Entertainment Industry Group a Long Term Partner in Preservation Or Nearly a Century, the American Ly Part of the Rancho La Brea Owned by Maj
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Hollywood Heritage is a non- profit organization dedicated to preservation of the historic built environment in Hollywood and to education about the early film industry and the role its pioneers played in shaping Winter 2012 www.hollywoodheritage.org Volume 31, Number 4 Hollywood’s history. Entertainment Industry Group A Long Term Partner In Preservation or nearly a century, the American ly part of the Rancho La Brea owned by Maj. his home at the corner of Orange and Frank- Society of Cinematographers (ASC), Henry Hancock. In 1901, a group of finan- lin. That structure now houses the ASC. The Fknown as the distinguished “image- ciers purchased the northern portion of this residence was built as part of the tract’s real makers” of cinema, have committed the rancho for $186,000. This purchase included estate promotion to illustrate the quality of iconic visions of motion picture creators to Fountain Avenue on the south, Cahuenga life in Hollywood, thereby enticing prospec- nitrate, celluloid, Mylar, magnetic iron par- Boulevard on the east, north up Cahuenga to tive residents to acquire their own “dream” ticles, and have now added electrons to the a little beyond the entrance to the Hollywood home sites. mix. A more than a century old Mission-Style Bowl, south along the foothills of Franklin Over the succeeding years, the pres- California residence at 1782 North Orange Avenue, west to about La Brea Avenue, and ent ASC property was the home of several Drive in Hollywood has been its home for south on La Brea to Fountain. They called prominent people. In the early 1920s, it was more than three quarters of their existence. the acreage the Ocean View Tract for in those the home of Conway Tearle, an actor who en- What is the story? days one could see the ocean from its terri- tertained the Hollywood elite at many recep- The Property tory. On Saturday, May 3, 1903, the subdivi- tions. ASC bought the property in 1937. sion was ready to attract customers. George Starting in 1984, the Coffin House was The land upon which the ASC Clubhouse, H. Coffin, who was in charge of sales, made recognized in various historic surveys as one as members know it, now stands was original- many sales of the residential lots. Coffin built of the three remaining representatives of the Mission Revival style in Hollywood, and the only one of a scale commensurate with that of the most famous (and demolished) exam- ples -- the De Longpre House and the Hol- lywood Hotel. The one story house, roughly square in plan, is dominated by a two story, cove-domed tower at the northwest corner of the structure. A stepped parapet and a tiled shed roof on brackets wrap the tower below the dome. Character defining details, such as espadanas, distinguish the public (west and north) facades. Another espadana, pierced by a semi-circular opening, as if to hold a mission bell, tops the porch on the west fa- çade. The scalloped profile of the espadanas is echoed on the parapets of the flat roof and in the arched openings, some now enclosed with windows, of the porch. Within the shadowed recesses of the porch, a wood door with side-lights provides access to the house. Typical of the style, the exterior walls are of unadorned stucco, pierced by singled, paired and tripled double hung sash windows. In 2008, its interiors had begun to exhibit some of the well-worn signs of age. ASC re- Photo by Alan H. Simon continued on page 4 President’s Message Hollywood Dining In Historic Places 2 Holiday Wishes his is the second in our series of tips Degrees, offers a variety of dining options. by Bryan Cooper on Hollywood places to dine in his- To top it off, the hotel’s heated outdoor swim- s we come to mits and our preservation committee reviews toric places. In this issue we shine ming pool provides guests the only locale in www.hollywoodheritage.org T the end of a each request carefully and comments on the spotlight on three more well-known the world where they can swim in a million Avery busy them to ensure that buildings slated for de- Hollywood eateries with ties to the history of dollar work of art painted by acclaimed art- year at Hollywood molition are not historically significant in any BOARD OF DIRECTORS Hollywood. ist David Hockney. The hotel is constantly Heritage I am heart- way. Moreover, the committee often receives Bryan Cooper, President Yamashiro Restaurant buzzing with the entertainment industry’s ened by the fact that visits from developers who wish to present glitterati. Go to hollywoodroosevelt.com for we have accom- their plans