by James Roman
With the Writers Guild offices across the street, Musso & Frank was also the hangout for America’s literary greats. John Steinbeck, Raymond Chandler, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Dorothy Parker and many others could be found at the mahogany bar. Today, the restaurant is a reminder of Hollywood’s history. Even the menu remains much as it was 90 years ago.
Continue west on Hollywood Boulevard, back toward the Dolby Theatre.
6. At 6751 Hollywood Boulevard, you’ll pass another famous landmark: Frederick’s of Hollywood.
In 1946, Frederick Mellinger introduced black lingerie to the American market, revolutionizing women’s intimate apparel. A few years later, he followed that success with “The Rising Star,” the world’s first push-up brassiere. With his designs seen on Hollywood’s most glamorous actresses, his garments were an enormous success; he influenced the women’s apparel industry for decades. Frederick’s is open daily.
Head west, cross the intersection at Highland Avenue.
7. As you cross, look north to see the Hollywood United Methodist Church. We’ll be there soon, taking a scenic route to approach it. Stay on the north side of Hollywood Boulevard; continue to walk west, past the Dolby Theatre.
8. You’ll have a great view of the historic El Capitan Theatre on the south side of Hollywood Boulevard. Owned by The Walt Disney Company, it’s been the site of Disney premieres for decades. Open to the public daily, the El Capitan is one of the last movie theaters in America to maintain an old-fashioned theater organ. Audiences are entertained with a live organ recital before every show, included in the ticket price.
On the north side of the street, you’re approaching one of Hollywood’s most enduring landmarks:
9. The Chinese Theatre. Following the success of his Egyptian Theatre down the street, developer Charles E. Toberman built this giant Chinese pagoda for entrepreneur Sid Grauman five years later. The theater opened in May 1927, five months before the first talking picture premiered in New York; it soon became the largest theater in America to be wired for sound. With one of the largest movie screens on earth, the Chinese has always been a site for red carpet premieres, including: A Star is Born, Star Wars, the Harry Potter films, and countless other hits. During the 1940s, it was also home to the Academy Awards ceremonies.
The forecourt at the Chinese Theatre features the handprints and signatures of nearly 200 movie stars, spanning every decade since the 1920s, from silent movie comics like Harold Lloyd to recent stars like Eddie Murphy. As movie promotions, some movie cowboys embedded the horseshoe prints from their horses, Al Jolson embedded his famous knees, and Daniel Radcliffe embedded Harry Potter’s magic wand. Step inside and look for your favorite performers.
10. Farther west, at the intersection of Orange Drive, cross to the south side of Hollywood Boulevard for a visit to the Roosevelt Hotel.
Built in 1927, the Roosevelt is one of the oldest structures in Hollywood, yet still one of the trendiest. Invitations to latenight cocktail parties by the pool are highly prized. Marilyn Monroe lived here for two years; Clark Gable and Carole Lombard occupied the penthouse, which is now named for them.
In 1929, the Roosevelt’s ballroom was the site of the first Academy Awards ceremony. (They presented awards in 12 categories in 15 minutes, then everyone had dinner!) More recently, artist David Hockney painted an underwater mural in its swimming pool.
A frequent location for film and television, the Roosevelt can be seen in: The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), Quiz Show (1994), Catch Me If You Can (2002), and on television including: Melrose Place, Murder She Wrote, The Bachelor, Knots Landing, and Moonlighting, and others.
Exit through the front doors of the Roosevelt Hotel to return to Hollywood Boulevard. Walk left, to the corner of Orange Drive. Cross Hollywood Boulevard and stay on Orange Drive, heading north. We’ll stroll through Hollywood Heights, a residential neighborhood of vintage architecture surrounded by landmarks.
Notice some of the quaint residences that were erected to capitalize on Hollywood’s flashy history. The Nirvana apartments, for example, opened after the success of the Chinese Theatre around the corner.
11. At the north corner, Orange Drive intersects with Franklin Avenue. Ahead is the Magic Castle, a private club for Prestidigitators (magicians!). Guests are welcome, but only with a pass from a member. The Castle is filled with surprises and humor, also including an elegant dining room, theaters, a séance room, and hotel accommodations. See: www.magiccastle.com
Turn right, onto Franklin Avenue, heading toward the Hollywood United Methodist Church. Turn left at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Hillcrest Road, beside the Hollywood United Methodist Church. Take a stroll up the steep incline at Hillcrest Road, into the residential Hollywood Heights. The first intersection on the right is Glencoe Way. Turn right, onto Glencoe Way, and continue walking east. Follow the short street as it curves into the hills. Straight ahead: 1962 Glencoe Way, also known as:
12. The Freeman House. The exterior conceals its size; the building is actually three stories tall, carved into the steep hillside below. It’s a spacious three-bedroom house of nearly 3,000 square feet, with views over Hollywood. Constructed in 1923 by Frank Lloyd Wright, the house for Samuel Freeman is the second construction by Frank Lloyd Wright in LA.
