DK Travel : Los Angeles : Historic Hollywood Boulevard

Historic Hollywood Boulevard

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Hollywood Boulevard, home of the Walk of Fame, has always been synonymous with the glamour of moviemaking, especially during its heydays in the 1920s and 1930s. But like an aging diva, it eventually fell out of favor, teeming with runaways, drug addicts, and prostitutes. Now the heart of Tinseltown is finally cleaning up its act – the old movie palaces have received facelifts, the mega-entertainment complex of Hollywood and Highland is a major draw, and even “Oscar” has found a permanent home here.
For more on Hollywood See Hollywood Connections Casablanca Tours (323-461-0156) and Guide Line Tours (323-465-3004) offer tours in and around Hollywood

Top 10 Features

1. Walk of Fame

1. Walk of Fame

Elvis, Lassie, and over 2,000 other celebs have been immortalized with a marble-encased brass star in the sidewalk. Only those working in the movies, TV, radio, recording, or theater are eligible.
2. Hollywood Entertainment Museum

This museum offers a behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry. Highlights include a scale model of 1940s Hollywood, and original sets from blockbusters such as Star Trek and the X-Files .
3. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

3. Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

Douglas Fairbanks Sr. presided over the inaugural Academy Awards here Hollywood Roosevelt in 1929 and Marilyn Monroe shot her first commercial by the pool, later adorned with blue squiggles by the artist David Hockney.
4. Mann’s Chinese Theatre

4. Mann’s Chinese Theatre

The world’s most famous movie theater opened in 1927 with a screening of Cecil B. De Mille’s King of Kings . About 200 stars have left their hand- and footprints here, not to mention Betty Grable’s famous legs.
5. El Capitan Theatre

5. El Capitan Theatre

The strikingly ornate 1926 El Capitan was Hollywood’s first live theater and began screening films in 1941. Today, it functions as a Disney first-run movie theater.
6. Hollywood & Highland

This cornerstone of Hollywood revitalization combines shops, restaurants, night clubs, movie theaters, a hotel, and the 3,600-seat Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars.
7. The Egyptian Theatre

Now owned by the American Cinematheque, a nonprofit film organization, this 1922 theater is the birthplace of the “Hollywood premiere”.
8. Frederick’s of Hollywood Lingerie Museum

8. Frederick’s of Hollywood Lingerie Museum

Famous for its vast assortment of lingerie, Frederick’s does double duty as a hall of fame for celebrity underwear. The collection includes bustiers worn by Marilyn and Madonna, and Cher’s bras.
9. Capitol Records Tower

The world’s first circular office building resembles a stack of records topped by a stylus that blinks out “Hollywood” in Morse code. It opened in 1956 as the headquarters of the music giant, Capitol Records.
10. Pantages Theatre

The grande dame of Tinseltown theaters sparkles once again in restored Art Deco glory. The lobby leads to the magnificent auditorium with its three-dimensional ceiling. It now hosts blockbuster Broadway shows.

Practical Information

For the yummiest cakes, head for Café Mozart, inside the Hollywood and Highland complex. Red signs along the boulevard indicate places the stars used to hang out in. The visitors center at the Hollywood and Highland is open 10am–10pm Mon– Sat, 10am–7pm Sun. Stretches from La Brea Blvd to Vine St Walk of Fame: Hollywood Blvd between Gower St & La Brea Ave, and Vine St between Yucca Ave & Sunset Blvd Hollywood Entertainment Museum: 7021 Hollywood Blvd Hollywood & Highland: 6801 Hollywood Blvd Frederick’s of Hollywood Lingerie Museum: 6608 Hollywood Blvd Capitol Records Tower: 1750 N Vine St