Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/21555
Literary Hollywood The Streets of Raymond Chandler and Beyond by Darryl Morden H ollywood has been the setting for numerous novels |over the decades, and some have actually used |local landmarks, buildings, neighborhoods, streets |and residences by name or under other names as part of those stories. Some house different businesses than decades ago, while others haven’t changed all that Dahlia murder and led to the series of tours launched by Richard Schave and his wife Kim. Chandler’s novels and short stories about detective Phillip Marlowe tap into Los Angeles history and at- mosphere from the 1930s through the early ‘50s in books such as “Te Big Sleep,” “Te Long Goodbye” and many others, with key settings than include Hol- lywood and the Santa Monica area, along with other parts of the city. Yet until recently, it seemed no one was doing anything extensive, tour-wise around town. Esotouric now offers two Raymond Chandler tours. much other than a facelift and refit here and there. Literary enthusi- asts can park just off Hol- lywood Blvd. and walk to many locales that have been named in numerous novels or were haunts for regional writer. Or, there are tours, especially the offerings of Esotouric Tours, whose sojourns in Hollywood and Los Angeles included sites referenced by au- thors, true crime and rock’n’roll. Esoteric began with 1947project Crime Bus, based the famous (or infamous) Black 16 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / WINTER 2010 Te “Bay City” tour covers his books mostly with set- tings in the East part of Los Angeles especially Santa Monica, part of which was “Bay City” in his tales. Te “In A Lonely Place” tour travels the west side of town, including Hollywood, and not only covers his fiction, but his life working for movie studios as well. Some of the stops on the Raymond Chandler “Lonely Place” tour include the Hollywood Blvd. restaurant Musso & Franks, the Para- mount Stu- dio’s gates and a Chan- dler-themed gelato stop in East Holly- wood, Scoops Raymond Chandler Charles Bukowski