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Hollywood’s first 50 years, until the freeway paved paradise in 1954


The Hoodoo House of Hollywood
Is this a house of evil destiny? The famous occupants of 2183 Argyle Avenue all seemed cursed in the early 1920s.
Oct 29, 2023


Opening Night at Pantages Theatre
The Pantages Theatre formally opened on June 4, 1930 with the premiere of MGM’s The Florodora Girl starring Marion Davies. Opening night at the Pantages Theatre, view from Argyle Avenue (California State Library) Hundreds of fans lined traffic-jammed Hollywood Boulevard, all hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars: Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson in white velvet, Maureen O’Sullivan, Billie Burke and Florenz Ziegfeld, Phyllis Haver in pink lace, Delore
Jun 6, 2023


A Tale of Two Castles
A man’s home is his castle. But for Dr. A.G. Castles, his home was quite literally a castle: The eccentric art collector built a pair of royal residences across the street from each other on Argyle Avenue, his 30-acre kingdom. Glengarry Castle on Argyle Avenue (USC) The first, Glengarry, was completed in 1909 and earned recognition as one of the noteworthy mansions of the Hollywood foothills. Its competition, Holly Chateau (now Magic Castle), was designed by the same architec
Jan 25, 2023
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