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The Battle for Beverly Hills: A City’s Independence and the Birth of Celebrity Politics
The untold history of Beverly Hills and how, against all odds, it remained an independent, exclusive, and glamorous enclave through the efforts of Hollywood’s film pioneers.
If you look at a map of the sprawling city lines of Los Angeles, you’ll notice a distinct hole in the middle. That is Beverly Hills, and there’s a reason why it remains an island in the sea of LA. It’s a tale inextricably linked with the dawn of cinema, a celebrity couple using their reputation to get what they wanted politically, and of course, the age old conundrum of California: water.
For film stars who moved out to California in the early 20th century, Beverly Hills was a refuge from tabloid-heavy Los Angeles. It was also a societal blank slate: unlike Los Angeles, saddled with the East Coast caste system, Beverly Hills’ developers were not picky about who settled there. It was the perfect place for Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks who both came from mixed-ethnic, impoverished backgrounds. It allowed them to become among the first actors to reach ‘superstar status’ through hard-work and keen entrepreneurial instincts—and to keep their steamy affair out of the press.
Today, listening to a celebrity advocating a cause doesn’t raise an eyebrow. But in 1923, it was something new. This is the story of how the stars battled to keep their city free from the clutches of a rapacious Los Angeles and lay the groundwork for celebrity influence and political power. With a nuanced eye and fantastic storytelling, The Battle for Beverly Hills is an irresistible tale of glamour, fame, gossip, and politics.
If you look at a map of the sprawling city lines of Los Angeles, you’ll notice a distinct hole in the middle. That is Beverly Hills, and there’s a reason why it remains an island in the sea of LA. It’s a tale inextricably linked with the dawn of cinema, a celebrity couple using their reputation to get what they wanted politically, and of course, the age old conundrum of California: water.
For film stars who moved out to California in the early 20th century, Beverly Hills was a refuge from tabloid-heavy Los Angeles. It was also a societal blank slate: unlike Los Angeles, saddled with the East Coast caste system, Beverly Hills’ developers were not picky about who settled there. It was the perfect place for Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks who both came from mixed-ethnic, impoverished backgrounds. It allowed them to become among the first actors to reach ‘superstar status’ through hard-work and keen entrepreneurial instincts—and to keep their steamy affair out of the press.
Today, listening to a celebrity advocating a cause doesn’t raise an eyebrow. But in 1923, it was something new. This is the story of how the stars battled to keep their city free from the clutches of a rapacious Los Angeles and lay the groundwork for celebrity influence and political power. With a nuanced eye and fantastic storytelling, The Battle for Beverly Hills is an irresistible tale of glamour, fame, gossip, and politics.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published March 6, 2018
5 people are currently reading
103 people want to read
About the author
Nancie Clare
2 books2 followersNANCIE CLARE has been a Southern California-based journalist and writer her entire career, which includes 11 years as an editor at Los Angeles Magazine and most recently editor in chief of the award-winning LA, The Los Angeles Times Magazine. She has also contributed articles to The Los Angeles Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Review of Books, NYU Alumni Magazine, and Coast Magazine. Clare is the chief interviewer for the podcast Speaking of Mysteries. Clare lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two dogs, and one cat.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 21, 2018
Netgalley # 16
Many thanks go to Nancie Clare, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
The story told is twofold: how Beverly Hills became its own entity as well as the introduction of celebrities into politics. This goes back to the golden days of Hollywood, the silent era of Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford.
LA was the city. Population was exploding and water was running out. An aqueduct was being built, but it would only feel Beverly Hills if it was incorporated. And there in lies the fight. These stars among several others became door-to-door pitchmen against this. Pickford especially was already an impressive name in town. She was funding the Christmas decorations, the fire department, the school, and she did an amazing job selling war bonds across the country. Believe it or not this issue was a hotbed of controversy and was in newspapers as far away as New York. It came up for a vote, and of course, we all know the outcome.
It's Clare's opinion, and after reading this book I must agree, that the intervention of these celebrities lit the fire that "help(ed) them leap into mainstream local, regional, and eventually national politics." They learned "to make politics work for them", and they were successful at it. Slowly these famous names began running for mayor, then Congress, finally POTUS. Newfound influence is a powerful feeling. Troup did a great job telling the story.
Many thanks go to Nancie Clare, St. Martin’s Press, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.
