"VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY, I'M HUELL HOWSER.

AND, YOU KNOW, AS WE ALL DRIVE AROUND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, I THINK WE'RE ALL GUILTY OF DRIVING RIGHT BY PLACES EVERY DAY THAT ARE INTERESTING.

THEY'RE FULL OF HISTORY.

THEY'RE ARCHITECTURALLY INTERESTING.

THEY'RE WORTH STOPPING AND CHECKING OUT, BUT VERY FEW OF US EVER DO IT.

WELL, THAT'S WHAT THIS ADVENTURE IS ALL ABOUT.

WE'RE GONNA VISIT 2 PLACES RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF BUSY CITY STREETS, BOTH OF THEM HERE IN LOS ANGELES, THAT ARE WORTH CHECKING OUT.

ONE OF THEM IS OBVIOUS.

ONE OF THEM IS VERY OBSCURE.

I GUARANTEE YOU NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT THIS ONE.

BUT LET'S START OUT WITH THE OBVIOUS ONE.

AND THERE IT IS RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF BUSY SUNSET BOULEVARD.

OUR FIRST STOP IS RIGHT OVER THERE.

[BELLS TOLL] IT'S CHIMING 12:00.

SO YOU GET CHIMED EVERY DAY OVER HERE.

WE ARE BLESSED AT CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

THIS CHURCH NEXT DOOR IS?

THE CHURCH OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT.

AND IT HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE EARLY 1930s.

OK. AND THIS HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE EARLY 1930s.

WE'RE STANDING RIGHT HERE BECAUSE IT GIVES A GOOD VIEW OF... CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

AND THIS WAS THE?

THE SHIP, WHICH WAS A MODE OF TRANSPORTATION REPRESENTING THAT IN THIS COMPLEX, WHICH IS COMPOSED OF 9 BUILDINGS, EACH REPRESENTING DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

THIS IS THE SHIP THAT TOOK YOU ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THAT'S CORRECT.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

WE GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT THE CHIMES GOING OFF.

I'M LINDA DUTTENHAVER.

I'M THE DAUGHTER OF THE GENTLEMAN WHO BOUGHT THIS PROPERTY IN 1977.

OK.

BUT THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE... 1936.

OCTOBER 29, 1936.

NOW, WE HAVE LOTS OF WONDERFUL ARCHIVAL PICTURES BECAUSE THIS WAS VERY HEAVILY PHOTOGRAPHED WHEN IT OPENED, BECAUSE WHEN IT OPENED, THIS WAS A BIG DEAL.

IT WAS LA'S FIRST OUTDOOR SHOPPING MALL.

AND IT ALSO WAS A BIG STAR-STUDDED CELEBRATION.

IT WAS VERY HOLLYWOOD.

THEY HAD KLIEG LIGHTS AND OUR 60-FOOT TOWER WITH THE GLOBE TURNING.

SO THAT GLOBE HAS BEEN TURNING SINCE 193... 6.

1936, YES.

OK. NOW, WAS THE CONCEPT OF HAVING A SHIP--BUILDING LIKE A SHIP, WAS THAT A BIG DEAL BACK THEN AS WELL?

I IMAGINE SO.

IT WAS A STREAMLINE MODERN STYLE, WHICH WAS VERY IN AT THAT TIME.

AND IT JUST FIT WELL INTO THIS OVERALL PROPERTY.

NOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE OVERALL PROPERTY, THIS IS PART OF THE WORLD RIGHT HERE.

WHAT PART OF THE WORLD IS THIS?

THIS IS A SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN BUILDING.

SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN.

YES.

SO YOU'LL SEE SOME BEAUTIFUL TILE WORK, SOME BEAUTIFUL GRILL WORK IN THE FRONT.

SOME BEAUTIFUL STAIRWAYS.

I'LL SHOW YOU ALL OF THAT AS WE WALK AROUND.

NOW, WERE THESE ALL STORES?

WERE THEY OFFICES?

WHAT WERE THEY WHEN THE PLACE OPENED UP?

WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED, IT WAS ALL RETAIL STORE FRONTS ON THE BOTTOM FLOOR AND OFFICES ON THE UPPER FLOORS.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU SEE SO MANY WINDOWS.

IT WAS TO SHOWCASE GOODS.

WHAT KIND OF STORES?

BOY, LOOK AT THIS OVER HERE.

WE'RE STANDING RIGHT BY THE SHIP RIGHT HERE.

WHAT KIND OF STORES WERE THEY WHEN THE PLACE OPENED UP?

THERE WAS WOMEN'S CLOTHING.

THERE WAS A MEN'S HAT STORE.

THERE WAS A MEN'S HANDKERCHIEF STORE.

THERE WAS A PSYCHIC READER.

