Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Hollywood’s first studio was a barn.
In this episode of Lost LA, Nathan explores the early history of Hollywood, tracing the unexpected places where the entertainment industry began.
At the Hollywood Heritage Museum, he visits the barn where Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse L. Lasky produced one of the first feature films in 1913, a modest structure that helped launch a global industry.
Nathan then heads to the Hollywood Bowl, a natural canyon that evolved into one of the most iconic performance venues in the world. Through decades of architectural redesign, acoustic experimentation, and community investment, the Bowl reflects Los Angeles’ long, standing relationship with music, performance, and public space.
About fifty years later the 50-story Capitol Records building changed the landscape of Hollywood and the music industry. The historic building that flashes Hollywood on the roof in morse code has recorded voices like Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, Sir Paul McCartney and many others – shaping both the skyline and entertainment.
From early filmmaking to live performance, these sites reveal how Hollywood grew from humble beginnings into a global cultural force.
Filmed at the Hollywood Bowl, with the permission of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
00:00 - Intro: LA's Entertainment Hubs
00:40 - The Birth of Hollywood: From Rose Gardens to Movie Stars
01:51 - How a Barn Tells the Story of a Famous Industry
06:48 - Hollywood Heritage and the Preservation of Lasky DeMille Barn
08:36 - From the Daisy Dell to the Hollywood Bowl: A Cultural Landmark Sprouts Up in the Canyon
13:10 - Derek Traub Walks Through the Construction and Evolution of the Hollywood Bowl
17:41 - The World's First Circular Office Building, Capitol Records Tower
23:14 - Les Paul, the Echo Chamber, and Capitol's Iconic Recording Studios as told by Alison Martino
24:48 - A Reflection of Hollywood from the Capitol Records' Rooftop
26:51 - Credits
Learn more at bit.ly/3NNzJ4T
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Donate today: bit.ly/you-tube-donation
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#HollywoodHistory #FilmOrigins #HollywoodBowl #LACulture #HollywoodOrigins #BirthplaceOfHollywood #HollywoodHeritageMuseum #CecilBDeMille #JesseLLasky
Hollywood’s first studio was a barn.
In this episode of Lost LA, Nathan explores the early history of Hollywood, tracing the unexpected places where the entertainment industry began.
At the Hollywood Heritage Museum, he visits the barn where Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse L. Lasky produced one of the first feature films in 1913, a modest structure that helped launch a global industry.
Nathan then heads to the Hollywood Bowl, a natural canyon that evolved into one of the most iconic performance venues in the world. Through decades of architectural redesign, acoustic experimentation, and community investment, the Bowl reflects Los Angeles’ long, standing relationship with music, performance, and public space.
About fifty years later the 50-story Capitol Records building changed the landscape of Hollywood and the music industry. The historic building that flashes Hollywood on the roof in morse code has recorded voices like Frank Sinatra, Nat “King” Cole, Sir Paul McCartney and many others – shaping both the skyline and entertainment.
From early filmmaking to live performance, these sites reveal how Hollywood grew from humble beginnings into a global cultural force.
Filmed at the Hollywood Bowl, with the permission of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.
00:00 - Intro: LA's Entertainment Hubs
00:40 - The Birth of Hollywood: From Rose Gardens to Movie Stars
01:51 - How a Barn Tells the Story of a Famous Industry
06:48 - Hollywood Heritage and the Preservation of Lasky DeMille Barn
08:36 - From the Daisy Dell to the Hollywood Bowl: A Cultural Landmark Sprouts Up in the Canyon
13:10 - Derek Traub Walks Through the Construction and Evolution of the Hollywood Bowl
17:41 - The World's First Circular Office Building, Capitol Records Tower
23:14 - Les Paul, the Echo Chamber, and Capitol's Iconic Recording Studios as told by Alison Martino
24:48 - A Reflection of Hollywood from the Capitol Records' Rooftop
26:51 - Credits
Learn more at bit.ly/3NNzJ4T
Love PBS SoCal? Your support keeps the programs you love alive.
Donate today: bit.ly/you-tube-donation
~~~~~~
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: bit.ly/3wiFfZ2
Follow us:
Instagram: instagram.com/pbssocal
TikTok: tiktok.com/@pbssocal
Facebook: facebook.com/pbssocal
Sign-up for our Newsletter: pbssocal.org/newsletter
#HollywoodHistory #FilmOrigins #HollywoodBowl #LACulture #HollywoodOrigins #BirthplaceOfHollywood #HollywoodHeritageMuseum #CecilBDeMille #JesseLLasky
