Marilyn Monroe’s Childhood Home
Marilyn Monroe’s troubled childhood had a brief bright spot in 1933, when her mother purchased a home near the Hollywood Bowl.
top of page
- Oct 4, 2023
The Saga of Paul de Longpre’s Hollywood Estate
The French painter’s artistic home was the first Hollywood tourist attraction.
- Apr 21, 2023
Pearl Park: Whitley & Franklin
“The prettiest spot in Hollywood” was at the corner of Franklin and Whitley avenues: Pearl Park. In 1916, Stephen Willis built the...
- Jan 25, 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...
- Dec 16, 2022
Newly-Discovered Whitley Heights Home
Among the dozens of Whitley Heights homes lost to the Hollywood Freeway was 6785 Whitley Terrace, which has remained a mystery—until the...
- Nov 3, 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...
- Sep 29, 2022
Garden Court’s Primrose Path (1917-1984)
Anyone could live like a movie star at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard: the Garden Court Apartments. Opened in 1917 to accommodate players in...
- Sep 3, 2022
The First to Go (1925-1948)
As planning began for the Hollywood Freeway, many of the homes that stood in the way of progress were acquired by the state and then...
- Sep 3, 2022
Hollywood Wedding Chapel (1918-1960s)
Kathryn Baird Sullivan realized her long-cherished dream to “launch brides and grooms happily on their marital ways” when she turned her...
- Sep 3, 2022
Hollywood’s First Tourist Attraction (1901-1927)
Before the Hollywood sign or Walk of Fame, the first tourist attraction in town was Paul de Longpre’s enchanting gardens on Cahuenga. In...
- Sep 3, 2022
The French Village (1921-1951)
Below the Mediterranean mecca of Whitley Heights sat another European-inspired beauty: the French Village. In 1919, brothers Walter and...
- Sep 2, 2022
Heartbreak House (1922-1952)
The last home to be torn down for the freeway was amongst the first to go up in Whitley Heights: 6787 Whitley Terrace, otherwise known as...
- Sep 2, 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...
bottom of page