THERE WAS ALL SORTS OF-- SO THERE HAVE BEEN PSYCHIC READERS AROUND FOR A LONG TIME.

OH, AND ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW WHAT, IN THE OFFICES RIGHT BEHIND ME, ALFRED HITCHCOCK HAD HIS OFFICES IN THE 1950s.

WAS THIS A HOLLYWOOD PLACE?

IT WAS.

WAS IT AN UPSCALE SHOPPING PLACE?

BOTH.

WHAT WAS IT?

ALL OF THE ABOVE.

SO WOULD THE STARS HAVE BEEN HERE TO SHOP?

YES, YES.

YES.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THOSE OLD PHOTOGRAPHS, YOU'LL SEE, LIKE, TAKE A SURREY RIDE FOR 5 CENTS AND THEY HAVE SOME STARS GOING AROUND IN THE LITTLE SURREY THROUGHOUT THE COMPLEX.

SO THE POINT IS, THIS WAS A BIG DEAL WHEN IT OPENED IN THE MID TO LATE THIRTIES.

AND IT WAS A BIG DEAL FOR QUITE A WHILE AFTERWARDS, TOO.

QUITE A WHILE.

WELL, IT'S STILL A BIG DEAL TODAY.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT'S STILL HERE.

YES, IT IS.

AND WE HAVE JUST--WE JUST GOT THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE OBVIOUS STUFF.

THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE FROM SUNSET BOULEVARD.

THE BIG TALL--WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?

JUST A TOWER?

A TOWER.

IT'S A 60-FOOT TOWER.

AND IT HAS NEON GOING UP THE LEGS OF THE TOWER, AROUND THE GLOBE.

AND IN THE FRONT.

I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF IT AT NIGHT.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL AT NIGHT.

IT IS BEAUTIFUL AT NIGHT.

AND WE HAVE SOME GUYS WHO HAVE WORKED FOR US FOR A VERY LONG TIME WHO ARE SPECIALISTS IN NEON, AND THEY KEEP IT RUNNING AND OPERATING ALL THE TIME.

OK, THIS IS THE OBVIOUS PART RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS THE SPANISH MEDITERRANEAN AREA OF THE WORLD RIGHT OVER HERE.

BUT WE HAVE JUST STARTED OUR WORLD TOUR.

THERE'S LOTS MORE TO SEE HERE AT CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

AS THE TOUR CONTINUES, WE ARE LEAVING SPAIN ON THIS SIDE OF THE SHIP AND WE'RE COMING RIGHT OVER HERE, LINDA, TO WHERE?

TO FRANCE AND ITALY.

FRANCE.

WHAT'S FRENCH ABOUT THIS?

WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FLEUR-DI-LIS ON THE TOP OF THE CHIMNEY THERE.

UH-HUH.

AND WE HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL STENCILS ON THE SHUTTERS THAT REPRESENT THOSE BEAUTIFUL FRENCH SHUTTERS YOU SEE WHEN YOU GO TO FRANCE.

SO THIS WAS FRENCH?

YES.

AND THOSE STENCILS ARE ORIGINAL.

SO ALL THIS IS ORIGINAL, ISN'T IT?

EVERYTHING YOU SEE.

SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN REPAINTED JUST TO KEEP THEM FRESH, BUT THESE HAVE LASTED QUITE NICELY FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

THIS GUY ISN'T ORIGINAL, IS HE?

HE IS.

HELLO.

DO YOU HAVE AN OFFICE HERE?

YEAH, YEAH, I DO.

I DO.

WHAT'S YOUR OFFICE?

ARE YOU IN THE FRENCH BUILDING?

YEAH, THIS IS THE FRENCH BUILDING RIGHT HERE, AND WE'RE JUST RIGHT HERE AT 1521.

WHAT KIND OF A BUSINESS?

WE'RE A PRODUCTION COMPANY.

WE'RE MAKING A MOVIE.

SO IS THIS A GOOD PLACE TO--I MEAN, THIS IS OLD HOLLYWOOD.

IT IS.

IT IS.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE WALK THROUGH HERE AND TAKE PICTURES OF ALL THE BUILDINGS.

I GUESS THERE WAS A COUPLE OF MOVIES THAT WERE SHOT IN HERE, AND THIS DOORWAY'S PRETTY FAMOUS, SO PEOPLE COME IN HERE AND TAKE PICTURES.

AND YOU SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT WHERE THE BUILDING CAME FROM.

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT IT WAS THE FIRST ORIGINAL OUTDOOR MALL.

YEAH.

AND THAT THIS IS A SHIP COMING INTO PORT.

WAIT A MINUTE, SHOPPING CENTER SOUNDS BETTER THAN MALL.

OK. HA HA HA.

I GUESS MALL'S A MODERN TERM.

