second floor. A few years later, when the police needed more space, the city built a new police station on Wilcox Avenue with a new adjoining fire station on Cole Avenue. The two Mediterranean structures, built in 1927, sat back to back just south of Sunset Boulevard until 1977, when the police station was demolished and the current one story building took its place. The 18 photographs in this gallery show these locations between 1910 and 1977.

In this gallery are photographs of some of Hollywood's most prominent citizens from the early decades of the community. They include notables such as Griffith Griffiths, William Horsley, Paul DeLongpre, Carrie Jacobs Bond and Florence Atherton Irish. Also included are motion picture notables David Horsley, Jesse Lasky, William Selig, and Al Christie. The 22 photographs in this gallery feature various Hollywood pioneers between 1873 and 1960.

The tradition of the grand Hollywood “premiere” was pioneered by master showman Sid Grauman. The very first gala premiere in Hollywood took place in 1922 with the grand opening of Grauman's Egyptian Theatre and the spectacular debut of the silent screen epic "Robin Hood" starring Douglas Fairbanks. That first premiere at the Egyptian featured all the bright lights and pageantry still associated with movie premieres today. Five years later, in 1927, Grauman topped himself by opening his new Chinese Theatre with the star-studded premiere of Cecil B DeMille's "King of Kings." Over the years, Hollywood premieres grew more and more elaborate. When "The Wizard of Oz" premiered at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in 1939, over 10,000 spectators showed up to greet Judy Garland, the entire Oz cast, and other MGM stars. The studio recreated the Yellow Brick Road and a small cornfield in the famous Grauman's courtyard, complete with a scarecrow and several Munchkins in full costume. In 1942, fearing attack during World War II, all Hollywood premieres and their bright lights were banned for the duration. Modern movie premieres are still exciting events. High-intensity searchlights that criss-cross the night sky are often part of the occasion. Movie stars dressed in tuxedos and evening gowns arrive in stretch limousines in front of the theatre, to the applause of an adoring crowd. An emcee with microphone in hand, interviews the celebrities going inside to watch the film. It's always quite a sight and a quintessential Hollywood experience. A vital part of marketing a film, the premiere connects the production to the public. This gallery shows 139 examples of these motion picture events from 1926 to 1979, a majority of which were taken at the Chinese Theatre.

Radio and television were two forms of media which made Hollywood the entertainment capital of the world. As media through which Americans received news, educational programs, music and drama, there was an early symbiotic relationship with the movies, as talent could work across platforms. Experimental and local radio existed as early as 1919 and early facilities were often primitive and located in the operator’s home or a small commercial facility. By 1926, a national network of stations linked the country. The first was NBC (operated by the Radio Corporation of America). In 1927, the Columbia Broadcasting System was created; the Amercian Broadcasting Corporation rounded out the major providers. The most prominent stations in the area were KNX (CBS), KFI (NBC), KHJ (Mutual-Don Lee), and KFWB (Warner Brothers). Radio Los Angeles was the second biggest radio market in the country, behind New York City for most of the 20th century. World War II ended the “golden age” of radio and electronic manufacturing was curtailed. After the war, competition with television began, and radio stations became associated with one genre (rock & roll, classical, talk) instead of the multi-block variety of programs previously offered. Los Angeles continues to be one of the largest radio markets in the country. Sites in Hollywood associated with the industry are the Don Lee facility at 1313 N. Vine (now the Pickford Center), CBS Playhouse (now Montalban Theater), and Columbia Square at 6121 Sunset. Advertising also played a major role in both radio and TV revenue with automobile dealers like Don Lee investing heavily. Lee constructed the first station in 1930, placing a transmitters atop Mount Cahuenga. Paramount’s early effort W6XYZ-TV, begun in 1942, became KTLA in 1947. CBS affiliate KNXT operated from Columbia Square at 6121 Sunset Blvd. Several are Historic Cultural Monuments. The 120 photographs in this gallery depict radio and television personalities and facilities between 1925 and 1987.

Some of the finest residences in Southern California are located in the Hollywood area. Seventy residences are documented in this gallery, most constructed in the early 20th century. Some (Janes, Bernheimer, Toberman, DeMille, Wattles) survive and are cherished as landmarks listed in the National Register of Historic Places or as Historic Cultural Monuments. Others have been demolished. Constructed in eye-catching architectural styles, the Victorian, Mission Revival, and Spanish Colonial Revival homes speak to the rich diversity of Hollywood neighborhoods and reflect the success and prominence of their owners. Several residences functioned as extensions of the owners’ business. Artist Paul DeLongpre used his home to showcase his paintings; the Bernheimer estate housed treasures from their Asian import/export business; banker Gurdon Wattles allowed the public into the gardens of his Mission Revival estate. One of the most beautiful and palatial residences was located at 1847 Camino Palmero. Built and lived in by Charles E. Toberman and his family at the height of his career, the estate included a Spanish Colonial Revival mansion on a knoll overlooking Hollywood, with an indoor swimming pool, tennis court, and putting green. Movie stars put their new found wealth into real estate building lavish residences which were featured in the magazines of the day. Neighborhoods such as Whitley Heights, Outpost Estates, Hollywoodland and others were promoted with extensive advertising campaigns, spurring much residential growth. The 276 photographs in this gallery document Hollywood residences between 1890 and 1970.

