Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
199
Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford erected their mansion, “Pickfair,” in 1919. Many other stars
followed including Rudolph Valentino, John Barrymore, Will Rogers, Gloria Swanson, Charlie
Chaplin, Tom Mix, Buster Keaton, and Clara Bow, to name just a few.
The excesses of the Roaring Twenties resulted in the building of a huge, banked wooden race-
track in the southern part of the city. The speedway produced entertainment for only four years
before advancing development caused it to be demolished.
In 1928, the Beverly Wilshire Apartment Hotel opened on the former site of the speedway. Built
in the Italian Renaissance style with Tuscan stone and Carrara marble, the hotel thrived, even as it
passed to new owners who renamed it the Beverly Wilshire. The big band era ushered in a renovation
that included a large ballroom. An Olympic-size swimming pool was added, and championship ten-
nis courts were presided over by Pancho Gonzales, one of the greatest tennis champions of all time.
With Hollywood nearby, and the city full of movie stars, it wasn't long before Beverly Hills and
the Beverly Wilshire would appear on screen: Jack Benny did his show from Beverly Hills in the
1950s;
Beverly Hillbillies
in the 1960s highlighted the lifestyle of some residents; and
Beverly Hills
90210
introduced a younger generation to the historic city.
In 1990, Richard Gere and Julia Roberts filmed
Pretty Woman
at the Beverly Wilshire. Warren
Beatty lived in the penthouse for several years and, in the 1930s, Dashiell Hammett wrote
The Thin
Man
here. Elvis Presley lived at the Beverly Wilshire for several years while making movies in Hol-
lywood. Other long-term guests have included Elton John, Mick Jagger, Andrew Lloyd Webber,
and Cary Grant. Many members of Britain's Royal Family have stayed at the Beverly Wilshire, as
did Japan's Emperor Hirohito and the Dalai Lama.
In 2006, Wolfgang Puck opened a very high-end steakhouse, CUT, in the Beverly Wilshire. An
all-day dining option is The Blvd, which has large windows allowing patrons to people-watch on
the intersection of Wilshire Boulevard and Rodeo Drive.
Beverly Wilshire
9500 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, California 90212
(310) 275-5200