BUT YOU'RE PART OF OLD HOLLYWOOD AND YOU'RE MAKING MOVIES HERE.

ABSOLUTELY.

WOW.

I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

YEAH, YOU'RE CONTINUING THE TRADITION.

YEAH, IT'S PRETTY COOL.

YOU'RE IN THE FRENCH BUILDING.

WHAT BUILDING--ARE THERE OTHER COUNTRIES REPRESENTED?

YES.

THE BLUE AND THE WHITE IS THE ITALIAN BUILDING.

AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM SUNSET BOULEVARD, THERE'S SOME VENETIAN COLUMNS AND ARCHWAYS AND EVEN A BALCONY.

ARE THE RENTS HIGHER IN THE ITALIAN BUILDING THAN THEY ARE IN HIS BUILDING?

NO.

THEY BETTER NOT BE.

IT'S ALL FAIR, RIGHT?

ALL FAIR.

BUT YOU'RE HAPPY HERE IN CROSSROADS.

YOU KNOW WHAT, WE LOVE IT.

IT'S A VERY UNIQUE SORT OF SPACE.

HEY, MIKE.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

MIKE!

OPEN THE WINDOW!

OPEN THE WINDOW?

THERE'S NOT MANY BUILDINGS IN HOLLYWOOD OR EVEN AROUND WHERE YOU'RE, LIKE, YOU'RE SITTING INSIDE, YOU'RE DOING YOUR BUSINESS DAY-TO-DAY, YOU'RE USUALLY IN A HIGH-RISE, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

OH, LOOK.

HI, MIKE.

MIKE JUST OPENED THE WINDOW.

YEAH.

SO IT JUST MAKES FOR A VERY UNIQUE AND VERY COMFORTABLE WORK ENVIRONMENT WHEN YOU CAN OPEN UP THE WINDOWS AND JUST SEE INSIDE.

THAT'S EXCITING.

FRESH AIR.

WELL, NICE TO MEET YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND NICE TO MEET YOU UNEXPECTEDLY, MIKE.

NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.

NOW, WHERE'S THIS DOOR EVERYBODY STANDS IN FRONT OF?

IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE TAKES PICTURES IN FRONT OF THIS DOORWAY HERE.

NOW, I'M NOT SURE WHAT MOVIE THIS IS FROM.

WHAT MOVIE WAS THIS FROM?

THERE WERE SEVERAL MOVIES FILMED HERE.

MOSTLY "LA CONFIDENTIAL" AND "INDECENT PROPOSAL."

BUT I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT DOOR.

THEY WERE POSING RIGHT HERE?

"INDECENT PROPOSAL," I--"INDECENT PROPOSAL"--WHICH ONE WAS IT, MIKE?

"INDECENT"-- THEY WERE--DEMI MOORE'S OFFICE WAS IN THAT BUILDING.

BUT THEY STAND HERE AT THE DOOR?

YEAH, THEY STAND THERE.

COME ON, LET'S ALL STAND IN HERE IN THE DOOR.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT MOVIE WAS MADE HERE, BUT IT'S HISTORIC AND WE'RE POSING IN FRONT OF IT.

THE TOUR CONTINUES.

NOW WE'VE MOVED ON TO-- THE MIDDLE EASTERN BUILDING.

THE MIDDLE EASTERN BUILDING.

AND IT DOES LOOK MIDDLE EASTERN.

YOU'VE EVEN GOT A-- MINARET RIGHT THERE.

MINARET BACK THERE.

GOT SOME BEAUTIFUL DOORWAYS, SOME BEAUTIFUL ORIGINAL STENCILS.

IS THAT WINDOW ORIGINAL?

THAT LOOKS-- YES, IT IS.

WOW.

IT IS.

THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

AND IT'S JUST BY CHANCE THAT WE'RE STANDING OUTSIDE THIS MIDDLE EASTERN BUILDING AND WATCHING THESE GUYS MOVE THIS EQUIPMENT.

BECAUSE WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE THE MIDDLE EASTERN BUILDING IS ALSO PART OF THE ONGOING CROSSROADS STORY.

WE'RE INSIDE THE MIDDLE EASTERN BUILDING.

ACTUALLY, YOU CALL IT THE-- THE MOROCCAN BUILDING.

AND YOU SHOULD KNOW BECAUSE YOUR OFFICES ARE HERE.

YEAH, THIS IS MY STUDIO.

THIS IS MOON WINE STUDIOS HERE IN HOLLYWOOD.

INTRODUCE YOURSELF TO EVERYBODY.

MY NAME'S RANDY WINE, AND THIS IS OUR PLACE.

IT WAS BUILT IN THE SEVENTIES.

WELL, WAIT A MINUTE.

THIS PLACE WAS BUILT IN THE THIRTIES.

