http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/5...tatler1953.jpg

I don't know why I just now noticed, but the marquee announcing "The Incomparable Hildegarde" at the Terrace Room... My first thought was the German actress/singer Hildegard Knef of "Für Mich Solls Rote Rosen Regnen" fame, but I Googled "Incomparable Hildegarde" and apparently she was another singer; not as cool as Hildegard Knef in my opinion, but that's just my opinion.

BTW Hildegard Knef has her hand and footprints at Graumann's Chinese Theatre:
http://img189.imageshack.us/img189/3...degardknef.jpg
Photo by me

That's my foot there. I'm blocking the date but it's "13 Dec. 51." Her name is spelled the way she was billed in English-language films. According to Wikipedia, David Selznick invited her to Hollywood, but she refused to agree to the conditions of the contract which reportedly included changing her name to Gilda Christian and pretending to be Austrian rather than German. I'm not familiar with her songs from the 1950s, only the 1960s.

Here she is singing "Mackie Messer," the German version of "Mack the Knife," which, originally is a German song.
• Video Link

She also sang in English. I can't find it now, but on youtube there used to be a clip of her singing Burt Bacharach's "This Girl's in Love" live.

• Video Link

Is this where SNL got the idea for "Now's the time on 'Sprockets' vhen vi dahnce"?
• Video Link

Needless to say, there are also some German female impersonators of Hilde Knef.


Going back to the Statler, the Terrace Room and The Incomparable Hildegarde, here she is, I think:
• Video Link

Bah. I'd have rather seen Frau Knef at the Terrace Room.

What the hell is a PercussOwhirl?
 

:previous:


https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_z...degardlife.jpg http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...rdeobit01.html


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_z...hildegarde.jpg http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/obituaries/2002413825_hildegardeobit01.html[/url]
The Incomparable Hildegarde, February 16,
1952--around the time of her Statler gig.


The Statler's Hildegarde died at 99 on July 29, 2005. A few choice items from her AP/Seattle Times obit:

"Born Hildegarde Loretta Sell in Adell, Wis., she was known for 70 years simply as 'The Incomparable Hildegarde,' a title bestowed on her by columnist Walter Winchell."

"'Hildegarde was perhaps the most famous supper-club entertainer who ever lived,' Liberace once said. 'I used to absorb all the things she was doing, all the showmanship she created. It was marvelous to watch her, wearing elegant gowns, surrounded with roses and playing with white gloves on. They used to literally roll out the red carpet for her.'"

"A noted flirt, Hildegarde wore long, white gloves — 'Miss Piggy stole the gloves idea from me,' she once said — and told risque anecdotes while parceling out long-stemmed roses to men in her audience."

"Revlon even introduced a Hildegarde shade of lipstick and nail polish."

"Wise investments and work as a pitchwoman for a bottled-water company, barley vitamins and bathtub device called the PercussOwhirl provided her with a comfortable income through the rock era.

:previous:

Well, after reading that, I guess the Incomparable Hildegarde isn't one to sneeze at.

Still, not really my cup of tea. I wonder who else headlined the Statler.

Great map, gs-- I practically consider myself the Rhodes Scholar of Berekely Square research, having compiled an entire notebook on the street--individual owners and their architects, etc. Imagine my dismay when the West Adams Heritage Association showed no interest in taking a look at it! (Humph, the Nerve, as one of the Three Stooges society matrons might have put it.) Anyway, it's interesting that Berkeley Square isn't yet labeled on a 1908 map (it was begun in 1904). Always find it interesting to see projected or former L.A. street names--Hermosa became part of the southerly extension of Gramercy; Lenox became Ardmore; Church became Kingsley. Other lost names include Grant, New Orleans, and Leoti....

here's a 1928 hills publishing corp map of los angeles centered on berkeley square .

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5176/...e0297347_b.jpg

Gramercy Park?!!!???

:previous:

That is odd--there is, of course, the vest-pocket Gramercy Park just below the site of Berkeley Square, but I'm not sure if the larger area including BS was ever referred to as "Gramercy Park"... could be... but I am surprised to again not see BS labeled, and 20 years later, yet.

I'd forgotten that there was once a Los Angeles Airways that shuttled pax between LAX and downtown, Disneyland and other SoCal destinations.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_z...uY%21~~0_1.jpgebay.com


http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...0808/LAA02.jpg http://viewlinerltd.blogspot.com


Full story here:
http://viewlinerltd.blogspot.com/200...r-service.html

Don Carlos Apartments?
 

