A Hollywood Story
From aspiring young actresses to glamorous stars, we revisit Dennis Stock’s behind-the-scenes tale of a unique town as Oscars night approaches
In Dennis Stock’s Hollywood, even everyday architecture looks like fantasy film sets. In the town that dreams are made in, the department store girls are ingénues in waiting and even church services are steeped in drama. Restaurant waiters glide through the scene in 18th century costume, as if straight from a movie set.
This photo story is a pit-stop journey through 1960s Hollywood, offering a glimpse into glitzy awards parties and private jets, the secret enclaves of film studios and their ambitiously designed sets, punctuated by portraits of the body beautiful and the homes of the rich and famous.
The Spadena House in Beverly Hills, designed by Hollywood art director Harry Oliver, appears like a fairy tale film set; stars are pictured at home, surrounded by their art and achievements; a studio chief conducts a meeting to discuss important business underneath a mural of his predecessor; an Oscar statue, abandoned by its winner, stands surrounded by glasses of booze and smoldering cigarettes; and a starlet signs an autograph, illuminated by a spotlight. The image created by Stock goes beyond the facades of Hollywood, and yet equally celebrates their glossy veneers.