for construction as well as adap- Richard Adkins, Vice President For three decades, guests have enjoyed Ya- more information. plished so much in tive re-use. Members of Hollywood Heritage Alan H. Simon, Secretary mashiro’s gracious Japanese ambience, with so little time. Our all- are always welcome at these meetings and are Tracy Terhune, Treasurer its award-winning Japanese menu. Two years volunteer board, as encouraged to become a part of the conversa- ago, a complete management change insti- well as the individual committees that sprout tion. We invite you to be the eyes and ears for tuted renovations inside the building and an Hollywood Sign from it, have continually surprised and de- us in Hollywood and report to us about any Robert S. Birchard elegant yet contemporary new direction in lighted me. I am very lucky to be supported historic properties that might be in jeopardy service and food. The result is the creation he Hollywood Sign Trust has recently by such a smart, innovative team, all of whom or where there is unusual activity happening Bob Blue of the restaurant’s highly praised CalAsian beautified the Hollywood Sign with a The Cat & Fiddle features inside and outside dining made my first tenure as President an enjoyable that might bring harm to it. In the very near Claire Bradford cuisine, complementing classic Japanese fa- and is housed in part of this large historic site that since Tsparkling new paint job. Beginning its ride (with only few speed bumps in the road!). future, we will be asking the L.A. mayoral vorites. The dining experience is unmatched 1929 saw many businesses, including the shop of Travis life merely as a gigantic billboard, the world I also owe a debt of gratitude to our enthu- candidates a series of questions about their Amy Condit in Los Angeles, enhanced by the spectacu- Banton, chief costume designer at Paramount Pictures famous Hollywood Sign is now Hollywood’s Photo by Alan H. Simon siastic membership base. And, a lot of new view of historic preservation in Hollywood, Denise DeCarlo lar view that originally drew the Bernheimer top tourist attraction. The sign itself was con- folks joined Hollywood Heritage this year and and will be posting their comments on our brothers, and later the Glover family, to this structed in 1923 of telephone poles, sheet that enables us to bring you some very spe- website before the election. At our most re- Dr. Meredith Drake Reitan Londoner Kim Gardner was an integral metal, wire and pipes by Hollywoodland real cial programs in our Evening @ the Barn series, cent Preservation Issues Committee event we Margot Gerber part of the British invasion of the 60s and estate developers. add rare treasures to our archival collections talked about “building a coalition for preser- 70s. He was the bassist in innovative British Never properly cared for over the years, as well as continue our preservation efforts vation in Hollywood” and many of you told George Kiel bands such as The Creation, The Birds and the sign suffered from peeling paint, burned in Hollywood. Thanks to a generous dona- us about your concerns as we move forward. Mary Mallory Ashton, and Gardner & Dyke. In 1973, Kim’s sections, and letters blown away by the winds tion from Paramount Pictures this year we I think this is an important step in uniting musical career brought him to New Orleans before the M. H. Sherman Co. donated the were able to re-paint our home and upgrade like-minded citizens of Hollywood so we can Christy Johnson McAvoy to record an album with Jackie Lomax and land around the sign to the city of Los An- our archive storage area, among other things. make our collective voices heard. Jonathan Nettler George Harrison. It was here that he met geles and the sign itself to the Recreation But, we are also in need of security cameras I’ve lived in the Hollywood area for over his future wife and fashionista Paula Gard- and Parks Department in 1949. When they for our building, a new pull-down screen for twenty years and in that time I’ve watched Chris Nichols ner. At the time, Paula had the first and only thought of tearing it down, the Hollywood our projection system and we’d like to digitize it grow and mature into a bustling center of Stan Taffel vintage clothing store in the French Quarter Chamber of Commerce took over posses- our collection to make it accessible online. So culture and commerce. But when I first came named The Cocky Fox. Kim and Paula even- sion, removing the word “land” at the end why not make a tax-deductible year-end dona- here I was essentially a tourist and I saw Hol- Beth Werling The Yamashiro Restaurant is in the Japanese themed tually decided to move to Los Angeles and to give it a new name, the Hollywood Sign.