The Hotel Hollywood was a staple of Hollywood Boulevard for years, just about a block away from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. It opened December 1902, designed and built by Lyman Farwell and Oliver Perry Dennis for Hollywood developer H.J. Whitley. The photo above was taken some time before 1910 (for explanation of how I know this, keep reading!). The photo below, which appears to be from the 1940s, was used to accompany an October 1952 news story:
HOLLYWOOD’S OLDEST LANDMARK
The Hollywood Hotel, on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue, and the film capital’s oldest landmark, was at one time the show place of the stars and home for many of them. Part of the hotel was built in 1906, the rest 10 years later. Now the structure is occupied mostly by retired folk who like to sit on its porch and rock.
The below image from 1951 illustrates how the hotel had begun to suffer from deferred maintenance:
Below is a color shot from Christmas, 1954:
When I see photos of the large historic structure, it’s hard for me to believe that it was eventually removed. But, that’s what they do in Hollywood to its history. By the 1950s, the land it was on was worth more than the business, and so it was demolished in August 1956. Below is a shot from July, before the lot was completely cleared.
Oh, to have been there to salvage some of the items from that historic Mission Revival building!
In the corner, you can see Toff’s Diner, which was removed some time around the 1970s (don’t quote me on that!).
Originally, Hollywood Boulevard was called Prospect Avenue, as you can see from the detailed view from this post’s first photo:
By 1910, the town of Hollywood was incorporated into Los Angeles, and Prospect Avenue was officially renamed Hollywood Boulevard.
See more vintage and contemporary Hollywood photos at my main website.
4 comments:
Well, I have definitely learned something today. I thought Hollywood was always a community of Los Angeles. I had no idea they had been an actual incorporated city that got merged into L.A. at a later time. That white, metal Christmas tree in front of the hotel is a trip. No one decorates like that anymore, least of all on a public street.
I have the vaguest of vague remembrances of the Hotel Hollywood. The color image has appeared elsewhere on 'these pages', and even though I can't find a one sheet that matches what is visible in the display case, under the 'Chinese' sign, I do believe it is for the Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney "light comedy-musical" On the Riviera.
Good eye as always, Nanook on the sighting of the "On the Riviera" poster!
Nanook - I attempted to match the poster and it appears to be a different movie. Close though!
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