Taft Building History

Hollywood & Vine has long been recognized as the entertainment capital of the world.

The Taft Building, located at Hollywood & Vine, was the city’s first high-rise office building. The opening was a major event. It was built for A.Z. Taft Jr. by architects Walker & Eisen, in the Renaissance Revival style. The building was designed to give its owners the prominence on the boulevard that they had earned within the community. Classical ornamentation decorates the lower and upper stories. The architects selected a conservative neo--Renaissance motif, as suitable for an office building of such stature.

“In Hollywood’s golden age, all the studios had offices there” said Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President Leron Gubler. Charlie Chaplin and Will Rogers were among the building’s early occupants. The Taft Building is where many of Charlie Chaplin’s films were conceived and written. It also served as home to such notable Hollywood tenants as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Hollywood Reporter.

The Pantages Theater opened across the street and was renowned as the largest movie palace in the city and the first Art Deco theater in the United States. The industry’s most prestigious award ceremony, the Academy Awards for Excellence in Motion Pictures, was held at the Pantages Theater, just across the street from the Academy’s offices.  

By 1945, Hollywood & Vine was the star-studded center of show business. Celebrities danced the night away at the Brown Derby, Clara Bow’s “It” Café, and Al Levy’s Tavern. They met their fans for breakfast at Tom Breneman’s restaurant, Tropics Café, from which live interviews were broadcast on national radio.

Today, the dream lives on through a combination of new developments and restoration of the neighborhood’s architectural gems. The success of the Pantages Theatre, thriving restaurants, vibrant night life, luxury residences, classic entertainment venues, and quality office space ensures that Hollywood & Vine’s legendary glamour will be enjoyed by all for many years to come.