WELL, ORIGINALLY, THE WHOLE LOT WAS BUILT IN THE THIRTIES, AND THEN THIS BUILDING WAS SHOPS.

THEN IT WAS A MEXICAN RESTAURANT.

AND IN THE SEVENTIES, GRAHAM NASH FROM CROSBY, STILL, NASH, AND YOUNG BUILT THIS STUDIO IN 1978 FOR THEIR PERSONAL FACILITY WHERE THEY MADE THEIR RECORDS.

SO THEY RECORDED IN THIS STUDIO.

YEAH, THIS IS A FAMOUS RECORDING STUDIO.

IT'S BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.

AND WE BASICALLY TOOK IT OVER AT THE END OF 2009.

AND WE LOVE IT.

WE'RE HAPPY HERE.

YOU'VE DONE SOME OTHER FAMOUS THINGS IN HERE.

YEAH.

ACTUALLY, I WORKED ON THE MIX FOR THE OBAMA INAUGURATION FOR THE ARETHA FRANKLIN PERFORMANCE.

THAT WAS MIXED HERE.

THE TRACK WAS MIXED HERE.

I ACTUALLY MIXED IT IN THIS ROOM.

SO WAIT A MINUTE.

YOU'RE CARRYING ON A VERY FAMOUS HOLLYWOOD TRADITION AS WELL, EVEN THOUGH THIS STARTED AS A SHOP AND THEN A MEXICAN RESTAURANT.

YES, EXACTLY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S A LEGACY THAT WE TRY TO LIVE UP TO HERE, YOU KNOW.

AND RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HOLLYWOOD, THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL OASIS WHERE ALL MY CLIENTS AND FRIENDS CAN COME.

THEY MUST LOVE IT HERE.

THEY LOVE IT HERE, YEAH.

ARE THERE GHOSTS OF HOLLYWOOD PAST--RECORDING PAST IN HERE?

MAYBE MORE THAN GHOSTS OF HOLLYWOOD PAST.

PEOPLE HAVE SEEN ALL KINDS OF THINGS IN THESE BUILDINGS.

SO YOU'RE SAYING THESE STUDIOS ARE HAUNTED?

IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?

OH, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT GONNA GO THAT FAR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN SOME REPORTS OF, YOU KNOW, SOME--THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE THAT HAD THIS LOT MAY HAVE HAD SOME NEFARIOUS HAPPENINGS.

OR AT LEAST THE STORIES HAVE BEEN TOLD.

BOY, THAT OPENS UP A WHOLE OTHER-- A WHOLE OTHER CHAPTER, YEAH.

CAN OF WORMS.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO INTO THAT.

THAT'S A BIG STORY.

THE POINT IS YOU'RE CARRYING ON A WONDERFUL HOLLYWOOD TRADITION RIGHT HERE IN CROSSROADS IN THIS BUILDING.

YES.

THE MOROCCAN BUILDING.

THE MOROCCAN BUILDING, YES.

HERE WE ARE AT MOON WINE STUDIOS.

IT'S A GREAT PLACE.

NOW THE ADVENTURE GETS EVEN BETTER, BECAUSE THERE IS THE CROSSROADS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND LOVE, THAT WE'VE SEEN GOING UP AND DOWN SUNSET BOULEVARD.

THIS IS A REAL REVELATION BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE SHIP THERE'S THIS PARKING LOT.

HAS THIS PARKING LOT ALWAYS BEEN HERE?

YES, IT HAS.

IT WAS ALWAYS PLANNED TO BE A PARKING LOT?

YES.

ALTHOUGH THERE WERE ORIGINAL PLANS FOR A THEATER THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN THE CENTER THERE.

NEVER BUILT.

SO IT'S ALWAYS BEEN A PARKING LOT.

THAT'S CORRECT.

AND THEN LOOK WHAT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PARKING LOT-- THE OTHER PART OF CROSSROADS.

AND NO ONE--WELL, I GUESS SOME PEOPLE, BUT VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW THIS IS EVEN HERE.

THIS IS ALWAYS A SURPRISE, THIS CONTINENTAL VILLAGE IN THE BACK.

CONTINENTAL VILLAGE.

NOW, WHAT DOES THAT--THAT LOOKS RUSSIAN RIGHT THERE.

YEAH, IT'S A LOOSE INTERPRETATION OF A EUROPEAN VILLAGE.

SO WE DO HAVE A RUSSIAN PART.

THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME GERMAN HALF TIMBERING OR YOU MIGHT SEE IN AUSTRIA OR SWITZERLAND.

AND JUST THIS SORT OF LIKE NEAT DOORS.

EVERY DOOR IS DIFFERENT HERE.

NO 2 DOORS ALIKE.

LOOK AT THIS.

