When someone sent me this aerial photo to see if I could identify it, it took me a minute or two to realize we’re looking at Charlie Chaplin’s studios, whose official address was 1416 N. La Brea Ave. The giveaway was the line of British-looking offices along La Brea Ave that Chaplin constructed as a nod to his native England. His studios opened in January 1918 and was where he filmed his movies through to 1952. I don’t know when this photo was taken, but the studios and surrounding neighborhood look like they’re fairly well filled in, so I would guess at least the 1930s. Does anyone reading this have a more accurate guess? We can see Hollywood High School in the top right corner, but I love that we can glimpse the wing of the airplane this photo was taken from in the top left corner.

Andrew S. said: “Martin yours is about May 1926. The El Capitan is brand new and Grauman’s would open in May 1927 not yet in view across the street. Across from The El Capitan is a Spanish mission side wall of the old Hollywood Hotel.”

Someone on my Facebook page pointed out that the large white object near the middle of the photo is the half circus tent built for “The Circus” which took most of 1926 to shoot.

Jeff H. provided me with this handy guide identifying some of the neighborhood’s landmark buildings:

This aerial image of the same area was capture in May 2022, by which time there are more parking spaces, but less trees.

This is how part of those British-ish buildings look today. The studios are still there and now are home to Henson (who make The Muppets.) This image is from May 2022.