Road Scholar : Home
The History and Legacy of Classic Hollywood

Program Number: 20154RJ
Start and End Dates:
3/21/2013 - 3/26/2013; 10/17/2013 - 10/22/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Los Angeles, California
Price starting at: $1,379.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: History & Culture Activity Level: t (see description)
Meals: 10; 5 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 2 Dinners    
Meal Options: Vegetarian    

Step back in time and study how Hollywood came to be the center of the American film industry. Examine Los Angeles in the time known as “Classic Hollywood” with behind the scenes and educational visits of venues that preserve that historic period and keep the glamour alive in the hearts and minds of movie buffs and casual observers of history alike.




Highlights

• A walk through Hollywood Forever Cemetery relays the stories of stars and directors and the history of Hollywood.
• A full-day field trip explores the shooting locales and landscapes of early Silent films and Westerns including Melody Ranch, Vasquez Rocks and a ghost town. View the former homes of Western film legend Harry “Dobe” Carey Jr. and silent film actor William S. Hart.
• Explore movie-making yesterday and today at Warner Brothers Studios.



Activity Particulars

Walking and standing for up to 1 mile over the course of one day. Stepping on and off motorcoach and tram.



Coordinated by Road Scholar.




Los Angeles

The cosmopolitan heart of Southern California, L.A. shimmers with diverse cultures and unparalleled glamour, but the “City of Angels” indulges more than fantasy. Its cultural institutions are world-class, from the Getty Museum to the Philharmonic, and top-ranking schools like UCLA and USC contribute to its renown as a first-rate center of learning.
Accommodations
Full-service hotel one block from Hollywood Boulevard.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Philip Mershon
Philip Mershon is a Hollywood researcher and historian who grew up adoring old movies. A Hollywood resident since 1986, he worked in the wardrobe department of every studio lot in town —meeting and working with many people he had admired on the movie screen. Mershon's historical knowledge was put to work as associate producer on “Joan Crawford: The Ultimate Movie Star,” a feature-length documentary from Turner Classic Movies.
 
E. Stephens
E.J. Stephens is a Hollywood historian and writer who has authored or co-authored the books “Early Warner Bros. Studio,” “Explore the History of Griffith Park,” and “Legendary Locals of the Santa Clarita Valley.” He is currently working on his fourth book, “Early Paramount Studios.” E.J. is a docent for the Warner Bros. Museum.
 
Karie Bible
Karie Bible is a motion-picture historian known in Hollywood for "bringing to life" the stories of movie stars, directors and other personalities buried in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. She has lectured at Los Angeles Silent Movie Theatre, The Old Town Music Hall, “The Queen Mary” and is the reigning "Lady in Black" to honor silent film star Rudolph Valentino. Karie recently co-authored the book "Location Filming in Los Angeles."
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
  Hollywood, California 5 nights
 Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Type: Three-Star Hotel
  Description: The Hilton Garden Inn is located 1 block north of Hollywood Boulevard, within easy walking distance of landmarks such as the Hollywood Heritage Museum, Grauman's Chinese Theater and Universal Studios.
  Contact info: 2005 N Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA 90068 USA
phone: 323-876-8600
web: www.losangeleshollywood.hgi.com
  Room amenities: 160 rooms with air-conditioning, Hilton Serta Perfect Sleeper Bed, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, 37-inch flat-panel high-definition TV, direct dial telephone with voicemail and dataport, microwave, refrigerator, alarm clockradio with MP3 connection, tea and coffeemaker, iron and ironing board, private bathroom with bathtub and shower, hairdryer.
  Facility amenities: Restaurant and bar; 24-hour Pavilion Pantry® Market, Pavilion Lounge and Room Service, complimentary Wi-Fi Internet access, business center, gift shop, library, laundry service, heated swimming pool, fitness center and whirlpool.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Check in time: 3:00 PM
  Check out time: 12:00 PM


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
4 p.m. Program Registration in the hotel lobby on Day 1. 5 - 6 p.m. Welcome Briefing and Orientation followed by dinner in the hotel. You will be staying at Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood that night.
  End of Program:
After breakfast on Day 6. You will be staying at Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required. A picture ID is required for some entrances.
  Parking availability:
Parking is valet only, with in/out privileges, $30 per day.
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Hollywood, California
  From End of Program
  Location: Hollywood, California
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Los Angeles International Airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
SuperShuttle
phone: 800-258-3826
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$29 for one person, $35 for two people
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1- 1 1/2 hours 
 

Distance:

 

12 Miles
   

Book online prior to arrival www.supershuttle.com These vans pick up passengers on the Lower/Arrivals Level in front of each terminal. Please look for signs that read “Shared Ride Vans” at terminal curbside near the exits from baggage claims areas.
 