THIS IS A WHOLE NOTHER PART, TOO, TO CROSSROADS BACK HERE.

YES.

YES.

YES.

THIS HAS ALWAYS BEEN HERE AS WELL.

THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

LOOK AT THIS.

MOST PEOPLE JUST--WHAT IS IT, THEY NEVER GET THIS DEEP?

RIGHT.

THEY SEE THE TOWER ON SUNSET AND THEY THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

THEY DON'T REALIZE THIS IS ALL IN THE BACK HERE.

AND WE'VE GOT FLOWERS AND ROSES AND FOUNTAINS AND PLANTINGS AND LOVELY PLACES TO SIT OUTSIDE.

THIS HAS ITS OWN AMBIANCE AS WELL.

THIS OPENED AT THE SAME TIME?

YES.

YES.

IT WAS ALWAYS SHOPS AND STORES WITH OFFICES ON THE SECOND FLOOR.

CORRECT.

YES.

WOW.

THIS IS--AND WHAT STREET DOES THIS GO THROUGH TO?

THAT'S SELMA AVENUE, WHICH RUNS PARALLEL TO SUNSET BETWEEN SUNSET AND HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD.

THIS IS ALL RIGHT BETWEEN SELMA AND SUNSET.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OAK TREE THAT'S BEEN HERE FOREVER.

THAT'S CORRECT, YES.

AND WE'VE GOT A LOQUAT TREE HERE.

SEE, LOOK, THE LOQUATS ARE IN BLOOM.

JUST COMING INTO BLOOM RIGHT NOW.

WOW.

AND THIS IS--YOU'VE GOT YOUR OWN LITTLE WISHING WELL.

RIGHT.

YOU'VE GOT THE ROSES.

BOY, THIS IS...THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

THE TENANTS ARE COMING OUT OF THE WOODWORK.

YOUR NAMES ARE?

MATT.

AND?

RYAN.

OK. NOW, YOU WORK RIGHT OVER HERE IN THE RUSSIAN TURRET.

YEP.

MY OFFICE IS INSIDE THE LITTLE TURRET.

AND I HAVE, LIKE, A 360 VIEW OF ALL THE OTHER LITTLE PARTS OF THE VILLAGE HERE.

DID YOU SPECIFICALLY WHEN YOU GOT HERE SAY, "I WANT THE TURRET"?

OR DID YOU LOOK AROUND?

YOU HAD LOTS OF CHOICES, DIDN'T YOU?

WELL, THIS WAS OPEN, AND IT'S PRETTY COOL.

IT'S PRETTY COOL TO HAVE A TURRET.

THAT'S LIKE ONE OF THE PRIME PARTS OF THE VILLAGE.

THIS IS KIND OF BIZARRE IN A WAY, ISN'T IT?

IT'S BIZARRE, BUT IT'S UNIQUE.

IT'S BIZARRE IN A GOOD WAY.

AND IT'S VERY HOLLYWOOD.

IT'S VERY OLD-SCHOOL HOLLYWOOD.

I DON'T KNOW IF THEY SHOWED YOU THE STRANGE LITTLE STATUE THAT IS ON THE LITTLE WALL BACK THERE, THAT'S A GOOD ONE, TOO.

IT LOOKS LIKE A WEIRD GREEK-LIKE STATUE.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF STRANGE STUFF GOING ON HERE.

KIND OF STRANGE.

THERE'S A WELL RIGHT HERE.

UH-HUH.

THERE'S A LIGHTCASE RIGHT THERE.

ODD.

IT'S ODD.

AND YOU CAN SEE IT ALL FROM YOUR TURRET.

EVERYONE WHO COMES HERE TO OUR OFFICE ALWAYS STOPS AND GOES, THIS IS THE CRAZIEST PLACE I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE.

AND THEY LOVE IT.

ANOTHER HAPPY TENANT.

YOUR NAME, SIR?

SHELLY.

OK. YOU WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE AMBIANCE OF THE PLACE.

IT'S AN AMAZING PLACE.

TO BE HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CITY AND NOT KNOW YOU'RE IN THE CITY, IT'S FABULOUS.

IT REALLY HAS KIND OF A REMOVED FEEL TO IT, DOESN'T IT?

ABSOLUTELY.

YOU DON'T KNOW YOU'RE IN THE CITY HERE.

IT FEELS LIKE ANOTHER COUNTRY ACTUALLY, LITERALLY.

ANOTHER OTHER COUNTRY.

YES.

OTHER COUNTRIES, RIGHT.

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ONLY MET A COUPLE OF THE TENANTS SO FAR.

WE'RE NOT GONNA MEET ALL OF THEM TODAY.

