Silver Lake played an important role in the formation of the Hollywood film industry. Earlier in this century, the community was the home for the studios of cinematic giants such as Mack Sennett, Tom Mix, D.W. Griffith and Walt Disney. Numerous f ilmmakers, actors and creative talent resided in the community including Gloria Swanson, Laurel and Hardy, Antonio Moreno and many others. The community often served as locations for scores of films, its hills and red-tiled houses substituting for Mediterranean settings.
                            Almost from its inception, Silver Lake attracted artists from across the cultural spectrum but particularly the avant-garde. Anais Nin, Edward Weston and Tina Modotti were among those who lived in the community. It was also a favorite location for Modernist architects with such masters as Rudolph Schindler, Richard Neutra, John Lautner and Gregory Ain designing and building homes and studios in the community.
                             Today, Silver Lake is home to hundreds of film and entertainment professionals. Situated between the Hollywood and Burbank studios, the community is a cultural and demographic microcosm of the greater Los Angeles area and is richly represented by citizens from a wide ethnicity including Asian, Afro-American, Jewish, European and L atino. Its bohemian reputation survives today in its eclectic mix of music clubs, lounges, cafes and coffeehouses, bookstores, and antique clothing and furnishing shops.