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Hollywood’s first 50 years, until the freeway changed history — and defined the future
6-Year-Old Marilyn Monroe at the Hollywood Bowl (Photo Exclusive)
In 1933, little Norma Jean was selected by her elementary school to be one of the children who form the event’s “living cross.”
Apr 7, 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...
Jan 25, 2023
Tragic Tale of Hollywood’s First Art Director
Hollywood’s first art director is the architect behind a local masterpiece: Las Orquideas villas on Orchid Avenue, just east of the Magic...
Jan 2, 2023
Miss Hollywood 1939
On Dec. 29, 1938, Iris Waltrip was crowned Miss Hollywood! The 18-year-old high school senior—who was actually from Glendale—unanimously...
Dec 29, 2022
Too Close for Comfort: Eugene O’Brien & Robert Vignola
Next-door neighbors are inescapable, especially when you’re both retired. The homes of Eugene O’Brien and Robert Vignola were in such...
Nov 30, 2022
Paul Laszlo’s Schiff House
Doctor to the stars Hans Schiff built a shining example of International Style in Whitley Heights—by architect and interior designer Paul...
Nov 21, 2022
The Cahuenga Chalet
This L-shaped stunner was the longtime residence of silent film star J. Warren Kerrigan, best remembered for Sampson (1914) and The...
Nov 3, 2022
The House at the End of the Road
Carrie Jacobs-Bond’s home, The End of the Road, was the beginning of a new chapter. In 1916, the 54-year-old songwriter settled in...
Oct 4, 2022
Snow White’s Real-Life Fairytale Cottage
Before Adriana Caselotti voiced Snow White, she had her own fairytale cottage on Cahuenga Boulevard. In 1935, her father, singing teacher...
Sep 10, 2022
Jean Harlow & the Voice Coach
Although Jean Harlow didn’t live in Whitley Heights (despite rampant rumors to the contrary), her acting/voice coach Samuel Kayzer did,...
Sep 3, 2022
Clara Bow’s It Cafe
The “It Girl” created the “It” nightspot in Hollywood. Clara Bow came out of a three-year retirement in 1937 to open the It Café, located...
Sep 3, 2022
Where William Randolph Hearst Stashed His Mistress
Such a dramatic house may not be the most inconspicuous hiding spot for your mistress—but then again William Randolph Hearst was not a...
Sep 3, 2022
Max Factor Studio
Hollywood queens trusted their faces to the makeup king, Max Factor. From his Highland Avenue studio, the brilliant beautician...
Sep 3, 2022
Esther Ralston’s Beauty Salon
Who wouldn’t want to look like a Hollywood star? Esther Ralston—“The American Venus”—cashed in on her famous face in 1931 with an...
Sep 3, 2022
Harold Lloyd: Mystery Solved
One of the few homes rescued from the freeway’s path is a sprawling mansion with a mysterious connection to Harold Lloyd. The silent film...
Sep 3, 2022
Villa Valentino (1922-1951)
The most famous resident of Whitley Heights, Rudolph Valentino lived at 6776 Wedgewood Place with second wife Natacha Rambova and an...
Sep 2, 2022
The Screen Stars Shop
At the Screen Stars Shop, you could pick up a gown worn by Vilma Banky, pair of Mary Pickford’s shoes, or a suit right off the back of...
Sep 2, 2022
Carole Lombard’s Honeymoon Home
The “happiest bride in Hollywood,” Carole Lombard made her honeymoon home with William Powell in Whitley Heights. Following their June...
Sep 1, 2022
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