BUT I HAVE A FEELING IF WE NOSED AROUND, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF INTERESTING PEOPLE TUCKED AWAY HERE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE, VERY INTERESTING PEOPLE, TUCKED AWAY.

AND THEY'RE VERY ACCOMPLISHED PEOPLE.

SOME OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE DONE SOME FABULOUS THINGS IN THEIR CAREERS.

ALL CONNECTED WITH HOLLYWOOD?

I WOULD SAY CONNECTED WITH THE ARTS.

SO THIS REALLY IS A HOLLYWOOD PLACE.

HAS BEEN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING.

AND NOW IT'S--AND NOW IT'S A HOLLYWOOD TYPE OF PLACE.

IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT--IT'S MIXED WITH MUSIC AND MANAGEMENT AND CASTING AND PHOTOGRAPHERS, PRINTERS THAT MAKE SPECIAL BOOKS.

AND EXCEPT FOR THE OCCASIONAL HELICOPTER OVERHEAD, IT'S A QUIET HOLLYWOOD PLACE.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND HERE IS THE REASON THIS PLACE LOOKS SO GOOD.

YOUR NAME, SIR, IS?

MORT LA KRETZ.

YOUR CLAIM TO FAME IS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, YOU'RE LINDA'S DAD.

THAT'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AND YOU BOUGHT CROSSROADS BACK IN?

'77.

OK, LET'S--1977.

LET'S BE HONEST, WHEN YOU BOUGHT IT, WHAT KIND OF SHAPE WAS THE OLD CROSSROADS IN?

IT WAS PRETTY RUNDOWN.

OVER THE YEARS, WHAT, HAD PEOPLE JUST LOST INTEREST?

IT LOST ITS LUSTER?

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

LOST ITS LUSTER AND LOST--GOT OUT OF STYLE, 'CAUSE THE STYLE WAS MODERN GLASS BUILDINGS.

MM-HMM.

SO THE MOROCCAN BUILDINGS, THE FRENCH BUILDINGS, THE ITALIAN BUILDINGS, THE GERMAN BUILDINGS DIDN'T QUITE HAVE THE CACHE THEY HAD BEFORE.

NO, INDEED.

NO.

HOW HARD WAS IT TO FIX THIS PLACE UP?

IT TOOK A LONG TIME, A LOT OF YEARS.

AND WE'RE STILL FIXING IT UP.

NOW, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE, LIKE, ELECTRICITY AND WATER AND ROOFS AND ALL OF THAT?

OR JUST COSMETIC STUFF?

ALL OF THAT.

ALL OF IT WAS DETERIORATED.

BUT IT'S BACK ALMOST TO ITS ORIGINAL GRANDEUR, RIGHT?

THAT'S CORRECT.

LINDA, COME IN HERE 'CAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE A PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS.

I JUST LOOKED OVER HERE.

LOOK AT THIS, CAMERON.

THERE'S A LIGHTHOUSE OVER HERE.

WHAT IS A LIGHTHOUSE DOING HERE?

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE BUILDERS OF THIS JUST PUT IN SOME WHIMSY, LITTLE FUN TOUCHES THAT MAYBE DIDN'T PARTICULARLY STAY WITH THE THEME BUT ADDED A LOVELY NOTE TO THE PLACE.

AND, YOU KNOW WHAT, THAT TIES IN TO THIS RESURGENCE NOW.

BECAUSE I CAN SEE WHERE DURING THE SIXTIES AND SEVENTIES AND EIGHTIES MAYBE THIS STUFF DIDN'T MEAN ANYTHING TO PEOPLE, BUT TODAY, PEOPLE NOTICE AND APPRECIATE THESE LITTLE DETAILS, DON'T THEY?

ABSOLUTELY.

AND A LOT OF THE TENANTS, YOU'VE SPOKEN TO A FEW OF THEM SO FAR, THEY REALLY LOVE THIS PLACE AND THEY APPRECIATE AND RESPECT IT.

IT'S A WONDERFUL FEELING.

ISN'T IT INTERESTING HOW THINGS COME BACK FULL CYCLE.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THIS PLACE COULD HAVE BEEN TORN DOWN, COULDN'T IT?

AT THE TIME MY DAD BOUGHT IT, IT WAS READY TO BE TORN DOWN.

HE SAVED IT FROM THE WRECKER'S BALL.

HE REALLY DID.

YOU'RE KIDDING.

IT WAS GONNA BE TORN DOWN?

THEY WERE CONSIDERING IT.

OH, MY GOSH.

AND TODAY IT'S AN OFFICIAL LOS ANGELES CULTURAL HISTORIC LANDMARK.

AND ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER AS WELL, YES.

WOW.

WELL, WE'RE GONNA PUT YOUR WEBSITE DOWN HERE BECAUSE ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL OLD PICTURES ARE ON THE WEB.

