Charlie Chaplin Film Set?
HOLLYWOOD MYSTERY
Chaplin’s French Movie Set?
By Allan R. Ellenberger
April 21, 2009
Is it possible that this quaint apartment complex that resembles a French village could have been built by film comedian Charlie Chaplin as a set for one of his films? That is what Hollywood legend says.
The legend actually has some points in its favor. The apartments are located at 1330 N. Formosa Avenue in Hollywood, which is only two blocks from the former Chaplin Studios.
Another fact in the lore’s favor is that Chaplin directed the film, A Woman of Paris starring Edna Purviance in 1923 – the same year the apartments were built. Could he have built it for that film or is it just a coincidence? I viewed the DVD of A Woman of Paris the other day, but unfortunately I could not find anything that resembled these buildings. If anyone has access to this film, please view it and compare the photos.
So the legend remains — but perhaps someone out there knows the real story of these buildings (if you have the facts, let me know). Were they built by Chaplin for A Woman of Paris – or for any of his films? Whatever the truth, the buildings are an outstanding example of the unique architecture in the heart of Hollywood that hopefully will remain as they are for many years to come.
PLEASE NOTE: This a a private residence so please do not disturb the occupants.
Did Chaplin build this French village street for one of his films?
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April 22nd, 2009 at 12:31 am
Whatever the case, the buildings are beyond cool
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
The land records office is downtown, and i think there might be one in Van Nuys too, where you can track ownership of an address. This would settle once and for all who built the property.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
I would live there, way to cool.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:12 pm
i have heard Chaplin built them so his studio workers would have a nearby place to live. You can go to Bldg & Safety office & get the original building permit.
In the mid ’80s they were in terrible shape & opened to sweat equity tenants.
April 22nd, 2009 at 1:49 pm
This is a very unique “French Village”. What a find Allan. Hope this one doesn’t get torn down!!! A real gem! Thanks Allan for your continuing work on interesting places in LA.
April 22nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
They are awesome and they look quite peaceful, but someone should get rid of that incongruous black flag with skull…
April 23rd, 2009 at 10:38 am
Hi Allan…your timing is incredible! I’m a graduate student, currently getting my master’s in historic preservation, and I’m working on a research project about the Chaplin property. I found your post last night, after returning from — you guessed it — the Building & Safety office. I’m still working on putting all the information together, but if anybody is interested, I’m happy to keep you posted on what I come up with. It’s an amazing property; I hope it gets the credit it deserves.
April 23rd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Hi Heather, that’s great news. Yes, please share with us any information you can on your project. It sounds fascinating. I agree with what you said. Thanks to everyone for their responses. If anything more comes up I post it here.
May 20th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
A big “second that” for Heather sharing what she finds out. Time to nail this down as true or put it to bed for good!
May 25th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
The LA main library has Sanborn fire insurance maps, old LA Times, and old city directories, all searchable online.
The 1951 Sanborn map for the property located at 1328 Formosa is Vol. 10, Page 1076. (The 1919 Sanborn map showed a vacant lot there at the time).
The LA County Assessor online parcel map (for address 1328) says the buildings were built in 1923, which is within the Woman of Paris time frame.
Page 236 of my Chaplin film location book Silent Traces shows a movie frame of the French village set, and a photo of the studio backlot, proving the structures used in the film were built on the lot. To my eye the set was not later converted into these cottages.
In 1987, an “L. Towers” lived at 1328 N. Formosa, phone number 851-8988.
Mr. & Mrs. J. Cook, and 5 year old daughter Priscilla, lived at 1330 Formosa in 1929.
Does any of this help?
John Bengtson
A. Hi John, yes that does help a lot. I still would like to know if there is some connection to Chaplin. I have your book “Silent Echoes” about Buster Keaton and enjoyed it very much. I look forward to getting the Chaplin book. Thanks for your help. — Allan
June 9th, 2009 at 12:23 am
Hi everybody! Sorry it has taken me so long…I broke my foot so the pace of my research has slowed significantly. I’ve pulled all the building permits for the property, and I’m going back to Norwalk on Thursday. I’m hoping to finish verifying the chain of title then, and maybe we can put this thing to rest! Regardless of who built the cottages, they’ve had a very colorful history, and I’ve uncovered lots of interesting tidbits. Allan, if you are interested, I can write something up for you and you can post it how you see fit. This will be an ongoing project for me this summer, so as I learn more I’ll keep you posted. Hopefully I’ll have some news after Thursday!
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A. — Hi Heather and thanks. Absolutely, whenever you have something I would be glad to post it here.
June 18th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Hi there, I don’t know if the person who owns this property looks at this site but if so, my friend lives next door and when I saw these cottages I fell in LOVE! If the owner does see this and if there is ever a vacancy please email me at hiphuggn@gmail.com. I would love to live there! Thank you.
June 22nd, 2009 at 8:50 pm
I’ve been obsessed with this little courtyard for the past seven years. I would REALLY love to live here. I got to go inside once in 2005 — the leaf-blowers were there, the gates were open, and an extremely nice resident told me I could have a look around.
I will keep an eye on the research updates here — everyone’s doing such great work! I have the Silent Echoes book, it is a GEM.
July 19th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
These apartments are called Chaplin Court in the Storybookers web site of John Robert Marlow. He claims that Chaplin commissioned the buildings, which were built by set designers, and that he lived there, as well as (at different times) John Barrymore, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., Rudolph Valentino, and Judy Garland.
