noirish Los Angeles v2.0

[JoeParisi]

I'm researching the history of the former Quality Studios / Quality Pictures property at 5628½ / 5634 Santa Monica Boulevard (today part of the Gold-Diggers complex) for a documentary on Hollywood's forgotten independent studios.

Like many people, I originally came here because of the Ed Wood connection (Plan 9 from Outer Space, Night of the Ghouls, etc.), but the deeper I dig, the more it seems this building has a much larger story.

Here's what I've documented so far:

Built around 1924–25 (still trying to pin down the original permits).
By 1933, the rear portion appears to have been occupied by Sidney M. Gordon's garage.
By the mid-to-late 1940s it had become Quality Pictures, operated by W. Merle Connell.
Contemporary advertising for George Weiss's Screen Classics Productions (Test Tube Babies) lists the company's address as 5634 Santa Monica Boulevard, suggesting Weiss was operating from Quality rather than "across the street."
The property later housed Mandour International Productions, then Solid Sound, Falcon Sound Studios, and eventually today's Gold-Diggers recording studio.

I'm now trying to reconstruct the building's complete history from roughly 1924 through the 1980s, year by year.

I'm especially looking for:

Building permits or certificates of occupancy
Sanborn maps or insurance records
Historic photographs (especially the rear soundstage)
City directory entries that fill in the missing years
Property ownership history
Memories of Solid Sound or Falcon Sound
Any recollections of George Weiss, W. Merle Connell, or Screen Classics operating there
Information on whether the rear building ever contained apartments or caretaker's quarters (I've only found one apparent residential listing: Medhat Mandour, Room 2, around 1960)

I've searched newspapers, trade journals, AFI, city directories, and planning documents, but I'm convinced there are still records hiding in places I haven't thought to look.

If anyone has old photographs, permits, directory scans, assessor cards, aerial photos, or simply remembers the property from the recording-studio era, I'd love to hear from you.

My hope is to build the definitive documented history of this fascinating little Hollywood building before its story is forgotten.

Again, this research is on the building BEHIND Gold Diggers, that is currently owned by that owner.

Thank you!

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

um. . .

is this Aimee's temple or some other church?
_______________________________________________________________

The two photos you posted are definitely from inside the Angelus Temple.

[ethereal_reality]

re:

Originally Posted by Alkapone

It’s the Western Avenue face, apparently with the William Fox Studio letters removed from above the row of six windows on the right. They’re there in the 1921 shots that pop up online. Deluxe Labratories was noted as present there still in 2011, but I believe that has changed too? I think the photo is just indicating where Additional (“Add”) Fox facilities can be found at the time.

Thanks, Alkapone. That helps a lot.

Here's the same building with the lettering in place.


e r old file

. . extra thick flagpole in both pics.
.

[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

re:




Thanks, Alkapone. That helps a lot.

Here's the same building with the lettering in place.


e r old file

. . extra thick flagpole in both pics.
.

In your image ER, the building up at the NW corner of Sunset & Western will become the big location of Reginald Denny’s Hobby Shop throughout the ‘60’s and into the ‘70’s. In the south windows they used to display John Wayne’s diving helmet from one of his big films. The cieling had huge models of airplanes (hollywood props or manufacturer models?) facing east from the west wall. On the north side was a room with a slot car competition track set up in one of the standard gages (1/48 or ?)…not the little home sets in 1/64, 1/87, etc.. You would build those models from kits yourself. The store site became a builders’ supply of one of those chains IIRC, after the customary leveling job.

Happy 100th page on NLA velocity.mach 2! ������������������������

[ethereal_reality]

.
MYSTERY SHIP



"Vintage Photo Woman Pirate Ship teepees San Fernando Valley area California"



LINK

I imagine this is going to remain a mystery.

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[ethereal_reality]

.
Mystery diners across the street. / I'm not sure what street is shown.


"Lockheed Vega Aircraft Workers Transportation Burbank CA 8x10 photo 1942"



eBay


Here's a closer look at the diners across the street.

Mrs. Brown's





. . .and the WING INN.




