109-537: The Beverly Hills Hotel , also called the Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows , is located on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills , California . One of the world's best-known hotels, it is closely associated with Hollywood film stars, rock stars, and celebrities. The hotel has 210 guest rooms and suites and 23 bungalows and the exterior bears the hotel's signature pink and green colors. The Beverly Hills Hotel
218-727: A 'one-man strike' against Famous Players. Valentino went on strike for financial reasons. At the time of his lawsuit against the studio, he was earning $ 1,250 per week, with an increase to $ 3,000 after three years. This was $ 7,000 per week less than Mary Pickford made in 1916. He was also upset over the broken promise of filming Blood and Sand in Spain, and the failure to shoot the next proposed film in either Spain or at least New York. Valentino had hoped while filming in Europe he could see his family, whom he had not seen in 10 years. In September 1922, he refused to accept paychecks from Famous Players until
327-514: A 1948 renovation to match that period's country club style. The following year, architect Paul Williams added the Crescent Wing. The strict resident owner of the Beverly Hills Hotel from 1958 until his death in 1979 was former Detroit real estate magnate Ben L. Silberstein. In 1986, Marvin Davis bought the hotel from Silberstein's sons-in-law Burt Slatkin and Ivan F. Boesky . On December 30, 1992,
436-427: A bigamy trial, as he had been divorced from his first wife, Jean Acker, for less than a full year, as required by California law at the time. The trial was a sensation and the pair was forced to have their marriage annulled and to be separated for a year. Despite the trial, the film was still a success, with critics calling it a masterpiece on par with Broken Blossoms and Four Horsemen . Blood and Sand became one of
545-589: A blog post voicing her criticism of the boycott and expressing her sympathies for the hotel workers. HR Magazine said that the protests are "misguided" and will not affect the government policy of Brunei when the Dorchester Collection's annual revenue is $ 300 million, while the BIA has over $ 30 billion in assets from oil and gas. In May 2014, the Beverly Hills City Council passed a resolution urging
654-641: A career in bit parts. It was a bit part as a "cabaret parasite" in the drama Eyes of Youth , starring Clara Kimball Young , that caught the attention of screenwriter June Mathis , who thought he would be perfect for her next movie. Young would later say it was she and Lewis J. Selznick who discovered him, and that they were disappointed when Valentino accepted a lucrative offer at Metro . He appeared as second lead in The Delicious Little Devil (1919) with star Mae Murray . In 1919, Valentino impulsively married actress Jean Acker . Their marriage
763-573: A following that included older female clientele who would let him borrow their luxury cars. At one point after the United States entered World War I , both Kerry and Valentino tried to get into the Canadian Air Force to fly and fight in France. With his dancing success, Valentino found a room of his own on Sunset Boulevard and began actively seeking screen roles. His first part was as an extra in
872-542: A good job and was fired. While he was living on the streets, Valentino would occasionally come back to Murray's for lunch and the staff would slip him some food. Around 1914, restaurateur Joe Pani who owned Castles-by-the-Sea, the Colony, and the Woodmansten Inn was the first to hire Rudolph to dance the tango with Joan Sawyer for $ 50 per week. Eventually, he found work as a taxi dancer at Maxim's Restaurant-Cabaret. Among
981-441: A great insult and did not speak to Valentino for almost two years. While Rambova worked designing costumes and rewriting the script for Falcon, Valentino was persuaded to film Cobra with Nita Naldi . He agreed only on condition that it not be released until after The Hooded Falcon debuted. After filming Cobra, the cast of The Hooded Falcon sailed for France to be fitted for costumes. After three months, they returned to
1090-628: A nook in a tree". The Beverly Hills Hotel underwent significant renovation in the late forties when the porte cochere was expanded and painted in stripes. In 1947, Courtright opened the Crystal Room and the Lanai Restaurant, later called The Coterie . The building was first painted its famous pink color in 1948 to match the country club style of the period, and it became known as "the Pink Palace". The following year, architect Paul Williams added
1199-419: A private pool and Jacuzzi were added to Bungalow No. 5 to accommodate businessman Walter Annenberg . No.5 had been a favorite of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton , who had "a standing room service order for two bottles of vodka at breakfast, and two more at lunch". Taylor also liked No. 3, where she stayed during her marriage to Eddie Fisher . Marilyn Monroe favored No. 1 and No. 7. No.1, the most secluded of
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#17330847714051308-533: A proper thoroughfare to it. In late 1912, several properties along the route were condemned so that the boulevard could be changed in both its width and its alignment. With these changes completed, Sunset Boulevard now reached North Main Street and continued as Marchessault along the northern end of the Plaza. This section, variously marked and signed as Marchessault Street or East Sunset Boulevard, remained open to traffic until
1417-507: A red carpet, but realized that it was "more like a peachy pink dream dusted with gold — and green and white striped accents". The original main building of the Beverly Hills Hotel was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey , in the Mediterranean Revival style . Built on a prominence above the main road below, it resembled a white colonial palatial mansion or mission, with verandas and arches fitted with wicker furniture, and at
