First Fridays at the Museum: Old Hollywood with April Clemmer

Friday, February 4, 2022
Have you ever wondered why Hollywood is, well, in Hollywood? In this virtual presentation, historian April Clemmer weaves together the events that led to the film capital of the world being located in a tiny suburb of Los Angeles originally meant to be a cultured, yet rustic retreat for those escaping harsh winters and city life. With detailed research and archival photographs, April illustrates how factors as diverse as a world war to a last-minute lucky guess led to the creation of Hollywood as we know it today. She will also include Hollywood's use of Catalina Island to represent exotic locales around the world.
April Clemmer is a Hollywood historian, best known as the creator of the Old Hollywood Walking Tour. Her vision is to preserve the stories and style of the Classic Hollywood era by creating experiences that enable others to relive the glamorous past of Hollywood’s iconic places and personalities. April, an avid reader, became fascinated with classic Hollywood while reading biographies of classic film stars. After moving to Hollywood she continued exploring the city’s rich history and interesting locations. Her depth of knowledge led to being hired for research projects, one of which became the Old Hollywood Walking Tour. She also served as a research consultant on the web series "Hollywood Trades." She has been a keynote speaker and given in-person tours for both corporate and non-profit clients such as Hudson Pacific Properties and the Los Angeles Breakfast Club. April founded the Old Hollywood Back Room in 2021, an exclusive membership that enables fellow fans of early Hollywood to connect with others who share their passion, have real conversations, and share stories, memorabilia, and niche expertise. Her monthly Zoom presentations feature detailed research and archival photographs spotlighting classic Hollywood topics. April lives in Los Angeles with her family. Always on the hunt for new details about old Hollywood, she can often be found perusing the shelves of the classic cinema-themed Larry Edmunds Bookshop.