Palm Spring has a long and rich history of glamorous, opulent living dating back to the 1920s. This lifestyle attracts a plethora of dazzling actors and famous people. Many actors and actresses have second homes or settle in Palm Springs due to its proximity to Hollywood in Los Angeles. The legendary “Two-Hour Rule” of Hollywood studios put Palm Springs on the map as a perfect getaway. Actors under contract had to be within two hours from the studio just in case last-minute filming or photoshoots had to take place. Read on to learn about some of the more well-known celebrities who called Palm Springs home.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo DiCaprio bought singer/actress Dinah Shore’s former home at 432 Hermosa, which was designed by top architect Donald Wexler back in 1964. The home is a chic getaway for the A-list actor, though when he’s not using it, he lets others use the property too. The home is for rent for about $4500 per night.
Elvis Presley
When Elvis and Priscilla tied the knot on May 1, 1967, they spent their honeymoon right in their own '60s home. Elvis carried his bride over the threshold and sang “Hawaiian Wedding Song” from his movie, Blue Hawaii. Their daughter Lisa Marie was born exactly nine months later in the same building. Today, fans of Elvis can tour the funky home at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. daily.
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe’s connection to Palm Springs is legendary. In 1949, at age 22, Marilyn was “discovered” in Palm Springs at Charlie Farrell’s Racquet Club by William Morris talent agent Johnny Hyde. Many famous photos of Marilyn were taken around the Racquet Club’s swimming pool. In the 195O’s, she was a regular visitor to Palm Springs with her second husband, baseball great Joe DiMaggio, and by the 196O’s she had a home in the Vista Las Palmas neighborhood.
Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra, aka “Mr. Palm Springs,” called the desert his home for more than 50 years. The Chairman of the Board and his Rat Pack buddies lived, loved, and partied pretty hard here from the mid 40’s to late 1990’s. He has left imprints on the Palm Springs community that are still visible today. His generosity was legendary, there are stories of him doing everything from dropping extra tip money on floors for unsuspecting busboys, to singing Happy Birthday to random restaurant patrons. He helped fund many of the city’s institutions, a church, synagogue, and a medical center.
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