Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
182
Schindler House
A protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright and contemporary of Richard
Neutra, Austrian architect Rudolph Schindler designed this inno vative modern house for
himself in 1921 and 1922. I t's now home to the Los Angeles arm of A ustria's Museum of
Applied Arts (MAK). The house is noted for its complicated interlocking spaces; the inter-
penetration of indoors and out; simple, unadorned materials; and technological inno
va-
tions. Docent-guided tours are conducted at no additional charge on w eekends only.
The MAK Center offers guides to L.A.-area buildings by Schindler and other Austrian
architects, and presents related visiting exhibitions and cr eative arts programming. Call
for schedules.
835 N. K ings Rd . (nor th of M elrose A ve.), West Holly wood.
&
323/651-1510.
w ww.makcenter.org.
Admission $7 adults , $6 students and seniors , free to children ages 12 and under ; free to everyone Fri
after 4pm, S ept 10 (S chindler's bir thday), M ay 24 (I nternational Museum Da y), and Dec 1. Wed-Sun
11am-6pm. Closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, and Dec 25.
HOLLYWOOD
In addition to the buildings listed below, don't miss the
Griffith Observatory
and
Grau-
man's Chinese Theatre
(see “L.A.'s Top Attractions,” p. 150), and the
Roosevelt Hotel,
Hollywood
(p. 93).
Capitol Records Building
Opened in 1956, this 13-stor y tower, just nor th of the
legendary intersection of Hollywood and Vine, is one of the city's most recognizable build-
ings. The world 's first cir cular office building is often—albeit incorr ectly—said to hav e
been made to resemble a stack of 45s under a turntable stylus (it kinda does, though). N at
“King” Cole, songwriter J ohnny Mercer, and other 1950s Capitol ar tists populate a giant
exterior mural. Look do wn and y ou'll see the side walk stars of Capitol 's recording artists
(including John Lennon). In the lobby, numerous gold albums are on display.
1750 Vine St. (just north of Hollywood Blvd.).
&
323/462-6252.
The Egyptian Theatre
Conceived by grandiose impresario Sid Grauman, the Egyp-
tian Theatre is just do wn the str eet fr om his better-kno wn Chinese Theatre, but it
remains less altered from its original design, which was based on the then-headline-news
discovery of hidden tr easures in P haraohs' tombs—hence the hier oglyphic murals and
enormous scarab decoration abo ve the stage. H ollywood's first mo vie premiere,
Robin
Hood,
starring Douglas Fairbanks, was shown here in 1922, followed by the premiere of
The Ten Commandments
in 1923. The building recently underwent a sensitive restoration
by American Cinematheque, which now screens rare, classic, and independent films (see
chapter 10 for details).
Tip:
Check the website schedule for screenings hosted by celebrity
guest speakers and directors such as Ron Howard and George Clooney.
6712 Hollywood Blvd. (btw. N. Las P almas Ave and N. M cCadden Place)
&
323/466-FILM
(323/466-
3456). www.egyptiantheatre.com.
Freeman House
Frank Lloyd Wright's Freeman House, built in 1924, was designed
as an experimental pr ototype of mass-pr oduced affordable housing. The home's richly
7
Fun Facts
Not Quite SOS, but . . .
The light on the rooftop spire of the Capitol Records building flashes “H-O-L-L-Y-
W-O-O-D” in Morse code. Really, it does.
