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Hollywood’s first 50 years, until the freeway changed the landscape forever


Edna Cudahy’s Hollywood House of Death
Did the curse of “Jinx Mansion” follow Edna Cudahy to her next Hollywood home?
Feb 4

Was Norma Talmadge’s Hollywood Home “Jinxed”?
Everyone who lived under the red-tile roof at 7269 Hollywood Boulevard suffered some misfortune, from divorce to death.
Jan 6


L. Frank Baum’s Ozcot (1910-1954)
It’s truly wicked what became of “Ozcot,” the Hollywood home of L. Frank Baum.
Nov 13, 2024


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.
May 31, 2024


The Saga of Paul de Longpre’s Hollywood Estate
The French painter’s artistic home was the first Hollywood tourist attraction.
Oct 4, 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...
Apr 21, 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


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...
Dec 16, 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


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 29, 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 3, 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...
Sep 2, 2022
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