Seventy years ago, filming was ready to begin on one of Hollywood’s most beloved movies, The Wizard of Oz. Palm Springs has a special connection to the making of this classic. Relive the magical journey of Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion as we take you back down the Yellow Brick Road.
Over 50 years, Palm Springs Life has grown up with the legendary personalities, places, lifestyle, and events that give Palm Springs and the entire Coachella Valley an appreciable celebrity cachet.
Famous (and not-so-famous) visionaries created the illusion, says historian Kevin Starr, that in Palm Springs, “You could escape time alongside celebrities who had kept you company throughout your life.”
Dinner clubs and lounges echo the days (and nights) of Palm Springs’ famed Chi Chi club.
Revealing stories of Hollywood stars.
Celebrities have lounged by, swam in, and posed near many
a Palm Springs pool.
It’s no secret that Hollywood’s A-list comes to Palm Springs for peace and privacy, but the area’s most captivating attributes — postcard-perfect weather, wavy sand dunes, and snowcapped mountains — draw filmmakers and TV crews for as much work as play.
You recognize their names everywhere you turn — luminaries who earned their way by helping to put Coachella Valley on the map. By Howard Johns.
Photography by John Waggaman. Holden memorabilia courtesy of Steve Kiefer and Hollywood Memories. It’s said that famed actor William Holden decided to take many of his movie roles for the chance to travel the world and add to his impressive art collection. The Palm
Springs Desert Museum houses many of these significant pieces and is showcasing them this summer. Take a closer look.
Take the Sinatra Tour of the Desert. Visit the sites where he lived, played and loved.