noirish Los Angeles - Page 1521

CityBoyDoug · #**30401** Posted **Aug 17, 2015, 10:37 PM**

Murder-Suicide Scene July 23, 1948 Friday Bodies of Alvin Roberts 48 and his wife, Maxine 31, lie in friend's Hollywood apartment after Roberts pumped three bullets into wife's body, then shot himself through head. Dual tragedy followed family quarrel.

Alvin Roberts, prominent here as a teamsters' union official, yesterday shot and killed his wife, Maxine, and then committed suicide in a friend's home in Hollywood. The murder and suicide, police said, followed a night-long quarrel. The shooting took place in the home of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. Perkins, 5837 Gregory Avenue, in Hollywood. Mrs. Perkins witnessed the slayings.

According to Los Angeles police information, the dead couple had parted the previous night. Mrs. Perkins told officers that Mrs. Roberts came to her homeWednesday night. Soon after, she said, Roberts arrived with a Pint of Whisky "He had a pint of whisky and drank it all up while they fought," Mrs. Perkins said. "Then he got up and went out. "He came back a moment later with a revolver. I tried to stop him at the door but he pushed me aside. "Mrs. Roberts tried to get away. He shot her three times, in the back, and then shot himself." Police said both died instantly.

After the shootings , Mrs. Perkins ran to an adjoining room, where her baby daughter, Linda, 20 months old, was asleep in her crib. Then she went downstairs.

Murder-Suicide Scene July 23, 1948 Friday Bodies of Alvin Roberts 48 and his wife, Maxine 31, lie in friend's Hollywood apartment after Roberts pumped three bullets into wife's body, then shot himself through head. Dual tragedy followed family quarrel.

An artist has retouched the back of the woman's body where she was shot.

ethereal_reality · #**30402** Posted **Aug 17, 2015, 11:38 PM**

So tragic.

3 couples out on the town....Saturday night, August 24th 1946.

eBay

Signatures & Sentiments on the back

I twisted my neck trying to read all this. (from what I can tell, Betty seems to be very popular)

_

so-cal-bear · #**30403** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 1:14 AM**

.

so-cal-bear · #**30404** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 1:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

The opening sequence of 'Repo Man', which is episode 14 of the second season of 'CHiPs', takes place around this area. It was first shown in January 1979, so I'm guessing it was filmed in 1978. The scenario is that a busload of misbehaving schoolkids cause their driver to have a heart attack, leaving one of the kids to try and steer the bus. The first recognizable location is Silver Lake Boulevard at Duane Street.

MGM TV/Rosner TV

Here's roughly the same view from 2012.

GSV

The bus carries on past Effie Street.

MGM TV/Rosner TV

The 7-Eleven is still there, although the design has changed a little.

GSV

After telling the kid at the wheel to follow the white line, Jon turns for Sunset Boulevard.

MGM TV/Rosner TV

The "Tom's Burgers" sign was still visible until at least October of 2014.

GSV

Here's Tom's Burgers. It was on the site of Roy Shambeau's Silver Lake Service Station at 2861 Sunset Boulevard, as seen in Tourmaline's post.

MGM TV/Rosner TV

The signs for Tom's Burgers have gone in the most recent GSV image (below), but can still be seen up until 2014. I believe the "Liquor" sign in the background is the same as the one in the 1978 image above.

GSV

The scene finishes shortly after Jon makes a daring jump onto the bus from the bridge. How lucky that there was a crew working on the bridge from a suitably-placed platform!

MGM TV/Rosner TV

I can't see much that changed here since filming.

GSV

The seal of the City of Los Angeles. I'm surprised you didn't know it.

ethereal_reality · #**30405** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 2:16 AM**

Here's a fun snapshot.

"Shirley in Hollywood, 1943."

eBay

Anyone recognize the street?
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I can't quite make out Shirley's last name. Eidsmore? or..Eidsmoe?

CityBoyDoug · #**30406** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 2:22 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's a fun snapshot.

"Shirley in Hollywood, 1943."

Anyone recognize the street?
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I can't quite make out Shirley's last name. Eidsmore? or..Eidsmoe?

