For many people, the history of Los Angeles is the history of Hollywood. As such, there have long been rumors about various streets being named for celebrities. A lot of those rumors are bunk – Talmadge Street isn’t for silent screen star Norma Talmadge, Marbro Drive isn’t for the Marx Brothers, and Chevy Chase Drive certainly isn’t for the comic actor – but there are still lots of streets with confirmed connections to show business.
- Alma Real Drive (Pacific Palisades). For a Mexican soprano who was popular in the 1920s.
- Amos Avenue/Andy Street (Lakewood). For the radio comedy Amos ‘n’ Andy.
- Bob Hope Drive (Burbank). For the actor/emcee.
- Britton Drive (Long Beach). For actress/Long Beach native Barbara Britton.
- Chaplin Avenue (Encino). For actor/manager Syd Chaplin, Charlie’s brother.
- Dale Court (Chatsworth). For Western star Dale Evans, who lived here with Roy Rogers.
- Davies Drive (Beverly Hills). For actress Marion Davies.
- DeMille Drive (Los Feliz). For director Cecil B. DeMille, who lived here.
- Duke Drive (Santa Clarita). This and other streets on this 2004 tract honor actor John “Duke” Wayne.
- Edward Everett Horton Lane (Encino). For the character actor who lived here.
- Fairbanks Way (Culver City). For silent film actor/producer Douglas Fairbanks.
- Fox Hills Drive (Westwood). Laid out in advance of the Fox studio lot on Pico.
- George Burns Road/Gracie Allen Drive (Beverly Grove). For the comedy duo.
- Goldwyn Terrace (Culver City). For producer Samuel Goldwyn.
- Green Acres Drive (Benedict Canyon). For silent film comedian Harold Lloyd’s estate, located here.
- Hackett Avenue (Lakewood). For comedian Buddy Hackett.
- Hedda Street (Lakewood). For gossip columnist Hedda Hopper.
- Hersholt Avenue (Lakewood, Long Beach). For Danish actor Jean Hersholt.
- Ince Boulevard (Culver City). For director/studio head Thomas Ince.
- Lark Ellen Avenue (Azusa, Covina, West Covina). For soprano Ellen Beach Yaw, who lived nearby.
- Lasky Drive (Beverly Hills). For producer Jesse L. Lasky.
- Laura La Plante Drive (Agoura Hills). For the silent film actress.
- Lederer Avenue (West Hills). For Czech actor Francis Lederer, who lived nearby.
- Lorelei Avenue (Lakewood, Long Beach). For a character on the CBS radio drama Big Town.
- Michu Lane (Hawthorne). For Hungarian circus/screen performer Mihaly “Michu” Meszaros.
- Modjeska Street (Silver Lake). For Polish stage actress Helena Modjeska.
- Moreno Drive (Silver Lake). For Spanish actor Antonio Moreno, who lived nearby.
- Paramount Drive (Hollywood Hills). Surreptitious marketing for Paramount Pictures by an employee.
- Pickford Way (Culver City). For silent film actress/producer Mary Pickford.
- Playhouse Alley (Pasadena). For the historic Pasadena Playhouse theatre.
- Priscilla Lane (Burbank). For singer/actress Priscilla Lane.
- Raintree Circle (Culver City). For the MGM movie Raintree County, at a townhouse complex on old MGM property.
- Reynolds Drive (Burbank). For actress/singer Debbie Reynolds, who grew up in Burbank.
- Rochester Circle (Jefferson Park). For comic actor Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, who lived here.
- Rue de Vallee (Azusa). A punny homage to crooner Rudy Vallée.
- Shirley Place (Beverly Hills). For child star Shirley Temple, whose father owned this land.
- Studio Drive (Culver City). For a never-built United Artists annex.
- Tara Drive (Encino). Named after the Gone with the Wind plantation and located on the site of Clark Gable’s old estate.
- Tarzana Drive (Tarzana). For Tarzan of the Apes, created by Edward Rice Burroughs, who established Tarzana.
- Veloz Avenue (Tarzana). For ballroom dancer Frank Veloz and his wife Yolanda.
- Vidor Drive (Beverlywood). For director King Vidor, who owned this land.
- Walt Disney Drive (Encino). For you-know-who, whose daughter helped fund a nearby school.
- Will Rogers Street (Westchester) and Will Rogers State Park Road (Pacific Palisades). For the Oklahoma-born entertainer.