L.A. Woman Tours

L.A. Woman Tours L.A. Woman focuses on the landmarks associated with legendary movie star Marilyn Monroe and 1960s rock band The Doors. Few can make such a claim.

At first glance it seems like they’re worlds apart. But magic happens in many forms and these are just two examples. A Marilyn Monroe tour and a Doors tour take different looks at the city, but are equally significant in their own unique ways. The stories of Marilyn Monroe and The Doors could have only begun here in L.A. and both reflect the times of which they were a part. And yet they have touch

ed the lives and imaginations of millions and remain timeless. Now you can see where and how these L.A. people became global icons.

It’s National Beach Day! As we head out of summer, let’s honor the sun, the sand, and the waves. It would be sacrilegiou...
08/31/2025

It’s National Beach Day! As we head out of summer, let’s honor the sun, the sand, and the waves. It would be sacrilegious to start with anything other than Beach Blanket Bingo and The Beach Boys.
1. Beach Blanket Bingo
2. The Beach Boys
3. Rudolph Valentino
4. Debbie Harry
5. Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart
6. Alain Delon
7. Carole Lombard
8. Cary Grant
9. Grace Kelly
10. Errol Flynn
11. Bette Davis
12. Charlie Chaplin
13. Norma Shearer
14. Rita Hayworth
15. Buster Keaton
16. Marilyn Monroe
17. Paul Newman
18. Cass Elliot and her daughter Owen
19. Neil Young
20. Sharon Tate

TATE TUESDAY: It’s been a while since I’ve posted for Tate Tuesday but this gorgeous photo of Sharon popped up in my iPh...
08/27/2025

TATE TUESDAY: It’s been a while since I’ve posted for Tate Tuesday but this gorgeous photo of Sharon popped up in my iPhone memories and I had to share it. Alan Pappe captured Sharon’s gentle spirit in this 1968 picture.
#1968

Doing anything on Saturday, September 20? Come out and see me introduce The Sea Hawk at ! Watch Errol Flynn at his swash...
08/18/2025

Doing anything on Saturday, September 20? Come out and see me introduce The Sea Hawk at ! Watch Errol Flynn at his swashbuckling best in this 1940 classic film. Set in Elizabethan England, a privateer defends his country as the Spanish Armada is about to launch. The story’s trajectory mirrors what was happening in the real world as Europe was at war. There is also adventure, sword fights, espionage, and love. Oh, and there is a cute monkey. Get tickets at Old Town Music Hall’s website!

https://oldtownmusichall.org

The Wizard of Oz opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 15, 1939, and American cinema hasn’t been the same since....
08/15/2025

The Wizard of Oz opened at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on August 15, 1939, and American cinema hasn’t been the same since.
#1939

This week marks the debut of Sunset Blvd., one of the greatest movies of all time. Dark, moody, and cynical, Sunset Blvd...
08/13/2025

This week marks the debut of Sunset Blvd., one of the greatest movies of all time. Dark, moody, and cynical, Sunset Blvd. is the story of forgotten silent screen actress Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who lives in a decaying mansion on Sunset Blvd. She has created a fantasy world in which she is still a glamorous star—if she could just make another movie. Young screenwriter Joe (William Holden) gets sucked into her tragic time warp of a world. The movie was written and directed by Billy Wilder, who based the story on former silent screen actresses who had been cast aside. Critics have claimed over the years that the role of Norma Desmond was deeply understood by Gloria Swanson, implying that she was a version of the character she was playing. That is shortsighted. Swanson would have no doubt know of actresses like Norma, but she herself had avoided many of the pitfalls of her peers. Gloria’s career did indeed slow down after sound became part of motion pictures, but she stayed busy. She acted in plays on occasion and devoted herself to painting and sculpture. Decades before such notions became mainstream, Swanson advocated for vegetarian diets, yoga, and avoiding sugar. As a result, she remained younger looking and more physically fit than many of her contemporaries. In the 1970s, she promoted her husband’s book, Sugar Blues, and released a successful autobiography.