Los Angeles International Airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Taxi

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$43-50 per taxi
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

20-30 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

12 miles
   

Fare and travel time vary according to traffic flow and time of day. Rush hour is 6-10 a.m. and 3 - 8 p.m.
 

Los Angeles

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Metro Red Line

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$1.50
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

45 minutes 
   

From the Union Station Metro stop, take Metro Red Line Subway towards North Hollywood Station. From the Metro station, walk .4 miles north on Highland Avenue to the hotel.
 
Driving Directions
  From Los Angeles International Airport Head South on World Way toward West Way. Keep right at the Fork and merge onto South Sepulveda Blvd. Silght right onto the I-105 East ramp. Keep left at the fork and merge on to i-110 North toward Los Angeles. Continue onto CA-110 North. Road name changes to CA-110 N. Take ramp right for US-101 toward Hollywood. At exit 9A, take ramp right for Cahuenga Blvd toward Hollywood Bowl. Turn left onto N Cahuenga Blvd. Turn right onto Franklin Ave. Turn right onto N Highland Ave. Arrive at N Highland Ave on the left. Distance from Hotel: 12 mi. Drive Time: 20 min
  From the East: Take the I-15 South toward Los Angeles. Take exit 109A to merge onto I-10 West toward Los Angeles. Merge onto US-101 North. Take exit 9A for Cahuenga Blvd toward Hollywood Bowl. Make a Sharp left onto North Cahuenga Blvd. Turn right on Franklin Ave and turn left on Highland Ave. The hotel will be on the left.
  From the North: Head Southwest on CA-170 South. Merge onto US-101 South. Take exit 9C toward Highland Ave/Hollywood Bowl. Merge onto Cahuenga Blvd West. Continue onto North Highland Ave. The hotel will be on the right.
  From the South: Take the I-5 North to the US-101 North. Take exit 9A for Cahuenga Blvd toward the Hollywood Bowl. Make a sharp left onto North Cahuenga Blvd. Turn right on Franklin Ave and turn left on Highland Ave. The hotel will be on the left.
  From the West: Take the I-10 East toward Los Angeles. Take exit 7A for La Cienega Blvd toward CA-187 West. Keep left fork, follow signs for La Cienega Blvd North and Merge onto La Cienega Blvd. Turn right onto CA-2 East/ Santa Monica Blvd East. Turn left onto North Highland Ave. The Hotel will be on the Left.
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Arrivals / Welcome and Introduction to Hollywood Lecture
(Thursday, March 21)
   
 Afternoon: 4-5 p.m. Program Registration in the hotel lobby. 5 - 6 p.m. Welcome Briefing and Orientation.
 Dinner: 6:30 p.m. Welcome Dinner in the hotel
 Evening: Lecture: An introduction to Hollywood by author E. J. Stephens.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: The First 100 Years of Hollywood
(Friday, March 22)

Note: Two-hour motorcoach travel. Walking to/from Hollywood Boulevard to the hotel, a distance of .6 miles. Walking and standing in museums for up to one hour.
   
 Breakfast: Full American Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Travel through the first 100 years of Hollywood’s history on the street where it all happened: Sunset Boulevard, with Hollywood historian Philip Mershon.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Go behind-the-scenes at the legendary 1922 Egyptian Theatre. See what it would have been like to be in a Grauman stage show with a visit to the dressing rooms and singers' boxes and discover the painstaking restoration work and the marriage of modern technology with a landmark of Hollywood history. Then, at the Hollywood Max Factor Museum, browse thousands of photographs and items of memorabilia of Hollywood’s biggest legends.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure to stroll Hollywood Boulevard or take in a movie at one of its famous theaters.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Hollywood Legends
(Saturday, March 23)

Note: Strolling and standing on grass and unpaved ground on a guided walk through cemetery. Travel by motorcoach. Ascending and descending steps of a motorcoach.
   
 Breakfast: Full American Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: Spend the day with author and Hollywood historian, Karie Bible. As the final resting place of Cecil B. DeMille, Marion Davies, Tyrone Power, Rudolph Valentino, John Huston and many more, Hollywood Forever Cemetery is one of the most celebrated and intriguing locales in Los Angeles. Walk with Karie to learn historic tales, scandals and mysteries that remain a part of Hollywood lore.
 Lunch: In a local restaurant.
 Afternoon: Continue visiting locales with Karie, to hear the stories of Classic Hollywood. At the Lasky-DeMille Barn, one of Hollywood's first film studios, view memorabilia from the early days of Hollywood, now part of the Hollywood Heritage Museum.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure to stroll Hollywood Boulevard or take in a movie at one of its famous theaters.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: The Wild, Wild West
(Sunday, March 24)

Note: Full Day of travel by motorcoach. Ascending and descending steps of a motorcoach. Walking and standing in museums for up to one hour at a time.
   
