This shot looking north up Vine St toward Hollywood Boulevard was taken circa mid 1950s (the Capital Records building opened in 1956), when the streetcar still ran along Hollywood Blvd, airlines had ticketing offices outside the airport (that American Airlines office was there for years), and the Owl Rexall drugstore still occupied the ground floor of the Taft Building where the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had their offices.
Susan says: “That American Airlines office was more than just a ticketing office. They did full travel plans there via AA travel agents. They could arrange/ticket all your needed trains, hotels etc. for your trip right from that office. They kept big books with travel brochures that had pictures of hotels and destinations. It was a busy office.”
When I was a ensign student 1955-1956 at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, I would come down on weekends to explore old Hollywood. I was fortunate to visit the lobby of the old Hotel on Hollywood Boulevard that sat about on the site of what is now the Dolby Theater at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard… visit before the Hotel razed in August 1956 to make way for a cylindoabrical shaped record company building. See photograph above.
On that day I ran into the old character actress, Una Merkel, in the lobby. And walking in the neighborhood, I passed the legendary old actress with the weird, menacing, suspicious-looking stare, Almira Sessions. Ms. Sessions must have lived in the neighborhood at that time.
Here is the history of the old Hollywood Hotel.
The fame of the Hollywood Hotel, like that of Hollywood, came from its identity with the Hollywood movie industry, beginning in the 1910s. Legends of the early industry first stayed at the hotel, such as Jesse Lasky, Carl Laemmle, Louis B. Mayer, Harry Warner, and Irving Thalberg. Producers, directors, writers and technicians held conferences on the broad verandas.
There was a ‘stream’ of silent film movie stars and movie moguls passing through. Some of the movie industry people resided in the hotel, and many attended the dances held Thursday nights in the ballroom. It was considered “the” place to be seen and the cultural center of Hollywood. To identify where certain people regularly sat to dine, the hotel had stars with the names of celebrities painted on the ceiling above their tables.
Among the scores of movie stars who stayed at the Hollywood Hotel through the years was Rudolph Valentino, who lived in room 264. He met his first wife, Jean Acker, in the hotel, where they were married in 1919 and spent their honeymoon. Other stars included Ethel Barrymore, Norma Shearer, and Valentino’s second wife Natasha Rambova. The hotel also hosted notable guests from beyond Los Angeles and the United States.
Songwriter Carrie Jacobs Bond composed her famous song A Perfect Day, and sang it, while a guest at the Hollywood Hotel.
In 1922 Almira Hershey lost a breach of contract dispute with the hotel’s long time manager George Krom, which allowed him to purchase the hotel.[2]
Decline and demolition[edit]
In the early 1940s, Charles E. Toberman, a real estate developer who was known as “Mr. Hollywood,” acquired all the stock of the Good Hope Company, which owned the Hollywood Hotel property. He wanted to tear it down then and redevelop the block, but was halted because of the restrictions on building materials during World War II. By the 1950s, the hotel was run down and faded from its former glory. Developers were adamant that renovating and restoring the property was out of the question.
Though the Hollywood Hotel was an architectural landmark and had housed many of the great Hollywood stars in its day, it was razed in August 1956 to make way for a US$10 milliondevelopment. It was replaced by a twelve story office building for the First Federal Savings & Loan Association of Hollywood, a shopping center, and parking lots.
In 2001 those were demolished, and the Hollywood and Highland Center shopping and entertainment complex was built on the site. It includes the Dolby Theatre (formerly known as the Kodak Theatre), the current home of the annual Academy Awards ceremony.
Both Una Merkal AND Almira Sessions? Whoa, Charles, you certainly had a day to remember. Especially as the Hollywood Hotel was about to be torn down.
Mr Turnbull, as I read your article with interest, I wondered if you might recall a non movie celebrity. A male attorney around 65-70 yrs old, had an office just off Vine on Hollywood Blvd. He had one leg and walked with the aid of a common broom. He was quite a character and well known in the area. He was a regular customer at DuPars Restaurant on Vine St. Forgot to mention, this was in the 1956/57 era. The movie theater on Hollywood Blvd. was still used for the Acadamy Awards and The Broadway occupied the corner of Hollywood Blvd. & Vine.
My goodness, Peggy! He does sound like an extraordinary character. While I haven’t heard of him before I shall certainly be on the lookout for mentions of him!