The 29 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Restaurant & Nightclub images. For many more images and written historical context, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Restaurants-Nightclubs/G00006kiBSJ1A2q4/

Most, if not all, of Hollywood's famous restaurants and nightclubs are now simply pages in history. However, in their day, they were the "most talked and written about" and most popular eateries and night spots in the world. No place had celebrities in such numbers as Hollywood, and a part of their job was to be seen dining and frolicking in lavish surroundings. These venues were a part of the Hollywood publicity machine, a way to keep moviegoers invested in the personal lives of the stars. Not all were glamorous nightspots, but even the most mundane eatery on Hollywood Blvd could attract attention. Musso and Frank’s has functioned as a Hollywood meeting place for 100 years, a favorite of writers and the industry, with its legendary martinis and funnel cakes. Also on the Boulevard were the Monmartre Cafe and the Embassy Club. Central Hollywood was home to the Earl Carroll/Moulin Rouge, Palladium, Florentine Gardens, It Cafe, Al Levy’s Tavern, Brown Derby, and Don the Beachcomber. These colorful venues provided a variety, each with its own decor and personality. The Sunset Strip was the location of some of the most notable restaurants and nightclubs that Hollywood had to offer. The Cafe Trocadero was the first of this area's famous restaurants, opening in 1934. Just a few years later came Ciro's. Both creations of Hollywood Reporter owner Billy Wilkerson. Others were LaRue, Mocambo, the Players (operated by director Preston Sturges), Cock ‘N Bull, Scandia, and Romanoff’s in Beverly Hills. All were frequented by columnists who chronicled the activities for print, radio, and media. Some of Hollywood's most popular celebrities were "regulars", including Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Errol Flynn, Lucille Ball, Dezi Arnaz, Olivia DeHavilland, and Ginger Rogers. These clubs enjoyed two decades of popularity until the studio system, the increasing popularity of the Las Vegas shows, and the advent of television changed the way celebrities were promoted. Several of the Strip’s restaurants survived well into the 1980s. These 363 photographs document over 150 establishments between 1923 and 1987.

The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel is a Spanish-style hotel located on Hollywood Boulevard. Named after Theodore Roosevelt and financed by a group including Charles Toberman, it first opened its doors on May 15, 1927 at a cost of $2.5 million. The twelve-story building had 300 rooms and suites. Built at the apex of Hollywood’s Golden Age, it joined Grauman's Chinese Theatre which had just opened across the street and highlighted the synergy between the motion picture industry and the community. Designed by the firm of Fisher, Lake, and Traver, the hotel was an instant success. Its major ballroom, the Blossom Room, hosted community events and most significantly, was the site of the first Academy Awards in 1929. The elegant two story lobby is a focal point. Several rehabilitations have kept the character-defining architectural features. The hotel also boast a 1950s addition with a pool designed by artist David Hockney. The Roosevelt has been prominently featured in films and television and was a center of Hollywood nightlife along with other hotels of the era, including the Plaza, Christie, and Knickerbocker. The 25 photographs in this gallery show the building between 1926 and 1977.

In 1867, "Greek George" Caralambo received a 160-acre parcel in Runyon Canyon by federal patent in appreciation for his service in the U.S. Army Corps. The property later gained notoriety when the bandit Tiburcio Vasquez was captured hiding out there in 1874. Alfredo Solano, a prominent civil engineer and civic leader, purchased the canyon a year after Vasquez was hanged in 1876. Solano's widow later sold a majority of the land to Carman Runyon in 1919. Runyon, having recently retired from a successful coal business in the East, came out to enjoy the California climate. He purchased the canyon to use for riding and hunting, building a small bungalow near Fuller Ave. Runyon sold the estate in 1930 to John MacCormack, a world-famous Irish tenor who worked in film. McCormack built a mansion he called "San Patrizio" that he and his wife lived in until they returned to England in 1938. The McCormacks deeded the estate back to Carman Runyon, who in turn sold it to Huntington Hartford, heir to the A&P Grocery fortune and a patron of the arts, who moved in and renamed the estate "The Pines". In 1964, Hartford offered the property to the City of Los Angeles, but the city would not accept the gift. He then sold the property to Jules Berman who demolished the mansion and all the out buildings. Remnants of the foundation and other features remain on the grounds. The City subsequently acquired what is today a very popular hiking spot. These 32 images were taken in 1973.

At the northern end of the Cahuenga Pass lies the San Fernando Valley, an area critical in the development of the City of Los Angeles. First developed for agriculture, then with small towns and postwar subdivisions, the southern portion of the Valley was an extension of home to the same populations that first inhabited Hollywood in its formative years. Universal Studios, Warner Brothers and other motion picture facilities are located here. Many of the same developers, such as HJ Whitley, Sherman and Clark, and the Otis/Chandler families developed property in both regions. These 29 images of the Valley date from 1886 to 1935.

