Evening star., 1942-10-11

dIlu OtIlcT UISIdut pOlIltS-SOUlc udVcS
been driving fifty miles to and from
their studios-the screen toilers are
frantically on the move. They are
heading CLOSE in" so they can walk,
pedal bike or share-a-ride to the
scene of their picture making
labors.
Today, as a result OF this con-
certed moving drive by Hollywood's
approximately $4,000 workers,
there's mo vacancy" sign on prac-
tically every available apartment
within a couple of miles OF each
major studio. Bungalows, houses,
hotels also are filling up, with a
long waiting list for many. Rents,
however, are comparatively reason
able because of the Government
ceiling.
Moving in Closer.
Thus comes to an end a 25-year
cycle that has witnessed the movie
folks buying lots in subdivisions
farther and farther from their stu
dios so they could have more room
and more peace and quiet.
1t started, of course, long after
Horace Greeley said Go West,
young man." The movie migration
first settled in what is now the Will
shire district, near the Ambassador
Hotel, and boarding houses COM
prised the dwelling places of the
great and near-great.
Shortly thereafter, during the
first World War, Hollywood boule-
ward and Vine street became the
official crossroad of FINLAND. Every
name, big and little, would turn up
during the day at one of the four
corners for bit of film news. Deals
were made on the curb, producers
did their own casting from the
passers-by, and the business went on
as usual under the California sky.
Stars Moved Away.
Actual film production took place
only a few blocks away at Sunset
and Cover streets. The original
studio was the Christie, home Of
comedies, and the location was a
landmark that has always been as
sociated with film making. Inde-
pendent producers, esconced in
cubby holes, came out into the sun
shine every SO often for quick pic
ture. and eventually the neighbor-
hood was tagged poverty row..
Not far away, running along
Cover street, Columbia steadily
was developing into a major film
plant. RKO was then FBO and
was mile or less down Cover
street. Paramount was just around
the corner on Vine between Sunset
and Hollywood. In the other direc-
ton, down Sunset, several blocks
from Columbia, Fox built studio
1t was within this area OF a few
square miles that Hollywood gained
its early reputation.
Transportation was a difficulty
even at that time, hence the film
elite aimed to find an EXCLUSIVE dis
trict not. too far away but not too
near the vulgar marts of trade. So
the stars and important executives
moved into the nearby hills up
Beachwood drive, in what was, soon
to be known as the Hollywoodland
district. Today large houses, some
mere frames of bygone era, still
stand in the Hollywoodlands. A
few are boarding houses, several
are decrepit mansions with furni-
ture and memories both overstuffed.
They're Moving Back.
Came talking pictures in 1928 and
with them desire for the ocean,
end Malibu Beach came to be re-
cognized as an official film colony.
Automobiles and good roads were
now the mode of the day, and it was
nothing for the movie gang to ride
out to Lilyan Tashman's beach
house, with it's red and striped walls,
for an evenings fun.
About this time the studios began
to spread their wings, too, and
move out. Warmers, only a block
from Sunset and Cover, cast long
ing eyes toward the uncrowded area
in the San Fernando Valley. So
what happened? The Warner
players decided that the valley was
the place to live, and an entirely
new real estate development was
born. A half mile away Columbia
had established its ranch" which
was really second studio, especially
laid out for shooting streets, West
ern towns and their exteriors.
Not content to mix with the studio
workers Whn had h11ilt snaal horaas