HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE MUSEUM
ON THIS PAGE: In the Oakie Gallery - The Hollywood Miniatures - Planning Your Visit to the Hollywood Heritage Museum - Museum Timeline
IN THE OAKIE GALLERY :
"Hollywood in Miniature" Grows!
The Jack and Victoria Horne Oakie Gallery was dedicated on Wednesday, May 30th. David Sonne, Trustee of the Jack and Victoria Horne Oakie Foundation along with Hollywood Heritage president Richard Adkins, marked the dedication by revealing the sign in the gallery designating the gallery's new name.
Mr. Sonne shared rare footage of the Oakies at their Northridge estate :Oakridge" for the audience.
Jack and Victoria Horne Oakie.
Trustee David Sonne and HH President Adkins.
Following the debut of the downtown Hollywood miniature, Hollywood Heritage was contacted regarding an additional available miniature also by Joseph Pelkofer but not displayed in decades. Donna Gunther of "Surfing Cowboys" sent us photographs of the generic Hollywood Studio which was part of the set. It was her hope that we would add the miniature to our collection. As the second most intact model of the set, we were - and did acquire the miniature studio which is now on display at the museum.
Studio Model photos courtesy Surfing Cowboys.
You may have seen this miniature a number of years ago when it was housed at the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, or before that at "On Location Hollywood" which was a Paramount Studio gift shop on Hollywood Boulevard in what is now the Jimmy Kimmel Theatre. Hollywood Heritage has a long history with these as they were purchased in 1984 by Hollywood Heritage founder Marian Gibbons. Marian had purchased them from Joe Pelkofer, a Hollywood cabinet maker who made them in 1938. More rightly, Mr. Pelkofer had his staff of carpenters make them in order to keep them busy in between assignments. Originally there were several, including miniatures of Grauman's Chinese, the Brown Derby, the Hollywood Bowl and the Malibu movie colony. They were originally displayed in Hollywood, but then went to the Steel Pier in New Jersey and eventually to Mr. Pelkofer's farm in North Carolina, which is where they were when Ms. Gibbons purchased them. They were restored by Landmark Entertainment in 1985, and were at On Location Hollywood until that business closed. They were then obtained by the Hollywood Entertainment Museum, and on display there until that museum closed. The miniatures were purchased at auction by Dan Collins, a musician who fell in love with them and just wanted them saved. Through research, Dan located Hollywood Heritage and asked if we were interested in purchasing them. With several generous donations, Hollywood Heritage did purchase them, but had to store them for several years while awaiting a placed to work on them. Interaction with Kerry Morrison of the Hollywood Business Incentive District office brought us into contact with Robertson-Pacific, who offered former retail store space for the miniature project on Hollywood Boulevard.
The miniatures are a treasure of Hollywood and Hollywood Heritage is proud to be the steward of these remarkable artifacts. Our challenge is to restore them and make them more available for viewing following that restoration. Donna Williams a board member who is also an arts conservator and restoration expert is supervising the restoration. This is a costly procedure though, and any and all donations towards restoration are greatly appreciated and welcomed. To donate, click on the "Donate" icon at right.
About The Hollywood Heritage Museum
Our History and Planning Your Visit
The Hollywood Heritage Museum
in the Lasky-DeMille Barn
2100 North Highland Avenue
(Across from the Hollywood Bowl)
Hollywood, California
Under the stewardship of Hollywood Heritage, Inc., the Lasky-DeMille Barn, built in 1901, was restored and currently houses the Hollywood Heritage Museum. The story of the early Hollywood motion picture industry and the historic Hollywood community is told through archival photographs, historic documents, movie props and related memorabilia. Visitors experience the actual structure where Cecil B. DeMille's office exists, furnished with selected personal DeMille belongings, and where countless movies were filmed and studio staff worked and played.
On December 27, 1956, the Lasky-DeMille Barn was designated California State Historic Landmark No. 554, recognizing the significant role the building played in the birth of the Hollywood motion picture industry. Since 1985, Hollywood Heritage, Inc. has funded the preservation, restoration and maintenance of the barn. It’s the oldest existing motion picture production building in Hollywood, having been established as the Burns-Revier Studio in 1912, and becoming the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company in 1913. The Lasky Company merged with Adolph Zuckor’s Famous Players in 1916, becoming Famous Players-Lasky and merging with Paramount Distributing Company, finally becoming Paramount Pictures Corporation. In 2014, the Lasky-DeMille Barn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. [See the Time Line below for a more detailed history of the barn].
VISITING THE MUSEUM
The Hollywood Heritage Museum is open Saturday and Sunday from noon until 4 pm. As we share our ample parking lot with the Hollywood Bowl, the museum is occasionally closed when the Bowl has an event. If you are traveling a long way to visit us, it might be a good idea to phone first to make sure we are open: (323) 874-2276.
ADMISSION
Hollywood Heritage members: Free (Join at the door).
Adults: $7 - Children under 12: Free
PARKING
Parking is free. There is a large parking area on the east side of Highland Avenue, in front of the museum. There is no entrance facing Highland Avenue. You have to go around the corner either on Milner Road or Odin Street and immediately turn into the lot. If there are parking lot attendants at a barricade, tell them that you are visiting the museum.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
The Metro subway station closest to the Museum is the Hollywood-Highland stop. We are located approximately a half-mile north on Highland Avenue, about a 12-minute walk.
BECOME A DOCENT:
Hollywood Heritage is a volunteer driven organization. Our docents assist museum guests and help with our Barn programs, as well as many other activities associated with historic preservation issues and the day-to-day activities that make our organization so vital. If you are interested in becoming involved, click here.
HOLLYWOOD HERITAGE ARCHIVE:
Hollywood Heritage maintains an archive of historic photographs, documents, and other material related to the film industry and the community. Our archive also includes considerable holdings on Hollywood real estate history and buildings of architectural significance. We continue to seek material related to our dual mission of industry and community history. Questions regarding our archive and donations procedures should be directed to our Collections Manager, Richard Adkins.
DONATION OF PHYSICAL ITEMS:
Hollywood Heritage welcomes donations both monetary and physical objects. Donated items fall into two categories.
For resale in the Museum Store: The museum store contains new and used items. The older items are all donated to Hollywood Heritage and include books on the motion picture industry and its participants, and books on the Los Angeles area. It also includes used DVDs, VHS tapes and other electronic storage of motion pictures, as well as related items. These types of donated items can be dropped off at the museum along with the donor’s name and address so that, if desired, donor recognition and/or a tax letter can be provided by the Collections Manager.
For Hollywood Heritage Archive: These are items that Hollywood Heritage’s curator agrees are compatible with our collection. An appointment may be set up with our Collections Manager. Much of the collection has been donated by individuals and families with relatives who contributed to the film industry and the Hollywood community, often with the goal of preserving their relatives’ participation in Hollywood. We are also interested in photographs or other documentation of any properties in Hollywood, as we maintain an archive of each property by address.
Hollywood Heritage, Inc. is a 501(c) 3 California state non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. We will be happy to provide a receipt for donations for tax purposes.
