Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/83416
LEFT: A crouching figure at 6253 Hollywood Blvd. bears a striking resemblance to Gollum from Lord of the Rings, doesn't he? BELOW: An ornate Churrigueresque facade at 6554 Hollywood Blvd. has dozens of figures—animals, masks and aristocrats. the more than 2,400 stars that make up the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The faces force our gazes upward. Searching them out, we can't help but admire the buildings on which they re- side, their craftsmanship and lines, the bewildering clash of styles that somehow form such unifying wholes. And then you realize—the faces are an invita- tion to a greater consciousness. e Hollywood & Western Building is an apt metaphor for Hollywood's historic buildings. It once housed Central Casting and the offices of the Hays Code and Cecil B. DeMille. It now has a new lease on life. Others have followed a similar script. It's wonderful to see the Equitable Build- ing on the northeast corner of Hollywood & Vine with its offices converted to trendy condos become relevant again. Its array of bizarre faces look to be freshly spit and polished, ready for the new millennium. Which brings us to from street level just one or two stories up. But you'll want a good set of binocu- lars to take in those that preside near the rooftops, like the gargoyles hanging out over the First National Bank, or the pharaohs and eagles glowering from an eighth story aerie of the Yucca Vine Tower, the highest perch of any por- traits. Speaking of eagles, you may want your walking com- panion to be someone with an eagle-eye, the better to fish out the grotesque portraits hidden in the Churrigueresque facade of the Owens Building, a "Where's Waldo?" exercise the best part about the faces of Hollywood's buildings: they must be taken in by foot. Most are easily visible set to swirling masonry. I've counted at least 48 figures in its facade, but there may well be more. Each building offers its own voyage of discovery to the viewer. Sometimes a face will only emerge upon closer inspection, or when the shad- LEFT: Several of these faces jut out beneath the eves at 6765 Hollywood Blvd. BELOW: Below: Another discovery at 6331 Hollywood Blvd. They're everywhere! FALL 2012 / DISCOVER HOLLYWOOD 35