noirish Los Angeles v2.0 - Page 9

ProphetM · #**161** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 4:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

From a couple of days ago.

Does anyone know if craigs is correct. I've been trying to figuring it out & can't decide.

If only I have x-ray vision.

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craigs is correct, but your viewpoint is looking east from Grand, and the old photo is looking north from 8th. The big building at right in the old photo is 740 S. Olive.

I moved a little to the right of the original photo with this Street View so that 740 S. Olive can be seen: https://maps.app.goo.gl/yiqT8qbR3W7L4dMB9

ethereal_reality · #**162** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 6:53 AM**

The 'new' Hotel Grant (lower left) was located at 1040 Sunset Blvd.

detail

I hope that helps.

So ProphetM is correct. The photographer would have been standing near Beaudry and Bartlett. Good job!

ethereal_reality · #**163** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 8:43 AM**

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A couple of mystery slides for a Monday morning.

An actual STEAM SHOVEL being used in 1969!

Same construction pit.

"Original 35mm slide 1969 Los Angeles construction site 018a"

eBay

So what building is under construction?

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ethereal_reality · #**164** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 8:52 AM**

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Oh my, the eBay seller has a bunch more of the same construction site.

Like this one with bulldozer action!

eBay

Look out camera man!

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ethereal_reality · #**165** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 8:56 AM**

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This slide may, or may not, be the same construction site.

eBay

Can anyone read the signs on this building?..

detail

Anyone?

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Noir_Noir · #**166** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 9:17 AM**

One for the carbon dating department.

A picture of Magnavox City's Service Center which was located at 4900 W. 147th St, Hawthorne.

ebay.com

Likely from the same period as the recent store pictures. A dating might help with finding the mystery store location.

Noir_Noir · #**167** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 10:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Can anyone read the signs on this building?..

detail

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"Westwood - Wilshire Professional Building" which was located at 1245 Glendon Avenue.

Google Maps

The building under construction at the NE corner of Wilshire and Westwood was the 24 floor Oppenheimer Tower (10880 Wilshire).

Construction began in 1969.

odinthor · #**168** Posted **Feb 9, 2026, 4:47 PM**

In re: The Great Magnavox City Mystery

Here are the Magnavox City locations in the L.A. area as of October 11, 1968:

LA Times, 10/11/1968

Noir_Noir · #**169** Posted **Feb 10, 2026, 1:56 AM**

Thanks odinthor. The very thing I was looking for.

8550 Beach Blvd. Buena Park looks right for the mystery store. It's raised well up from street level accounting for the steps in one of the pictures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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re: Am I seeing things or is the front of the store/glass facade zig-zagged?

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And yes indeed e_r, the front of the store is zig-zagged.

Google Street View

ebay.com

ethereal_reality · #**170** Posted **Feb 10, 2026, 7:37 AM**

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EXCELLENT! ..At long last there it is.

Thanks, odinthor and Noir Noir.

• Video Link

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Snix · #**171** Posted **Feb 10, 2026, 4:57 PM**

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HossC · #**172** Posted **Feb 10, 2026, 6:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noir_Noir

8550 Beach Blvd. Buena Park looks right for the mystery store. It's raised well up from street level accounting for the steps in one of the pictures.

And yes indeed e_r, the front of the store is zig-zagged.

Google Street View

If you go back to the early GSV images, the Ken Crane's signage is still in place, although the upper sign has had its neon removed and the lower sign says "BIG SCREEN HEADQUARTERS" rather than "MAGNAVOX CITY" - see here.

riichkay · #**173** Posted **Feb 10, 2026, 7:55 PM**

Wilshire and Bixel in an undated photo, I would guess about 1970 (image via Flickr)....

....let's zoom in....

Is this perhaps a production still from a film or TV show?.....the lady in red is clearly waving at the camera....

And the suited gentleman on the bus bench resembles the character actor Peter Bonerz, who played the dentist on Bob Newhart's 1970's sitcom....

Alkapone · #**174** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 1:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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LOL, I noticed that too.

And here's a mystery construction site from 1969.

"35mm Slide 1969 Los Angeles Construction Site City View "

eBay

GOOD LUCK noirishers!
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One more thing…that’s the CREST (ex-UCLAN) Theater off to the right. Now the Nimoy.

ethereal_reality · #**175** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 5:43 PM**

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Thanks for pointing it out, Alkapone. I hadn't noticed it - which is kind of unusual foor me. (is my game slipping?)

But I did noticed an object that looks like a rocketship in the very first construction photograph.

-this slide.

It's in the far distance between the two buildings.

Here's a closer look...It appears to have an extraordinarily tall antenna. (probably a flagpole)

detail

You'd think I'd recognize it but I can't place it......

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ethereal_reality · #**176** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 6:00 PM**

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Oh, and I lightened the steam-shovel that appeared in a different slide.

I was surprised to see that there's no writing on the side of it....(maybe they're embarrassed that they're still using it in 1969)

I thought it might be interesting to know the name of the construction company & noticed writing on the truck. (of course the truck could be from a different company - -but it'd still be interesting) . .to me, anyway.

Can anyone make out the name on the door of the truck?

It appears to be. . um . . 'something' Casey(?). I searched for 'Casey Co' in the directories and only found a baker.

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Scott Charles · #**177** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 7:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProphetM

My guess is that we're looking south onto Sunset Blvd, just west of the 110. The left edge of the photograph has a cross-street (you can see the backside of a stop sign), that I'm thinking is Custer Ave., which dead-ends because of the 4-level interchange. We may be looking from approximately the corner of Beaudry Ave. and Bartlett St.

Good detective work, ProphetM!

Someone in the Reddit thread found the location in a pair of the Ed Ruscha 1973 Sunset Blvd photos... which I have stitched together here:

odinthor · #**178** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 7:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
[...]

I thought it might be interesting to know the name of the construction company & noticed writing on the truck. (of course the truck could be from a different company - -but it'd still be interesting) . .to me, anyway.

Can anyone make out the name on the door of the truck?

It appears to be. . um . . 'something' Casey(?). I searched for 'Casey Co' in the directories and only found a baker.

.

e_r:

LA Times, 11/8/1960

LA Times, 7/1/1965

Formerly of Berkeley:

Engineers News Local 39, 4/15/1949

ethereal_reality · #**179** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 8:34 PM**

THANKS, odinthor!...I appreciate it.

Alkapone · #**180** Posted **Feb 11, 2026, 8:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

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Thanks for pointing it out, Alkapone. I hadn't noticed it - which is kind of unusual foor me. (is my game slipping?)

But I did noticed an object that looks like a rocketship in the very first construction photograph.

-this slide.

It's in the far distance between the two buildings.

Here's a closer look...It appears to have an extraordinarily tall antenna. (probably a flagpole)

detail

You'd think I'd recognize it but I can't place it......

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One of the original Westwood Village towers. Huntington has several of the panoramics of the whole area from around 1929. I believe they may also have the Spence Air Photo smaller format view looking north where you can spot all of them.This tower should be the corner of the furthermost west building, in line with but not one of the several gas stations that had towers.