May 21, 2024
On a trip to L.A., I visited the Hollywood Heritage Museum (2100 N. Highland, L.A.), the site of the oldest movie studio Hollywood, and the place where the first feature film was made by Cecil B. DeMille (1881-1959) and Jesse Lasky (1880-1958) in 1912.
It was designated a landmark and officially preserved way back in 1956.
These days, it's a must-see museum space, and it's currently hosting dozens of unbelievably rare Hollywood-history items on loan from some of the most prominent collectors around in a show called Meet the Stars: 100 Years of MGM Studios and the Golden Age of Hollywood.
My friend Roy, who runs Baby Jane of Hollywood, took me His Hedy Lamarr collection was a major part of the exhibition, including a gown and photos and other one-of-a-kind pieces.
Most spectacularly, he owns a dramatic painting of Lamarr (1914-2000) by the late actor Reginald Gardiner (1903-1980) that he first saw decades ago, tried to buy from Gardiner's estate and eventually tracked down at an auction. I love that kind of collecting story.
He even discovered photos of Lamarr sitting for the image, and one reacting to it.
Darrell Rooney's Jean Harlow (1911-1937) goodies are also mind-blowing. The piece I couldn't believe was a signed guest page from the premiere of Grand Hotel (1932) — how could something like that survive? It was displayed with an image of Harlow signing the thing.
I also bumped into Jack Priest. In spite of being very young and Australian, he's not only a Hollywood-history buff, he is one of the world's leading collectors of Ann Miller (1923-2004). He has mind-blowing personal items of Miller's that anyone with even a passing interest in her needs to check out in person to believe.
I can't recommend the place highly enough if you're a fan of the movies. On top of all the history, its volunteers are super friendly and will be happy to explain who some of the stars are or answer any other questions.
