Of course, now called the Hollywood History Museum. If you haven’t - one of these grand ole’ days you must take the pilgrimage…it really is the end. I will never forget it for as long as I live! Below is an excerpt description of my favorite part of the museum lifted from their brochure:

******* You enter through dark marble archways; the small museum is divided into several rooms. They feature hundreds of autographed photos of famous stars (who were also studio clients), Max Factor magazine ads featuring Hollywood's leading ladies, dresses, wigs, magazine covers, a gleaming Oscar (which Max received himself in 1929 for his unique make-up), and glass cases displaying old-fashioned versions of Max Factor powders, perfumes, lipsticks and other products. Plus, there are a few unique items that border on the bizarre...

The original Max Factor studio contained four special celebrity make-up rooms, each designed to bring out the best in women of a particular hair color: one room is labeled "For Blondes Only" (and is decorated in flattering shades of blue); other rooms are solely for redheads (done in mint green), brunettes (dusty rose pink), or brownettes (pale peach). These special rooms have been faultlessly preserved, and are complete with the original make-up chairs, settees, lights, and flattering, multi-angled mirrors. *******

Oh those four glorious rooms, they were amazing…really! They were displayed with the actual makeup of such stars as Rita Hayworth and Lucille Ball, Jean Harlow among others. Displayed there on their dressing room vanities as if they were to be expected at any moment to come in and sit down and continue primping right there in front of you.

The décor of these rooms were exquisite! Also, a highlight for me, you may want to sit down for this – Carmen Miranda’s famous Gold platform high heel shoes and bangles…Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh…swoon!!! She was sooo tiny, they were all just so tiny!

I wanted to move into this museum and become the scullery maid or something…alas, reality had it’s way!

I’m a huge collector of a 15 ½” fashion doll named Gene Marshall by Mel Odom who happens to be a fictitious movie Star from the ’20’s, ‘30’s, ‘40’s, and ‘50’s and there was a doll Convention for her there, which I attended, at the Biltmore Hotel in L.A. and I was lucky enough to have visited this Museum.

Here’s the link to their webpage:

http://www.seeing-stars.com/Museums/MaxFactor.shtml