Unveiling the Rich Hollywood History of Beachwood Canyon

I lived up in Beachwood Canyon under the Hollywood Sign from 1985 to 1994. When people stand in the middle of the street to take photos of the sign, they can usually spot an ugly apartment building at the top of the street with a small house next door, which is where I lived. It was built in 1918 before Hollywoodland development was developed in 1923.

It may have been used as a hunting cabin at the time. One of the other houses on my street used to be a speakeasy.

A block further is Beachwood Café and market which is the hub of the Beachwood Canyon community.  Hollywoodland Park is at the top of the hill and there is a trail to the Hollywood Reservoir. It’s easy to get lost looking at the whimsical architecture that ranges from castles, Moorish towers, early Spanish revival, 50s mid-century modern, and everything else.

Through the years it has been the residence of many actors, writers, mystics, and bohemians including Barbara Stanwyck, Charlie Chaplin, Humphrey Bogart, Aldous Huxley, Peter Tork, and so many others. Ned Beatty used to live across the street from the market and Madonna had a huge house up the hill. I’d sometimes see Peter Scolari or Forest Whittaker taking a stroll.

Where it all started

Just before the turn of the 20th century, the area was wilderness set in the Santa Monica Mountains. It was farmland and orchards that were once part of the San Fernando Mission in the valley on the other side of the hill.  Before that, it was the home of the Tongva Indian tribe.

The Theosophist Society

Hollywood was once a bastion for religious zealots who built churches and retreats. Its antithesis, the film industry, also began to flourish there, and movies were filmed on its streets and in the hills. Hollywood Boulevard was at one time known as the Great White Way of the West Coast. It bustled with traffic, movie premieres, and evening fun.

Industry members began to build homes up in the hills, but they weren’t the only ones who were drawn there.

The Theosophical Society relocated to Beachwood Canyon in 1912 and formed a colony called Krotona. Its members sought self-elevation through the arts, sciences, and philosophy. They embraced vegetarianism and physical activity was part of their path.  Members envisioned the area as a garden of Eden because the temperate weather made it possible for them to grow food such as pineapples and other crops all year round.

Theosophy encompasses all religions and drew Hollywood creatives and intellectuals. It also delved into the occult with seances and mystical rituals following the teachings of Madame Blavatsky, among others. She was a Ukrainian author who was heavily involved in the esoteric and spiritualist movements.

There are about two dozen Krotona buildings throughout Beachwood Canyon, particularly in the Hollywood Dell area that are now private residences with Moorish-style towers, stained glass windows and decorative symbols like lotuses, and onion domes.

My husband had an apartment in what was formerly the Krotona Inn during the early 1970s. We had a massive “Come as Your Madness” party there. Over 500 people and 3 bands showed up spontaneously dressed in costumes. The building has a beautiful meditation garden and fountain in the center. The apartments are small and monastic. 

A huge production of Julius Caesar was performed in 1916 where the Beachwood Café and Market are today starring Tyrone Power Sr. and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. A huge set was constructed, and the cast numbered 5,000 including Gladiators and dancers. 40,000 people attended the 1-night performance.

That inspired the Theosophists to create a pageant called The Light of Asia that was performed in 1918. The organizer was Christine Wetherill Stevenson. She was the heiress to Pittsburgh Paint Company and bought land in Daisy Dell, which is now the home of the Hollywood Bowl.

L. Frank Baum, author of The Wizard of Oz was also attracted to the Theosophist Society.  He lived in Hollywood with his family and their dog Toto. Other actors who were theosophists included John Barrymore and Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin lived in a Moorish mansion called Moorcrest, which was one of the larger Theosophist estates in the Canyon.  It was later purchased by actress Mary Astor and her parents and is now the home of comedian Andy Samberg.

The Theosophist Society moved to Ojai in the 1920s but many of the street names in Beachwood Canyon reflect their influence such as Temple Hill Drive, Helios, and Vesanta.