Shortly after the turn of the 20th century, Santa Monica Blvd was one of the main street car routes and major thoroughfares for those wishing to travel from downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica. The portion of Santa Monica Blvd that runs through Hollywood has played an important role in the city's history, attracting diverse types of businesses along the route. Hollywood Forever Cemetery, the Samuel Goldwyn Studios (now “The Lot”), and the Formosa Cafe are just a few. Further west, this street is the main shopping area of West Hollywood. The road travels west to east from the city of Santa Monica to Sunset Blvd. Beginning at Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, it is a densely urban as it passes through Century City with its shopping center, and intersects with Wilshire in Beverly Hills. After that, Santa Monica Blvd continues northeast towards West Hollywood. Between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive, bronze name plaques are embedded in the sidewalks as part of the West Hollywood Memorial Park. SR2 continues east through Hollywood to the Hollywood Freeway, merging on its eastern end with Sunset Blvd in the Sunset Junction neighborhood of Silver Lake. These 22 photographs were taken over almost a century from 1896 to 1987.

Education has been all important in the Hollywood area since its inception. The closest school to the Cahuenga Valley throughout most of the 1880s was the one-room Cienega School, at Pico Blvd and La Brea Ave. The Cahuenga School district, formed in 1876, erected a schoolhouse at the corner of Normandie Ave and Beverly Blvd, but when it became inadequate in 1881, the district was divided and the Pass School District was formed. Classes were held near Sunset Blvd and Gordon Street at the home of William Beesemyer, taught by his daughter Mary Gower. The Laurel School District built a one-room schoolhouse in 1886 in West Hollywood, and a year later the Los Feliz School District built a two-room school at the corner of Los Feliz Blvd and Vermont Ave. Cahuenga Valley grammar school graduates went to Los Angeles High School or Santa Monica High School at their own expense until Hollywood Union High School District was formed in 1903, uniting the Cahuenga, Laurel, Coldwater, Sherman, Los Feliz, Lankershim and Pass grammar school districts. The Hollywood Union High School opened in 1903 in temporary quarters in the Masonic Temple on Highland Ave. Thirty pupils enrolled with James O. Churchill as their first principal, growing to 75 by year's end. A cornerstone for a new school was laid at the corner of Sunset Blvd and Highland Ave on November 23, 1904. Grammar schools Grant School and Fremont School (now Selma Avenue School) began construction while Hollywood High School was being built. The Gardner Street School, Vine Street, Cherimoya and Franklin Elementary, and LeConte Junior High School were added in the next decade. Private schools were also available. In April 1905, the Sisters of Immaculate Heart of Mary created a campus at Western and Franklin Ave. In 1908, Immaculate Heart High School became the first private school in Southern California to receive college accreditation. Another fine private school was the Hollywood School for Girls, founded in 1909. Located at 1749 North La Brea Ave, the college preparatory school achieved academic standing and registered over 200 pupils, including Agnes DeMille, Katherine DeMille, Jean Harlow, Catherine Toberman, and Mrs. David Selznick. The Janes Kindergarten for younger students complemented their efforts. These eighty-six photographs of twenty-two sites document the period 1896 -1975.

Schwab's Pharmacy, located at 8024 Sunset Boulevard, was a popular hangout for movie actors and industry dealmakers from the 1930s to 1950s. Like many American drug stores in the mid-twentieth century, Schwab's had a counter that served ice cream dishes and light meals, in addition to medicines and sundries. The Schwab enterprise was a family affair: Jack Schwab founded the Sunset Blvd location and brother Leon, after earning a pharmacy degree from USC, took it over after Jack’s death. Leon understood the potential of the pharmacy, which was close to motion picture studios, and began setting up delivery and charge accounts, even extending credit for out-of-work actors. Soon after the store opened in 1932, Hollywood's famous began coming down from the hills to pick up sundries, gather to meet friends, or just relax over a soda or a coffee. Schwab's became known for star sightings, attracting the attention of locals and tourists alike. One of the most popular legends was that Lana Turner was "discovered" while sipping a soda at the counter. (In reality, she was discovered at Tops Cafe across the street from Hollywood High School, which she attended). Among the patrons of the famous soda fountain were Orson Wells, Ava Gardner, Elvis Presley, Jack Nicholson, and columnist Sidney Skolsky. Charlie Chaplin and his son were also regulars. James Dean, Marilyn Monroe, and Judy Garland had their prescriptions filled there. Schwab's was also featured in the Paramount Studios film "Sunset Boulevard" starring Gloria Swanson and William Holden. The 50th anniversary of their Sunset Blvd location in 1982 was a major press event, but as the press was reporting on Schwab's illustrious past, Leon was struggling to keep the business afloat. Schwab's closed two years later and the building was demolished in 1988. The 43 photos in this gallery were taken between 1943 - 1944.

Searchlights are a staple of the Hollywood premiere and other special events. They attract attention to a particular venue, often a movie theater or nightclub, as their beams criss-cross the night sky. Originally for military use, the machines use powerful light sources with reflectors to project beams of parallel rays in a certain direction. They are constructed to swivel and the projections can be seen for long distances. A major component of advertising and grand openings, the lights set the tone for events in Hollywood during the Golden Era and are still used at premieres and such today. These 8 photographs taken between 1927 and 1946 show this most eye-catching feature of the entertainment industry’s publicity machine.

