I can't comment for sure on whether your Califorian privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) is the same as your existing hedge, but it looks likely. However, I can say that privet can be cut back very hard to rejuvenate it. You could cut half the stems down to 6 inches this year and half next year. It also grows very easily from cuttings so you could grow your own replacement plants using the trimmings from the cut back.

Thanks, I think I was starting to do something like that last year. I need to have this hedge. I live on a busy road and I need the privacy. I did go around last year and pull out all the dead brnaches and debrie. I went around and cut out older looking shoots, here and there through out the hedge wall. Is that what you are talking about? Also, how can I grow privet from a cutting?

Cut a lot of lengths about a foot long and stick 6 inches into the ground in reasonable soil. Do plenty to allow for duds. Water occasionally and forget them. Or if you want to be a bit more organised do it in pots of compost. You can do it more carefully but privet roots so easily it's not worth the fuss.

Your hedge needs pretty vigorous treatment IMO - at the moment it's a row of shrubs. But what do you want it to look like? To me a hedge looks like the link but maybe you don't want it so dense? Also privet is evergreen here so I might have a different conception of what you area after.

Here is a link that might be useful: Privet hedge

Thanks I am going to try and grow some from cuttings. Does it matter with temperature? I am in zone 6b. It is still a little cold here. Should I wait for summer to try this? These hedges do drop there leaves at some point during the winter. When it gets really cold. That's why they look extra sad.
As for what I want. I would like a thick dense wall of hedge. I know it will take some time to get it going again... From what the old owners told me there was a car accident 25 years ago and a car ended up crashing through the hedges and ending up on the front lawn. They said the hedge was never the same after that,lol!

The second picture is what I would like, but I know that will be a lot of work and time.

Here is a link that might be useful: privet wall

Apologies for my incorrect link. I obviously had something else on my clipboard from what I thought. As for the correct timing in your zone I'll leave that to someone else since I have no experience of your climate. Over here I'd do it any time but you might need to do it differently.