This silent vintage travelogue, which appears to be possibly be an especially elaborate home movie, takes viewers on a trip through mid-1930s Beverly Hills and Hollywood.
The film opens with shots of the popular restaurant known as the Brown Derby, which opened in 1926 (:14). There were three locations of the restaurant and this is the Beverly Hills location off Wilshire Blvd. The Beverly Wilshire Hotel; now a Four Seasons hotel, is pictured (:27). Another angle shows traffic running in front of the hotel (:39). The Beverly Wilshire Market on 9570 Wilshire Boulevard is pictured (:49). Grauman’s Chinese Theater (:59); the Movie Palace on Hollywood Boulevard, and birthplace of the Walk of Fame i(:59). A view looking east down Hollywood Blvd (1:30). A theater showing a movie called the Ten Minute Alibi (released 1935) is pictured on the right, probably this is the El Capitan Theater (1:33) with the Security First National Bank on the right. Christmas trees slouch against the wall awaiting customers signifying the film was recorded near the holidays (1:45). High palms line the famed Sunset Blvd (2:37). A cactus bush appears next to a home (3:22). Luxury homes follow (3:30); various shapes of ceramic pots are pictured in the yard (3:41). The Spadena House; a landmark Storybook architecture tourist site is known for its fanciful dilapidated design (3:59). Another hot tourist attraction is Doheny Jr. Estate; also known as Greystone Mansion (4:35). Edward Doheny was an American oil tycoon from the late 1800’s. He drilled his first successful oil well in LA County. The home is situated next the sign reading Beverly Crest (4:32). Beverly Crest is the neighborhood in the Santa Monica Mountains. Well-manicured shrubs line the roadway (5:02), stunning white stucco homes stand behind. The gated entrance to the Doheny house appears (5:12). Ducks splash around in the water (5:28). Roxbury Drive is highlighted (5:41). Benedict Canyon. A mysterious tower is pictured on the hillside (6:35). The skyline of Westwood,(6:52). This busy neighborhood encompasses the UCLA campus and Westwood village. The School of the Eastern Star, a retirement home and convalescent facility in Los Angeles, California for the members of the Order of the Eastern Star, Master Masons and their female relatives. (7:02) in Spanish colonial revival architecture. The film travels to the area known as Bellaire, or in more modern times Bel Air (7:18). This ritzy residential enclave is situated at the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. Thick palms spring up along the street (7:21). An agave plant is situated in front of a luxury home (7:40). Tall shrubs line the entrance (7:46) to a white stucco home. The camera pans up and over thick foliage around handsome mansions in the area (9:19). The Santa Monica million dollar highway (10:20) appears. This is the Pacific Coast Highway along the Santa Monica mountains (10:25). Cliffs and the water’s edge close the film.
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