Hollywood’s development in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was predicated on an interurban railroad system connecting the Cahuenga Valley to Los Angeles. Tourist attractions and subdivision sales were the impetus for the creation of the lines. The first railroad to lay track in Hollywood was the Los Angeles Ostrich Farm Railway Company. In 1887, the line connected Los Angeles with Dr. CJ Sketchley's Ostrich Farm in what is now Griffith Park. Extensions of the line to Santa Monica and northward to Burbank were completed by the end of 1888. At the same time, the Cahuenga Valley Railroad continued the Los Angeles Second Street Railroad west to Wilcox Avenue in Hollywood. New owners quietly extended the tracks to Laurel Canyon in the 1890s over the objections of residents. Wealthy capitalist General Moses Hazeltine Sherman arrived in Los Angeles in 1890 and emerged as one of the area’s biggest rail promoters and investors. Within weeks, he'd purchased control of the Pico Street Electric Railway line, Southern California’s first railroad system and over the next five years, built a network of electric street railway lines under the name Los Angeles Consolidated Electric Railway Company. He brought his brother-in-law Eli Clark into the management. Between 1895 - 1896, Sherman and Clark acquired several railway companies, including the Cahuenga Valley Railroad Company. Sherman lost control of Los Angeles Consolidated Electric due to accelerated expansion, but retained approximately 50% stock ownership of the company, as well as full ownership of the Pasadena and Los Angeles Electric Railway Company and other lines. In 1898, Sherman and Clark incorporated a new company, the Los Angeles Pacific Railroad Company, which established the popular Balloon Route Excursion which ran from Los Angeles to Hollywood to Santa Monica and back again to promote tourism. Passengers visited the home of famous artist Paul DeLongpre, Hollywood's first bona fide tourist attraction. The 39 photographs in this gallery show the lines between 1893 - 1953.

The motion picture industry had its origin in Chicago and New York City with companies such as Edison, Lubin, Thanhouser, Vitagraph, New York Motion Picture Company, Kalem, Essanay, and Biograph. Because most early films were made outdoors, inclement weather limited production. William Selig's Polyscope company was the first to explore Southern California, and word spread quickly that the weather was perfect for production. As more companies established permanent studios in Southern California, particularly in Hollywood, it became clear that the center of this burgeoning industry was going to be on the west coast. By the mid-teens, most companies had substantial presence in Hollywood and it was soon known as the “motion picture capital of the world.” Still in the experimental stage, the first studios consisted of ramshackle buildings - usually converted barns, stores, warehouses, etc. An early studio plant consisted of offices, storage for costumes and props, film processing rooms, and the company's laboratory. Filming was done outdoors; movable walls were erected on wood platforms. The first studio in Hollywood was the Nestor Film Company, headed by David Horsley. In 1911, a troupe of forty arrived including Al Christie, Dorothy Davenport and others who would have long careers in the industry. Horsley was shown the Blondeau Tavern on the corner of Sunset and Gower, a small roadhouse with a barn, corral, and bungalow. After a timed rehearsal, they loaded the camera, began filming and discovered that they could churn out picture after picture with improved photographic quality. Within three years, fifteen companies were shooting in and around Hollywood. Conditions and technology changed rapidly and within a decade, Hollywood’s Golden Age was in full swing. Talking pictures soon debuted and studios evolved into walled enclaves with architecturally significant buildings and landscaped grounds. The 59 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Studios images. For many more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Studios-A-F/G0000qKb3.YfSsVA/ https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Studios-G-L/G00001pqzXkuC_Zs/ https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Studios-M-R/G0000SvlzlRQidNs/ https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Studios-S-Z/G0000glYM44Ij0Bs/

There are five STUDIO galleries in our collection that document the various facilities in Southern California from 1893 to 1987. The second gallery, Studios A-F, highlight the following motion picture studios: Bison, Brunton, Chaplin, Christie, Columbia, DeMille, Disney, Famous Players Lasky, First National, and Fox.

There are five STUDIO galleries in our collection that document the various facilities in Southern California from 1893 to 1987. The third gallery, Studios G-L, highlight the following motion picture studios: Goldwyn (Culver City and Hollywood), William S. Hart, Hollywood Studios (aka Metropolitan), Ince, and Keaton.

There are five STUDIO galleries in our collection that document the various facilities in Southern California from 1893 to 1987. The fourth gallery, Studios M-R, highlight the following motion picture studios: Mayer, Metro, MGM, Paramount, Pickford-Fairbanks, Robertson-Cole, RKO, and Hal Roach.

There are five STUDIO galleries in our collection that document the various facilities in Southern California from 1893 to 1987. The fifth gallery, Studios S-Z, highlight the following motion picture studios: Selig, Sennett, United Artist, Universal, and Warner Brothers (Hollywood and Burbank).