1526-573: A resolution to bar the city from conducting business at the hotel and urging city residents not to patronize it. The Dorchester Collection responded by saying they "do not tolerate any form of discrimination." In May 2019, the Sultan of Brunei said that his country's "de facto moratorium" on capital punishment would apply to cases under the new laws, and promised to ratify the UN Convention against Torture . Despite this, LA City Councilman Paul Koretz asked
1635-490: A result of their investment with Courtright. Courtright established the Polo Lounge "in honor of a celebrity band of polo players who toasted victories at the restaurant after matches in the bean fields". In 1942, Howard Hughes bought up half a dozen of the bungalows and lived there on several occasions throughout the decades. The hotel accommodated his eccentricities, including his request for "roast beef sandwiches delivered to
1744-468: A screenplay (Neil Simon), have a secret affair (Warren Beatty, pre-Annette Benning [sic]), and recover from plastic surgery or a broken marriage". In 1954, Detroit real estate magnate Ben L. Silberstein offered to buy the hotel for $ 4 million. The deal finally completed in 1958 for a reported $ 6 million. Courtright later became the hotelier at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel . The reputation of
1853-656: A shine to the hotel and enjoyed reading the Daily Variety and the Hollywood Reporter by the pool. Cesar Romero and Carole Lombard were pictured together at the hotel in 1937. In 1938, the Sand and Pool Club was established at the hotel. It proved extremely popular, with white sand imported from Arizona, which made the pool area look like a beach. The following year, it began hosting fashion shows sponsored by local department stores, such as Bullock's Wilshire . In 1940, one of
1962-435: A spokesman with his legions of female fans. The tour was a tremendous success, with Valentino and Rambova performing in 88 cities in the United States and Canada. In addition to the tour, Valentino also sponsored Mineralava beauty products and judged Mineralava-sponsored beauty contests. One beauty contest was filmed by a young David O. Selznick , who titled it Rudolph Valentino and his 88 Beauties. Valentino returned to
2071-525: A street interview in 1922 what he thought of Valentino, replied, "Many other men desire to be another Douglas Fairbanks. But Valentino? I wonder ..." Women in the same interview found Valentino "triumphantly seductive. Puts the love-making of the average husband or sweetheart into discard as tame, flat, and unimpassioned." Some journalists were still calling his "masculinity" into question, going on at length about his pomaded hair, his dandyish clothing, his treatment of women, his views on women, and whether he
2180-607: A vice president of the Bank of America , purchased the hotel with friends including Irene Dunne , Loretta Young , and Harry Warner . Courtright established the Polo Lounge , which is considered to be one of the premier dining spots in Los Angeles, hosting entertainers ranging from the Rat Pack to Humphrey Bogart and Marlene Dietrich . The hotel was first painted its famous pink color during
2289-522: A weak story. It opened to strong sales, but soon dropped off in attendance and ended up as another disappointment. With his contract fulfilled, Valentino was released from Famous Players, but was still obligated to Ritz-Carlton for four films. His next film was a pet project titled The Hooded Falcon. The production was beset with problems from the start, beginning with the script written by June Mathis. The Valentinos were dissatisfied with Mathis's version and requested that it be rewritten. Mathis took it as
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#17330847714052398-494: A week for only three pictures a year, plus a percentage of his films. The contract excluded Rambova from production of his films and the film set. Valentino's acceptance of the terms caused a major rift in his marriage to Rambova. George Ullman, who had negotiated the contract with United Artists, offered Rambova $ 30,000 to finance a film of her own. It became her only film, titled What Price Beauty? and starred Myrna Loy . Valentino chose his first UA project, The Eagle . With
2507-484: A year. Famous Players made their own public statements deeming him more trouble than he was worth (the divorce, bigamy trials, debts) and that he was temperamental, almost diva-like. They claimed to have done all they could and that they had made him a real star. Other studios began courting him. Joseph Schenck was interested in casting his wife, Norma Talmadge , opposite Valentino in a version of Romeo and Juliet . June Mathis had moved to Goldwyn Pictures , where she
2616-561: A younger sister, Maria, and an older sister, Beatrice, who had died in infancy. As a child, Valentino was indulged because of his exceptional looks and his playful personality. His mother coddled him, while his father disapproved of him. He did poorly in school and was eventually enrolled in agricultural school in Genoa , where he earned a certificate. After living in Paris in 1912, he soon returned to Italy. Unable to secure employment, he departed for
2725-505: Is as Old Hollywood as it gets. Joan Crawford regularly pulled up for lunch in a chauffeured Rolls-Royce the color of money, the Beatles slipped in through the back door for an after-hours dip in the pool, and Sidney Poitier danced barefoot in the lobby after winning an Oscar for Lilies of the Field . Over the years, Hollywood discovered that the hotel's original 21 bungalows made an ideal spot to write
2834-555: Is commemorated in Billy Wilder 's film Sunset Boulevard (1950), the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of the same name , and the 1950s television series 77 Sunset Strip . Jan and Dean 's 1960s hit song " Dead Man's Curve " refers to a section of the road near Bel Air estates just north of UCLA 's Drake Stadium where Jan Berry almost died in an automobile accident in 1966. The Buffalo Springfield song " For What It's Worth "
2943-796: Is now managed and owned by the Dorchester Collection , organized in 1996 to manage the hotel interests of the Brunei Investment Agency . In 2011, the West Coast regional director for the Dorchester Collection, Edward Mady, became the general manager of the Beverly Hills Hotel, as well as the Hotel Bel-Air . Mady was awarded the 2011 Hospitality Professional of the Year Award from the Food and Beverage Association and Hotels Magazine's 2017 Hotelier of
