From Dave DeCaro’s always-interesting website comes this striking genuine photo from 1954 of the Hollywood Hotel as seen from the corner of Hollywood Blvd and Highland Ave. It was taken during the holiday season, which is why that white metal electric Christmas tree is out front. In photos like this we can appreciate how red the tiles on the hotel’s roof were. In real life, they must have been quite striking and visible from miles around, especially from the air.
Roughly the same view in November 2021:
GOING TO WATCH THE CHRISTMAS PARADE ON HOLLYWOOD BLVD, WAS A HIGHLIGHT OF THE SEASON
BUT TO SEE THOSE GIANT METAL TREES LINING THE BLVD WAS AWESOME.
The yellow tones on the hydrant etc. look right, but the fabric awning at the main entrance to the hotel appears a bit too orange given that it was shown to be yellow before. Smog alert!?
What is the purpose of that tall silo-like tube, with some sort of grill attached to its side, protruding up from the building in the current photo? That is remarkably unattractive. On the other hand, it’s quite a treat to see a color photo of the Hollywood Hotel.
That tube is merely decorative in the way that fast food restaurants have very tall signs so that people can see it for miles around.