Extending from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to the Pacific Coast Highway, Sunset Blvd. joins the communities of Echo Park, Silverlake, Hollywood, West Hollywood, Beverly Hills and the westside. The best-known section of Sunset Blvd is probably the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. From Harper Avenue to Sierra Drive, this portion of the street contains a premier collection of boutiques, restaurants, and nightclubs popular with the music and entertainment industry. Also known for its trademark array of huge, colorful billboards, the street has developed a reputation as a hangout for rock stars and entertainers. Historically outside of the Los Angeles city limits in an unincorporated area of the County, the area fell under the (perceived) less-vigilant jurisdiction of the Sheriff's Department rather than the LAPD. In the 1920s and 1930s, a number of nightclubs and casinos opened along the Strip, attracting celebrities and others to this less-restrictive entertainment area where gambling was legal. Glamour and glitz defined the Strip through the 1940s, as its renowned establishments like Ciro's, Mocambo, and Cafe Trocadero became a playground for the rich and famous. Other spots associated with Hollywood include the Garden of Allah Hotel (quarters for writers like Robert Benchley, Dorothy Parker, and F. Scott Fitzgerald) and Schwab's Pharmacy. By the early 1960s, the Strip lost favor with the majority of movie people, but its restaurants and clubs continued to serve as an attraction for locals and out-of-town visitors. In the mid-1960s and 1970s, the street became a major gathering place for the counterculture and the scene of curfew riots in the summer of 1966. Bands like Van Halen, Motley Crue, Guns N' Roses, The Doors, The Byrds, and Frank Zappa played at clubs like the Whisky-A-Go-Go, The Roxy, Pandora's Box and the London Fog. The 174 photographs in this collection provide a firsthand look at the storied boulevard and its establishments between 1906 and 1988.

The 26 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Theaters images. For many more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Theaters/G0000WdkmKcdYvww/

A critical component of the motion picture industry is the theater, where the shared experience of film shaped the culture of generations. The first movie theater in Hollywood, the Idyl Hour at 6525 Hollywood Blvd, was established in 1911 in a converted store furnished with chairs, a projector and a screen. By 1918, its name changed to the Iris Theater, and it occupied a new purpose-built 1000-seat theater at 6508 Hollywood Blvd. By the 1920s, movies were a permanent part of American life. With more spectacular films being produced by Hollywood's studios, more opulent “palaces” opened. The first of these, Grauman's Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd is one of the world's most famous. Opened in 1922 and the venue for the first-ever Hollywood premiere, it was designed by Meyer and Holler, and built by showman Sid Grauman and real estate developer Charles E. Toberman, who also collaborated on the flamboyant Chinese Theatre in 1927. Grauman's Chinese located at 6925 Hollywood Blvd is by far the most well known theater in the world. The palatial art deco Pantages Theater also opened in 1930 at 6233 Hollywood Blvd. One of the first "palace" type theaters to be built after the advent of talking pictures, it boasted having one of the most elaborate sound systems in the world. Over the course of its history, the Pantages has shown movies, hosted the Academy Awards, and been a legitimate staged production theater. The first legitimate stage theater in Hollywood, The El Capitan Theater, opened in 1926 and was dubbed "Hollywood's First Home of Spoken Drama". The Spanish Colonial Revival style exterior was designed by Stiles O. Clements. It was later converted to a movie theater in 1941 and re-christened the Paramount Theatre. In 1989, the Walt Disney Company took possession, restoring much of the building's original decor and the theater's original name. Other movie palaces and theaters on Hollywood Blvd and Vine Street include the Warner Pacific, the Music Box (Fonda), and the Vine Street Playhouse (Montalban), all constructed during the Golden Era by elite architects. Over two hundred photographs of sixty different sites taken between 1910 and 1987 appear in this gallery.

Charles E Toberman (1880-1981) was one of the most influential real estate developers, known as "Mr. Hollywood" and the "Father of Hollywood" for his role in developing the city and many of its landmarks - the Hollywood Bowl, Grauman's Chinese Theatre and Egyptian Theater, El Capitan Theater, the Roosevelt Hotel, and Masonic Temple. Charles Edward Toberman was born on February 23, 1880 in Seymour, Texas to Philip and Lucy Ann Toberman. His uncle was Los Angeles mayor James R. Toberman. He attended Texas A&M for three years and Metropolitan Business College at Dallas for one year. Toberman began his career as a stenographer in Dallas and Wichita Falls before moving to Los Angeles in 1902, where he held a variety of positions including City Treasurer of Hollywood. He worked in real estate from 1907 on, incorporating the CE Toberman Company in 1912. He placed 53 Hollywood subdivisions on the market, formed more than 30 companies and organizations, built 29 commercial buildings in Hollywood, and was affiliated with 49 civic clubs and fraternal organizations. Until his retirement, Toberman managed all of his real estate holdings from his office in the heart of Hollywood. Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Toberman developed many notable buildings, neighborhoods (Outpost Estates), and theaters, namely with showman Sid Grauman. In 1924, he built a Spanish-style mansion known as the CE Toberman Estate. He co-founded the Black Foxe Military Institute in 1928. He married Josephine W. Bullock on June 25, 1902 and they had three children: Jeanette, Homer, and Catherine. Charles Toberman died in November 1981. Twenty three photographs of this Hollywood pioneer taken between 1909 and 1974 are included in this gallery.