Just thought I might ask our little panel of experts here if anyone's ever heard of the Don Carlos Apartments? I've been curious where in L.A. this was. I think Mom worked as a secretary for Utter-McKinley Mortuary in Hollywood at the time, and that French-style building in the background also suggests Hollywood to me. I've never been able to come up with anything more specific than that in terms of location, though. Any ideas?

-Scott

http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...arlos_1138.jpg

Glad you enjoyed it! I sure had fun putting it all together.

-Scott :D

that is the french norman inspired Trianon apartments located at 1752 Serrano Avenue in hollywood.

when i did a google search for the don carlos apartments, an address of 5230 hollywood boulevard comes up. this is located at the intersection of harvard boulevard and hollywood. a block east, and then a block south of the Trianon.....exactly the location of where the photo was taken from scott.

:previous:
*chuckle* I swear, last time I googled 'don carlos apartments hollywood', that link wasn't there! Guess I should have tried again before I asked here. I'm really surprised to learn it was/is on Hollywood Blvd. Reason being, Mom and I must've driven down Hollywood Blvd. hundreds of times, and she never said anything like, "I used to live in that building." She was always tight-lipped about the past, though. Dad was the same way. Unless I would ask a specific question, they almost never talked about their lives before they were married. Wherever my interest in history came from, it sure didn't come from either of them...

Thanks for the info, though! That neighborhood has definitely changed beyond all recognition.

-Scott

In May of last year, I walked around MacArthur Park and took some photos. On the north side of the park is the Ansonia Apartments.
http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/2...sonia51810.jpg
Photo by me

I remember wondering how old the building is (I learned later that it dates from 1915 and was designed by John Parkinson, who did numerous other Los Angeles buildings). But I also wondered if anything of note or tragic happened there, being that they're apartments and the building is old.

Sure enough, on the USC Archive, I found these photos. Apparently in 1952, a mother committed suicide and killed her 6 year-old son by jumping out of a window.

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7779/ansonia1952b.jpg

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/5...sonia1952a.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4...sonia1952c.jpg

Had I known about these photos then, I'd have done then and nows of the entryway. Maybe I'll do that later, if I feel like it. ;)

Very interesting sopas_ej.
A before/after of the courtyard and the entryway would be very cool.
By looking at your photo it looks like the Ansonia has been well taken care of.

That said, I feel extremely sad for that mother and child. :( :(

Thanks gsjansen for the additional photo of the Paris Inn. Even better!

I was at my parents this weekend and found this photo of City Hall. No idea the date or where it's taken from but you can see a sign that says "Kiora Apt." in the middle of the frame. I still don't have the photo album I want to get my hands on but thought this was interesting.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n...7/cityhall.jpg

well here's something you don't see everyday.......(well at least i certainly dont),

color photographs of the lugo house just prioir to demolition in 1951

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/...c8c3a521_b.jpg
Source: LAPL database El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument collection http://dbase1.lapl.org/images/el_pue...112-L-0015.jpg

looking east on los angeles street towards marchessault street just prior to the demolition of the lugo house 1951

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/...f967649b_b.jpg
Source: LAPL database El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument collection http://dbase1.lapl.org/images/el_pue...112-L-0016.jpg

That's a great snapshot Andrea!
I bet someone on this thread can pinpoint the exact location.

I can't wait until you get your hands on that other album. :)

_____

Do my eyes deceive me? A color photograph of the Lugo House....Wow!!
Fantastic find gsjansen.

Just a quick 'shop of that last pic to douse that red and bring out some of the obscured details...

http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/v...649b_b_mod.jpg

re: The area replaced by the Harbor Freeway. I believe these are new to the thread.



below: Notice the Rex Arms lower left hand side. You can see Bullocks Wilshire's tower way in the distance.

http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/4...adestroyed.jpg
usc digital archive




below: The Rex Arms can still be seen...extreme lower left.

http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/9...westalong6.jpg
usc digital archive





below: Looking west on Wilshire from Figueroa in 1934.

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2...gwestonwil.jpg
usc digital archive

The Rex Arms in this photo differs from the previous two photographs. Was there a serious addition/subtraction...or have I screwed something up?

The Rex Arms being suffocated by Harbor Freeway.

http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/6...ithfreeway.jpg
usc digital archive

The beloved Richfield Building with it's 130 foot tower is directly above the Rex Arms.
The Statler Hotel is just to the right (across Wilshire) from the Rex Arms.

Spectacular new aerials, Ethereal.