Showing posts with label Charlie Chaplin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charlie Chaplin. Show all posts

Jan 25, 2022

Charlie Chaplin Studios / Jim Henson Company

Located on N. La Brea Avenue in Hollywood, California you'll find the former studio of actor, director, and all around film legend, Charlie Chaplin. It was constructed in 1917 and amazingly has survived all these years. After Chaplin sold the property in 1953 it would eventually become home to A&M Records for several decades before the Jim Henson Company purchased the lot in 2000 - hence Kermit the Frog in Chaplin's tramp costume above the studio gate.

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood


Many of Chaplin's classic films were shot at this location, including The Kid (1921), The Gold Rush (1925), City Lights (1931), Modern Times (1936), and The Great Dictator (1940). Next to the front gate you can see Chaplin's signature and footprints in the cement - dated Jan. 21, 1918, which marked the official opening of the studio. 

Chaplin sold the property in 1953 after permanently leaving the United States in 1952. He only returned once after that to accept his honorary Academy Award in 1972. While in Los Angeles the elderly Chaplin briefly visited his former studio one last time.

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

My fascination with Chaplin goes back to when I was a teenager. I read biographies about him and during film school I went out of my way to see his all of his films and early reels. When I learned that his studio was still standing in Hollywood after my last visit to Los Angeles, I added it to my to-do list. It took a few years to get back, but seeing it in person - and subsequently reading up on all of the history surrounding it - was a really inspiring experience.

The fact that it's now home to the Jim Henson Company seems equally fitting. It's like a combination of my childhood and film school selves all merged into one location. Or, another way of looking at it, a real life depiction of what much of the walls in my film school dorms were plastered with - classic films, kitschy childhood nostalgia, and Hollywood themed ambitions.

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood

Charlie Chaplin Studios Jim Henson Company Hollywood


 

Jun 28, 2020

Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California

Opened in 1923, the Millennium Biltmore is a landmark hotel and designated historic-cultural monument located across from Pershing Square in downtown Los Angeles, California

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los AngelesThe Millennium Biltmore Hotel has been the setting for a long list of notable moments in pop culture history. Guests over the decades are too numerous to list, but in short they span movie stars, politicians, musicians, and A-listers from Charlie Chaplin to Taylor Swift.

The Biltmore Hotel hosted eight Academy Awards ceremonies throughout the 1930s, it's here that JFK became the presidential nominee during the 1960 Democratic National Convention, and it's where the Beatles came to stay on their first U.S. tour in 1964. 

If some of these locations look familiar that's not surprising either, the Biltmore has been a filming location for movies including Beverly Hills Cop, Ghostbusters, and Independence Day - TV shows like 24 and Mad Men - and music videos for Britney Spears and Ed Sheeran.    

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Vintage Los Angeles
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles

Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles



Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
Millennium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles



Millennium Biltmore Hotel Vintage Los Angeles

Mar 7, 2020

Los Angeles Theatre in Downtown L.A.

The Los Angeles Theatre is a two thousand seat movie palace located in downtown Los Angeles, California. Construction began in 1930 and opened with the world premiere of Charlie Chaplin's City Lights in January 1931. It was the last of the grand movie palaces to be built on Broadway in downtown L.A. as the depression took its toll and competition increased along Hollywood Boulevard. While the theatre still has screenings (City Lights was on the marquee during my visit) this movie palace is more frequently used as a filming location today.

Los Angeles Theatre DTLA


City Lights Premiere in 1931.




City Lights Poster Charlie Chaplin 1931

Los Angeles Theatre DTLA








Jan 11, 2020

Historic News Block in Medicine Hat, Alberta

Constructed in 1903, the News Block derives its name from originally housing the newspaper offices of the Medicine Hat News on 2nd Street in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta. The newspaper was only here for a decade before it moved to a new building in 1914, a now demolished structure located where the current city hall stands. This 2nd Street space has recently been occupied by the new secondhand bookstore, The Page and Whisker.

Page and Whisker Medicine Hat Alberta
I first photographed the News Block as an abandoned location back in 2013 for my hometown exploration series, Around the Hat. At the time there were still traces of the former tenant, Tramps Comics & Games, despite the News Block having already been vacant for more than a decade back in 2013. The Page and Whisker is the first business in years to not just move in, but to also bring some new character to this unique downtown space. 

Here are few new images I captured of the News Block / Page and Whisker to contrast against the remnants of the former abandoned Tramps space that I was originally introduced to. Expanding on the success of my documentary short, On 2nd I'm pleased to see the story of 2nd street continuing to evolve. I wish Page and Whisker all the best in this beautiful historic location.

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
Abandoned space in 2013.

Page and Whisker Medicine Hat Alberta
Page and Whisker in 2020.

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
Exploring the former Tramps space in 2013.



Stacks of comics left by Tramps back in 2013.

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
Page and Whisker Medicine Hat Alberta
Inside the new Page and Whisker bookstore in 2020.


News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
The empty space in 2013.


News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
Abandoned space in 2013.

Sunnyside Novel Book
Sunnyside. A novel about Charlie Chaplin I bought at the new bookstore.

News Block 1912 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta
The News Block in Medicine Hat, Alberta as it looked around 1912.

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta

Page and Whisker Medicine Hat Alberta
Inside the new Page and Whisker bookstore in 2020.

News Block 2nd Street Medicine Hat Alberta