Tourism became part of Hollywood’s story in the early 1900s when the Ostrich Farm in Griffith Park and artist Paul DeLongpre’s Mission Revival home and gallery were included as stops on the inter-urban rail line known as the “Balloon Route” which ran from Los Angeles to Hollywood to Santa Monica and back again. Just ten years later, visitors would flock to Universal Studios to see how silent movies were made. From then on, the industry thrived on promotion and publicity, and tourism increased as the city's entertainment industries developed. Hollywood Boulevard and its theaters became favorite attractions, as well as tours of stars homes. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce created the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard to showcase the talents of stars and industry professionals, quickly became an attraction in its own right. A sampling of various tourist attractions from 1920 to 1977 are included in this gallery.

In 1934, William "Billy" Wilkerson, publisher of The Hollywood Reporter and a serial restauranteur, sought out a location for a new nighttime entertainment venture. On the stretch of Sunset Boulevard between Hollywood and Beverly Hills known as the Sunset Strip, he found La Boheme at 8610 Sunset Boulevard, which had previously been closed for gambling violations. It had a large wine cellar suited to his needs. Wilkerson employed Harold Grieve, decorator to the stars, to remodel the interior in the style of a smart French cafe. The result was Cafe Trocadero, whose opening was highly touted in a series of provocative ads in the Reporter. Doors officially opened at the "Troc" (as it was more commonly referred to) on September 17, 1934. Among the revelers were Joe Schenck, Joan Bennett, Carl Laemmle Jr, Ida Lupino, George Raft, and the Daryl Zanuck. By all standards, it was a bona fide success and became one of the venues most associated with the Golden Age of Hollywood, known for the many after-premiere parties, benefits, birthday and anniversaries held there. By late 1937, Wilkerson tired of the investment and left the Trocadero. Shortly thereafter, he began developing a new nightclub down the street which he opened in January 1940, just as Ciro's and the Trocadero’s dominance were ending. Management closed the nightclub in 1939 when lease negotiations failed. The club was thrown into involuntary bankruptcy by three creditors; its furniture and fittings auctioned off. Several months it reopened, simply renamed "Trocadero". In 1947, Trocadero closed its doors for good. The 21 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1935 and 1949.

Shortly after silent film star Rudolph Valentino's death in 1926, a campaign was instituted in Hollywood to raise funds for the erection of a monument in his honor. With sufficient funds raised from contributors all over the world, sculptor Roger Noble Burnham was commissioned to design an appropriate statue. The work was dedicated on the anniversary of Valentino's birth, May 6, 1930, in the recently opened DeLongpre Park, named for the famous Hollywood pioneer and resident artist, Paul DeLongpre. Entitled "Aspiration", the four-foot bronze figure of a nude male gazing towards heaven, stands on a beautiful green marble world. Inscribed on the large rectangular base was the following tribute: “Erected in memory of Rudolph Valentino 1895-1926 Presented by his friends and admirers from every walk of life in all parts of the world. In appreciation of the happiness brought to them by his cinema portrayals". For many years on Memorial Day, a mystery woman placed a wreath at the foot of the monument. The statue was stolen from its pedestal in the 1950s but later recovered. Fearing continued thefts, the city stored the statue in a warehouse until 1976, when it was remounted on its original pedestal. Valentino is buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery on Santa Monica Blvd. The 5 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1930 and 1977.

Vine Street is a north-south artery that begins on the south at Melrose Avenue and continues to Franklin Avenue at the base of the Hollywood Hills. The famed intersection of Hollywood and Vine has become a symbol of Hollywood itself. Historically, the intersection was one of three competing commercial nodes on Hollywood Blvd, as groups of developers vied for supremacy in the early 20th century. At the eastern border of the original Hollywood Ranch, the land was controlled by the Taft and Bartlett families who turned their small ranches into real estate in the 1920s. Various property owners vied for street improvements, and a plan to coordinate traffic through Hollywood into the San Fernando Valley was considered key. Known as the “Five Finger” transportation plan, Vine, Wilcox, Cahuenga, Ivar, and Yucca were all joined to Highland. Assessment districts formed to manage the costs of road improvements. The wide straight street now contains many prominent landmarks such as the Capitol Records Tower (1750 North Vine) just north of the Hollywood & Vine intersection; the Avalon nightclub; the Equitable, Taft and Broadway highrises; the Plaza Hotel and Montalban Theater. These buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places or have been designated as Historic Cultural Monuments. A portion of the Walk of Fame is also on blocks of Vine Street, north and south of Hollywood Boulevard. Further south is the Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study (1313 Vine) and the newly designated Musician’s Union. The Brown Derby Restaurant was located on the east side of Vine, just south of Hollywood Blvd. South of Melrose, Vine turns into Rossmore Ave, a Hancock Park thoroughfare that ends at Wilshire Blvd. Fifty-five photographs spanning six decades of the street’s development between 1925 and 1987 are documented in this gallery.

