Hollywood Boulevard beyond the stars: movie palaces and old Hollywood

The historic buildings along the Walk of Fame: the 1927 Roosevelt Hotel, where the first Academy Awards were held in 1929, Grauman's Chinese and Egyptian theatres (the Egyptian, 1922, was Hollywood's first movie palace), C. E. Toberman's El Capitan, Musso & Frank (Hollywood's oldest restaurant, 1919), Hollywood and Vine, the 1930 Art Deco Pantages and the 1956 Capitol Records tower.

Best time: Late afternoon into evening, ending with dinner at Musso & Frank or a show at the Pantages

The route, stop by stop

1. 1
   Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel

   Opened 15 May 1927; the first Academy Awards ceremony was held in its Blossom Ballroom on 16 May 1929 (Wikipedia). 10 min.

2. 2
   TCL Chinese Theatre (Grauman's Chinese)

   Sid Grauman's Chinese Theatre, a Hollywood icon since it opened; converted to a digital IMAX house in 2013 (LA Conservancy). 20 min.

   Sid Grauman's 1927 movie palace still holds premieres; the forecourt has the cement hand- and footprints of about 200 stars, and the main auditorium is one of the best places in…

3. 3
   El Capitan Theatre

   Third of four theatres built by developer C. E. Toberman, the 'Father of Hollywood': Spanish Baroque front by Morgan, Walls & Clements, interior by G. Albert Lansburgh (LA Conservancy). 5 min.

   Developer C. E. Toberman's Spanish Baroque theatre and office building, by Morgan, Walls and Clements with an elaborate G. Albert Lansburgh interior; Time Out calls it the best…

4. 4
   Egyptian Theatre

   Opened October 1922 by Sid Grauman and Charles Toberman, officially Hollywood's first movie palace and birthplace of the red-carpet premiere; now the Netflix Egyptian (LA Conservancy). 10 min.

5. 5
   Musso & Frank Grill

   Hollywood's oldest restaurant: opened as Frank's Cafe in 1919, at 6667 Hollywood Blvd since 1927, its menu by chef Jean Rue little changed (LA Conservancy). 10 min.

   Hollywood's oldest restaurant, open since 1919, with wood paneling, red leather booths and waiters in red jackets. Come for a martini served with its sidecar, the filet mignon or…

6. 6
   Hollywood and Vine

   The intersection known since the 1920s for radio and film businesses; the Walk of Fame is centred here (Wikipedia). 5 min.

7. 7
   Hollywood Pantages Theatre

   Opened 4 June 1930, the last movie palace built in Hollywood and Alexander Pantages' last theatre; Art Deco by B. Marcus Priteca (LA Conservancy). 10 min.

   B. Marcus Priteca's 1930 Art Deco palace, the last movie palace built in Hollywood, is now home to touring Broadway musicals; the lobby dazzles with chevrons, zigzags, starbursts…

8. 8
   Capitol Records Building

   Completed April 1956, the world's first circular office building, by Welton Becket and Associates (LA Conservancy; Wikipedia). View from Vine St. 10 min.

Walking directions

More walks in Los Angeles

• Broadway: the Historic Core and its movie palaces1.9 km · 2 h
• El Pueblo, Union Station and Chinatown2.3 km · 3 h 15 min
• Little Tokyo and the Arts District1.9 km · 3 h 50 min
• Bunker Hill: library, steps, Angels Flight and Grand Avenue2.8 km · 4 h 25 min
• Silver Lake stairways: Micheltorena to the Music Box Steps4.3 km · 3 h 5 min
• Griffith Park: Fern Dell up to the Observatory, down to the Greek2.8 km · 2 h 50 min
• Venice canals, Abbot Kinney and the boardwalk to Santa Monica Pier7.1 km · 3 h 50 min
• Old Pasadena to the Colorado Street Bridge3.3 km · 3 h 55 min