Hollywood in 1930

Basil Rathbone was making films in Hollywood in 1930 (This Mad World, The Bishop Murder Case, The Flirting Widow, Sin Takes a Holiday, …). What was Hollywood like back then?

Below is an aerial photo of Hollywood that appeared in the June 1930 issue of Talking Screen magazine.

The street running from the top, through the center to the bottom of the picture, is Hollywood Boulevard. Vine Street runs across the picture from side to side in the foreground.

If you look along the Boulevard you will notice a high tower on the right side of the street. This is the corner of Highland and Hollywood Boulevard. Beyond this tower you will notice a long, black-looking, flat building. This is the famous Grauman’s Chinese Theatre where all those well-known premieres happen. Across the street from this, two high buildings can be seen. The nearer one is the El Capitan Theatre, and the farther one is the Roosevelt Hotel.

Next to the tower on the corner of Highland and Hollywood Boulevard are the Embassy Club and the Montmartre.

In the foreground, just at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street you will see the sign “Dyas” on top of a building. This is the Dyas store and was well-known to all the locals in 1930. Right across from this is the famous Brown Derby restaurant, which squats next to the tall building on the corner. You will notice that a block down on Hollywood Boulevard from the Dyas store is a building under construction. This building is the new Pantages Theatre.

The Hollywood Walk of Fame runs along Hollywood Boulevard—not in 1930, of course, but later. Basil Rathbone has three stars along the Hollywood Walk of Fame:

• one for professional achievement in Television (located in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre);
• one for achievement in Motion Pictures (located at 6549 Hollywood Blvd., between Highland and Wilcox Aves.); and
• one for achievement in Radio (located at the intersection of Hollywood and Vine).

In 1930 Basil Rathbone was living at 628 Crescent Dr. in Beverly Hills, west of Hollywood. Therefore, that home cannot be seen in this photo or on the map below (also from the June 1930 issue of Talking Screen). However, in 1935 Rathbone was living at 5254 Los Feliz Blvd. in Hollywood, across from Griffith Park. Los Feliz Blvd. and Griffith Park can be seen on the lower right side of the map, where you see an airplane. Enjoy these gems from 1930!