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' Hollywood and Vine', the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, became famous in the 1920s for its concentration of radio- and movie-related businesses. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is centered on the intersection. Today, few production facilities remain in the immediate area; one of these is the Capitol Tower to the north of the intersection; indeed, Capitol Records named its official website "hollywoodandvine.com".
The Hollywood/Vine subway station for the Metro Red Line is located directly below the intersection, but the entrance/exit to the station is located one block east at Hollywood and Argyle Avenue.

Contents

History

Historic buildings

Redevelopment & Urbanization

Trivia

References

External links

History

The historical marker plaque placed at the site by The Broadway-Hollywood Department Store and the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles^[1] reads:
:''Hollywood was given its name by pioneers Mr. and Mrs. Horace H. Wilcox. They subdivided their ranch in 1887 and called two dirt cross-roads Prospect Avenue and Weyse Avenue. Prospect Avenue, the main artery, was renamed Hollywood Boulevard and Weyse Avenue became Vine Street. This was the origin of "Hollywood and Vine."''
Beginning in the 1920s, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the area began to see an influx of money and influence as movie and music businesses began to move in.
In urban folklore, many of the local buildings are considered to be part of "Haunted Hollywood", home to the ghosts of celebrities (and less stellar residents) of Hollywood's legendary past.

Historic buildings

On the northwest corner, The Laemmle Building was built in the International Style in 1932 by architect Richard Neutra for Carl Laemmle, of Universal Studios fame. It was significantly altered starting in 1940, and retains few of its original features.
To the west of the Laemmle Building is another famous International Style building, by Neutra's friend and rival Rudolf Schindler. The building was originally known for Sardi's Diner, and is now home to the Cave Theater. To the north is the Palace Theatre, originally the Hollywood Playhouse, built in 1927.

On the northeast corner of Hollywood and Vine is the Equitable Building, a Gothic Deco commercial tower built in 1929 on the northeast corner, designed by Aleck Curlett. Next to it is the famous Art Deco movie house, the Pantages Theatre, built in 1930 by B. Marcus Priteca -- the first of its kind in the United States. The Academy Award ceremonies were held at the Pantages from 1949 to 1959.
On the southwest corner, the B.H. Dyas building was built in 1927 by architect Frederick Rice Dorn. It housed The Broadway-Hollywood department store, which has been defunct since the 1990s, although the famous sign remains.
Just to the south on Vine was the fabled Hollywood Plaza Hotel, built in 1924 and home to silent film star Clara Bow's "It Cafe". Across the street, the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, the second in the chain, opened in 1929 in a Spanish Colonial Revival building designed for Cecil B. DeMille; it was demolished in 1994. Though part of the Brown Derby facade remains, it was threatened with demolition as of April 2006. Farther south on Vine were the original Lasky-Paramount Studios, later NBC's West coast studios; and ABC's first West coast studios.
On the southeast corner, the Taft Building housed offices for Charlie Chaplin and Will Rogers, and from 1935 to 1945 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences offices. The 150-foot building was built in 1923 by architects Walker & Eisen, in the Renaissance Revival style.

Redevelopment & Urbanization

A number of high profile projects are attempting to restore the lost luster of the area. As of May 2007, major renovations announced by the Los Angeles city council, have begun construction on the famous intersection, developments expected to cost upwards of $600-million,^[2]. The new projects call for a 305-room W hotel tower with 143 adjoining condominiums. Also part of the plan for the southeast corner of the intersection, 375 luxury apartments, restaurants, a nightclub, stores and a spa. Retail renovations of the Pantages Theater, similar to the Hollywood and Highland Center a mile down the Boulevard. Expected completion date is 2009.
Two other large projects are Palisades Development Group's $50-million conversion of the former Equitable office building to condominiums and Kor Group's $70-million conversion of the former Broadway department store, also into condos. The Broadway, Equitable and Taft buildings are links to the era when Bob Hope Square was one of the city's great crossroads. In the 1920s, it was the second busiest intersection after Wilshire Boulevard and Western Avenue.

Trivia

★ Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at Hollywood & Vine.

★ On May 29, 2003, Hollywood and Vine was named "Bob Hope Square" to commemorate Hope's 100th birthday.

★ Tom Waits released an album titled ''Heartattack and Vine''.

★ The intersection is referenced in several songs:

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★ "Hollywood & Vine" by Matchbook Romance

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★ "Fountain & Vine" by Oleander, regarding the homeless problem in the area

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★ "Wake Up" by Hilary Duff

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★ "Cowboy" by Kid Rock

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★ "Candyman" by Christina Aguilera

★ In PC game ''Police Quest 4'', John Carey has to go to a strip club and a music shop on Hollywood and Vine.

★ In the film ''Inland Empire'', the protagonist collapses on the street at Hollywood and Vine after being stabbed.

★ "Hollywood And Vines" is a name of a track on original soundtrack (OST) of ABC tv show 'LOST' composed by Michael Giacchino

References

External links

★ Interactive map of historic sites on Hollywood and Vine

★ Hollywood Boulevard - myth & reality

★ Historic Resources Group - Historic LA Project