3,229 Historical Documents with Eidsmoe on Ancestry dot com
890 Birth, Marriage, and Deaths 117 Military Records 29 Immigration Records 503 Census and Voter Lists 1,690 Member Trees

Hollywood Graham · #**30407** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 2:42 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

March 1932, Sunset Boulevard and Silver Lake Boulevard grade separation is complete.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15799coll65/id/3919/rec/164

Toward the top of that grade is Roy Shambeau's Silver Lake Service Station, featuring Navy Gas. 2861 Sunset Blvd.

1932

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/38745/rec/219

Navy Oil Co.

Not bilge!

Oil that is electrified and thermo-metered.

After the Navy weighs anchor . . .

Distinctive sidewall. Preferred by Paul Whiteman?

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=5898946&postcount=10205

That station would eventually become a Signal Gas Station operated by a man name Petzol I believe.

ethereal_reality · #**30408** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 2:18 PM**

I don't believe we've seen this particular auto camp on NLA.

eBay

"On the Hill between Culver City and Venice." -I wasn't aware of any observable hill.

reverse

It was replaced by a hideous 'luxury' apartment complex. The design placed 2 large parking garages in front of the apartments. (facing Sepulveda).

-from an aerial u can see the top of the parking garages are tennis courts.

google_earth

-here's what you see along Sepulveda.

One, of the two, parking garages facing Sepulveda.

gsv
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oldstuff · #**30409** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Wow e_r, you've come up with some stunners recently, but this one is beyond outstanding. It's really, really good and, combined with the proposed size, would have been amazing.

Noirishers probably know Merrell Gage as the artist who did the sculptures on the Edison/One Bunker Hill building and the figures over at LAT. He also did the Electric Fountain and the film stars monument, both in Beverly Hills. Gage was most famous for his Lincoln sculptures. He assisted on the facade sculptures at the Fine Arts Building on W 7th St as well.

Gage was head of the Sculpture Dept at USC.

He was married to painter Marian Gage. That's probably her in the photo with their daughter Jean.

I wish I knew where that maquette is.

More info on Gage:

Wiki
Archives of American Art/Gage papers
California Art Club article

Video of Gage sculpting Lincoln:

------------------------------------------------

Thx quickstop, you beat me to it :-). The antenna is held in great affection around these parts.

Re: the video of Gage sculpting Lincoln

I remember seeing that film when I was about eight years old. They showed it in school. As a budding artist, I was very impressed and intent on the details of the process. Have not seen it since...till now. Thanks for posting it

oldstuff · #**30410** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 3:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

3,229 Historical Documents with Eidsmoe on Ancestry dot com
890 Birth, Marriage, and Deaths 117 Military Records 29 Immigration Records 503 Census and Voter Lists 1,690 Member Trees

Shirley Adele Eidsmoe was born in Minnesota in April of 1921. She was still living there with her family in 1940. The 1940 Census shows her as a "maid" and an "unpaid family worker". She had graduated from high school and was 19 in 1940. She married a James A. Dowis in Detroit in 1944. He had served in the Army Air Corps, during WWII. She died in Michigan in 1999.

Maybe the photo was taken when she was on a trip to California, since she seems to have lived in either Minnesota or Michigan for most of her life.

oldstuff · #**30411** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 3:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I don't believe we've seen this particular auto camp on NLA.

eBay

"On the Hill between Culver City and Venice." -I wasn't aware of any observable hill.

reverse

It was replaced by a hideous 'luxury' apartment complex. The design placed 2 massive parking garages in front of the apartments. (facing Sepulveda).

-from an aerial u can see the top of the parking garages are tennis courts.

google_earth

-here's what you see along Sepulveda.

One, of the two, parking garages facing Sepulveda.

gsv
__

If you look at the street view there is a "slight slope" away from the area, not what you would call a "hill" but maybe if you were writing a brochure...
It might get a bit of ocean breeze, or at least before there were so many buildings around

ethereal_reality · #**30412** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 3:32 PM**

I see what you're saying....you're probably right oldstuff.

perhaps back in the day the 'hill' seemed more pronounced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldstuff

Shirley Adele Eidsmoe was born in Minnesota in April of 1921. She was still living there with her family in 1940. The 1940 Census shows her as a "maid" and an "unpaid family worker". She had graduated from high school and was 19 in 1940. She married a James A. Dowis in Detroit in 1944. He had served in the Army Air Corps, during WWII. She died in Michigan in 1999.

eBay

Maybe the photo was taken when she was on a trip to California, since she seems to have lived in either Minnesota or Michigan for most of her life.

