The Hacienda Arms Apartments, a building located on Sunset Strip in the 1930s, was more than just a place to rent residential quarters.

It was known to be one of the most popular brothels in Hollywood. Many of the leading stars of the time, such as Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy and other notable men, were known to frequent the establishment, which was referred to as the “House of Francis.”

The brothel also had a number of female customers, including Talalluh Bankhead, Jean Harlow and Barbara Stanwyck.

According to one writer, MGM studios reportedly had an open account with the brothel, allowing their stars to charge the services they requested while keeping their expenses hidden from their wives and husbands.

The brothel was named after Madam Lee Francis, who was known to have her bouncers discreetly remove famous patrons who became too rowdy.

Spencer Tracy, for example, was removed from the premises on multiple occasions.

Francis was able to maintain a level of privacy for her establishment by providing a stipend to local authorities, reportedly around 40% of the income from her business.

This helped her ensure that those whose careers would be damaged by an arrest on morals charges were absent from the premises during scheduled raids.

After her arrest, Ann Forester took over the operation, and the brothel remained in business until 1948.

The drive to clean up local corruption among elected officials of Los Angeles and the police department led to the brothel being shut down.

However, the building still stands today and is currently home to various offices for companies in the film industry.

Prostitution in classic Hollywood was a complex and controversial topic.

Despite being heavily stigmatized and criminalized, it was a prevalent aspect of the entertainment industry during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

During the 1920s and 1930s, Hollywood was a booming metropolis, attracting thousands of young women from all over the country with the promise of fame and fortune.

However, the reality was often quite different. Many of these women found themselves working in low-paying jobs or struggling to make ends meet. Some turned to prostitution as a means of survival.

Hollywood studios and powerful industry figures were known to engage in the procurement of young women for prostitution.

Actresses and starlets were often coerced or blackmailed into providing sexual favors in exchange for roles or other opportunities.

The casting couch was a well-known phenomenon, and many women felt they had no choice but to comply.

Despite the prevalence of prostitution in Hollywood, it was rarely depicted on screen.

The Motion Picture Production Code, also known as the Hays Code, was implemented in 1930 and heavily censored any content deemed “immoral.”

This included any references to prostitution or other forms of sexual misconduct.