The historic location housed the famous Embassy Club in the 1930s.
It was renamed the Stella Adler Academy of Acting celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2010.
In 1994, Irene Gilbert reopened the school present location at 6773 Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. The building was threatened with demolition to make way for a proposed subway line at the time of Adler's death in 1992. A fire forced the temporary closure of the school in 1991. The original school was located in a small theater at Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle Avenue. Gilbert would remain the director of the school for twenty years.
Together, Gilbert and Linville are considered the school's co-founders, with Adler granting them permission to use her name. Protégés Joanne Linville and Irene Gilbert persuaded Stella Adler to open the academy in 1985 in Los Angeles. Some of the notable names that have passed through the Hollywood conservatory include Nick Nolte, Salma Hayek, Eric Stoltz, Deidre Hall, Sean Astin, John Charles Jopson, John Ritter, Cybill Shepherd, Michael Richards, Benicio del Toro, and Mark Ruffalo. She taught for many years at various locations in Los Angeles and she and long time friend and protégé Joanne Linville eventually opened the doors to the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Argyle. Stella’s long history with Hollywood meant she had close ties and strong connections in the Los Angeles area. The Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theatre The Stella Adler Studio of Acting is not affiliated with the Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles. The Stella Adler Studio of Acting New York City's official West Coast Branch is the Art of Acting Studio Los Angeles, named after Stella Adler's most famous book. Tom Oppenheim, grandson of Stella Adler, is the Artistic Director and President. Stella’s daughter Ellen is the Studio’s Executive Chair.