Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/44039
American Legion Post 43 H Hollywood history is enveloped in drama, intrigue and glamour. It is the mystique of the place and its legends that truly excite, and nowhere in Hollywood is that mystique more apparent than in the hallowed halls of American Legion Post 43. From the earliest days of Holly- wood, the history of the American Legion and Hollywood has been intertwined. e roots of the Legion in Hollywood started with the men who had gone off to fight what they believed was 'the war to end all wars'. According to Terance Duddy, post adjutant and administrator, the returning men rallied be- hind the idea of establishing an organization of, for and by veterans. In 1919, Army captain Taylor Duncan returned from WWI to work as an actor and stagehand in Holly- wood's burgeoning film industry. He was one of the actors at Lasky Studios and by all accounts, was an engaging and persuasive fellow. He tirelessly campaigned for a post es- tablished in Hollywood that could serve returning doughboys who had come to Hollywood to make their mark on the silver screen. In what would prove to be another in- stance of Ho l l y - w o o d 34 DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD / FALL 2011 Serving a New Generation of Veterans by Shauna McClure Historic photos courtesy of American Legion Post 43. being ahead of its time, Holly- wood Post 43 received its charter several days before the national American Legion received theirs from the United States Congress. Working under that charter, plans were quickly underway to find a permanent home for the Amer- ican Legion. In a touch of providence, screen star and singer Al Jolsen helped make the building that sits regally on Highland Avenue a reality. "Jolsen, it turns out, was a big fan of boxing. He claimed he was tired of driving all the way to Vernon to watch the fights, and suggested to Taylor and a few of his veteran buddies that they should build and operate a box- ing arena in Hollywood," said Duddy. Boxing in Holly- wood was an immediate success and the money poured in. Fights were regularly attended by a who's-who of Holly- wood's A-listers – Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Ida Lupino and Clark Gable had ringside seats. e likes of Rudolph Valentino, Clara Bow, and Mary Pickford cheered their favorites along side blue-collar patrons. "e Marx Brothers used to have a craps game on the floor until they were booted out, " joked Duddy. Using money generated from the boxing matches, the American Legion purchased land near the Hollywood Bowl, and groundbreaking for the building of a permanent home began in 1928. e architects were themselves Legionnaires. Gene and Joe Weston, together with construction expert Paul Jefferson, designed and created the massive concrete bunker. Both Gene and Joe had served as Vice Commanders of the post. e building, with its ornate entrance of colored