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 VIII<br />
H OLLYWOOD B EGINS TO R EVITALIZE<br />
1971-1980<br />
The 1960s and 1970s in <strong>Hollywood</strong> were decades of decline and renewal. One of the last blows<br />
to <strong>Hollywood</strong>’s past glory was the Broadway Department Store abandoning their building at<br />
<strong>Hollywood</strong> and Vine in 1979. Some of the boulevard theatres closed and some of the more important<br />
hotels became apartment-hotels.<br />
During this time there was a lack of community support and a highly transient population<br />
coming and going and contributing little to the well being of the community. Studios<br />
downsized and production went independent or moved elsewhere, taking high-paying jobs in<br />
support industries out of <strong>Hollywood</strong>. As a result, an economic depression in the motion picture<br />
industry hit <strong>Hollywood</strong> during the 1970s. In 1971 the famed Columbia Studios moved from their<br />
old studio at Gower and Sunset Boulevard and relocated with Warner Brothers in Burbank. Their old<br />
studio became a rental lot while some of the stages became tennis courts. At the beginning of the<br />
1970s many of the studio workers were unemployed. <strong>Hollywood</strong> Boulevard could be a dangerous<br />
place to visit at night as crime was increasing all through the town.<br />
In 1973 the Los Angeles City Planning Commission adopted a master plan of renewal<br />
for <strong>Hollywood</strong>. By 1975 there was the formation of the Revitalize <strong>Hollywood</strong> Task Force, calling<br />
for a turnaround of the community as a priority. The beginning of improvements started to take<br />
❖<br />
Above: Originally built as the<br />
<strong>Hollywood</strong> Recreation Center on Vine<br />
Street between Selma Avenue and<br />
Sunset Boulevard, the building was of<br />
Streamline Moderne Style. The center<br />
was built in 1935 and originally<br />
housed a twenty-two-lane bowling<br />
alley, restaurant, bar and shops. By<br />
1946 comedian Tom Breneman had<br />
converted the building into a radio<br />
theater. From 1949 to 1956 the newly<br />
formed ABC Radio network operated<br />
the facility. In 1975, Merv Griffin took<br />
over the entire complex for The Merv<br />
Griffin Show and other television<br />
productions including Jeopardy and<br />
The Wheel of Fortune.<br />
Chapter VIII ✦ 35
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