The origin of Hollywood.

bkshopr_IHB

bkshopr_IHB

New member
My wife's great uncles were the Christie Brothers who started the Christie Comedy. Christie Comedy created the first motion silence picture. During the turn of 20th century movies were created in New Jersey. Most of the scenes were the western frontier but Jersey lacked the proper scenery and good sunshine. Both Al and Charles decided to seek production at the sunshine state of Florida or California.



At the flip of a coin California won. They hired Charlie Chaplin, Valentino, Fainfanks, and Pickford to play in many silent productions. The studio headquarter was at the corner of Sunset and Gower. It was an empire for the Christies and they were extremely wealthy and built mansions in Beverly Hills at the corner of Sunset and Hillcrest. The Tudor mansion still exist today and it is the home of Phil Collins' ex-wife.



As talkie picture began to compete with the Christie's empire both brothers began to diversified into RE such as the first luxury hotel on Hollywood Blvd which now house the Scientology operation. Another RE venture was the Hollywoodland with the big sign that survived to the present days.



The depression hit the Christie Empire hard and they lost most of the family fortune. The brothers had no heirs and over the many passing generation my wife's families became just an ordinary family living in the suburb with a forgotton legacy that shaped and placed Hollywood on the global map.
 
[quote author="Astute Observer" date=1216780574]There is a star for Charles on the Walk of Fame (Vine), so the legacy is not completely forgotten.



I thought you are going to talk about the Hollywoodland sign and its marketing for real estate development in the hill.</blockquote>


Most people know about the sign but few knew of the Hollywood origin at the fate of a coin flip. Other than the star on the sidewalk my wife's family legacy is forgotton. A writer would not even know where to start as most public record or publications did not exist during the time of the Christies. My wife has family photos from that era that depicted the lavish lifestyle of the former Hollywood.
 
Besides RKO, I though most of the early movie studios were run by the mob.

As depicted in the Godfather where the Corleones' strong-arm the movie producer to give the part to Johnny Fontaine.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1216782448]Most people know about the sign but few knew of the Hollywood origin at the fate of a coin flip. Other than the star on the sidewalk my wife's family legacy is forgotton. A writer would not even know where to start as most public record or publications did not exist during the time of the Christies. My wife has family photos from that era that depicted the lavish lifestyle of the former Hollywood.</blockquote>


I bet that either the <a href="http://www.laconservancy.org/">LA Conservancy</a> or <a href="http://www.lapl.org/">Los Angeles Public Library </a>would appreciate digital reproductions of those photos. If privacy or ownership are a concern, you can donate the images with a licensing agreement.
 
Charles H.V. Christie, the motion picture studio owner and real estate developer, was born on April 14, 1880 in London, Ontario, Canada. He emigrated to the United States with his younger brother Al to seek employment in the film industry. Al eventually became head of comedy production at Adolph Zukor's Universal Film Manufacturing Co. in January 1916, Al founded his own studio, The Christie Film Co., with his brother Charles. The brothers had a six month contract to produce comedies for Universal.



Specializing in comedy, the Christie brothers made both features and shorts at a production facility located at Sunset Boulevard and Gower Street that they rented from Quality Pictures Corp. Al handled the production end of the business, while Charles oversaw the administration of the company. In July 1912, the company went independent, selling their product to independent distributors. Al Christie's comedies proved so popular the Christie Brothers were able to soon acquire their own production facilities, and their continued success enabled them to double their production capacity and open a technologically advanced developing laboratory.



Christie Film made situational comedies rather than slapstick, and sometimes they were risqu?, featuring provocatively dressed young women. Fatty Arbuckle and Harold Lloyd made their debuts with his studio, and the Christie brothers also recruited Canadian talent, including Marie Dressler and Marie Prevost, both of whom became lifelong friends of the brothers. Always innovative, The Christie Film Co. published a magazine, "Film Follies," that detailed up-coming releases and the current goings-on at the Christie Studio.