Do you think we can find out more information them? . . . matchbooks, perhaps. .......
.

[ethereal_reality]

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If you're into ART DECO this parade float is for you!


"[B][1932 Los Angeles Electrical Parade Art Deco Float Hollywood Vintage Used Photo/B]"



Currently on eBay



Here's a closer look.




We have previously seen other electrical parade floats but I don't belive we have seen this one.

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[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

The two photos you posted are definitely from inside the Angelus Temple.

Thanks, Martin Pal. I appreciate your help.

.

[Noir_Noir]

Originally Posted by JoeParisi

I'm researching the history of the former Quality Studios / Quality Pictures property at 5628½ / 5634 Santa Monica Boulevard (today part of the Gold-Diggers complex) for a documentary on Hollywood's forgotten independent studios.

Built around 1924–25 (still trying to pin down the original permits).

Again, this research is on the building BEHIND Gold Diggers, that is currently owned by that owner.

Thank you!

I think this is the orginal permit for the building behind Gold Diggers you're interested in.


ladbsdoc.lacity.org

That garage, the apartment buildings and stores in that developement were up for sale the next year.


archive.org - The Los Angeles Times 1926-06-01

[Flyingwedge]

Here's the studio and its surroundings on the 1950 Sanborn:



Library of Congress


And here's an ad for Quality Studios in the 1951-52 Film and Industry Directory:



Hathitrust


Good luck with your project, Joe!

[Alkapone]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.
Mystery diners across the street. / I'm not sure what street is shown.


"Lockheed Vega Aircraft Workers Transportation Burbank CA 8x10 photo 1942"



eBay


Here's a closer look at the diners across the street.

Mrs. Brown's





. . .and the WING INN.




Do you think we can find out more information them? . . . matchbooks, perhaps. .......
.

Let’s just get started with the area….Hollywood Way near the intersection with Empire (to the right).

But what’s a “SLEAK”? Some kind of slimy eel crossed with cattle thing?

[riichkay]

This is an image off of Flickr....the photo is undated (perhaps about 1950) and is not identified as L.A.


However, we have a location clue with the "For Rent" sign in the window....




The LOgan exchange covered Huntington Park....the address is in the 6000 block (appears to be 6033) of Clarkson (Ave?) in Maywood, which is adjacent to Huntington Park....


6033 Clarkson Ave. is a 3 bdrm home built in 1927....





The evidence suggests Levine's could be in the Huntington Park/Maywood area....I ran a few 1950s phone directories for the communities east of DTLA, I could not find a listing for Levine's.

[HossC]

The 1956 CD has Levine's Furniture Store at 4542 E Slauson, Maywood. The building is no longer there.

[ethereal_reality]

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re:


It's interesting that all of these buildings are still standing just as they were in 1950.

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[ethereal_reality]

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A mystery location / somewhere along Hollywood Blvd.



eBay

Let's go to Hal's Nest for cocktails and then Aldo's for steaks.


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[ethereal_reality]

.
mystery location II.


1965 GM FISHBOWL BUS in Los Angeles Photo


eBay

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[ethereal_reality]

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mystery location III


Another FISHBOWL BUS. .this time at a canopied bus stop.






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[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

A mystery location / somewhere along Hollywood Blvd.


eBay

Let's go to Hal's Nest for cocktails and then Aldo's for steaks.

6700 block of Hollywood Boulevard. Hal's Nest was at 6717 and Aldo's was at 6721. I'll join you for drinks after I've had a quick browse at Phil Harris' record store at 6723.


rescarta.lapl.org

[ethereal_reality]

.
Sounds like a good plan.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

mystery location II.

1965 GM FISHBOWL BUS in Los Angeles Photo


eBay

There's a wider version of the photo on the Vintage Los Angeles Facebook page which also shows a Van de Kamps and a Newberry's. It identifies the location as W Pico at Westwood. Nothing there today matches the photo, but this 1971 aerial looks at least like a possible corroboration. W Pico goes left to right through the center and the stores are to the south. They were cleared sometime between 1980 and 1985.


mil.library.ucsb.edu