The Hollywood Hills rise and fall like stars in the flatlands, forming the eastern edge of the Santa Monica Mountains and affording plenty of hidden crannies and canyons. Because of this privacy factor, the hills’ proximity to Hollywood itself, and the great views form difficult-to-access streets, many celebrities continue to put down roots here, just as they did during Tinseltown’s Golden Age.

The wooded hills shelter a dazzling mix of architectural house styles, most of them well hidden along a labyrinth of narrow, snaking roads. The residents include rock musicians, brat-pack stars, artist, writers, and creative-industry types.

The hills run almost parallel to Hollywood Boulevard, spilling form the western edge of Griffith Park across Laurel Canyon Boulevard and the area above West Hollywood. To the north, Mulholland Drive presents a physical and social borderline as the hills meet the San Fernando Valley.