Drive past this unassuming staircase in Silver Lake and you’d be forgiven for paying it no heed. Unless you’re an old-timey film buff, it tends to blend in with the residential landscape. But look more closely, because the famous Music Box Steps are recognized ’round the world thanks to the antics of Laurel and Hardy, a slapstick comedy duo known internationally during their tenure from 1927-1955.
The staircase acts like a main character in Laurel and Hardy’s film The Music Box (1932), which won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Live Action Short (Comedy). The 29-minute film follows the trials and tribulations of the “Laurel and Hardy Transfer Company” as they attempt to transport a piano for a client. Upon discovering that the delivery address is atop a terribly long staircase, the duo tries to carry the instrument up the stairs, and a string of physical comedy gags ensues.
Nearly a century later, you can still find the very same staircase in the middle of Silver Lake. The humble attraction draws plenty of film tourists who like to climb the steps and relive the famous scene in person. It’s just across the street from Laurel and Hardy Park, also known as the Del Monte Triangle, which is one of the city’s most minuscule public green spaces.
Where are the steps from The Music Box?
The Music Box Steps is a public stairway with 133 steps and multiple landings, connecting Vendome Street with Descanso Drive. Look for a street sign denoting the steps and a faded marble plaque inlaid at the base, which reads, “Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy ‘The Music Box’ (1932).”
Find Laurel and Hardy Park at the intersection of N. Vendome Street and Del Monte Drive in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. The Music Box Steps are located at the same intersection between two residences at 917 and 935 N. Vendome Street.