HIS COMPANY IN BANKRUP TCY, RYAN KAVANAUGH, RELATIVITY MEDIA'S EMBATTLED CHIEF, HITS BACK HARD AS THE HIGH-FLYING EXEC CLAIMS HE'S THE VICTIM OF A $1B FINANCIAL SCHEME a (HINT: NOT HIS OWN) THE HOTEL THAT TURNED INTO HOLLYWOOD’S TOWN SQUARE Happy Birthday! The Beverly Hilton became the power brokers’ place to party (not sleep) 60 years ago as Peter Fonda, Jackie Collins and others recall when Sidney Poitier came ‘dressed to the tens,’ Angelina Jolie , jumped in the pool in her Golden Globes gown and Trader Vic’s was it BY CHRIS GARDNER

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HE BEVERLY HILTON 200 red-carpet events a year has ! a property boasting stood in for Hollywood’s town 569 rooms and a ball- square, providing a large, con- T room !t for 1,200 guests veniently located setting for — has always been a major hub industry highlights. Nicknamed for Hollywood. Says Jack Gilardi “White House West” by the (who has represented Charlton actual White House, it has hosted Heston and Shirley MacLaine in every U.S. president since it his 60 years at ICM Partners) opened, the !rst Grammys in 1958, of its exclusive L’Esco"er restau- the Oscar Nominees Luncheon, rant during the 1950s: “I remember Clive Davis’ pre-Grammy fetes, walking in and seeing Spencer the Golden Globes since 1961 Tracy and Katharine Hepburn; and the current TCA press tour. you’d see Sidney Poitier dressed to The Hilton remains a draw on the tens.” Over the years, the Hollywood’s events calendar, thanks hotel has been stalked not only by to its in-house audio-video crew glamour but also by political and $5 million in tech embedded infamy (Richard Nixon announced, in the International Ballroom “You won’t have Nixon to kick ceiling alone. # - around anymore” at his last news Ushering in a new era: The 2017 conference there); scandal (John opening of next door’s Waldorf ! Before the Hilton F. Kennedy was said to meet Astoria Beverly Hills, also owned by opened in !"##, the "-acre plot sat empty. Marilyn Monroe in the Presidential Beny Alagem, who has sunk nearly " “I spent $!%% on the material and worked for Suite, while onetime owner Merv $100 million into renovations since he two weeks,” said Joanne Gri"n tried to ban prostitutes from bought the Hilton and neighboring Woodward (with husband Paul Newman) of her the lobby bar); mischief (Angelina plot from Gri"n for $130 million in gown in !"#&. “I’m almost as proud of that dress Jolie famously jumped into the pool 2003. (Guggenheim Partners, THR’s as I am of my Oscar” for The Three Faces of Eve. a#er winning a Golden Globe for parent company, is lead investor # From left: Matt Damon, Gia in 1999); and tragedy (in 2012, on the Waldorf project.) Peter Fonda, Harvey Weinstein and Ben Affleck relished Whitney Houston died in the tub who likes that he “can always park the !""& screenplay Golden Globe for Good in Room 434, which remains closed). myself,” isn’t concerned about the Will Hunting. Says Since Conrad Hilton !rst opened changes: “It’s still groovy, and there’s Peter Fonda: “All these young pups were winning, its doors in 1955, the hotel that throws always something happening.” and Jack Nicholson said, “ ‘Ain’t looking good for us, Fonda.’ ” $ Elizabeth Taylor in !"#% with Nicky Hilton, Conrad’s son, whom ! she wed at age !(. % “Hollywood would be there on Sunday night,” says Jackie Collins of Trader Vic’s, the Hilton’s Polynesian-themed club that closed in )%%(. & Griffin, Hilton owner from !"&( to )%%+. ) ' Henry Fonda, flanked by his kids, Jane and Peter, circa !"(#. Says Peter: “It was an easy walk into Beverly Hills but still out of the mess and mayhem.” (

EXTERIOR: BETTMANN!CORBIS. GRIFFIN: AP PHOTO!LUCY NICHOLSON. DAMON: STEVE COHN!BERLINER STUDIO!BEIMAGES. NEWMAN: J. R. EYERMAN!THE LIFE PICTURE COLLECTION! GETTY IMAGES. TAYLOR: KEYSTONE PICTURES USA!ZUMAPRESS!NEWSCOM. FONDA: FRANK EDWARDS!ARCHIVE PHOTOS!GETTY IMAGES. VIC’S: COURTESY OF BEVERLY HILTON "#$. www.thr.com | THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER | 51