Vedanta Society

Swami Prabhavananda established the Southern California Chapter of the Vedanta Society in 1929 in a home owned by elderly resident Carrie Wyckoff. Its mysticism attracted writers Aldous Huxley, Christopher Isherwood, and Gerald Heard.   He collaborated with Christopher Isherwood on a book called Bhagavad-Gita, the Song of God.

Aldous Huxley was inspired to write The Perennial Philosophy inspired by his relationship with the organization.

Vedanta is still an active and thriving entity in Beachwood Canyon with various Swamis practicing there.

To view the Krotona and the Vedanta Society properties, start at the Hollywood Dell behind Castle Argyle apartments at the top of Vine Street.

Monastery of the Angels

The Monastery of the Angels was founded in Beachwood Canyon in 1924 and is a community of cloistered nuns.  Visitors can stop in at the Monastery and purchase their moist and delicious pumpkin bread, peanut brittle, chocolate mints, and other goodies made by the nuns who still live there. There are only three cloistered nuns left and a few active ones. Ring the bell at their gift shop during working hours. You are also welcome to worship in their chapel if you wish.

The creation of the Hollywoodland development

The community of Hollywoodland began construction in 1923 and was completed in 1925.  The idea was the brainchild of Harry Chandler, a prominent Los Angeles businessman who married Marian Otis, daughter of Harrison Gray Otis publisher and manager of the Los Angeles Times.

He put together a syndicate of investors who bought up land in the area. The first building that was constructed was the real estate office that still stands today in the business section across the street from the market. The development was sold as a paradise for movie people who could live in a country-like environment above the city and work in the movie studios below.  Each was offered a membership in the country club with free shuttle rides down to the boulevard.

The house across from the market was originally sold to Busby Berkeley and was later owned by Ned Beatty, who I often saw in his overalls working in his garden.

The Hollywood Sign

The Hollywoodland sign was built as a promotion for the development. The sign at first would flash Holly then Wood, and then Land. It was meant to be temporary and was flimsy. It frequently fell over and blew out its light bulbs. In 1944, the sign was given to the city of Los Angeles. The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce demolished the Land section in 1949 with the purpose of promoting the film industry and the jobs created by it.

By the 1970s the Hollywood sign was in horrible disrepair and in danger of being torn down. Hugh Hefner of Playboy fame, raised enough money from celebrities and movie studios to fund its restoration in 1978.

Scandal in the canyon

Hollywoodland has long been known as a place where aspiring actors, writers, and film people live when they are just starting out and struggling in the business. Once they become established, they move on to more affluent areas like Brentwood or Beverly Hills.

Because of that, it has also had its share of scandals. The most famous being in 1932 when actress Peg Entwistle walked up to the top of the Hollywoodland Sign and jumped off to her death.

The tabloids went wild claiming she was a failed starlet wannabe who killed herself in despair. The truth is, she was an accomplished and experienced stage actress with notable credits to her name who didn’t have great luck in films. No one knows what caused her to jump but she was well-loved and respected by her family and friends.

If you plan to visit Beachwood Canyon

Although Beachwood Canyon is not an attraction per se, it’s a section of Los Angeles that is charming and worth checking out to take in the history and architecture of the area.

You can walk into the neighborhood to view the unique and whimsical architecture of Hollywoodland. Some homes have steps rising to the skies, castles that are only lacking moats, fairytale cabins, wildflowers, greenery, and more. 

Please realize this is a residential area so don’t block driveways, stop traffic to stand in the middle of the street to take photos, or intrude on property. The gate used to access the trail to the Hollywood sign from Beachwood Drive was closed permanently to hikers in April 2017. An alternate route is the Brush Canyon Trail

If you turn left on Ledgewood Drive you will find the Garden of Oz, a private residence whose exterior has been tiled into intricate mosaic patterns by its owner. Visitors are allowed to walk through the gate when the owner is at home to view its artistry.

After your walk, enjoy breakfast or lunch at the Beachwood Café, buy groceries at the market, or browse a vintage clothing store while you are there.