Discovering Old Hollywood, By Chance, While Restoring A Memorial Mural To Aids Victims By Khola Malik

 As you might guess, Hollywood is known for its cinematic history and culture which  has spread its influence world wide for almost 100 years. In the heart of Hollywood,  there are lots of iconic places to visit, but some of them are hidden from the view of  the casual tourist.  

Last month, Mr. Scott Haskins and his team from Fine Art Conservation Laboratories were busy restoring a famous and important public art mural across from the  Hollywood Bowl and up the street from the ultra-famous (Grauman’s) Chinese  Theater. While working on the 1988 mural painted as a memorial to the successful  research that controlled AIDS, entitled “Blue Moon Trilogy,” eventhough they work in  the Hollywood area a lot, they were surprised to find these previously unknown  amazing historical gems: 

Its, of course, kind of a crazy neighborhood, located only a few blocks away from the  epicenter of “Old Hollywood” where the handprints and inscriptions of mega  Hollywood Stars are photographed by millions of tourists. Tourists crowd the streets  at Hollywood Blvd. and Vine, where the police often block off the streets to  automotive traffic and where so many activities are happening. In fact, during the time  they were there working on this high-profile mural restoration project for the city of  Los Angeles, there were a couple of red-carpet openings for new movies. Streets were  shut down, the mega-search lights were brought out and the crowds went crazy to see  the actors. Although the art conservators never joined, seeing all these activities made  working in the area more fun.

And what is more interesting for a movie lover than discovering the first movie studio  in Hollywood?!?!? Its discovery was a funny story… the studio is located in the same  parking lot that they park in to do their restoration project? They didn‘t even know it  existed until after a week that they were working there!!! 

An old ranch-style building at the end of the parking lot turned out to be the first movie  studio in Hollywood, and the famous director Cecil B DeMille had his office in this  building. Director Cecil B DeMille was famous for the movies Cleopatra (1963) and The  10 Commandments (1956)! Among many other blockbuster, history making movies. 

The 1st Movie Studio in Hollywood 

Once it was discovered what the old building was, Mr. Haskins visited the historical  museum to chat with the curator. Imagine a renown art conservator “talking shop” with a curator of old Hollywood about their incredible stories and who they know and  have worked with!!! Oh, to have been a fly on the wall!” 

And if you have seen the movies Cleopatra and The 10 Commandments, you can  imagine the amazing and the valuable art collection that resulted from those movies. At one point, Mr. Haskins was left to himself (trusted as a professional not to touch  anything!) by the curator and was allowed to explore the collectibles all out in the  open on display without protection!

   

  

Art Conservator Scott M. Haskins 

In 1948-1949, Director Cecil B. Demille asked Norman Rockwell for help in marketing  a new motion picture called Samson & Delilah. Rockwell chose the film's climax, in  which biblical Samson pulls down the temple's pillars, killing himself, Delilah, and the  3,000 Philistines who plotted against him. (Judges, Chapter 13-16) 

  

The Samson and Delilah poster reminded Mr. Haskins of the original work of art 

by illustrator Norman Rockwell he saw at the gallery of one of his clients. 

Anthony Christensen, a friend, and client of Mr. Scott Haskins, is offering this work at  his gallery, Anthony’s Fine Art and Antiques in Salt Lake City, Utah.

This is one of many sketches produced by Arnold Friberg during his collaboration with  DeMille and Academy-Award-Winning costume designer Edith Head. 

This sketched scene is for “Joseph Interpreting the Dream of Pharaoh” also at  Anthony Christensen Fine Art and Antiques in SLC, Utah. 

Friberg's commission to create twelve Book of Mormon paintings was interrupted  when he was asked to assist on the Hollywood blockbuster The Ten Commandments. Friberg created various concepts with DeMille and Academy Award-winning costume  designer Edith Head during their cooperation. 

Taking care of collectibles and restoration questions? Call 805 564 3438 Scott M.  Haskins and Virginia Panizzon, Art Conservators 

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#cecilbdemille #hollywoodcollectibles#samsonanddelilah #10Commandments#cleopa tra#bluemoontrilogy#muralconservation @Scott M. Haskins @Luisa Pari @Anthony’s Antiques & Fine Art