 Breakfast: Full American Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: On a full day fieldtrip, examine how and where Westerns were filmed and the history of Silent Films, while exploring the landscapes of early California with historians Kimi and E.J. Stephens. Start at the Autry National Center, a history museum dedicated to exploring and sharing the stories, experiences, and perceptions of the diverse peoples of the American West. Continue to Melody Ranch, the studio that was home to Western films.
 Lunch: At Halfway House Cafe in Canyon Country.
 Afternoon: Drive through Vasquez Rocks, the iconic landscape used as a backdrop for Western films. Continue to Tesoro Adobe, the home of Western film legend Harry "Dobe" Carey Jr. then view Mentryville, Ghost Town used as a shooting location for many films. Finally stop at the former home of William, S Hart, the famed silent film actor and director who produced a series of hit Western movies in the early 1900s. Return to Hollywood.
 Dinner: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Evening: At leisure.
   
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Warner Brothers Studios
(Monday, March 25)

Note: Two-hour motorcoach travel. Ascending and descending steps of a motorcoach. Visit of WB Studios is by open trolley, with some short walks.
   
 Breakfast: Full American Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
 Morning: In 1923, the Warner Brothers released the world’s first “talkie” – a feature film with sound. Learn the historical past and the innovations of the present on the WB VIP Studio Tour with a special focus for Road Scholar, on Classic Hollywood.
 Lunch: Your choice to explore local fare.
 Afternoon: Free Time
 Dinner: Farewell Dinner
   
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles/Hollywood
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 6: Departures
(Tuesday, March 26)
   
 Breakfast: Full American Breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Assembling California


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Description: Another fine book on geology and natural history from John McPhee, this time in the company of Eldridge Moores, on travels throughout California.



Building the Getty


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Cadillac Desert, The American West and Its Disappearing Water


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California the Beautiful


Author: Galen Rowell (Photographer)


Description: Rowell's exquisite photographs are accompanied by excerpts from Joan Didion, M.F.K. Fisher, Jack London, William Saroyan and many other luminaries in this celebration of the nature and spirit of California.



California, A History


Author: Kevin Starr


Description: A lively short history in the excellent Modern Library Chronicles series, written by a renowned historian.



City of Nets: A Portrait of Hollywood in the 1940s


Author: Otto Friedrich


Description: An engaging social history of Hollywood during the decline of the studio system.



Fodor's Los Angeles


Author: Maria Burwell (Editor)


Description: A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining.



Fodor's Los Angeles' 25 Best


Author: Fodor's


Description: A shirt-pocket guide to Los Angeles, this slim book includes an excellent map of the center of the city and essential information on its highlights.



Helter Skelter, The True Story of the Manson Murders


Author: Vincent Bugliosi


Description: his classic of the true crime genre by the lead prosecutor remains the definitive account.



L.A. Confidential


Author: James Ellroy


Description: James Ellroy's modern noir thriller, a densely plotted yarn in the style of Raymond Chandler. Made into a critically acclaimed film.



Los Angeles City Center Map


Author: Berndtson & Berndtson


Description: A map of the center of L.A.



Los Angeles Map


Author: Rand McNally Maps


Description: A map of Los Angeles and vicinity at a scale of 1:285,000.



The Big Sleep


Author: Raymond Chandler


Description: The classic crime novel from the master of the genre. Here is a journey into the dark underworld of 1930's Los Angeles.



The Golden West, Hollywood Stories


Author: Daniel Fuchs


Description: This marvelous collection of stories and essays from Sunny California, many originally appearing in The New Yorker and Commentary, capture the spirit (and personalities) of Hollywood in the heyday of the studio era.



The Love of the Last Tycoon


Author: Matthew J. Bruccoli, F. Scott Fitzgerald


Description: Fitzgerald's unfinished novel about a young movie producer trying to make his name in Hollywood's great studio system. Edited and newly restored from original notes and drafts by Matthew J. Bruccoli, one of the top scholars of the author's works.



The Story of Hollywood, An Illustrated History


Author: Gregory Paul Williams


Description: Lavishly illustrated with over 800 vintage images, this book reveals Hollywood as both the playground of stars and the boulevard of broken dreams, a place that transformed American society through motion pictures.



Wallpaper City Guide Los Angeles


Author: Wallpaper Magazine (Editor)


Description: A stylish, thin (it fits in your back pocket) city guide compiled by the design magazine Wallpaper's local reporters. Well-organized, with chapter tabs, many photographs and of-the-moment recommendations.



William Mulholland and the Rise of Los Angeles


Author: Catherine Mulholland


Description: A biography of William Mulholland, the man who led the project of bringing water to Los Angeles. Written by his granddaughter, who seeks to dispel what she believes are common misconceptions about him.





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