The Christie brothers were ahead of the times in the area of race-relations. Al had originally hired the African American Spencer Williams as a sound technician, but discovering his writing talent, he began using him as a screenwriter. Williams subsequently became a pioneer in "race films" and later achieved mainstream fame portraying Andy Brown in CBS' "Amos & Andy" television series. The Christie Film Co. entered the race film market in early 1929, producing the first talking pictures made for and featuring African Americans. Utilizing the talents of Harlem's Lafayette Players Stock Co., Christie Film also produced musical comedy shorts featuring all-black casts based on Octavus Ray Cohen's `Darktown Birmingham' stories that were published in the `Saturday Evening Post.' Paramount Pictures distributed the `Darktown Birmingham' shorts.



When fellow Canadian movie pioneer Mary Pickford helped create the Motion Picture Relief Fund in 1921 along with fellow United Artists owners Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, and D.W. Griffith, the Christie Film Co. supported the charity, which was dedicated to helping actors who had fallen on hard times. UA President Joseph M. Schenck was the first president of the Fund, with Pickford serving as vice president. The board of directors included many of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Charles Christie, who took a major role in administering the Fund whose mission statement was "We take care of our own." (Under future president Jean Hersholt, after whom the Humanitarian Oscar award is named, the Fund acquired a 48-acre plot in Woodland Hills, California on which, in 1942, the actors' retirement home now known as the Motion Picture & Television Country Home and Hospital was built.



In 1922, Charles and Al established the Christie Realty Corp., which was capitalized at $1 million, and built the Christie Hotel. The first luxury hotel located in Hollywood, the Christie catered to the film community. With the coming of sound, the Christie brothers launched a joint venture with Mack Sennett to build a new sound stage. As part of the deal, they bought up land around the studio, developing residential and commercial properties, the income from which was used to finance the studio. The district they developed around the sound stage now is known as Studio City.



The Great Depression hurt the film industry, and the Christie Film Co. and Christie Realty Corp. both went into receivership in January 1933. The studio was closed, and its assets were acquired by another movie company. Charles turned to the real estate business, and was soon joined by his brother Al.



Charles Christie died in Hollywood on October 1, 1955 and was interred in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.



(information courtesy of Mr. Hopwood)
 
Wow bk, that info and pics need to get into good hands. I would have referred you to the late, great Johnny Grant....he would have enjoyed hearing this story.



<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Christie">Charles Christie</a>



"While his brother remained with the new owners, producing comedy films, <strong>Charles went into the selling of real estate".</strong>



I'll have to go and check out the tudor on sunset and Hillcrest. I know they are rebuilding one on Doheny and Hillcrest, not sure if that's the same one (street to street lot?)



Where is the location of the Christie Hotel?
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1216786597]Wow bk, that info and pics need to get into good hands. I would have referred you to the late, great Johnny Grant....he would have enjoyed hearing this story.



<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Christie">Charles Christie</a>



"While his brother remained with the new owners, producing comedy films, <strong>Charles went into the selling of real estate".</strong>



I'll have to go and check out the tudor on sunset and Hillcrest. I know they are rebuilding one on Doheny and Hillcrest, not sure if that's the same one (street to street lot?)



Where is the location of the Christie Hotel?</blockquote>


Here is a picture of the hotel



<img src="http://www.thelope.com/images/8-5-009.jpg" alt="" />



The house is a Tudor mansion at the North west corner of Sunset and Hillcrest. The entire property is surrounded by 25' high hedges but you can still get a glimpse of the house from the street corner through the wrought iron gate located at the corner of the street intersection.
 
[quote author="tenmagnet" date=1216792096]What about Chateau Marmont?

It was around before the Depression and continues to thrive in the present.</blockquote>


Yes, The hotel was built way after the Christie Hotel. It was unfortunate that the ground of the hotel was taken away years ago for widening of the Blvd and other retail stores. The Chateau Marmont fortunately is bunkered into the hillside the outdoor garden was not exploited by greedy developer due to its hidden location. It is a fine hotel with excellent romantic imagery and an overview of the Sunset strip. It along with the Roosevelt are the 2 hotels that maintained a high standard until the present days. Others long ago were being converted to an hourly rate.
 