The story told is twofold: how Beverly Hills became its own entity as well as the introduction of celebrities into politics. This goes back to the golden days of Hollywood, the silent era of Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford.
LA was the city. Population was exploding and water was running out. An aqueduct was being built, but it would only feel Beverly Hills if it was incorporated. And there in lies the fight. These stars among several others became door-to-door pitchmen against this. Pickford especially was already an impressive name in town. She was funding the Christmas decorations, the fire department, the school, and she did an amazing job selling war bonds across the country. Believe it or not this issue was a hotbed of controversy and was in newspapers as far away as New York. It came up for a vote, and of course, we all know the outcome.
It's Clare's opinion, and after reading this book I must agree, that the intervention of these celebrities lit the fire that "help(ed) them leap into mainstream local, regional, and eventually national politics." They learned "to make politics work for them", and they were successful at it. Slowly these famous names began running for mayor, then Congress, finally POTUS. Newfound influence is a powerful feeling. Troup did a great job telling the story.
November 28, 2017
I received a galley of this book via Netgalley; it won't be released until March 2018.
I have been reading a lot about Hollywood in the 1920s of late, much of that revolving around Mary Pickford, in both fiction and nonfiction. Clare's focus is on one particular battle in the 1920s: that of Beverly Hills to maintain its independence from Los Angeles. At heart, the issue was about water. Los Angeles had it in abundance, thanks to its aqueduct, which Beverly Hills could only access if it permitted annexation. But that would have come at a cost: LA was much stricter--and more corrupt--in its policing during the Prohibition. The unusual beauty of Beverly Hills, with its curvy, tree-lined streets, would have likely been forfeit, along with the abundant overuse of waterfalls, fountains, and non-native plants on many of the palatial grounds of the newly-rich stars.
About half of the book is about background material: the growing popularity of "flickers," the affair and marriage of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and the incredible sway that had when they combined forces with Charlie Chaplin for a World War I war bonds tour. That same sway was important in maintaining independence for their city, in a contentious debate that included a newspaper office receiving a bomb.
Clare makes a case that Pickford's might established how politicians have wielded incredible political clout over the years, citing people from Sonny Bono to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Donald Trump. The latter example feels like a leap to me, but she does raise an interesting point. If Pickford had lost face, if Los Angeles had developed in a different way, how would that have changed the perception of celebrities engaging in politics?
I recommend this book to anyone interested in early Hollywood and Los Angeles, or the study of celebrity culture. It's curious to me that several books are coming out right now about Mary Pickford, a century after the "Girl with the Curls" became the world's first star, and I am enjoying the trend. She's a fascinating woman who lived in a fascinating time.
I have been reading a lot about Hollywood in the 1920s of late, much of that revolving around Mary Pickford, in both fiction and nonfiction. Clare's focus is on one particular battle in the 1920s: that of Beverly Hills to maintain its independence from Los Angeles. At heart, the issue was about water. Los Angeles had it in abundance, thanks to its aqueduct, which Beverly Hills could only access if it permitted annexation. But that would have come at a cost: LA was much stricter--and more corrupt--in its policing during the Prohibition. The unusual beauty of Beverly Hills, with its curvy, tree-lined streets, would have likely been forfeit, along with the abundant overuse of waterfalls, fountains, and non-native plants on many of the palatial grounds of the newly-rich stars.
About half of the book is about background material: the growing popularity of "flickers," the affair and marriage of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, and the incredible sway that had when they combined forces with Charlie Chaplin for a World War I war bonds tour. That same sway was important in maintaining independence for their city, in a contentious debate that included a newspaper office receiving a bomb.
Clare makes a case that Pickford's might established how politicians have wielded incredible political clout over the years, citing people from Sonny Bono to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Donald Trump. The latter example feels like a leap to me, but she does raise an interesting point. If Pickford had lost face, if Los Angeles had developed in a different way, how would that have changed the perception of celebrities engaging in politics?
I recommend this book to anyone interested in early Hollywood and Los Angeles, or the study of celebrity culture. It's curious to me that several books are coming out right now about Mary Pickford, a century after the "Girl with the Curls" became the world's first star, and I am enjoying the trend. She's a fascinating woman who lived in a fascinating time.
February 4, 2018
This was an informative and in depth account of the fight to keep Beverly Hills a stand alone city in the early 20th century. It was also a reflection on celebrity status and what that means, what kind of responsibility it entails.