Not open to the public, the building is significant, for it is here that Wright perfected his concrete block construction, creating decorative blocks that are sturdy enough to support the roof. With his son Lloyd Wright as the construction manager, Wright created these hollow, concrete blocks, then aligned them atop of one another and reinforced them with steel rods through the center, similar to creating textiles. Wright’s Los Angeles structures are known today as the concrete textile block houses.
Wright stated that buildings in Los Angeles should “grow right out of the soil,” as he proved here on Glencoe Way, one that still continues today. In 1986, the Freemans bequeathed the house to the School of Architecture at the University of Southern California (USC).
Next, we’ll walk through Hollywood Heights to appreciate some magnificent views, and appreciate more houses that are carved into these Hollywood hills. Follow Glencoe Way as it curves to the north and east.
13. You’ll soon see some remarkable views over Hollywood Boulevard to the south and the Hollywood sign to the east. This view is the summit of our hillside trek, an ideal place for photos.
As you continue to walk northward, it appears that Glencoe Way reaches a dead end, but it does not. As houses were built in these hills, long public staircases were built throughout the neighborhood. We’re about to visit one of the shortest of those staircases. Walk straight ahead on the stairs to the left.
Follow the stairs to the north. Walk straight. The street winds past some grand houses that were built for Hollywood’s early movie stars (plus some newer arrivals, too). The original developers modeled Hollywood Heights to resemble Positano, Italy.
Over the rooftops, you’ll soon see a slender tower that resembles an Italian campanile directly ahead. That’s our next destination. Keep the tower within your view as the street curves through the hills.
A short distance ahead, the street intersects with Camrose Drive. Turn right (east) on Camrose Drive to head down the hill. One block down the hill, you’ll reach the intersection of High Tower Drive. Turn left onto High Tower Drive.
14. The High Tower is an elevator. When the original houses were built into the hillside to resemble Positano, sidewalks and steep staircases were installed for access, but residents soon tired of the climb. This elevator, controlled by a key, is for residents’ use only.
Feel free to climb the stairs and sidewalks if you’d like to explore this quaint Hollywood cul-de-sac. (Sidewalk entrance to the stairs is on the left.) Most buildings are actually divided into apartments with addresses on Broadview Terrace and Los Altos Place, the streets above.
It was here that Robert Altman filmed The Long Goodbye in 1973, starring Elliott Gould as detective Philip Marlowe.
> Stroll back to Camrose Drive and continue down the hill, where the street intersects with Highland Avenue. Do not cross Highland Avenue. Turn left and continue north.
15. We’re heading to the historic Hollywood Bowl. Ahead, you’ll see the Art Deco fountain that marks the entrance.
The Hollywood Bowl is the largest concert venue in Los Angeles (not including stadiums and arenas like the Staples Center). It’s the summer home for the LA Philharmonic when they’re not performing in Disney Hall.
Turn left to enter the Hollywood Bowl driveway and walkways. The facility is open to the public for free when performances are not in session. Visit the Hollywood Bowl Museum on the left, a free exhibit open to the public year-round. It explains the history of the famous band shell and the many artists who have performed here.
Next, stroll up the hill toward the Bowl. You’ll pass the Box Office, where tickets for upcoming concerts are available. Notice the covered pathway behind the Box Office windows as you continue to walk up the hill.
You’ll pass the escalator that leads concertgoers to the upper levels of the amphitheater.
Continue up the hill, bearing left. You’ll see one of many entrances to the enormous Hollywood Bowl. With more than 17,000 seats, ticket holders enter on many levels. Walk inside to view the concert space.
Since 1921, practically every great artist on earth has performed here, in every musical style. Rock, jazz, country, ballet, folk tunes, show tunes, pop tunes all sound great under the stars. From Bill Cosby to The Beatles, from Black Sabbath to Barbra Streisand, events continue every summer, many with fireworks!
Feel like climbing? Exit the amphitheater from one of the upper levels.
Then, make your way down through the walkways that lead past picnic areas with views of the Hollywood Hills. Many ticket holders pack a meal (or buy one from the café near the Box Office). You’ll also discover the Hollywood Bowl Walk, ten panels that describe the history and significance of these eighty-eight acres.
Back near the Box Office, continue down the walkway, past the museum, toward Highland Avenue. At the Hollywood Bowl exit, turn right onto the Highland Avenue sidewalk. Stroll two blocks downhill to the crosswalk. Cross Highland Avenue here, at the intersection of Milner Avenue. Ahead is probably the oldest building still standing in Hollywood.
16. Known today as the Hollywood Heritage Museum, this barn is director DeMille’s first office in Hollywood, the building used to film and edit The Squaw Man, Hollywood’s first feature film. This is the second (and final) stop with an admission fee.
With docents on hand to explain how DeMille and company created Hollywood’s first feature, this barn (moved here from its original Vine Street location) offers insight into the fledgling stages of the film industry.
After visiting the Hollywood Heritage Museum, return to the intersection of Milner and Highland avenues. Turn left. Cross Milner, but do not cross Highland Avenue. Walk downhill on Highland Avenue. You’ll soon pass a tower hidden behind a massive ficus tree.
