The Hillview facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Hillview Apartments
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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The building in 2024
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 Location in the Los Angeles metropolitan area
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| Location | 6533 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, California |
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| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | Tifal brothers |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
| Part of | Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District (ID85000704) |
| Designated CP | April 4, 1985 |
The Hillview, also known as Hillview Apartments, Historic Hillview Hollywood, The Hudson Apartments, and The Harlan Residences, is a special old building in Hollywood, California. You can find it at 6533 Hollywood Boulevard. It was one of the first tall buildings in Hollywood made especially for artists. It was a very popular spot during the time of silent movies.
Contents
A Look Back at the Hillview
The Hillview building has a long and interesting story. It was created by important people in the movie world and has seen many changes over the years.
Building a Home for Stars
The Hillview was built in 1917 by two movie leaders, Jesse L. Lasky and Samuel Goldwyn. Lasky helped start Paramount Pictures, and Goldwyn helped create MGM. They wanted a special place for actors to live. The Tifal brothers designed the building in a style called Mediterranean Revival. From 1917 to 1922, it was the tallest building in Hollywood! It had nice features like a fancy lobby, a room for writing, and even automatic elevators.
A Popular Place for Silent Movie Stars
During the silent era of movies, the Hillview was a very exciting place to be. Many famous actors lived there, including Viola Dana, Mae Busch, Oliver Hardy, and Evelyn Brent. Even Charlie Chaplin once managed the building. The basement was used for rehearsals, and it's said that Rudolph Valentino later turned it into a secret gathering place. In 1984, the Hillview Apartments became part of the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important historic building.
Surviving Challenges and New Beginnings
The Hillview building faced some tough times. In 1994, it was damaged by the Northridge Earthquake. More damage happened during the building of the B Line subway. Then, a fire in 2002 caused even more problems. Luckily, the building was saved and fixed up. More repairs happened in 2006, and people moved back in.
In 2009, the owner had financial trouble, and the building was sold. Its name changed to The Hudson Apartments. In 2010, a company called CIM bought it. Later, in 2021, True Urban USA and JCI Development bought the Hillview. They worked to restore it and gave it a new name: The Harlan Residences.
What the Hillview Looks Like
The Hillview building has a beautiful Mediterranean Revival style. This means it has a red tiled roof, windows that slide up and down, and decorative details. It also has a special kind of roof edge called a cornice, which has brackets underneath.
Featured on Screen
The Hillview has even been on TV! It appeared in an episode of the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend called I'm Making up for Lost Time.
See Also
- List of contributing properties in the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District
