Hollywood & Western Building
Encyclopedia
The Hollywood & Western Building, formerly known as the "Hollywood Western Building," is a four-story Art Deco
office building located at 5504 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
. It was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #336 on January 1, 1988.
Designed by S. Charles Lee
, and built by Louis B. Mayer
, the building opened on December 8, 1928. The building was the first location for Central Casting
, the Hays Office, and The Ben Hecht
Company. Hollywood Billiards, Hollywood's oldest pool hall was located in the lower basement of the building. Its tenants also included Rexall
, Bargain Saver, Hollywood Rehearsal Studios, Studio 9, Rock City Arcade, and Eli's Book Depository.
By the 1970s, the building was being used to produce pornography, and was slowly converted in individual rehearsal studios as the area where the building was located became increasingly crime-ridden and dangerous. The building was used in Hollywood Shuffle
, and was a regular shooting location for numerous TV productions. It was also used as a rehearsal studio for such bands as Guns N Roses and White Zombie
.
The building was heavily damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and was vacant for several years. It has since been renovated, and its tenants as of 2008 included the local offices of Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti
.
In 1989 musician and art designer Ajax Garcia who's best known for his musical work with the rock n' roll act The Napoleon Blownaparts lived on the third floor of the Hollywood Billards where he shared a rat infested rehearsal space with his bandmates in the group "Tainted Flesh". In his book the singer talks about writing the song "Poppin Pills In The Peppermint Doll House" from the 3rd floor window ledge while he watched shootings and drug deals on a daly basis. The song Peppermint Dollhouse went on to inspire numorious underground bands and was even covered by many local acts of the era. Peppermint Dollhouse was finally recorded professionally and made its way on to "Thrillbound" in 1998. In 2001 Garcia's band (The Napoleon Blownaparts
) scored a mild radio hit on active rock radio with the now cult favorite "Do Ya Like My Haircut" of the same album. By Terri Fetcher.
34.10118°N 118.3097506°W
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
office building located at 5504 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. It was declared Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #336 on January 1, 1988.
Designed by S. Charles Lee
S. Charles Lee
S. Charles Lee was an American architect recognized as one of the most prolific and distinguished motion picture theater designers on the West Coast.-Early life :...
, and built by Louis B. Mayer
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer born Lazar Meir was an American film producer. He is generally cited as the creator of the "star system" within Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in its golden years. Known always as Louis B...
, the building opened on December 8, 1928. The building was the first location for Central Casting
Central casting
Central Casting is a casting company located in Burbank, California, United States. They currently specialize in casting extras, body doubles, and stand-ins.-History:...
, the Hays Office, and The Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht
Ben Hecht was an American screenwriter, director, producer, playwright, and novelist. Called "the Shakespeare of Hollywood", he received screen credits, alone or in collaboration, for the stories or screenplays of some 70 films and as a prolific storyteller, authored 35 books and created some of...
Company. Hollywood Billiards, Hollywood's oldest pool hall was located in the lower basement of the building. Its tenants also included Rexall
Rexall
Rexall was a chain of North American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1902, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across the United States from 1920 to 1977...
, Bargain Saver, Hollywood Rehearsal Studios, Studio 9, Rock City Arcade, and Eli's Book Depository.
By the 1970s, the building was being used to produce pornography, and was slowly converted in individual rehearsal studios as the area where the building was located became increasingly crime-ridden and dangerous. The building was used in Hollywood Shuffle
Hollywood Shuffle
Hollywood Shuffle is a 1987 comedy film that satirizes the racial stereotypes of African Americans in film and television. The film tracks the attempts of Bobby Taylor to become a successful actor and the mental and external roadblocks he encounters, represented through a series of interspersed...
, and was a regular shooting location for numerous TV productions. It was also used as a rehearsal studio for such bands as Guns N Roses and White Zombie
White Zombie
White Zombie was a Grammy Award-nominated American heavy metal band. Based in New York City, White Zombie was originally a noise rock band. White Zombie are better-known for their later heavy metal-oriented sound...
.
The building was heavily damaged in the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and was vacant for several years. It has since been renovated, and its tenants as of 2008 included the local offices of Los Angeles City Councilman Eric Garcetti
Eric Garcetti
Eric Michael Garcetti is an American municipal politician. He is a member of the Los Angeles City Council. He serves as its President and represents the 13th District. He is the son of the former Los Angeles County District Attorney Gil Garcetti. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early...
.
See also
In 1989 musician and art designer Ajax Garcia who's best known for his musical work with the rock n' roll act The Napoleon Blownaparts lived on the third floor of the Hollywood Billards where he shared a rat infested rehearsal space with his bandmates in the group "Tainted Flesh". In his book the singer talks about writing the song "Poppin Pills In The Peppermint Doll House" from the 3rd floor window ledge while he watched shootings and drug deals on a daly basis. The song Peppermint Dollhouse went on to inspire numorious underground bands and was even covered by many local acts of the era. Peppermint Dollhouse was finally recorded professionally and made its way on to "Thrillbound" in 1998. In 2001 Garcia's band (The Napoleon Blownaparts
The Napoleon Blownaparts
The Napoleon Blownaparts, also known as the Blownaparts are a punk rock/hard rock band formed in Hollywood, California during 1995. Led by frontman and forming member Ajax Garcia, the band are currently working on their 6th album to date and follow up to 2010's release CRISIS...
) scored a mild radio hit on active rock radio with the now cult favorite "Do Ya Like My Haircut" of the same album. By Terri Fetcher.
External links
- S. Charles Lee biography http://digital.library.ucla.edu/sclee/lee_bio.htm
- University of California file photo http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt3v19q2vb/?brand=calisphere
- University of California file photo http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt567nc5cj/?brand=calisphere
- University of California file photo http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt6p3022jd/?brand=calisphere
- University of California file photo http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/kt158016g1/?brand=calisphere
- You Tube footage from 1995 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHhO6bvnLZQ
34.10118°N 118.3097506°W