I found the book interesting, and added a few more books about this era in American history to my TBR because of it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Nancie Clare, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I found the book interesting, and added a few more books about this era in American history to my TBR because of it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Nancie Clare, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 11, 2017
While on a map it looks like the city of Los Angeles is a giant amoeba that has engulfed everything in the county, there is an island in the middle of it that stands out: Beverly Hills is an incorporated city to this day. It had not existed for very many years as a city (it was originally a lima bean farm) when it was proposed that it be annexed by Los Angeles- the denizens of Beverly Hills had huge gardens with water hungry plantings and the small well in city property wasn’t keeping up with demands. Allowing themselves to be annexed by LA would give them access to the Owens Valley water that was making Los Angeles green. But it would also mean they could no longer have their own school system and police force. In Prohibition Era Beverly Hills, having police that turned a blind eye to booze fueled parties was a very nice perk.
Not all Beverly Hills denizens wanted or needed these perks, and developers were dying to put in more housing but needed a good water source to do so. So it was put up to a vote. This was when the first instance of celebrity campaigning took place. Mary Pickford (and others, but she was the main one) took to speaking for remaining a separate city heavily. And it worked. This started the habit of Hollywood stars speaking out for politicians and issues.
The book is fairly short, and if you are into early century southern California history, it is fun. The celebrities, the horribly corrupt LA police force, the development of what Beverly Hills was going to look like; it all made its mark on the area. Well written. Four out of five stars.
Not all Beverly Hills denizens wanted or needed these perks, and developers were dying to put in more housing but needed a good water source to do so. So it was put up to a vote. This was when the first instance of celebrity campaigning took place. Mary Pickford (and others, but she was the main one) took to speaking for remaining a separate city heavily. And it worked. This started the habit of Hollywood stars speaking out for politicians and issues.
The book is fairly short, and if you are into early century southern California history, it is fun. The celebrities, the horribly corrupt LA police force, the development of what Beverly Hills was going to look like; it all made its mark on the area. Well written. Four out of five stars.
March 8, 2018
I knew very little about California history before I read The Battle for Beverly Hills. Certainly nothing about how important Beverly Hills came to be. Books about movies stars of the silent era that include the history of a place - I'm hooked. And I was. From the beginning, Beverly Hills was fought over - for location, for water, for power. The movies stars, just starting to develop into the powerful movers and shakers that we are familiar with, held my attention with WWI bond tours and their political voices being heard. Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, this was a revelation for me and I read way past my bedtime. The writing pace and the voice were well balanced. It was easy to give this read five stars.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
My thanks to the publisher St. Martin's and to NetGalley for giving me an advance reading copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 22, 2018
Until I read @Nova Jacobs book page, I didn't realize that I could review my own book. So, that's definitely cool. What I like about this story is the reason I wrote the book: how, when and why did celebrities enter the political arena? What were the conditions that made our society ripe for celebrities to embrace political causes? It wasn't just one thing, but an intersection of many factors. The emergence of movie stars, specifically Mary Pickford; the birth of Beverly Hills, a small city on the western edge of Los Angeles; the opening of William Mulholland's Los Angeles Aqueduct that brought water to LA, but not to any of the other cities in the region; and the overall turmoil of the 1920s.
April 17, 2018
If you love history and old movie stars, you will love this book. Especially interesting if you are from California. Well researched. I learned a lot from this book and not only live in California but have been a silent movie buff for ages. This is an easy 4 stars. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
June 18, 2018
A well-researched and fascinating book about a little-known piece of Los Angeles and film history. About the very beginning of the movie-star intersection with politics, the book deals with the fight to keep Beverly Hills an independent city from L.A. Replete with sex, organized crime and even a newspaper bombing, it is a story I'll long remember. Clare does a great job of putting the often confusing, often hilarious story, in a proper historical perspective. Recommended.
Read
January 18, 2019I found this a really interesting study of the cult of celebrity - a topic that fascinates and repulses me in equal measure. It all began with Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks - the Brangelina of their time - and the quest to keep Beverly Hills elite and independent. They were the first to bank on celebrity fame to promote a political cause - and more's the benefit and the pity to us contemporary citizens as a result... It was very interesting to see how it all began - both the city of BH and the larger concept of exponentially morphing face- and name-recognition into political power. The writing is clear and engaging and there was just enough behind-the-scenes early Hollywood (and pre-Hollywood) movie history to nicely balance the geography lesson about the settlement of Southern California and its battles for water, financial independence, and power (both personal and political).