3052-510: Is today Hollywood and Vine . In 1890, Belgian diplomat Victor Ponet bought 240 acres (97 ha) of the former Rancho La Brea land grant. His son-in-law, Francis S. Montgomery , inherited this property and created Sunset Plaza . According to a 1901 article in the Los Angeles Herald , Sunset only extended from Hollywood in the west to Marion Avenue in the Echo Park district in
3161-517: The Danish-American pool manager at the hotel for forty-two years, became a Hotel Ambassador in 2002. He had notably opened up the pool after hours for the Beatles and taught Faye Dunaway to swim a 1940s freestyle crawl for her appearance in the film Mommie Dearest . A room, known as the Crystal Room, was allocated for small private dinner parties. The principal dining room could accommodate up to 500 people. The children's dining room, which became
3270-719: The Four Seasons and Fairmont hotel chains. Adweek declared that "the bad press and protests have tarnished the glamorous image of the Beverly Hills Hotel, one of the most famous hotels in the world", and added that "such extreme brand damage will be difficult to repair". The hotel and other Dorchester properties faced renewed calls for boycott in April 2019, when Brunei made gay sex and adultery punishable by death by stoning . The boycott has attracted support from LA City Comptroller Ron Galperin and more celebrities, including George Clooney and Elton John . The LA City Council passed
3379-695: The Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles . It is a major thoroughfare in the cities of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood (including a portion known as the Sunset Strip ), as well as several districts in Los Angeles . Approximately 23.6 miles (38 km) in length, the boulevard roughly traces the arc of mountains that form part of
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3488-450: The Beverly Hills Hotel by dozens of groups." Dorchester Collection Chief Executive Officer Christopher Cowdray asked the public to consider that many brands are backed by foreign investors. Sharia law exists alongside other normative systems and has been adopted by many other Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, which has major investments in the American hospitality industry, including
3597-531: The Beverly Hills Hotel colors of peachy pinks, greens, apricots, and yellows. Several of the more expensive rooms have private patios, Jacuzzis, and their own kitchens. Five bungalows were originally added to the gardens in 1915 to provide for families who could return each year with their own staff. As of 2015, the hotel has 23 bungalows set out across the gardens. Bungalows 14-21 are known as "Bachelor's Row", due to their association with film stars and their affairs, including Warren Beatty and Orson Welles . In 1990,
3706-518: The Beverly Hills Hotel, as a leading luxury hotel with glamorous patrons, took off during the 1950s and attracted eminent guests, such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon , King Albert of Belgium , the Crown Prince of Monaco and Grace Kelly , John Wayne , and Henry Fonda . Elizabeth Taylor , one of the hotel's best-known guests, would stay with her numerous husbands in
3815-597: The Crescent Wing. The Fountain Coffee Shop also opened at this time. "Back in the days when celebrity was worn with the elegance and grace of diamonds and mink, the Beverly Hills Hotel was where the stars played. W.C. Fields, Humphrey Bogart and the Rat Pack tippled at the bar, Katharine Hepburn did a back flip into the pool in her tennis clothes, and Elizabeth Taylor honeymooned in the bungalows out back – six times. The Beverly Hills Hotel, known affectionately as "the pink palace,"
3924-584: The El Jardin Restaurant, is the Polo Lounge . The lounge was renovated in 1974 and given a softer design with table lamps and flowers. It is fashioned in peachy pink with dark green booths, each featuring a plug-in phone. The photograph behind the bar depicts Will Rogers and Darryl F. Zanuck , two lounge regulars, playing polo. The menu offers a Neil McCarthy salad, named after the polo-playing millionaire. The hotel has its own bakery and herb garden, makes its own vinegar, and smokes meats. The chef in 2003
4033-427: The Polo Lounge, an idea stemming from the hotel's general manager, Edward Mady. The hotel also redesigned its sign for the first time in 70 years to honor those same frontline healthcare workers. Judith Kirkwood of Orange Coast Magazine has stated that "The Beverly Hills Hotel is such an icon that my friend, Gretchen, and I wondered if it was a mirage when the taxi pulled up in the porte cochere and deposited us on
4142-657: The Rodeo Land and Water Company, had purchased land in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains , which had once been owned by the Mexican government. He had begun building mansions on the land, including his own residence, investing some $ 500,000, but was having difficulty selling them. He hired Anderson to build a hotel, which he named Beverly Farms, after his home in Massachusetts, believing that it would attract people to
4251-511: The Sheik , despite his hatred of the sheik image. The film began shooting in February 1926, with Valentino given his choice of director, and pairing him again with Vilma Bánky. The film used the authentic costumes he bought abroad and allowed him to play a dual role. Valentino was ill during production, but he needed the money to pay his many debts. The film opened on July 9, 1926, to great fanfare. During
4360-517: The State of California creating Will Rogers State Historic Park . c. 1931 , Sunset was a paved road from Horn Avenue to Havenhurst Avenue. The Sunset Strip portion of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood has been famous for its active nightlife since at least the 1950s. In contrast to other American cities where it referred to a concentration of radio retailers, in Los Angeles, Radio Row
4469-532: The Sultan of Brunei to sell the hotel. Lili Bosse , the then-mayor of Beverly Hills, welcomed the resolution and added that she had made a "personal decision" not to return to the hotel until the situation had been solved. The decision was lauded by Rabbi Laura Geller of Temple Emanuel , where Bosse is a congregant. By then, the Jewish Journal reported that "more than $ 2 million worth of events have been canceled at
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4578-540: The Sultan of Brunei, part owner of the hotel, began changing Brunei 's complex legal system to include aspects of Sharia law , and in particular, codifying the persecution of homosexuals. In protest, a United States national LGBT advocacy organization, the Gill Action Fund, canceled its reservation to hold a conference of major donors at the Beverly Hills Hotel and demanded a refund of its deposit. The hotel management responded by asserting that it does not discriminate on
4687-459: The United States in 1913. He was processed at Ellis Island at age 18 on December 23, 1913. Valentino never applied for United States citizenship, and retained his Italian citizenship. Arriving in New York City, he supported himself with odd jobs such as busing tables in restaurants and gardening. Valentino once worked as a bus boy at Murray's on 42nd Street and was well liked, but didn't do
4796-498: The United States in reply to an offer from Ritz-Carlton Pictures (working through Famous Players), which included $ 7,500 a week, creative control, and filming in New York. Rambova negotiated a two-picture deal with Famous Players and four pictures for Ritz-Carlton. He accepted, turning down an offer to film an Italian production of Quo Vadis in Italy. The first film under the new contract
4905-472: The United States, where Valentino's new beard, which he had grown for the film, caused a sensation. "I opened once a paper and I tell you what was in. It was Rudolph Valentino with a beard upon his chin. My heart stopped off from beating and I fainted dead away, and I never want to come to life until the judgement day," was soon printed in Photoplay . The cast and crew left for Hollywood to begin preparations for
5014-507: The World award. In 2012, the hotel celebrated its 100-year anniversary and began to remodel its lobby, with the Polo Lounge, pool cabanas and Cabana Cafe, and guest-rooms and suites to be renovated by 2014. The hotel was also named the first historic landmark in Beverly Hills in September 2012. In 2022, John Scanlon became the hotel's general manager. A boycott of the hotel began in April 2014, when
5123-466: The age of 31 caused mass hysteria among his fans, further cementing his place in early cinematic history as a cultural film icon . Valentino was born in Castellaneta , Apulia , Italy and named Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella. His father, Giovanni Antonio Giuseppe Fedele Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella, was an Italian from Martina Franca , Apulia ; he
5232-458: The album cover art of the Eagles ' album Hotel California that same year. Two years later, California Suite was filmed at the hotel. Owner Ben Silberstein died in 1979 and passed the hotel to his two daughters, Muriel Slatkin and Seema Boesky, wife of stock trader Ivan Boesky . Boesky bought the outstanding 5% of stock for a reported fortune and decided to sell, despite Slatkin's desire to keep
5341-494: The area, billing it as "halfway between Los Angeles and the sea". The Hollywood film industry was taking off at the time, and investors were looking to develop the area. A May 11, 1911 edition of the Los Angeles Times announced the news that a "huge Mission-style hotel" was to be built by Anderson, with the motto that "her guests were entitled to the best of everything regardless of cost". The hotel opened May 12, 1912, before
5450-475: The basis of sexual orientation. Fashion designers Brian Atwood and Peter Som subsequently called for wider protests, urging the fashion industry to boycott all the hotels owned by the Dorchester Collection. Meanwhile, the boycott had attracted support from Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group, as well as numerous Hollywood executives and stars, including Jay Leno and Ellen DeGeneres . A string of organizations joined
5559-513: The box office. Valentino felt he had underperformed in the film, being upset over his separation with Rambova. Missing Rambova, Valentino returned to New York after the release of The Young Rajah . They were spotted and followed by reporters constantly. During this time, Valentino began to contemplate not returning to Famous Players, although Jesse Lasky already had his next picture, The Spanish Cavalier , in preparation. After speaking with Rambova and his lawyer Arthur Butler Graham, Valentino declared
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#17330847714055668-488: The boycott, cancelling reservations to hold conferences and other high-profile events at the establishment; travel industry firms signed on to a boycott of all Dorchester Collection hotels. Others, including Russell Crowe and Kim Kardashian , spoke out against the boycott. Crowe said that despite his disapproval of the new laws in Brunei, it is unfair to punish the hardworking employees of the hotel. Similarly, Kardashian published
5777-439: The bungalows and spent six of her eight honeymoons there. Her father owned an art gallery on the ground floor of the hotel. The Polo Lounge became associated with Frank Sinatra , Dean Martin , and the Rat Pack , where they held heavy drinking bouts. In 1956, the pool of the hotel and cabana club was a filming location for Designing Woman , starring Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall . Marilyn Monroe and Yves Montand stayed at
5886-472: The bungalows, features an interior described by CNN as "creamy, lush and traditional, decorated in the manner of one's wealthy grandparents". No. 7 has become known as "the "Norma Jean". Dietrich ordered a 7 feet (2.1 m) by 8 feet (2.4 m) bed added to No. 10, the bungalow where John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed in the 1970s. Bungalow 22 was favored by Frank Sinatra and later, by Donald Trump . In 2011, two Presidential Bungalows were established, replacing
5995-596: The city to continue its boycott of the hotel. Working within the Covid-19 pandemic , the hotel has remained open, but was forced to reschedule the events it had planned for the summer and fall of 2020. The hotel engaged in multiple donation campaigns to various organizations, such as the Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the Hollywood Food Coalition. The hotel also fed frontline healthcare workers at L.A. hospitals via
6104-428: The city's existence. Margaret and Stanley took up residence within the hotel grounds. By 1914, Hollywood directors, actors, and actresses, such as Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks , Charlie Chaplin , Gloria Swanson , Buster Keaton , Rudolph Valentino , and Will Rogers , had purchased homes in the area, "transforming bean fields surrounding The Beverly Hills Hotel into prime real estate". The city of Beverly Hills
6213-403: The dispute was solved, although he owed them money he had spent to pay off Jean Acker . Angered, Famous Players, in turn, filed suit against him. Valentino did not back down, and Famous Players realized how much they stood to lose. In trouble after shelving Roscoe Arbuckle pictures, the studio tried to settle by upping his salary from $ 1,250 to $ 7,000 a week. Variety erroneously announced
6322-481: The east. The Board of Public Works proposed to extend Sunset east to Main Street in the Plaza by routing the road over the existing section of Bellevue Avenue, but the plan was delayed until approximately 1904, due to active opposition by affected land owners. According to the 1910 Baist Real Estate Survey Atlas, Sunset Boulevard reached the Plaza by that time, but it did so by two short and narrow segments which were not aligned with each other and thus did not provide
6431-569: The editorial was "infamous". Mencken found Valentino to be likable and gentlemanly and wrote sympathetically of him in an article published in The Baltimore Sun a week after Valentino's death: It was not that trifling Chicago episode that was riding him; it was the whole grotesque futility of his life. Had he achieved, out of nothing, a vast and dizzy success? Then that success was hollow as well as vast—a colossal and preposterous nothing. Was he acclaimed by yelling multitudes? Then every time
6540-427: The film Alimony , moving on to small parts in several films. Despite his best efforts, he was typically cast as a "heavy" (villain) or gangster. At the time, the archetypal major male star was Wallace Reid , with a fair complexion, light eyes, and an All-American look, with Valentino the opposite; he eventually supplanted Sessue Hayakawa as Hollywood's most popular "exotic" male lead. By 1919, he had carved out
6649-758: The film was "a little unreal and hectic." Released in 1922, the film was a critical disappointment. Years after its release, Beyond the Rocks was thought to be lost , save for a one-minute portion. But in 2002, the film was discovered by the Netherlands Film Museum. The restored version was released on DVD in 2006. In February, 1922 Life magazine reported that, according to the Famous Players press office, Valentino would henceforth be known as "Rodolph" rather than "Rudolph." In 1922, Valentino began work on another Mathis-penned film, Blood and Sand . He played
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#17330847714056758-544: The film, but much of the budget was taken up during preproduction. Due to the Valentinos' lavish spending on costumes and sets, Ritz-Carlton terminated the deal with the couple, effectively ending Valentino's contract with them. During the filming of Monsieur Beaucaire , both Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks approached Valentino privately, due to his contract with Ritz-Carlton, about joining with United Artists . Valentino's contract with United Artists provided $ 10,000
6867-537: The four top-grossing movies of 1922, breaking attendance records, and grossing $ 37,400 at the Rivoli Theatre alone. Valentino considered this one of his best films. During his forced break from Rambova, the pair began working separately on the Mathis-penned The Young Rajah . Only fragments of this film, recovered in 2005, still remain. The film did not live up to expectations and underperformed at
6976-486: The historic section of Downtown. The portion of Sunset Boulevard east of Figueroa Street was renamed Cesar Chavez Avenue in 1994, along with Macy Street and Brooklyn Avenue, in honor of the late Mexican-American union leader and civil rights activist . In 1877, Harvey Henderson Wilcox , one of the earlier real estate owners from "back East", decided to subdivide more than 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land (mostly orchards and vineyards) along Sunset Boulevard, including what
7085-461: The hotel closed for a complete restoration, reopening on June 3, 1995. Since 1996, it has been run as part of the Dorchester Collection owned by the Sultan of Brunei . In 2012, the hotel was named the first historic landmark in Beverly Hills, and two new Presidential Bungalows were added. The song " Hotel California " by the American rock band the Eagles is slightly based on the folklore behind
7194-458: The hotel during her divorce. In 1915, the Andersons donated a portion of the hotel's original grounds to the community of Beverly Hills. It was used to create the community's first public park. Originally known as Sunset Park, it is now Will Rogers Memorial Park . An early tradition was the annual Easter egg hunt, put on for the children of the guests and employees. Silent film star Harold Lloyd
7303-558: The hotel during the production of George Cukor 's Let's Make Love . Monroe's favorite bungalow was No. 7. George Hamilton and Rex Harrison enjoyed sunbathing at the hotel; Harrison would sunbathe in the nude in Cabana One and answer the door wearing "just a handkerchief over his private parts". In 1963, the comedy picture Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed? , starring Dean Martin , Elizabeth Montgomery , Jill St. John , and Carol Burnett ,
7412-447: The hotel's long-time patrons, Marlene Dietrich , was instrumental in bringing about a change in policy in the Polo Lounge, which had made it compulsory for women to don skirts, which she refused to wear. In 1941, Hernando Courtright , a vice president of the Bank of America, purchased the hotel with friends. Irene Dunne , Loretta Young , and Harry Warner also became owners of the hotel as
7521-420: The hotel. In 1986, Marvin Davis bought the hotel from Boesky. Less than a year later, Davis sold the hotel to the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah , for $ 110 million. On December 30, 1992, the hotel closed for a complete restoration, said to be in the region of $ 100–125 million. The project lasted two and a half years with the hotel reopening on June 3, 1995, with upgrades to furniture and fittings. The hotel
7630-516: The hotel. The cover of the band's album of the same name features a photo of the hotel itself. In early 1911, Margaret J. Anderson , a wealthy widow, and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel , ordered the construction of the Beverly Hills Hotel, in close proximity to the Burton Green mansion. Burton Green, an oil tycoon and real estate developer, President of
7739-491: The late 1960s or early 1970s. At that time, Sunset was realigned one block north and Marchessault was closed to motor traffic. In 1921 a westward expansion of Sunset began, extending the road from the then-current terminus at Sullivan Canyon toward the coast. This land, a portion of the original 1838 holdings of Francisco Marquez, stretched across a mesa and became known as the "Riviera section". Will Rogers , who had bought much of this land as an investment, later donated it to
7848-446: The lead— bullfighter Juan Gallardo—and co-starred with Lila Lee and Nita Naldi . Initially believing the film would be shot in Spain , Valentino was upset to learn that the studio planned on shooting on a Hollywood back lot. He was further irritated by changes in production, including a director of whom he did not approve. After finishing the film, Valentino married Rambova, which led to
7957-513: The majority of prostitutes on the Boulevard. Part of Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood is also sometimes called "Guitar Row" due to the large number of guitar stores and music industry-related businesses, including the recording studios Sunset Sound Studios and United Western Recorders . The portion of Sunset Boulevard that passes through Beverly Hills was once named Beverly Boulevard. The boulevard
8066-535: The marriage under strain, Valentino began shooting and Rambova announced that she needed a "marital vacation". During the filming of The Eagle , rumors of an affair with co-star Vilma Bánky were reported and ultimately denied by both Bánky and Valentino. The film opened to positive reviews, but a moderate box office. For the film's release, Valentino travelled to London, staying there and in France, spending money with abandon while his divorce took place. Quite some time elapsed before he made another film, The Son of
8175-406: The middle of the night to prepare food for him. It has been alleged that several of the bungalows are haunted. Guests have reported hearing what is believed to be Harpo Marx playing the harp and seeing an apparition of Sergei Rachmaninoff . Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California , United States, that stretches from
8284-431: The multitudes yelled he felt himself blushing inside ... The thing, at the start, must have only bewildered him, but in those last days, unless I am a worse psychologist than even the professors of psychology, it was revolting him. Worse, it was making him afraid ... Here was a young man who was living daily the dream of millions of other men. Here was one who was catnip to women. Here was one who had wealth and fame. And here
8393-613: The next 15 months. His leading role in Moran of the Lady Letty was of a typical Douglas Fairbanks nature; however, to capitalize on Valentino's bankability, his character was given a Spanish name and ancestry. The film received mixed reviews, but was still a hit with audiences. In November 1921, Valentino starred alongside Gloria Swanson in Beyond the Rocks . The film contained lavish sets and extravagant costumes, though Photoplay magazine said
8502-655: The northern boundary of UCLA 's Westwood campus. The boulevard continues through Brentwood to Pacific Palisades , where it terminates at the Pacific Coast Highway intersection. The boulevard has curvaceous winding stretches, and can be treacherous for unalert drivers in some sections. Sunset Boulevard is at least four lanes wide along its entire route. Sunset is frequently congested with traffic loads beyond its design capacity. Sunset Boulevard historically extended farther east than it does now, starting at Alameda Street near Union Station and beside Olvera Street in
8611-595: The northern boundary of the Los Angeles Basin , following the path of a 1780s cattle trail from the Pueblo de Los Angeles to the ocean. From Downtown Los Angeles, the boulevard heads northwest, to Hollywood , through which it travels due west for several miles before it bends southwest towards the ocean. It passes through or near Echo Park , Silver Lake , Los Feliz , Hollywood, West Hollywood , Beverly Hills , and Holmby Hills . In Bel-Air , Sunset Boulevard runs along
8720-489: The novel The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez . Seeking out a trade paper, he discovered that Metro had bought the film rights to the story. In New York, he sought out Metro's office, only to discover that June Mathis had been trying to find him. She cast him in the role of Julio Desnoyers. For the director, Mathis had chosen Rex Ingram , with whom Valentino did not get along, leading Mathis to play
8829-401: The other dancers at Maxim's were several displaced members of European nobility, for whom a premium demand existed. Valentino eventually befriended Chilean heiress Blanca de Saulles , who was unhappily married to businessman John de Saulles , with whom she had a son. Whether Blanca and Valentino actually had a romantic relationship is unknown, but when the de Saulles divorced, Valentino took