Happy birthday to Sam Warner! He was born August 10, 1887, in Poland. If you watch movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, or ...
08/11/2025

Happy birthday to Sam Warner! He was born August 10, 1887, in Poland. If you watch movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, or even TikTok, you have Sam Warner to thank. In the early days of movies, they were silent and everyone seemed satisfied. Everyone except Sam. He knew there was an audience that would respond to sound technology if he could only find a way to bring it to the masses. Along with his brothers Harry, Albert, and Jack, Sam helped run the modest motion picture studio Warner Bros. in Hollywood. He talked his brothers into pursuing sound technology and invested in an invention called the Vitaphone. Warner Bros. as a company dipped its toes into the sound market by releasing Don Juan in 1926. It starred John Barrymore, whose name was a draw, and the sound was music and sound effects. Clanking swords, breaking glass, kissing, and music accompanied the drama on screen. It was a success, so the brothers moved forward with the next logical step, which was synchronized dialogue. The following year, Warner Bros. prepared to release The Jazz Singer, which would feature Al Jolson singing and talking with sound that matched up perfectly with his lips. Preparing The Jazz Singer for release was no easy task. As the visionary and the tech genius, Sam worked around the clock night after night, exhausting himself. Jack, assisting his brother during this arduous process, noticed Sam was suffering from nose bleeds and headaches. Soon, Sam couldn’t walk straight. He was diagnosed with a sinus infection and abscessed teeth, conditions that only worsened as he continued to work himself to death. The Jazz Singer was finished on time, but Sam made the ultimate sacrifice. When Harry, Albert, and Jack left by train to attend The Jazz Singer’s premiere in New York, Sam was too ill to accompany them. During the train trip, the brothers received news that Sam had died. They promptly boarded another train to head back to L.A. Sam Warner died the day before The Jazz Singer debuted, but he didn’t live to see his accomplishment. None of the Warners attended the premiere. The brothers’ biggest triumph also brought their greatest tragedy. Today, Sam would live thanks to penicillin.

Never forget #1969
08/08/2025

Never forget
#1969

Celebrating one of the great talents of Broadway and early cinema—Billie Burke! She was born in Washington D.C. on this ...
08/08/2025

Celebrating one of the great talents of Broadway and early cinema—Billie Burke! She was born in Washington D.C. on this day in 1884 to a father who worked as a singer and clown for Barnum & Bailey Circus. As a family, they traveled all over the United States and Europe. Her mother pushed young Billie into show business and she began her stage career as a child. Billie grew up to be a famous and respected stage actress, even influencing fashion trends. She married Flo Ziegfeld, of Ziegfeld Follies fame, and although he was prolific philanderer, she remained devoted to him. She was lured west by the movie industry and found it didn’t suit her, but she remained because the pay was better than Broadway and Flo Ziegfeld was in debt. She continued to pay his debts off even after his death, which meant she stayed in Hollywood to continue working. Although she preferred the stage, it’s thanks to her work in The Wizard of Oz that we know her today.

Some photos from yesterday’s memorial service for Marilyn. It took place in the same chapel as her actual memorial in 19...
08/06/2025

Some photos from yesterday’s memorial service for Marilyn. It took place in the same chapel as her actual memorial in 1962. It was a lovely tribute to a beautiful lady.

Remembering Marilyn Monroe on the anniversary of her passing.
08/05/2025

Remembering Marilyn Monroe on the anniversary of her passing.

Join us tomorrow at 5:30pm California time for Marilyn Monroe’s annual memorial. The Marilyn Remembered Facebook Group w...
08/04/2025

Join us tomorrow at 5:30pm California time for Marilyn Monroe’s annual memorial. The Marilyn Remembered Facebook Group will stream it live.

Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors become the Hollywood “It” couple of the 1970s when they married on July 28, 1973. She had ...
07/29/2025

Farrah Fawcett and Lee Majors become the Hollywood “It” couple of the 1970s when they married on July 28, 1973. She had moved from Texas to Los Angeles to pursue modeling. Established actor Lee Majors saw a picture of the young blonde beauty and left a phone message for Farrah at the all-female boarding house where she was staying: “Tell her Lee Majors will be by at 8 o’clock to pick her up.” She indeed got the message and wasn’t amused. “Who does he think he is?” Then she decided to go. Of all the pretty girls in town, he wanted to take her on a date. (He later admitted he was embarrassed about the message he left.) The first date was awkward as most first dates can be, but soon their romance blossomed. They married at the Hotel Bel-Air in Beverly Hills. Farrah’s wedding dress was designed by Theodora Van Runkle, who won an Oscar for the costumes in Bonnie and Clyde. They loved each other, but they had problems. He was expecting Farrah to be a more traditional wife in terms of cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her man. Meanwhile, her career skyrocketed with the TV show Charlie’s Angels. He also had a successful show, The Six Million Dollar Man. Their long hours on the set kept them apart for long stretches, and their relationship crumbled. Then Ryan O’Neil entered Farrah’s life. Farrah and Lee separated in 1979, and their divorce was finalized a few years later. Lee went on to remarry, and Farrah remained with Ryan off and on for the rest of her life (there were others during the breaks). They never officially married but did have one son together, Redmond.

Address

1660 N Highland Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
90028

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

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