We had the good fortune of connecting with Angie Schneider and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Angie, other than deciding to work for yourself, what else do you think played a pivotal role in your story?
Passion! The most important decision I made was to follow it. In doing so, I have met so many people with the same passion looking for an outlet to express it. The love for Old Hollywood is nothing new, but it is gaining a new generation. Taylor Swift introduced a new audience to Clara Bow for example. Many are collectors of costumes, ephemera, autographs, personally owned items of the past stars, etc. Private collectors are just as important as museums when it comes to saving and protecting the past. We are just the stewards of history to pass along to the future generations. Most collectors want to share what they have with the public but they never have a platform to do so. Social media has helped with sharing photos but it is another thing when people can see these items in person. When you see a costume worn by your favorite Old Hollywood star, it humanizes them and brings them to life. I was able to use my passion to help create a place for this. Also, to fill a void that most museums miss and that is education and sharing early Hollywood and film.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Hollywood Heritage is a 501c3 organization that was founded by 4 women in 1980. The biggest asset of the organization is the Lasky-DeMille barn which sits across the street from the Hollywood Bowl. Hollywood Heritage is also a preservation organization that helps protect and nominate structures around Hollywood. The barn is important for two reasons. One, it is the birthplace of Paramount Pictures and the first full length film made in Hollywood. There is something magical about standing in a place where the Hollywood entertainment industry really started. The barn was built in 1901 which also makes it one of the oldest standing structures in Hollywood. However, many have driven past for years and have no idea what the barn is. Even those in the entertainment industry don’t know how important this barn was in developing the industry they are in. The challenge was to bring attention to the importance of this structure and doing what other museums are not doing, focusing on the early start of the film industry. We focus on the silent area and into the early talkies and up to the 1940s. People love the pre-code era of film! The barn needs restoration so it can be celebrated for years to come. It’s been my mission to bring the awareness of protecting early Hollywood starting with raising funds to restore the barn.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The nice thing with Hollywood Heritage is that we offer a variety of walking tours. I love giving tours of Whitley Heights, Hollywood Heights, Hollywood Boulevard (sharing the history of the buildings) and homes of the old stars. A meal at Musso and Frank Grill is always a must as it has served Hollywood since 1919. A lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel is also like taking a step back in the past. And of course, showing off what current exhibit we have at the museum.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Darin Barnes. He is an agent at Exclusive Artists which is a beauty agency for hair and makeup artists in Hollywood. He too has dedicated many years to saving Old Hollywood and being a champion for the stars of the past such as Norma Shearer. We met when we were at the same point in our lives in which we enjoyed our careers but needed a new outlet to express our passion and a new joy to our lives. We both have the same vision and we are doers and we just make things happen.

Website: the museum website is www.hollywoodheritage.org and my personal website is tinselandstars.com

Instagram: museum is @hollywood_heritage and my personal one for the collection is @tinsel_and_stars

Facebook: Same as Instagram

Yelp: Hollywood Heritage

Youtube: museum’s is Hollywood Heritage Museum and mine is Tinsel and Stars

Image Credits
The personal one of me, please credit Gor Megaera. The image with the barn please credit Chris Schneider

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