Unveiling the cinematic heart of Los Angeles, we delve into its rich history and vibrant present. From the golden age of Hollywood to the innovative indie scene, explore how LA continues to shape and redefine the global film industry.
Centers of Progress
Los Angeles during the Golden Age of Hollywood (1910s-1960s)
- pioneered new filmmaking styles that were soon adopted globally, giving the world some of its most iconic and beloved films in the process.
- Famous landmarks include Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood, theme parks that attract around 18 million and 9 million annual visitors, respectively.
The innovations of that era continue to influence movies today
Hollywood gave the world its first full-length animated feature film in 1937 with Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- In 1939, Hollywood popularized color productions with The Wizard of Oz
- The iconic “Hollywood sign” first appeared in the 1940s
- Over the next few decades, the city produced some of history’s best-loved classic films including Citizen Kane (1941), Casablanca (1942), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), Singin’ in the Rain (1950), Rear Window (1954), 12 Angry Men (1957), Vertigo (1952)
The history of Los Angeles
The site where Los Angeles now stands was first inhabited by native tribes, including the Chumash and Tongva.
- Spanish settlers founded a small ranching community at the site in 1781, calling it El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de los Ángeles, meaning “the Town of Our Lady the Queen of the Angels.”
- After the Mexican War of Independence transferred control of the town from Spain to Mexico in 1821, the future state of California was ceded to the United States and gold was discovered in California.
The Story of Hollywood
In 1883, a politician and real estate developer named Harvey Wilcox and his second wife moved to Los Angeles.
- They named the new subdivision “Hollywood.”
- The true origin of the name is disputed. One story claims that the Wilcoxes were inspired by an estate in Illinois or by a town in Ohio
- Hollywood started as a small but wealthy enclave that by 1900 boasted a post office, a hotel, a livery stable, and even a streetcar
- A banker named H.J. Whitley developed the area, building luxury homes and bringing electricity, gas, and telephone lines to town, and Hollywood was officially incorporated in 1903
- Unable to independently handle its sewage and water needs, Hollywood merged with the city of Los Angeles in 1910
- By then, Los Angeles had around 300,000 people. That would top a million by 1930, and by 1960, that would grow to 2.5 million
