HISTORIC HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
Hollywood Boulevard, home of the Walk of Fame, has always been synonymous with the glamour of moviemaking, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. But it eventually fell out of favor, teeming with drug addicts and prostitutes. Now the heart of Tinseltown is finally cleaning up its act – the old movie palaces have received facelifts, the Hollywood & Highland complex is a major draw, and even “Oscar” has found a permanent home here.
Map of Historic Hollywood Boulevard
NEED TO KNOW
Stretches from La Brea Blvd to Vine St
Walk of Fame: Hollywood Blvd between Gower St & La Brea Ave, and Vine St between Yucca Ave & Sunset Blvd
Hollywood & Highland: 6801 Hollywood Blvd
Capitol Records Tower: 1750 N Vine St
Hollywood Museum: 1660 Highland Ave
- For made-to-order hot churros, go to Street Churros inside Hollywood & Highland.
- Red signs along the boulevard indicate places the stars used to hang out in.
- The visitor center at Hollywood & Highland is open 9am–10pm Mon–Sat and 10am–7pm Sun.
1. Walk of Fame
Elvis, Lassie, and over 2,600 other celebs have been immortalized with terrazzo and brass stars in the sidewalk. A few “special” stars, such as those for the Apollo 11 astronauts, are also installed nearby.
Stars installed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
2. The Musso & Frank Grill
During Hollywood’s Golden Years, this was the haunt (see The Musso & Frank Grill) of stars such as Clark Gable and the Marx Brothers. Opened in 1919, it is the oldest restaurant in Hollywood and much of its classic interior still remains unchanged.
3. TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX
The world’s most famous movie theater opened in 1927 with a screening of Cecil B. DeMille’s King of Kings. About 200 stars have left their hand- and footprints here, and Betty Grable even left prints of her famous legs.
The historic TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX
4. Pantages Theatre
The grande dame of Tinseltown theaters (see Pantages Theatre) sparkles once again in all its restored Art Deco glory. The lobby leads to the magnificent auditorium with its elaborate ceiling. It now hosts blockbuster Broadway shows.
5. The Hollywood Roosevelt
Douglas Fairbanks Sr. presided over the first Academy Awards at this historic hotel in 1929, and Marilyn Monroe shot her first commercial by the pool (see The Hollywood Roosevelt), later adorned with blue squiggles by the artist David Hockney.
An elegant room in The Hollywood Roosevelt
6. The Egyptian Theatre
Owned by the nonprofit American Cinematheque, this theater is the birthplace of the “Hollywood premiere”.
7. Capitol Records Tower
Once the headquarters of Capitol Records, the world’s first circular office building looks like a pile of records with a stylus blinking out “Hollywood” in Morse code.
8. Hollywood & Highland
This cornerstone of Hollywood revitalization and mega-entertainment complex combines shops, restaurants, night clubs, movie theaters, a hotel, and the 3,400-seat Dolby Theatre, home of the Oscars.
Hollywood & Highland, a mega-entertainment complex
9. Hollywood Museum
The historic Art Deco Max Factor building showcases a hundred years of film costumes, props, and memorabilia.
10. El Capitan Theatre
The strikingly ornate El Capitan was Hollywood’s first live theater and began screening films in 1941. Today, it is a Disney first-run movie theater.
A STAR FOR THE STARS
A star on the Walk of Fame requires the prior approval of a screening committee appointed by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Of the 200 applications received every year, only 10 percent get the nod – and the privilege to pay the $40,000 fee for installation and maintenance. Studios – and sometimes fan clubs – usually foot the bill. Induction ceremonies are held once or twice a month and are open to the public. Check out www.walkoffame.com to see who’s up next.