THAT'S RIGHT.

IF YOU COME BY, YOU CAN TAKE A SELF-GUIDED TOUR OR EVEN MAYBE TALK LINDA INTO GIVING YOU A QUICK TOUR, ALTHOUGH YOU GOT OTHER THINGS TO DO DURING THE DAY, DON'T YOU?

I ALWAYS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT CROSSROADS.

BOY, DOES SHE EVER.

WE'VE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TIME TODAY.

THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE PLACES THAT YOU DRIVE BY ALL THE TIME, NEVER STOP.

I'VE LIVED IN LA ALL THESE YEARS, HAVE NEVER WALKED THROUGH IT LIKE WE DID TODAY.

AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THIS PART OF CROSSROADS EXISTED.

WELL, WE'RE VERY GLAD YOU CAME.

GLAD EVERYBODY GETS A FEEL FOR WHAT CROSSROADS IS ALL ABOUT.

COME ON BY AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.

THANK YOU, SIR.

AND CONGRATULATIONS ON SAVING IT AND RESTORING IT.

SAVING IT FROM THE WRECKER'S BALL.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

OUR TOUR CONTINUES BECAUSE THIS IS KIND OF AN OBVIOUS PLACE FULL OF HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE, AND IT'S GOT OLD HOLLYWOOD.

BOY, IT FEELS IT HERE.

WE'VE STILL GOT ONE MORE PLACE TO VISIT THAT YOU DRIVE BY EVERY DAY, AND I GUARANTEE YOU IT'S VERY OBSCURE.

TO SAY THIS PLACE IS UNDER THE RADAR SCREEN IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT, DO YOU?

WE'LL FIND OUT.

WHEN YOU WATCH THE SHOW.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OK. WE'RE LEAVING CROSSROADS AND GOING TO THE VERY OBSCURE PIECE OF HISTORY, ROADSIDE HISTORY, RIGHT HERE IN LA.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT, CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD IS A LANDMARK.

AND AS OUR ADVENTURE CONTINUES, WE'VE NOW LEFT SUNSET BOULEVARD, WE'VE COME ABOUT 4 OR 5 MILES.

WE'RE NOW ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD HERE IN LOS ANGELES.

AND NOW WE'RE GONNA VISIT THE OBSCURE LANDMARK ON THE SIDE OF THE STREET.

AND THERE IT IS RIGHT OVER THERE.

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF YOU CAN TELL WHY WE'RE HERE.

AND WHILE YOU'RE MULLING THAT OVER, RHETT, COME ON OVER HERE, YOU CAN ANSWER THAT QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY.

THIS IS MY NEW FRIEND RHETT BEAVERS, WHO IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT.

YES, I AM, HUELL.

OK. YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.

I KNOW NOBODY AT HOME'S FIGURED IT OUT BECAUSE I SURE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE IT OUT IF I HADN'T KNOWN AHEAD OF TIME.

TELL EVERYBODY WHY WE ARE HERE IN FRONT OF THIS SIGN AND WHY THIS SIGN IS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S OBSCURE, A TRUE LA LANDMARK.

YES, IT IS, HUELL.

AND THE REASON IT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE IT'S THE LAST OF THE LANDSCAPED BILLBOARDS THAT WERE ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.

NOW, WAIT A MINUTE.

LANDSCAPE BILLBOARDS.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

WE GOT OLD PICTURES.

WELL, THESE ARE BILLBOARDS THAT HAD GARDENS AROUND THEM.

AND THEY WERE FIRST PUT IN IN THE 1920s AND THIRTIES AND FORTIES AND FIFTIES TO MAKE THE BILLBOARDS MORE ACCEPTABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND CREATE LITTLE GARDENS.

TO ENHANCE THE BILLBOARD.

TO ENHANCE THE BILLBOARD, TO ENHANCE THE CITY, TO ENHANCE WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, BECAUSE THIS WAS THE SHOPPING STREET.

SO THEY WERE ALL UP AND DOWN THIS STREET, ALL THE WAY FROM DOWNTOWN OUT TO THE OCEAN.

YES, THEY WERE.

AND HOW DO WE KNOW THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ORIGINAL BILLBOARDS?

WHAT WOULD GIVE THIS AWAY?

THE BILLBOARD LOOKS LIKE JUST A BILLBOARD.

WELL, THE BILLBOARD'S BEEN REPLACED OVER TIME.

THIS IS ABOUT, I THINK, PROBABLY THE ORIGINAL SIZE.

BUT WHAT GIVES IT AWAY IS THIS HEDGE OF OLEANDERS THAT'S IN FRONT.

LOOK, THERE ARE 3 OF THEM RIGHT HERE.

4 OF THEM.

WELL, THIS ONE'S DEAD.

