The Hollywood Knickerbocker Apartments, formerly the Knickerbocker Hotel, is a retirement home located at 1714 Ivar Avenue in Los Angeles, California. Designed by architect E.M. Frasier in Spanish Colonial Revival style, the historic hotel opened in June 1929. It catered to the region's nascent film industry, and is the site for some of Hollywood’s most famous dramatic moments. On Halloween 1936, Harry Houdini's widow held her tenth séance to contact the magician on the roof of the hotel. On January 13, 1943, Frances Farmer was arrested in her room at the hotel after failing to visit her probation officer when scheduled. On July 23, 1948, filmmaker D. W.