8938-482: The premiere, Valentino was reconciled with Mathis; the two had not spoken in almost two years. Dating back to the de Saulles trial in New York, during which his "masculinity" had been questioned in print, Valentino had been very sensitive about his public perception. With the Fairbanks type being the supposed epitome of manhood, Valentino was sometimes portrayed as a threat to the "All American" man. One man, asked in
9047-403: The present-day Paramount Pictures , a studio known for films that were more commercially focused. Mathis soon joined him, angering both Ivano and Rambova. Jesse L. Lasky intended to capitalize on the star power of Valentino, and cast him in a role that solidified his reputation as the "Latin lover". In The Sheik (1921), Valentino played the starring role of Sheik Ahmed Ben Hassan. The film
9156-451: The role of peacekeeper between the two. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse was released in 1921 and became a commercial and critical success. It was one of the first films to make $ 1,000,000 at the box office, the sixth-highest grossing silent film ever. Metro Pictures seemed unwilling to acknowledge that it had made a star. Most likely due to Rex Ingram's lack of faith in Valentino,
9265-469: The salary increase as a "new contract" before news of the lawsuit was released, and Valentino angrily rejected the offer. Valentino went on to claim that artistic control was more of an issue than the money. He wrote an open letter to Photoplay magazine, titled "Open Letter to the American Public", in which he argued his case, although the average American had trouble sympathizing, as most made $ 2,000
9374-402: The stand to support Blanca de Saulles's claims of infidelity on her husband's part. Following the divorce, John de Saulles reportedly used his political connections to have Valentino arrested, along with a Mrs. Thyme, a known madam, on some unspecified vice charges. The evidence was flimsy at best, and after a few days in jail, Valentino's bail was lowered from $ 10,000 to $ 1,500. Shortly after
9483-493: The studio refused to give him a raise beyond the $ 350 a week he had made for Four Horsemen . For his follow-up film, they forced him into a bit part in a B-film called Uncharted Seas . On this film, Valentino met his second wife, Natacha Rambova . That same year, Valentino's legal wife, Jean Acker, successfully sued for divorce. Rambova, Mathis, Ivano, and Valentino began work on the Alla Nazimova film Camille . Valentino
9592-435: The talcum powder on Valentino and his films. The piece infuriated Valentino and he challenged the writer to his choice of a boxing or wrestling match, since dueling was illegal. Neither challenge was answered. Shortly afterward, Valentino met with journalist H. L. Mencken for advice on how best to deal with the incident. Mencken advised Valentino to "let the dreadful farce roll along to exhaustion," but Valentino insisted
9701-404: The tennis courts, with each containing three bedrooms and a private swimming pool and shower. As of 2018, a one-night stay at a bungalow may cost as much as $ 10,000. Howard Hughes permanently kept a bungalow at the hotel, but it was a secret whether he was on the premises or not. Often, the only person who knew Hughes was at the Beverly Hills Hotel was the hotel's chef. Hughes would awaken him in
9810-529: The time was set in the countryside. High above the main entrance are three domes, two flanking the center, which are smaller and lower in height, with flags hoisted on them. A trolley-stop pavilion was situated on the western side. The iconic signage and the addition were designed by architect Paul Williams . The extensive gardens, covering 12 acres (4.9 ha), were designed by landscape architect Wilbur David Cook . They contain bougainvillea , banana plants, hibiscus , and other tropical flora. Svend Petersen,
9919-541: The trial, Blanca de Saulles fatally shot her ex-husband during a custody dispute over their son. Following his own well-publicized trial and the subsequent scandal over the murder, Valentino could not find employment. Fearful of being called in as a witness in another sensational trial, Valentino left town and joined a traveling musical that led him to the West Coast. In 1917, Valentino joined an operetta company that traveled to Utah , where it disbanded. He then joined an Al Jolson production of Robinson Crusoe, Jr. , which
10028-503: The wall featured on the cover of the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith 's 2000 album Figure 8 . Since Smith's death in 2003, the wall has become a memorial for the artist; fans have left many personal messages there over the years. Rudolph Valentino Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguella (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover ,
10137-465: Was Monsieur Beaucaire , wherein Valentino played the lead, the Duke of Chartres. The film did poorly and American audiences found it "effeminate". The failure of the film, under Rambova's control, is often seen as proof of her controlling nature and later caused her to be barred from Valentino sets. Valentino made one final movie for Famous Players. In 1924, he starred in A Sainted Devil, now one of his lost films. It had lavish costumes, but apparently
10246-481: Was "effeminate" or not. Valentino hated these stories and was known to carry clippings of the newspaper articles around with him and criticize them. In July 1926, the Chicago Tribune reported that a vending machine dispensing pink talcum powder (face powder) had appeared in an upscale hotel's men's washroom. An editorial that followed used the story to protest the supposed feminization of American men, and blamed
10355-465: Was Katsuo Sugiura. In 2007, one large suite was converted into the Bar Nineteen12 . The fireplace in the hotel's lobby has a fire going every day of the year. A new wing was added to the east side of the main building along Crescent Drive in the late 1940s. The "Crescent Wing", as it became known, features mature plantings on the balconies. Many of the rooms have their own balcony and are designed in
10464-638: Was a captain of cavalry in the Italian Army, later a veterinarian, who died of malaria when Valentino was 11. His mother, Marie Berthe Gabrielle Barbin (1856–1918), was French with Torinese ancestry (the original family name was Barbini, gallicized to Barbin later on), born in Lure in the Franche-Comté region. She was lady-in-waiting to a local marquess. Valentino had an older brother, Alberto (1892–1981),
