Everyone Loves Hollywood
Introduction
This article which is quite unashamedly designed for everyone that loves Hollywood. The rise of Hollywood from a sparsely populated suburb of Los Angeles into the mega-residency it is now is inextricably linked to the rise of the movies. Which makes the name Hollywood such an endearing and enduring one not just to Americans, but surely to everyone wherever they might live. We won’t pretend to cover everything possible about Hollywood - but here are some starters for you.
A star is born and revived
The history of Hollywood as “Tinseltown” follows on from a fledgling film industry that began in 1906 in downtown Los Angeles. In just four short years movie makers we’re looking for new locations and in 1910 the Biograph company, with stars such as Mary Pickford and Lionel Barrymore, relocated out to Hollywood and the first ever Hollywood movie was made, enticingly labeled - “In old California” and the Hollywood ‘star’ was born. However, that familiar icon of Hollywood - the famous towering letters spelling out “HOLLYWOOD” is actually nothing to do with the movies. The world famous sign was actually first erected in 1923 to promote a hillside real estate development. The thirties and forties are said to be the best years for Hollywood movies but, in all reality, the post-war years in the fifties saw Hollywood’s fortunes dip - not to mention the famous sign fall down, such was the nadir of its fortunes. Although movie making is now a far more international business, Hollywood has revived itself and remains one of the most glamorous places to be. With movie budgets regularly topping $100 million, some even exceeding $200 million, the new FX and 3-D technologies have reinvigorate the public’s zest for movies and Hollywood is once more in the ascendancy.
Things to see in Hollywood
Two places you simply must see are The Walk of Fame and Grauman’s Chinese Theater, both of which are on Hollywood Boulevard and doesn’t just the street name ooze glamour and fame? The Hollywood Walk of Fame is where you’ll find all those Brass Stars immortalizing the star performers and other famous folk past and present. There’s over 2000 so far, so if you’re looking for someone in particular I’d look it up before setting out. Grauman’s Chinese Theater, or rather the forecourt of it, is of course where the movie star handprints are to be found. Outside this grand movie palace, inspired by Imperial Chinese architecture, you can compare your hand to various prints like Fred Astaire to Ginger Rogers or Marilyn Monroe to Sean Connery etc. Not wishing to sound macabre but the Hollywood Forever cemetery on Santa Monica Boulevard is an essential trip for anyone with nostalgic feelings for the past, be it recent or that of decades ago. The final resting place of many a movie and rock star, the monument to Johnny Ramone alone is worth seeing. Some monuments and tombs are easy to find and ‘open to the public’ whilst others are more discreet and definitely private.
Eating and Drinking in Hollywood
6667 Hollywood Boulevard is the location of the Musso and Frank Grill, which since 1919 has been the host to many a movie stars lunches and dinners, providing an ideal and neutral meeting place to eat and drink with their agents, producers, directors and fellow actors. If you fancy something a little more weird for a place to eat go to the Hollywood Museum on North Highland Avenue and have a “Silence of the lambs” special! Here you can sit in the famed prison cell, exactly as appeared on the film set, and enjoy liver with those fava beans and a nice Chianti - yum-yum! Oh, by the way for good measure the cell is located in the museums basement. If you fancy doing a bit of star spotting then try the Broadners Bar on North Cherokee Avenue. A haunt of the movie stars since the 40s, modern regulars are reported to include Kiefer Southerland and Vince Vaughan. Keep an open mind going in here, especially on Saturday nights, and be prepared to dress Gothic or even positively fetish for “Bar Sinister” nights.
Going out in Hollywood
Leaving ‘going to the movies’ as a bit passé perhaps in Hollywood, the Avalon Club on North Vine Street is one of the biggest nightclubs and books all the best Super-DJs for its Saturday night electronic dance fests, that usually end around dawn on the Sunday. If Jazz is your scene go to the Catalina Bar & Grill on West Sunset Boulevard - another of those Hollywood street names that just oozes movies. Not forgetting we are in California, unsurprisingly there are two outdoor venues for live performances. The Ford Amphitheater has the Hollywood Hills as a backdrop, but it is probably the better known Hollywood Bowl that most folk want to see. The Hollywood Bowl is on North Highland Avenue and you can even take your own picnic to enjoy the show with.