History of Hollywood

Originally known as Prospect Boulevard (1887-1910), it changed upon Los Angele's annexation of the street: Hollywood Boulevard. In 1911, on the corner of Sunset and Gower, the Nestor Company opened the first studio in Hollywood, starting a trend in the industry:friendly weather allowed year-round filming, an environmental attribute not experienced in the upstate New York town of Ithaca, a previous hub of the silent film industry. The formerly agricultural land south of the boulevard was divided into housing for studio workers. During the 1920's and 30's hotels, restaurants, banks, and movie theatres were erected. The street became the new Broadway of Los Angeles with the construction of the Egyptian Theatre and the Gauman's Chinese Theatre. The intersections of Hollywood Boulevard at Vine, Cahuenga, and Highland were the first areas to be densely commercialized, eventually stretching farther to replace the remaining homes on the street. The Beaux-Art Architecture of the buldings and more formal styles fit in with an air of modernity and class, while other Spanish Colonial Revival architecture reflected the glamorization and extravagance of the era.

The iconic Walk of Stars began in 1958, first star was placed in 1960 to commemorate the artists of the entertainment industry. Before and during the implementation of the Walk of Fame, the real stars had been leaving to reside in places like Beverly Hills. The studios migrated to Sunset, leaving run-down tourist attractions amidst seedy shops. Although the glamour had moved to Beverly Hills, tourists still flocked to the center of Hollywood, thanks to the glamorized images of the street constructed in the 20's and 30's.

A symbol of the changing facade of Hollywood Boulevard, the Egyptian Theatre was built in 1922--the first movie palace to be constructed on the Boulevard. The
Egyptian was designed in faux-Egyptian architecture, with huge colonnades
framing the screen. The final movie premier to be shown was Barbara
Streisand's "Funny Girl" in 1968. The Egyptian closed officially after the
1992 earthquake in a state of disrepair, becoming a squat. With the new
"rebirth" of the Boulevard, however, the Egyptian opened once again in 1998,
fully restored, a symbol of the street's revival. It now houses the American
Cinematheque. Other rebirth efforts include:

-Disney's restoration of the El Capitan theatre, turning it into the most
profitable theatre in the country. A Disney store opened right next to it.

-The restoration of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

-$10 million restoration of the Pantages Theatre in anticipation for a
premier of Disney's Lion King musical (2000)

-The Hollywood Entertainment Museum

-The CIM group (owners of retail stores in Old Pasadena and The Promenade)
has invested $100 million, buying parcels of land and opening The Knitting
Factory, a music venue. CIM plans to open more attractions on the street.

-The remaining "problem" of tacky souvenir and sex shops is expected to soon work
itself out as the rebirth attracts more commercial investors, who will buy
them up and move them out. Score one for massive corporate interests!

The Boulevard has never been a real creative center for the entertainment industry. Most studios in Hollywood were found on Sunset Boulevard, even at the height of the 20's and 30's. Rather, the street functions historically as a showcase of the act of watching: tourists line the streets, continually adding to the mythology around buildings constructed for the distribution of entertainment, watching the palaces of watching.

Try a virtual tour of the Boulevard!

http://www.historicla.com/hollywood/map.html

Lyrics to Public Enemy's Hollywood intervention: Burn Hollywood Burn

CHUCK D:

Burn Hollywood burn I smell a riot
Goin' on first they're guilty now they're gone
Yeah I'll check out a movie
But it'll take a Black one to move me
Get me the hell away from this TV
All this news and views are beneath me
Cause all I hear about is shots ringin' out
So I rather kick some slang out
All right fellas let's go hand out
Hollywood or would they not
Make us all look bad like I know they had
But some things I'll never forget yeah
So step and fetch this shit
For all the years we looked like clowns
The joke is over smell the smoke from all around
Burn Hollywood burn

> ICE CUBE:
>
> Ice Cube is down with the PE
> Now every single bitch wanna see me
> Big Daddy is smooth word to muther
> Let's check out a flick that exploits the color
> Roamin' thru Hollywood late at night
> Red and blue lights what a common sight
> Pulled to the curb gettin' played like a sucker
> Don't fight the power ... the mother fucker
>
> BIG DADDY KANE:
>
> As I walk the streets of Hollywood Boulevard
> Thinin' how hard it was to those that starred
> In the movies portrayin' the roles
> Of butlers and maids slaves and hoes
> Many intelligent Black men seemed to look uncivilized
> When on the screen
> Like a guess I figure you to play some jigaboo
> On the plantation, what else can a nigger do
> And Black women in this profession
> As for playin' a lawyer, out of the question
> For what they play Aunt Jemima is the perfect term
> Even if now she got a perm
> So let's make our own movies like Spike Lee
> Cause the roles being offered don't strike me
> There's nothing that the Black man could use to earn
> Burn Hollywood burn