I GUESS WE CAN COUNT THAT ONE.

WE CAN.

BUT THESE OLEANDERS WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF--COME ON OVER HERE--PART OF THE ORIGINAL LANDSCAPE FOR THIS.

THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN A FOUNDATION PLANTING, AND THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LAWN HERE, AS MOST OF THE BILLBOARDS HAD LITTLE LAWNS AND SHRUBS AND SOME EVEN HAD BENCHES.

AND EVEN ONE OF THE BIG BILLBOARD COMPANIES EVEN HAD A RADIO PROGRAM CALLED GARDEN CLUBS OF THE AIR.

AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BILLBOARD COMPANIES, AND THEY FEATURED THEIR BILLBOARDS TO GAIN PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE.

NOW, WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THESE LOVELY BILLBOARDS, ALL THIS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE?

WELL, I THINK WILSHIRE BECAME TOO POPULAR AND TOO EXPENSIVE AND THE LAND JUST REVERTED BACK TO NEW--OR NOT BACK.

IT REVERTED TO NEW BUILDINGS.

PROGRESS, THEY CALL IT.

PROGRESS.

PROGRESS.

BUT THIS HAS SURVIVED.

NOW, HOW MANY PEOPLE DO YOU THINK KNOW THIS HISTORICAL FACT?

I SURE DIDN'T.

WELL, THERE ARE THREE.

YOU AND I AND THE CAMERAMAN.

AND NOW EVERYBODY WATCHING.

BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE WONDERFUL LITTLE BITS OF VERY OBSCURE HISTORY THAT IT'S KIND OF FUN AND POIGNANT TO KNOW ABOUT, THAT AT ONE TIME ALL UP AND DOWN WILSHIRE BOULEVARD THERE WERE THESE BEAUTIFUL BILLBOARDS TOTALLY AND COMPLETELY LANDSCAPED OUT.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND THIS IS THE LAST ONE.

AND THERE'S A REMNANT OF ONE OVER AT FOREST LAWN THAT HAS A BIG LANDSCAPE GARDEN IN IT.

IT'S A NEW BILLBOARD, NEW SIGN.

THAT ONE DOESN'T COUNT.

IT DOESN'T COUNT.

THIS IS THE LAST ONE ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.

THIS IS IT.

AND WE'RE AT THE INTERSECTION, BASICALLY, OF WILSHIRE AND CRENSHAW.

YES, SIR.

SO PEOPLE CAN COME BY HERE AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT.

LOOK AT THE HISTORIC OLEANDERS.

EVEN THE DEAD ONE OVER HERE.

THIS IS PART OF HISTORY, TOO, RIGHT HERE.

BUT HERE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LANDSCAPED RIGHT HERE.

BOY, THIS IS--THIS IS HISTORY AT ITS BEST.

OBSCURE AND WONDERFUL.

IT IS HISTORY AT ITS BEST.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'VE BEEN TO CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD.

THAT'S ONE OF THE OBVIOUS BITS OF ROADSIDE HISTORY.

RIGHT.

AND NOW WE'VE BEEN TO THE LAST REMAINING LANDSCAPED BILLBOARD ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.

THAT'S A MORE OBSCURE PART OF HISTORY.

THE LESSON IS THAT ALL OF US SHOULD KEEP OUR EYES ON THE ROAD WHEN WE'RE RIDING AROUND TOWN.

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING UNSAFE, BUT YOU ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO LOOK AROUND AND SEE WHAT'S THERE BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF NEAT STUFF RIGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S OUR ADVENTURE.

I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD TIME ON THIS ONE.

I KNOW I SURE DID.

AND LEARNED A LOT, TOO.

♪ HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, THAT SCREWY, BALLYHOOEY HOLLYWOOD, WHERE ANY OFFICE BOY OR YOUNG MECHANIC CAN BE A PANIC WITH JUST A GOOD LOOKING PAN, AND ANY SHOP GIRL CAN BE A TOP GIRL IF SHE PLEASES THE TIRED BUSINESSMAN ♪ HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD, YOU MAY BE HOMELY IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM BUM TO BE AN ACTOR SEE MR.

FACTOR, HE'LL MAKE YOUR KISSER LOOK GOOD GO OUT AND TRY YOUR LUCK, YOU MAY BE DONALD DUCK, HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD ♪ [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION] "VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER" IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M. PARSONS FOUNDATION.

WELL, HELLO, EVERYBODY, I'M HUELL HOWSER, AND I SURE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS HOLLYWOOD ADVENTURE.

FIRST TO THE WORLD FAMOUS CROSSROADS OF THE WORLD, AND THEN TO THE OBSCURE BUT WONDERFUL LAST LANDSCAPED BILLBOARD ON WILSHIRE BOULEVARD.

NOW, IF YO