Historic Hollywood
An illustrated history of the City of Hollywood,California, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the region great.
An illustrated history of the City of Hollywood,California, paired with the histories of companies, families and organizations that make the region great.
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CHAPTER VII<br />
H OLLYWOOD AND THE Y EARS OF D ECLINE<br />
1961-1970<br />
At the beginning of the 1960s <strong>Hollywood</strong> still had a vitality and excitement to its character. There<br />
were still many of the old haunts of past days open and the entertainment industry was rebounding<br />
as new television and recording studios located here. <strong>Hollywood</strong> Boulevard was still a good place to<br />
shop and be seen, while the tourists were still coming in droves to see the Grauman’s Chinese Theater<br />
and visit Universal Studios (which reopened in 1964 after having been closed when sound pictures<br />
were introduced) on the other side of the <strong>Hollywood</strong> Hills. There were several drive-in restaurants<br />
all around <strong>Hollywood</strong> and the theatres on the Boulevard were doing good business. <strong>Hollywood</strong>’s<br />
population favored a younger generation and many of the hotels, restaurants, theatres, and stores<br />
catered to this group. One could still see stars at Musso and Franks’ Grill and there were films being<br />
made all over <strong>Hollywood</strong> on the streets for all to see. Television shows needed audiences and the<br />
studios filled their stages with starstruck tourists. It was television that kept the studios financially<br />
stable, while many films were being made out of the country at that time. The <strong>Hollywood</strong> Freeway<br />
provided a conduit for people coming and going from Downtown Los Angeles to the San Fernando<br />
Valley. It seemed that <strong>Hollywood</strong> was at the center of the cultural life of Los Angeles in general.<br />
New buildings were built between 1962 and 1972 that were an integral part of the development<br />
and upgrading of <strong>Hollywood</strong>. The Los Angeles Federal Savings Tower, the RCA Building on Sunset<br />
❖<br />
The <strong>Hollywood</strong> Bowl in 1958. The<br />
fountains seen here were a part of a<br />
visual effects program that included<br />
elaborate lighting, fire, and water<br />
sprays that were added in 1953.<br />
These was removed in 1970 and<br />
filled in for additional seating when<br />
concerns over humidity and safety<br />
caused the change. Safety concerns<br />
arose in 1968 when at the end of his<br />
concert, Jimi Hendrix tossed his live<br />
microphone into the water prompting<br />
several audience members to jump in.<br />
Power was immediately cut off to<br />
avoid “shock rock” from occurring to<br />
the overly enthusiastic patrons.<br />
Chapter VII ✦ 31
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