When Harry S. Truman announced on August 14, 1945, that the war with Japan was over, the nation and Hollywood went wild. Rushing from offices, stores and homes, thousands of people poured onto Hollywood Boulevard. In the midst of sirens, whistles, horns and screaming, the streets were snowed with paper confetti of every sort, floating down over the crowded sidewalks which just moments before had been sanely trod by quiet shoppers. Servicemen and civilians danced and sang, "Hail, Hail, the job's all done." An impromptu parade paralyzed traffic. Clanging streetcars tried to fight their way through the masses to no avail. A carnival spirit swept over Hollywood: strangers slapped each other on the back; servicemen kissed every pretty girl they met, and the girls kissed back. Servicemen and hostesses at the famed Hollywood Canteen jumped for joy. Displaying flags of all the allied nations, the Canteen was packed with celebrating servicemen kissing movie stars, and every other willing girl in the joint. The party lasted into the wee hours, with more than 3,000 joyous servicemen visiting the Canteen that night. Theaters emptied quickly when the announcement of peace came, but soon cashiers reported that they were selling tickets to people who said they needed to get away from all the noise. The 19 photographs in this gallery document this historic event in 1945.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is an 18-block series of sidewalks along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood. It serves as a permanent public monument to achievement in the entertainment industry. More than 2,400 terrazzo and brass stars are embedded at 6-foot intervals over a combined 1.7 miles. The stars bear the names of actors, musicians, directors, producers, theatrical groups, fictional characters, and others recognized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce for their contributions. The Walk is maintained by the Hollywood Historic Trust. It runs 1.3 miles east to west on Hollywood Blvd from North Gower to North La Brea, including a short segment of Marshfield Way that slices diagonally between Hollywood and La Brea, and 0.4 miles north to south on Vine Street between Yucca Street and Sunset Blvd. Implemented in 1958 and officially dedicated in 1960, there are over 2,400 stars to date. There are four categories of recognition: motion picture, television, recording, and radio. Participants may be honored in multiple categories. Each installation consists of a coral-pink terrazzo star rimmed with brass, inlaid into a charcoal colored terrazzo background. In the upper portion of the pink star field, the name of the honoree is inlaid in brass block letters. Below the inscription, in the lower half of the star field, a round inlaid brass emblem indicates the category of the honoree's contributions. The Walk of Fame is an Historic Cultural Monument. The 28 images in this gallery are our most popular and requested Walk of Fame images. The three galleries on this site contain almost 300 photographs showing the Walk’s history between 1958-2011. For many more, please go to: https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Walk-of-Fame-1960-2005/G0000126Pcb4gCKI/ https://hollywoodphotographs.photoshelter.com/gallery/Walk-of-Fame-2006-2012/G0000iTODuKFr750/

The Walk of Fame concept was adopted in the mid-1950s by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce as a promotional program to showcase Hollywood’s Main Street, Hollywood Boulevard, and its connection to the entertainment industry. Harry Sugarman and CE Toberman were two of its creators. It was decided that its construction would coincide with that of the First Federal Savings of Hollywood building, located at the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave - the first substantial construction on the Boulevard in decades. The first eight stars were dedicated in September 1958 and installed several months prior to the official Walk of Fame groundbreaking, so as to be ready when the First Federal Savings building was completed in January 1959. The eight film notables with the distinction of being the first names on the Walk of Fame were: Preston Foster, Joanne Woodward, Ernest Torrence, Olive Bordon, Edward Sedgwick, Louise Fazenda, Ronald Coleman and Burt Lancaster. The Walk of Fame groundbreaking ceremony took place on February 8, 1960 near the intersection of Hollywood and Gower. By the time it was officially dedicated in November 1960, 1,588 celebrities had their names immortalized in the sidewalk. It wasn't until later that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce began holding individual dedication ceremonies. To date, more than 2,400 professionals have been honored. This gallery documents ceremonies between 1960 and 2005.

The Walk of Fame has continued to honor significant participants in the entertainment industry into the twenty-first century. Among those recognized are Emma Thompson, Bill Maher, Antonio Banderas, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Penelope Cruz, to name a few. The Walk also serves as a de facto memorial site for fans to pay their respects to artists who have passed away. The Walk is an Historic Cultural Monument and is maintained by the Walk of Fame Trust and the City of Los Angeles. A full history of the Walk of Fame is available at: https://www.walkoffame.com This gallery documents ceremonies between 2006 and 2012.

West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, was incorporated on November 29, 1984. With an estimated population of over 40,000, the city is bordered on the north by the Hollywood Hills, on the east by the Hollywood commercial district, on the west by the city of Beverly Hills, and on the south by the Fairfax District of Los Angeles. Residential neighborhoods in West Hollywood include the Norma Triangle, West Hollywood North, West Hollywood West, and West Hollywood East. The city has a distinctive street pattern with wayfinding postmodern street signs featuring a blue map of the city. The Los Angeles County Sheriff provides police services. There is a large population of LGBTQ individuals and businesses. These groups were instrumental in the area’s incorporation. Santa Monica Boulevard is the city’s main commercial artery; Sunset Boulevard provides entertainment venues and lodging. The western stretch of Melrose Avenue between Fairfax Avenue and Doheny Drive is notable for its trendy clothing boutiques, interior design shops, restaurants and antique stores. The west end of Melrose Avenue near the Pacific Design Center is especially known for its exclusive furniture. The area around Fountain Avenue, Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive contains a high concentration of landmark 1920s Spanish Revival and Art Deco apartment buildings by such noted architects as Leland Bryant. This historic district is home to many celebrities. The 294 photographs in this gallery document the area before and after its incorporation.

