Palm Springs’ glamorous connection to Hollywood goes back over a century, beginning in 1915 when the silent film Peer Gynt was partially shot amid the area’s dramatic desert landscape. Soon after, the stark beauty of the Coachella Valley attracted producers of Zane Grey Westerns and exotic adventures. With its vacant land, boulder-strewn mountains perfect for cowboy tales, and sweeping sand dunes ideal for doubling as the Arabian Desert, Palm Springs became a natural backdrop for filmmakers.
One of the first major stars to film here was Rudolph Valentino, who shot desert scenes for his 1921 hit The Sheik. The dashing screen idol helped cement the area's image as both an exotic filming location and a romantic hideaway. After coming to work, some stars bought homes and stayed. Among the earliest Hollywood residents were "It Girl" Clara Bow and her husband, actor Rex Bell, who embraced the rustic charm of the growing village.
Rudolph Valentino in The Sheik.
By the 1920s, the desert's appeal wasn’t just professional but personal. Only a two-hour drive from Los Angeles, Palm Springs quickly became a weekend retreat for the glitterati of Hollywood. Celebrities, studio executives, and socialites were drawn to its reliably sunny skies, healthful climate, and privacy. There, they could escape studio pressures and paparazzi while lounging poolside with a cocktail in hand.
A young Marilyn Monroe was discovered at the Racquet Club.
Palm Springs Racquet Club
In 1927, actor Charlie Farrell starred alongside Janet Gaynor in Seventh Heaven, the film that earned Gaynor the very first Academy Award for Best Actress. Their on-screen chemistry proved so potent that they co-starred in a dozen more films. Deeply enamored with Palm Springs, Farrell co-founded the iconic Racquet Club in 1934 with fellow actor Ralph Bellamy.
Marilyn Monroe & Local Lore
The club became the definitive playground for Hollywood's elite. Here, a young Norma Jeane—soon to be Marilyn Monroe—was first noticed by photographers while lounging poolside.
A larger-than-life statue called “Forever Marilyn” now stands in Palm Springs as a tribute to her legacy.
Charlie Farrell and Kirk Douglas
Many began to purchase second homes here, in this remote yet easily accessible desert community, where they could play, relax, and frolic in relative isolation away from the public eye. The initial influx of stars to Palm Springs started with a trickle. However, by the mid-1950s, an increasing number of Western movies were being filmed in the area, and there needed to be more hotels and homes to accommodate the stars and studio personnel.
Rock Hudson at the Racquet Club
Historic Plaza Theatre
The 1930s brought a tidal wave of Hollywood interest. One key moment came in 1933 when Palm Springs hosted the world premiere of Camille, starring Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor, at the historic Plaza Theatre. That event helped put the village on the map nationally. Robert Taylor became a regular visitor, as did Cary Grant, who enjoyed horseback riding with the local Desert Riders club. Garbo, who valued her privacy, continued to visit Palm Springs throughout her life, often incognito.
Robert Taylor and Barbara Stanwyck at the premiere of Camille.
As the decades passed, more stars made Palm Springs their second home or secret getaway. By the 1950s, Westerns and other genre films were increasingly shot in the desert, leading to a demand for more accommodations. But more importantly, the town had become a true celebrity enclave. Residents and regulars included Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Liberace, Lucille Ball, Zsa Zsa Gabor, George Hamilton, Kirk Douglas, Cary Grant, and Jack Benny.
Movie Colony Self-Walking Tour
Cary Grant and his Palm Springs home.
Many of these stars built custom midcentury modern homes—now architectural landmarks. Sinatra’s Twin Palms Estate, designed by E. Stewart Williams, became the epicenter of his Rat Pack lifestyle. Elvis Presley famously honeymooned in a futuristic home now known as the “Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway.”
Palm Springs also played host to legendary love stories. Clark Gable and Carole Lombard escaped here for secret weekends. Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner’s tempestuous romance played out against desert sunsets. Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz were regulars, and Elvis and Priscilla Presley made headlines with their lavish Palm Springs celebrations.
Renowned architects like Richard Neutra, Donald Wexler, Albert Frey, and William Krisel designed sleek, futuristic homes for the stars.
Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
Frank Sinatra Palm Springs Hangouts: Self-Guided Tour
Twin Palms: Frank Sinatra's Legendary Palm Springs Hideaway
Lucille Ball at Racquet Club
It wasn’t just Hollywood royalty who visited. U.S. Presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Barack Obama also found solace in the desert’s calm. JFK was famously photographed with then-Palm Springs Mayor Frank Bogert at the local airport.
John F. Kennedy and then Mayor Frank Bogert at the Palm Springs Airport.
Liberace's Showmanship
The flamboyant entertainer Liberace lived in Palm Springs for years. He owned several homes here, one famously decorated in opulent style with gold candelabras, piano-shaped pools, and mirrors galore. His legacy remains alive at The Cloisers, The Liberace Mansion, a popular stop on celebrity home tours.
Palm Canyon Drive & The Walk of Stars
Palm Springs has its own Walk of Stars along Palm Canyon Drive, with over 400 stars honoring celebrities, local philanthropists, and community leaders, including Sophia Loren, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sonny Bono.
Today, the connection between Hollywood and Palm Springs continues to flourish. The annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, founded by former mayor Sonny Bono in 1989, brings global attention and A-list celebrities to the desert every January. The festival has hosted Clint Eastwood, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway, Angela Bassett, and many more.
Palm Springs remains a retreat for the stars—not just for nostalgia but for its enduring allure: sun-drenched glamour, stylish mid-century architecture, and the ever-alluring promise of privacy.