August 15th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Hi-
I was told the front right building was Valentino’s, the back left was Fairbanks and the front left was Barrymore’s but I can’t confirm that to be totally true.
I lived in the back building on the right for 2 years,from 2002-2004…it was a beautiful and special place to live with amazing neighbors. Sadly the landlord was a nightmare and did little to no upkeep on such a beautiful property…I would never suggest anyone to move in but it is magnificent to visit
September 6th, 2009 at 12:41 am
I lived in a home in Coronado, California which also has been said to have been built/lived in by Charlie Chaplin, in 1925 (or 1919), and my home has alot of the characteristics of the 4th & 5th picture…with leaded windows, etc. Have you heard of it? or would you like to know what I’ve been told? Or how I can verify the stories? Would love to hear from you…my dad owned the home for over 40 years until his death in 2000. I hope to hear from you. Robin at rsummitt@comcast.net
September 6th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
p.s. Heather–Would it be possible for you to let me know how to start my research on my old home in San Diego area? How to start, etc…I no longer live there, but do visit often.
September 8th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
I have found out the information I needed. thank you for listenting.
September 28th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
A friend of mine lived in that building in 1998. I just saw photos of his, and he posted some info and more photos here:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4281565&postcount=586
June 26th, 2010 at 6:38 pm
Any info on the apartments located at 1234 1/2 Poinsettia pl. Look like french normandy storybook style.
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Nothing yet. Thanks.
July 29th, 2010 at 10:53 pm
My husband and I live in the cottage with the pirate flag, which has been replaced with a more modest pirate windsock, since we earn a substantial part of our living in the courtyard as swordplay experts and fencing instructors. We moved in because Douglas Fairbanks fenced here, and because it was a marvelous place to live. We have confirmed that the complex was built by Chaplin in 1923 as a sort of dormitory for the actors working at United Artists Studios (now Jim Henson Studios) two blocks away on La Brea. To live here you have to be pretty nuts – the current residents are all zany performers, musicians, producers, and actors of one kind or another. Swashbuckling occurs regularly in the courtyard.
August 21st, 2010 at 2:51 pm
Hey Lee! Great to hear you are still in the Chaplin Court! We have moved all over the place since we left. and for the rest of you, who do not know how amazing it is to live there; the Chaplin Court is transformative when you step inside. It is truly another world. holly and I were always happy there, and reflect on how great it was to live there. did anyone talk about the CURSE of the back cottage?
January 1st, 2011 at 3:42 pm
Hi, i am trying to find out about a complex of hollywood bungalows from the late 40′s early 50′s called Normandy or Normandie Village. I believe it was on, or near Sunset Blvd. It can not have been expensive, because we lived there when my family was very broke. There was a fire, probably in 1953 or 1954? i was only 4 or 5, but i remember it, and that a neighbor and i ended up in a photo in the LA Times. i doubt that the complex survived at all, but i would love to see any old photos, and just to know the street address it was at!
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Hi Patricia, the Normandie Village was at 8474 Sunset Blvd. The fire you speak about happened on January 4, 1955 and I found your photo in the LA Times and will post it later this week.
March 14th, 2011 at 9:53 am
i was a new college graduate in 1981 and looked at renting the valentino – it was too far from my work and for the remaining decades i always hoped i would find the place again – thanks for the posts -
April 15th, 2011 at 4:49 am
I’m so exciting getting to know more about this place.
I stumbled upon this through the John Robert Marlow- Website a few years back and was in love.
Until yesterday, when I restarted my research for the building(s) I didn’t know any further from what’s said on the JRM- site.
If anyone has more pictures for me, please get in touch (charlynoa@gmx.de).
I don’t know if I will ever make it to LA (or the US at all), but my fav. destination will be this beautiful place.
Much love,
~charly
(from Essen, Germany)
August 4th, 2011 at 6:39 pm
Guess the current and past residents of this wacky place still surf the web looking for stuff to confirm or deny urban legends and what we know about this place, myself included. Hi Lee! Hi Scott! Hi Rebecca!!! How funny.
My husband and I still live here. Have for almost 9 years. It’s quirky and eclectic. Yes, every tenant seems to be in the art or entertainment industry of some sort of another. The place has it’s amazing qualities, and then a few not so great for various reasons. The otherworldliness of it is way cool. I elaborately decorate the courtyard every year for Halloween and Christmas, I love it. Each year we do not know if we will be here the next, so I can’t guarantee we’ll be here beyond this year, and don’t know if the next tenants will carry on the tradition or not. There was a GeoCache here, but I think it was destroyed.
@John Bengtson: I would LOVE to know the owner and tenant history of this place. Especially the tenants of the 20′s and 30′s. Sanborn maps. Going to have to find those.
@Scott: The curse of the back right cottage! That’s exactly why I’m out digging around! I’m determined to find it!
August 4th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Oh. and the Normandie Towers are by legend the ‘sister’ property to this. Cannot confirm. Would love to know.
http://hollywoodlegendsapartments.com/
November 18th, 2011 at 6:15 pm
THE CURSE IS TRUE AND THE TENENTS OF 1330 AND 1330 1?2 KEEP IT LEGENDARY BEWARE OF THIS PLACE. lahd IS IN ATTEMPT TO CONDEMN THIS BUILDING TILL UP TO CODE