10573-545: Was a major success and defined not only his career but his image and legacy. Valentino tried to distance the character from a stereotypical portrayal of an Arab man. Asked if Lady Diana (his love interest) would have fallen for a "savage" in real life, Valentino replied, "People are not savages because they have dark skins. The Arabian civilization is one of the oldest in the world ... the Arabs are dignified and keen-brained." Famous Players produced four more feature-length films over
10682-476: Was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred in several well-known silent films including The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse , The Sheik , Blood and Sand , The Eagle , and The Son of the Sheik . Valentino was a sex symbol of the 1920s, known in Hollywood as the " Latin Lover " (a title invented for him by Hollywood moguls), the "Great Lover", or simply Valentino. His early death at
10791-609: Was an early hotel patron, and in 1921, he decided to film a scene at the hotel for A Sailor-Made Man . From 1928 to 1932, the hotel was owned by the Interstate Company. Interstate had to close the hotel during the Great Depression years, although the company leased the bungalows out as rental properties. With Bank of America funding, the hotel reopened in 1932. During the 1930s, the Beverly Hills Hotel became increasingly popular with Hollywood film stars. Fred Astaire took
10900-694: Was cast in the role of Armand, Nazimova's love interest. The film, mostly under the control of Rambova and Nazimova, was considered too avant garde by critics and the public. Valentino's final film for Metro was the Mathis-penned The Conquering Power . The film received critical acclaim and did well at the box office. After the film's release, Valentino made a trip to New York, where he met with several French producers. Yearning for Europe, better pay, and more respect, Valentino returned and promptly quit Metro. After quitting Metro, Valentino took up with Famous Players–Lasky , forerunner of
11009-402: Was established in 1914. The first five bungalows of the hotel were built in 1915. In 1919, Douglas Fairbanks and his wife, Mary Pickford , bought and expanded a lodge above the hotel, which they named Pickfair. According to one publication, a star would know they would have finally "made it" when they received an invitation to dine at Pickfair. Gloria Swanson resided in one of the bungalows of
11118-525: Was established in May 1912, before the city itself was incorporated. The original owners were Margaret J. Anderson , a wealthy widow, and her son, Stanley S. Anderson, who had been managing the Hollywood Hotel . The original hotel was designed by Pasadena architect Elmer Grey in the Mediterranean Revival style . From 1928 to 1932, the hotel was owned by the Interstate Company . In 1941, Hernando Courtright ,
11227-677: Was in charge of the Ben-Hur project, and interested in casting Valentino in the film. However, Famous Players exercised its option to extend his contract, preventing him from accepting any employment other than with the studio. By this point, Valentino was about $ 80,000 in debt. He filed an appeal, a portion of which was granted. Although he was still not allowed to work as an actor, he could accept other types of employment. In late 1922, Valentino met George Ullman, who soon became his manager. Ullman had previously worked with Mineralava Beauty Clay Company, and convinced them that Valentino would be perfect as
11336-460: Was posthumously awarded the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Howard Beale in the film Network . His costar Faye Dunaway stayed at the hotel after winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for the same film; in one memorable photograph, she was seated by the hotel pool lounging back in a chair surrounded by newspapers and her Oscar trophy. The exterior of the hotel was featured on
11445-531: Was purportedly never consummated. Displeased with playing "heavies," Valentino briefly entertained the idea of returning to New York permanently. He returned for a visit in 1917, staying with friends in Greenwich Village , eventually settling in Bayside, Queens . There he met Paul Ivano , who would greatly help his career. While traveling to Palm Springs, California , to film Stolen Moments , Valentino read
11554-472: Was shot at the hotel. In the 1970s, John Lennon and Yoko Ono hid out in one of the bungalows for a week. Richard M. Nixon 's chief of staff, H.R. Haldeman , and presidential aide John Ehrlichman were eating breakfast in the Polo Lounge when they were informed of the Watergate burglary in 1972. In January 1977, Peter Finch died of a sudden heart attack while sitting in the hotel lobby. Two months later, he
11663-527: Was travelling to Los Angeles. By fall, he was in San Francisco with a bit part in a theatrical production of Nobody Home . While in town, Valentino met actor Norman Kerry , who convinced him to try a career in cinema, which was still in the silent film era. Valentino and Kerry moved back to Los Angeles and became roommates at the Alexandria Hotel . He continued dancing, teaching dance, and building up
11772-400: Was understood in the 1940s–1950s as the area around the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood , where the broadcasting facilities of all four major radio networks were located. In the 1970s, the area between Gardner Street and Western Avenue was a center for street prostitution . Shortly after a much publicized incident in late June 1995, police raids drove out
11881-400: Was written about a riot at Pandora's Box , a Sunset Strip club, in 1966. Metro Local lines 2, 4 and 602 operate on Sunset Boulevard, with Line 2 running through most of Sunset Boulevard between Echo Park and UCLA, Line 4 between Sunset Junction and Downtown LA, and Line 602 from UCLA west. The Metro B Line operates a subway station at Vermont Avenue . At 4334 W. Sunset Boulevard lies
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