Thanks for your help oldstuff andCityBoyDoug.

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ethereal_reality · #**30413** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 3:55 PM**

Advertising postcard -with novelty photo.

eBay

rotated for your viewing pleasure.

"copyrighted .05" -does that mean 1905?

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ethereal_reality · #**30414** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 4:08 PM**

We've seen numerous group photographs of the MGM stars; usually they're posed on chairs and risers with a curtained background.

This one is unique.

old file of mine / with numerous eBay finds

Does anyone recognize the movie-set they're utilizing? (note the 'valley' in the distance with the streetlights flickering on) -it must be dusk.

Can anyone figure out the year by the costumes they're wearing?

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ethereal_reality · #**30415** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 5:06 PM**

Here's a great Kodachrome slide showing the Deauville Beach Club in the 1940s.

eBay

I love the ornate bay windows. (looks like someone is advertising 'Fish Dinners' in the distance)

Sadly, the stately Deauville, located in Santa Monica along PCH, burnt now in 1964.

See it in flames here, courtesy of FredH:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=6491639&postcount=20139

I'm outta' town 'til Thursday. Have fun everyone!

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jg6544 · #**30416** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 5:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Ah-Ha, a connection!! Maybe Ms. Tucker was performing the night of the birthday photograph! (previous page)

Good sleuthing Martin_Pal.
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I saw her perform at the old Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas in 1960. Before starting her act, she took a look around the room and announced, "I see a lot of kids in the audience; if you grownups want a little rougher version of the act, come back for the late show."

She did sing "Some of these Days".

tovangar2 · #**30417** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 5:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Murder-Suicide Scene July 23, 1948 Friday Bodies of Alvin Roberts 48 and his wife, Maxine 31, lie in friend's Hollywood apartment after Roberts pumped three bullets into wife's body, then shot himself through head. Dual tragedy followed family quarrel.

An artist has retouched the back of the woman's body where she was shot.

Thx CBD. Another "good" one.

That's a very pretty 1930, 8-unit building. If I had to guess, I'd say the upstairs unit on the right was the scene of the crime (going by the French doors and the railing).

5837 Gregory Ave, Hollywood:

gsv

The courtyard:

MLS

I bet the people who live there now have no idea of the mayhem that went on.

John Maddox Roberts · #**30418** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 6:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

We've seen numerous group photographs of the MGM stars; usually they're posed on chairs and risers with a curtained background.

This one is unique.

old file of mine / with numerous eBay finds

Does anyone recognize the movie-set they're utilizing? (note the valley in the distance with the streetlights flickering on) -it must be dusk.

Can anyone figure out the year by the costumes they're wearing?

__

The glowering, bearded man in ancient-style armor is Howard Keel, costumed for "Jupiter's Darling," (1955).

CityBoyDoug · #**30419** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 6:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

We've seen numerous group photographs of the MGM stars; usually they're posed on chairs and risers with a curtained background.

This one is unique.

old file of mine / with numerous eBay finds

Does anyone recognize the movie-set they're utilizing? (note the valley in the distance with the streetlights flickering on) -it must be dusk.

Can anyone figure out the year by the costumes they're wearing?

__

The year is 1953-4

MGM studio

I don't think they took a class photo every year. Is there a photo for a later year? I couldn't find one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Forrest_(actor)

oldstuff · #**30420** Posted **Aug 18, 2015, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

We've seen numerous group photographs of the MGM stars; usually they're posed on chairs and risers with a curtained background.

This one is unique.

old file of mine / with numerous eBay finds

Does anyone recognize the movie-set they're utilizing? (note the valley in the distance with the streetlights flickering on) -it must be dusk.

Can anyone figure out the year by the costumes they're wearing?

__

The picture was taken on a sound stage with a really good backdrop. The birch tree to the left of the people would not grow on any hill around here.. and it is on a stand.

The man to the right of the gap in the center (below the tree) is Van Johnson. Also to the middle, in a bluish grey suit, between the two women, may be Walter Pidgeon. Robert Taylor is sitting in the middle front, next to the woman in the flowing dress. All familiar faces but I can't put names to most