Wilshire Boulevard is one of the principal east-west streets in Los Angeles. It was named for Henry Gaylord Wilshire (1861–1927), an Ohio native who made and lost fortunes in real estate, farming, and gold mining. Henry Wilshire initiated what became Wilshire Boulevard starting in the 1890s by clearing a path in his barley field. Traversing 16 miles from Grand Avenue in downtown Los Angeles to Ocean Avenue in the City of Santa Monica, Wilshire Boulevard is densely developed throughout most of its span, connecting five of Los Angeles's major business districts to each other, as well as Beverly Hills and downtown Santa Monica. Many of the post-1956 skyscrapers in Los Angeles are located along Wilshire, including one of the oldest and tallest, known simply as "One Wilshire." One particularly famous stretch of the boulevard between Fairfax and La Brea is known as the Miracle Mile. The 16 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1922 - 1945 in the early days of the street’s development.

On October 20, 1919, G. Allan Hancock leased a large tract of his land to the Wilshire Country Club with an option to purchase at $1,250 per acre and on the condition that the property be maintained as a golf club until 1950. The irregular-shaped 105 acre club property is bounded by Rosewood Ave on the north, Rossmore Ave on the east, Third Street on the south, Hudson and June Streets on the west. The first officers of the club were Marion R. Gray, President; Charles E. Toberman, Vice-President; George G. Greenwood, Treasurer; and Thomas G. Bundy, Secretary. The main clubhouse was built in 1920 on the northwest corner of Rossmore Ave and Beverly Blvd. At the time, it was the first of many Southern California country clubhouses built in a Mission Revival design style, a distinctive feature of California architecture in the early 20th century. The institution grew as residents populated the exclusive Hancock Park subdivision around it. It survived the economic downturn of the Depression and continued operation. The old clubhouse was redecorated five times before it was torn down in 1970 and replaced by a 50,000 square foot structure. The membership, which reads like a "Who's Who" of Los Angeles, has strong ties with many active neighborhood residents. Social events and the golf course remain the heart of the Club’s activities. The 6 photographs in this gallery were taken between 1920 to 1926.

The year after the first motion picture studios settled in Hollywood, Adolph and Eugene Bernheimer, leading New York importers of Asian goods, purchased 3 1/2 acres on the crest of a hill at the head of Orange Drive. In 1913, they began construction on a Japanese style home, purchasing 29 additional adjacent lots and increasing the estate to about 7 acres. The Bernheimer's Yamashiro (Palace on the Hill) was completed in 1914. Carved woodwork of luxuriously finished teak, redwood and mahogany, and exquisite inlay enamel work, were important elements in the design of this palatial home. The interior was furnished with one of the rarest, most valuable collections of Chinese and Japanese furniture in existence. After having spent two years and approximately $120,000, the Bernheimers had the distinction of owning one of the most beautiful and unique homes in Hollywood. Manicured gardens with antique Asian sculptures, circular terraces and white retaining walls formed the setting for the main residence. After the death of his brother, Adolph Bernheimer sold the home in 1923 and it passed through several hands. In 1945, owner Leo Post increased the size of the second floor by adding several apartment units. Four years later, Post sold the rundown property to Tom Glover who embarked on an extensive restoration program. This allowed the public to enjoy the original beauty of the estate. Glover began using the name Hollywood Hill Hotel in addition to Yamashiro. During Glover family's ownership, the “Palace on the Hill” once again became a community showplace and was used in several motion pictures and television productions including “Sayonara”, “I Spy”, and Perry Mason”. In early 2016, the Glover family sold the property to JE Group, a Beijing company. The 61 photographs in this gallery document the property between 1915 and 1973.

Located at the southeast corner of Hudson Avenue (now Schrader) and Selma, the building of this facility began in 1921. The result of a successful community campaign led by business leaders, the first phase was designed by the architectural firm of Hunt and Burns. It soon became clear that the building was not adequate for the growing community, so another fundraising effort was launched. In 1927, the organization hired architect Paul R. Williams, a noted African American architect whose clientele included many in the entertainment industry. Williams also had experience with the YMCA's program needs as he had just completed the 28th Street YMCA and adapted lessons learned there to the new facility. Finished early in 1932, the YMCA was a recreational showpiece. Williams used many Mediterranean and Classical Revival design elements on both the interior and exterior that are still evident today. Courtyards, a spacious lobby, courts and exercise rooms form the heart of the facility. The YMCA continues to be meticulously maintained, serving all segments of the community with its programs. These five early photos taken between 1924 and 1937 document one of Hollywood’s most prominent institutions.

The eight photographs in this gallery depict 1950s activities of the facility at 6927 Hawthorne, a clubhouse located north of Hollywood High School in central Hollywood.