Well, now that I know what building it is I can tell you that I've spent many a long day in front of it....due to Anti-Scientology protests.



Agree that the Roosevelt is top notch, but this is my favorite building in the area. Formerly "The Argyle", now called the Sunset Tower Hotel.



<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Highsmithargylehotelsunsetstrip.jpg/479px-Highsmithargylehotelsunsetstrip.jpg" alt="" />
 
I love this hotel. It is the best from the Streamline Moderne and Art Deco period.



Here is a good Spanish Courtyard building off Sunset on Havenhurst. I have been inside this complex many times.



It was designed by a set designer Arthur and his wife Nina Zwebell. During the depression they were out of work from Paramount Lasky Studio so they began to design apartments. They left a legacy of buildings in Hollywood and Los Feliz.



Many actors and actresses rented there when they first arrived in Hollywood before becoming big movie stars in the 30'-50's.



Carole Lombard, Jane Russell, and many others.





<img src="http://imgprd.nrtwebservices.com/California/properties/JPG_Main_White/1e5/6e7b1a4c-9479-4e59-9992-a31e4136b1e5.JPG" alt="" />



<img src="http://imgprd.nrtwebservices.com/California/properties/JPG_Main_White/1e5/6e7b1a4c-9479-4e59-9992-a31e4136b1e5_3.JPG" alt="" />



<img src="http://imgprd.nrtwebservices.com/California/properties/JPG_Main_White/1e5/6e7b1a4c-9479-4e59-9992-a31e4136b1e5_5.JPG" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/7/9/08-274873-15_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/8/9/9/08-274873-20_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/6/3/0/08-274873-27_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/4/0/08-274873-28_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/6/4/0/08-274873-29_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/5/0/08-274873-30_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/6/0/08-274873-32_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/6/9/08-274873-13_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/6/8/9/08-274873-18_medium.jpg" alt="" />



<img src="http://static.lalife.com/home_pictures/1/9/9/08-274873-19_medium.jpg" alt="" />



I am ashamed by all the talents in OC and not one project ever come close in meeting 10% of this Old Hollywood aesthetic. My hope on this IHB is to educate members to have better taste in archtecture and not settle for stepford craps.
 
bk, I think I recently saw those pics on Redfin...either a new list or recently sold. I havent been there, but will swing by.



Have you seen this one ? Kind of off the beaten path....both properties look very similar.



<a href="http://www.californiamoves.com/property/propertydetails.aspx?propertyguid=5b903540-00dc-415a-bdb9-e951584e762c&WT;.mc_ID=201810000000000">1836 Grace</a>



<img src="http://imgprd.nrtwebservices.com/California/properties/JPG_Main_White/62c/5b903540-00dc-415a-bdb9-e951584e762c_500001.JPG" alt="" />
 
[quote author="Trooper" date=1216802513]bk, I think I recently saw those pics on Redfin...either a new list or recently sold. I havent been there, but will swing by.



Have you seen this one ? Kind of off the beaten path....both properties look very similar.



<a href="http://www.californiamoves.com/property/propertydetails.aspx?propertyguid=5b903540-00dc-415a-bdb9-e951584e762c&WT;.mc_ID=201810000000000">1836 Grace</a>



<img src="http://imgprd.nrtwebservices.com/California/properties/JPG_Main_White/62c/5b903540-00dc-415a-bdb9-e951584e762c_500001.JPG" alt="" /></blockquote>


Yes I know this one off Franklin toward Western Ave. Same designer Zwebell.
 
[quote author="tenmagnet" date=1216783164]Besides RKO, I though most of the early movie studios were run by the mob.

As depicted in the Godfather where the Corleones' strong-arm the movie producer to give the part to Johnny Fontaine.</blockquote>


You do realize that the godfather was a FICTIONAL movie? Oy, Hollywood didn't start in the 50's ... Bk is talking about the true origins of Hollywood, which was the late 1800's and the early 1900's..
 
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