noirish Los Angeles

[riichkay]

As long as e_r has us in Long Beach....




500 block of E. Ocean Blvd., 1958

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Let's travel down to Long Beach in search of the Doll Hospital.



eBay

There are a few clues if you look closely.




The name of the hotel might be at the top of the blade sign.



There appears to be an Italian restaurant specializing in Ravioli in the distance. ..wink



Hmm. .the name of the hotel might be longer than what's written at the top of the blade sign. (see below)




Now, about those sick dolls.

We're looking at the 200 block of E 4th Street (as seen on the awning on the left).

The 1937 CD lists Frances Chappel's Doll Hospital at 229 E 4th Street. Going by the same CD, 225 E 4th was Rowe & Son, Hat Cleaners, 227 E 4th was Howard B Lathrom, Watch Repairers, 233 E 4th Street was the Hotel Flo-Ednor, and 235 E 4th was Labor News (Weekly).

In later years, 229 E 4th Street became Richie's Luggage and Repair Shop (1948), Rod's Magic Shop (1951/52) and The Humidor (1955).

The Rivoli sign belonged to the Rivoli Theatre at 525 American Avenue (now Long Beach Boulevard). There are a couple of pictures of its marquee at cinematreasures.org.

[ethereal_reality]

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I was so concentrated on the Doll Hospital I didn't notice the street address on the awning.

Thanks for digging up the information, Hoss . . and those are great color photographs, riichkay
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[ScottyB]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Hmm. .the name of the hotel might be longer than what's written at the top of the blade sign. (see below)




Now, about those sick dolls.


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Hotel Figueroa

[AlvaroLegido]

Originally Posted by riichkay

As long as e_r has us in Long Beach....




500 block of E. Ocean Blvd., 1958

1958 ? Mmm... the cars look early 1950s

[HossC]

Glenn Ford's 'Imitation General' was released in 1958 (see the marquee).

[ethereal_reality]

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Originally Posted by Snix

A color photo of the St. Francis Hotel at 5533 Hollywood Blvd. in the late 60s? is on eBay. I only found one post about the St. Francis, which is now the Gershwin apartments.
Didn't Kenneth Anger used to live here?

eBay seller bop67

I loved your before and after photographs, Snix.



There are a couple of things that I've never noticed about the old St. Francis Hotel / Apartments.

For instance, the 'appendage' (wing?) sticking out in the back on the east side.



It's virtually impossible to see it from any angle. (especial after the Marshall's store was built directly to the east)


I thought perhaps it was an addition (annex?) but I see it is original to the building. (see below)


LATimes JHGraham

Another thing I didn't know was that the hotel's garage was located on the opposite side of Hollywood Boulevard. (that's rather inconvient)



Here's a photograph of it.

LATimes JHGraham

The garage is no longer there.
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I was really intrigued about Kenneth Anger living in the St. Francis, Snix. I had never heard that before. I saw a couple of mentions of it online but without much detail.
Does anyone know when he was a resident? Was it when he was young or later in his life? (I believe Anger also lived at the Chateau Marmont)


Kenneth Anger - 1955.

Variety


Newspaper articles and ads from JHGraham

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[ethereal_reality]

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Here's an interesting comment from a fellow named Steven who lived at the St. Francis in the 1980s. (about the same time I lived in L.A.)


RANTINGRUSSELL

Sounds about right.

I especially like this, "Behind the false walls are/were 20 foot ceilings with gothic arches and pillars, the cellars vast and concrete."

BUT I highly doubt Al Capone ran a club in the hotel. . .perhaps Steven confused Capone with Mickey Cohen or one of Mickey's cohorts.

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