17. The address is officially: 2000 North Highland Avenue.
It’s the former home of silent movie star Rudolph Valentino, the original “Latin lover.” The dashing actor starred in high-profile romantic fantasies like The Sheik (1921); Blood and Sand, (1922), in which he played a bullfighter, and the silent classic Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, the biggest grossing film in history to that date. Today, Valentino’s Hollywood mansion is divided into rental apartments. (Actor John Leguizamo lived here briefly in the 1990s.)
Continue the downhill walk on Highland Avenue. Cross Highland at the intersection of Franklin Avenue, heading toward the familiar Hollywood United Methodist Church.
Look into the foliage in the hillside behind the church. Nestled in the trees, you’ll see the three-story Freeman House, Frank Lloyd Wright’s construction, discreetly carved into the hillside as if it’s part of the natural landscape.
To your left, the Hollywood and Highland Center is our final destination, the completion of our loop through Hollywood Heights. Head downhill for one more block.
You’ll find a staircase that leads back into the main level.
SUNSET STRIP AND BEVERLY HILLS DRIVING TOUR
You’ll need a car for this adventure. We’re trekking from the edge of West Hollywood, across the Sunset Strip, to Beverly Hills. The number of famous places within such close proximity will surprise you.
Guitar Center
Directors Guild of America
Laugh Factory
Chateau Marmont
The Standard
Carney’s
Sunset Tower Hotel
The Comedy Club
The House of Blues
The Mondrian
Mel’s Drive-In
Sunset Plaza
Eveleigh
The Viper Room
Whisky a Go Go
Hustler
The Roxy
One Oak
Former office of Geffen Records
Sierra Tower
Greystone Mansion
Beverly Hills Hotel
Will Rogers Memorial Park
Former home of Gloria Swanson
Former home of Milton Berle
Former home of Gene Kelly
Beverly Hills City Hall
Via Rodeo
Beverly Wilshire
Paley Center for Media
Church of the Good Shepherd
START:
Sunset Boulevard and Vista Street
END:
Church of the Good Shepherd
TOUR TIME:
About 4 hours
CHAPTERS:
12, 13, 18
There’s plenty of walking involved too, so wear sunscreen and walking shoes, but don’t dress too casually. We’ll visit the famous Polo Lounge in the exclusive Beverly Hills Hotel, and leave you among some of Beverly Hills’ most tempting restaurants and shops. Although the tour ends in upscale style, it begins with Sunset Strip’s honky-tonk fun.
Drive west on Sunset Boulevard, leaving the Hollywood city limits at the intersection of Vista Street. (You’ll see “Hollywood” on the pillar that supports the traffic sign. Here’s where the city of West Hollywood begins.) Just west of Vista Street, pull over on the right.
1. 7425 Sunset Boulevard is known as the Guitar Center. Some of the biggest names in rock-and-roll buy their instruments here, and the area is home to many performers. It’s a treasure trove for music lovers, with some of rock’s most famous guitars on display, including B.B. King’s beloved “Lucille.” A decade before the Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame opened in Cleveland, rock musicians preserved their hands on the sidewalk here. Hollywood may have its movie stars, but rock stars rule the Sunset Strip at the Guitar Center.
2. Drive west. As you cross Fairfax Boulevard, stay in the right lane. On the opposite side of the street you’ll see this modern building: the Directors Guild of America.
In addition to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences that bestows the Oscars, each craft in the entertainment industry has its own guild, or union. SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, is largest, but the Writer’s Guild is also nearby, and this place for the Director’s Guild.
As you cross the intersection at Hayworth Avenue, look to the right.
3. On the corner ahead, you’ll see the Laugh Factory, the club that launched many comedy careers. Every famous stand-up comic, from Robin Williams to Roseanne Barr, has performed here. Famous comics like Jerry Seinfeld arrive unannounced to try out new material on a delighted audience.
4. Three blocks ahead, you’ll come to Marmont Lane on the right. Drive up the ramp for a quick lap around this history-laden hotel. The Chateau Marmont is the Strip’s most storied address, where writers, musicians and performers check in for months at a time to be pampered yet left alone.
Robert DeNiro lived in the penthouse for months. John Belushi died in Bungalow #3 after a wild night of narcotics. Tony Randall lived here for years while filming The Odd Couple
for television; it’s where Paul Newman met his future wife Joanne Woodward, where actress Greta Garbo famously hid from the paparazzi to “be alone,” and where Sting tried out his new songs on the lobby piano. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was written here, plus The Music Man, Day of the Locust and other screenplays. Artists David Hockney, Jasper Johns, Robert Motherwell and Frank Stella have all lived and worked here.
Coming down Selma, see the open intersection to the left. During the 1960s this was the place for Flower Power, where young Angelenos congregated. The shopping complex beyond was the site of Googie’s, the coffee shop for which an architectural style is named.
Turn right, back onto Sunset, heading west.
5. Continue west on Sunset Boulevard. Crossing Sweetzer Avenue, you’ll discover The Standard. The opposite of the Chateau Marmont, The Standard is a place to be seen. The lobby gained notoriety for the “installation art” over the front desk, built with a one-way mirror, where spectators watch an attractive guest prepare for bedtime in full view of the lobby. The 24/7 Coffee Shop is open day and night. The pool is a popular venue for glamorous parties.