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
My review copy was provided by NetGalley.
April 23, 2025
"If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it. The more things you do, the more you can do." -Lucille Ball
What they did was so successful that it became a model for generations of celebrities to intervene in political causes that caught their fancy or in which they had a vested interest." -Nancie Clare
With everything from a newspaper publisher being bombed to the luxurious private lives of celebrities, this is a compelling book that has much the same vibe as "Bohemian Los Angeles". Although it uses a fair amount of hyperbole in its tracing of the early involvement of celebrities in politics, the real appeal that I found in it was in being a deep history of Beverly Hills, a city in which I have spent ample time. World War One war bonds, early film industry patent avoidance, and the discrimination against entertainment people in early Los Angeles were all covered with detail that I never knew. Trying to see this as a thesis relating to Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan feels a little lighter, despite being the author's intention, but that doesn't make it any less of a strong work of history.
What they did was so successful that it became a model for generations of celebrities to intervene in political causes that caught their fancy or in which they had a vested interest." -Nancie Clare
With everything from a newspaper publisher being bombed to the luxurious private lives of celebrities, this is a compelling book that has much the same vibe as "Bohemian Los Angeles". Although it uses a fair amount of hyperbole in its tracing of the early involvement of celebrities in politics, the real appeal that I found in it was in being a deep history of Beverly Hills, a city in which I have spent ample time. World War One war bonds, early film industry patent avoidance, and the discrimination against entertainment people in early Los Angeles were all covered with detail that I never knew. Trying to see this as a thesis relating to Donald Trump or Ronald Reagan feels a little lighter, despite being the author's intention, but that doesn't make it any less of a strong work of history.
September 4, 2018
In the 19th century, suburbs were usually pretty eager to be annexed by central cities, so they could get municipal services. In 1923, a water company tried to persuade residents of Beverly Hills to accept annexation by Los Angeles, in order to get a more dependable water supply. Beverly Hills voted no, and the anti-annexation effort was led by Mary Pickford and other movie stars. This book explains why.
At the time, Beverly Hills was much less populated than it is today, and apparently more dominated by movie stars' estate homes. The stars and their rich neighbors wanted exclusive control over zoning- but Clare makes it clear that other, more idiosyncratic reasons were important too. Beverly Hills had a very small police force which had a good relationship with the Hollywood elite; actors and actresses might have thought that the Beverly Hills police might be more interested in hushing up scandal than the bigger,more corrupt Los Angeles police. Also, Los Angeles had incurred a significant amount of debt, and Beverly Hills residents were worried about higher taxes.
December 12, 2022
This had the most interesting last sentence in a book that I have read in awhile, particularly as it relates to the founding of Beverly Hills. Some parts could have been filtered out. In fairness to Mary Pickford, Clare could also include “Douglas Fairbanks” in that last sentence.
Sadly, the antisemitic overtures in the origins of Hollywood and surrounding areas were just as gross as they are today. Very cool story if you’re into pop culture as I am.
Sadly, the antisemitic overtures in the origins of Hollywood and surrounding areas were just as gross as they are today. Very cool story if you’re into pop culture as I am.
September 9, 2018
This was really interesting. I didn't realize the strong women responsible.
March 6, 2025
Fascinating, fast-paced, and meticulously researched, The Battle for Beverly Hills reads like Hollywood noir meets a high-stakes legal thriller—except every bit of it actually happened. Nancie Clare unspools the gripping story of how Beverly Hills almost got swallowed up by L.A., and the rich, famous, and wildly determined folks who fought to keep it independent. There are movie moguls, oil tycoons, and celebrity elites, all vying for control of what would become one of the most famous zip codes in the world. And Mary Pickford—who knew she played such a pivotal role in all this? Not me, until now.
If you love Hollywood history, power struggles, or just a nonfiction book that reads like a page-turning drama, this one’s a must. Highly recommended!
If you love Hollywood history, power struggles, or just a nonfiction book that reads like a page-turning drama, this one’s a must. Highly recommended!
April 22, 2020
An interesting footnote of local Southern California history. There is a lot of backstory before the final punchline is reached. The point is clearly made however, that celebrity can be a powerful tool for a wannabe politician.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews