noirish Los Angeles

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Past

This has to rank with the Richfield Building as one of the most egregious architectural losses of 20th century Los Angeles. Who was the architect of this masterpiece? I'd wager Beaudry might know.

I also wonder who was responsible for its destruction. Was it the landlord, insisting that the space be restored to its original bare state? Could be. On the other hand, maybe it was Western Airlines itself, thinking that they couldn't leave such an eye-catching treasure for a competitor to use for their commercial advantage. If so, that's not quite as bad as what Atlantic-Richfield did to their architectural masterpiece, but it'd be close.

-Scott

I had the same concerns earlier about the people who actually did the deconstruction. "What we're they thinking?

[Flyingwedge]

Wow this is a great thread! I meant to register and contribute as soon as I caught up to the current page, and I'm embarrassed it took me until page 416 to do it. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to our collective knowledge.

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by 3940dxer

For some reason Monkey Island seems to have gripped the consciousness of some Noirish readers...I have to admit that I've had a "monkey" on my back about this place.

I've spent hours comparing this old photo to modern maps, and have driven the area, trying to ID the streets and buildings on Cahuenga Blvd. West, which is across the freeway in this shot.

Yes, I think Monkey Island was on that strip between the 101 and Cahuenga Blvd. West, or more precisely, a few hundred feet to the left. (Mind you, it was demolished long before this photo was taken.)

Some other reference points, FWIW:
The relatively new bridge over the 101 to the Universal theme park now crosses the freeway here and connects with the dirt road in the foreground. Today it would crash through the left side of the photo. In the upper section of the shot, just right of center, the small road heading up the hill is Broadlawn and the road that slopes up towards the upper right and then swings left is Multiview. The Oak-Crest Market, which we've seen on Noirish before, would be on Cahuenga West off frame to the left, and if it's old enough, it would have looked almost straight at Monkey Island for the few brief years of MI's existence.

I think I'm done with this topic but one question haunts me. When MI was demolished, in about 1941...what happened to those hundreds of monkeys???

(P.S. Loved the giant photo of DTLA.)

Yeah, a couple hundred yards to the left and nearly two decades in the past, you've pretty much summed up my attitude on Monkey Island at this point as well. Fun while it lasted, but short of a cache of murder scene photos taken within sight of the 'Island', it's pretty much run its course.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Handsome Stranger

Challenge accepted! The house is built during the course of the movie.

[source: dvd released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment]

Fantastic screenshots, Handsome, thanks--it really was a great house, but, inevitably, while a few features remain, it has been renovated and expanded into something more millennial and generic than MCM. A shame. It was/is at 930 Chantilly Rd. More pics here.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Graybeard

What's with the cannon?

I blew that shot up a little, Graybeard--well, the Opera Restaurant was at 117 S. Main during the '90s. Don't know why the cannon is on the roof of the building, but leftovers from the Mexican war were apparently scattered around downtown:




Top: Two cannons buried (apparently to serve as bollards) on a Main Street corner; bottom: Labeled by the USCDL as "An old Mexican cannon from the Mexican War at the Los Angeles Courthouse, 1845." Of course, after they give us the date the image was "created"--actually before the war--they tell us the photographer wasn't born until 16 years later...
"Created: 1845; Creator: [photographer] Pierce, C.C. (Charles C.), 1861-1946"... I guess I should go easy on the archivists...

[MichaelRyerson]

I'm having trouble with Kim Novak in a Falcon. A Falcon?

[GaylordWilshire]

Funny you should mention that. I was thinking that an architect should have something a little snazzier than a 3-year-old Ford convertible, pretty as this one is. (And what's the story with Kim's husband having become uninterested in her? Spending too much time in the bunkhouse with the boys? The actor was a former Marlboro Man, I just read.)

Dear Old Hollywood has a great series of "then and nows" from Strangers When We Meet.

[srk1941]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Funny you should mention that. I was thinking that an architect should have something a little snazzier than a 3-year-old Ford convertible, pretty as this one is. (And what's the story with Kim's husband having become uninterested in her? Spending too much time in the bunkhouse with the boys? The actor was a former Marlboro Man, I just read.)

Dear Old Hollywood has a great series of "then and nows" from Strangers When We Meet.

Dear Old Hollywood lists that restaurant as the Albatross Hotel Restaurant, which looks like it matches the sign behind Kim.

[srk1941]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Past

This has to rank with the Richfield Building as one of the most egregious architectural losses of 20th century Los Angeles. Who was the architect of this masterpiece? I'd wager Beaudry might know.

I also wonder who was responsible for its destruction. Was it the landlord, insisting that the space be restored to its original bare state? Could be. On the other hand, maybe it was Western Airlines itself, thinking that they couldn't leave such an eye-catching treasure for a competitor to use for their commercial advantage. If so, that's not quite as bad as what Atlantic-Richfield did to their architectural masterpiece, but it'd be close.

-Scott

I posted a few pages back, the architect was H. Roy Kelley.

[MichaelRyerson]

Here's something I thought you'd enjoy, Steven and, by the way, welcome to the thread...


H. Roy Kelley designed home for sale in Pasadena

can be yours for 4.8 million dollars. image from Pasadena Board of Realtors

[rbpjr]

[QUOTE=rcarlton;5740133]Let's throw a little color in 1899 LA:

Fabulous...brings it alive! Also love the "colorized" photos at Shorpy.com...

[fhammon]

Speaking of old Mexican cannons maybe some of you have heard about "The Battle of the Old Woman's Gun", otherwise known as The Battle of Rancho Dominguez, an area of the county where I just happen to be writing from now.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dominguez_Rancho

Before U.S. troops occupied the city of Los Angeles, Igania Reyes – a local elderly woman - hid the city’s main cannon in the reeds behind her house (some say buried -FH). Later, the cannon was uncovered and used to repel an attack of U.S. marines. The Battle of Dominguez Ranch is better known as “The Battle of the Old Woman’s Gun” in her honor.

By strategically running horses across the dusty Dominguez hills in the area now known as Dominguez Hills and Carson, while transporting their single small cannon to various sites, Carrillo and his troops convinced the Americans they had encountered a large enemy force. Faced with heavy casualties and the superior horsemanship fighting skills displayed by the militia "Lancers", the remaining Marines were forced to retreat to their ships berthed in San Pedro Bay.

The gun was finally captured by the Americans and now resides as a trophy of war at the USNA museum in Annapolis, MD.
Personally I think Los Angeles ought to get it back. What say you?
I finally tracked down some photos of it:

ETA. WOW I just found a better sight for info. It's packed!

http://www.mysanpedro.org/2011/10/sa...ld-womans.html



http://www.go2gbo.com/forums/index.php?topic=129952.0



BTW. There was no real winner at the 2nd battle of Cahuenga. Both sides withdrew in a stalemate. If these two cannons were the ones used at the battle, they were later captured from Pio Pico and spiked (made useless) by U.S. Captain Gillespie and wound up half-buried on this corner. I would suppose they were later melted down for scrap.

BTW, as to that particular photo posted by GaylordWilshire of cannons used as bollards, check out this sight:



http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/mhe1000/...onbollards.htm

[Albany NY]

UCLA Digital Archive

ethereal reality posted several pics of an apparent robbery in 1958. I was surprised to see several buildings from that day still standing, including the scene of the crime at West Olive and West Manchester.

Google Maps

[ethereal_reality]

Despite it's inglorious past, 'The Beacon' still stands as a testament to L.A. noir! Thx Albany_NY.

[ethereal_reality]

originally posted by so-cal-bear

http://www.shorpy.com/


so-cal-bear has single-handedly discovered John Lautner's inspiration for his Chemosphere House at 7776 Torreyson Drive.


http://www.flickr.com/groups/johnlautner/pool/page2/

____



In all seriousness, I believe the unique (rounded) building in the 1890s photograph originally housed a 'cyclorama'.

In later years it became the Panorama Skating Rink....located within the Panorama Building (see below).


originally posted by gsjansen

___

[ethereal_reality]

After a few more 'googles', I discovered the cyclorama was originally called the Panorama Rotunda.
Debuting in 1887, it featured a painting nearly 400 feet long and 50 feet high of 'The Battle of Paris 1871'.

below: The Panorama Rotunda as it appeared in the late 1880s.


http://www.panoramaonview.org/panora...geofparis.html


St. Vibiana's can be seen in the distance.

___

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Oviatt Building Fan

.
I’m crossing my fingers that the “Noirish” community can help me to identify the PLACE where this photo (see below) was taken.


A quick background: I’m an amateur historian whose focus is on one building in downtown Los Angeles-- the James Oviatt Building. In 2008, I researched, wrote and produced a feature-length documentary about the Oviatt Building’s history. (Predictably, it’s titled “The Oviatt Building”.) At present, I am researching / writing a biography of James Oviatt.

The photo below was taken in January 1933 for an unnamed newspaper or magazine. In the foreground, it shows Albert (“Al”) Kaufman, Paramount Pictures’ production head; actor Maurice Chevalier; and James Oviatt. I’ve tried and failed to identify the building where they are. A studio commissary? The interior does not match those of any ‘30s commissaries I’ve seen. A restaurant / nightclub in Hollywood? I think so, but again … no dice finding corresponding photos. Do the Deco murals on the wall ring a bell for anyone?

This picture’s original 1933 caption gives two clues: it says that the location was in Hollywood, and that a “stag party” was being held there that night. Any help would be greatly appreciated!




(Corbis Images)

I have the location of your mystery photo Oviatt Building Fan. (I want to gather a few more photographs & history before I post)

So stay tuned.......no later than tomorrow.

___

[rick m]

Originally Posted by so-cal-bear

I looked for this photo here but didn't find it. Courtesy of www.shorpy.com here is a nice view of the Downtown LA skyline in 1899. The view is looking South East. The dirt road to the upper left side is First Street and about the same elevation to the right the old St. Vibiana's Cathedral is plainly visible at Second St and Main. The roundish structure a bit to the right of St. Vibiana's looks strange. I'm thinking it's a storage tank for water. *That's my best guess*

EDIT 2:09 PM I FOUND ANOTHER IMAGE FROM 1899 THAT FOCUSES IN ON THE FIRTS ORPHEUM THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES AT FIRST STREET AND MAIN. I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE COOL TO PUT THEM TOGETHER SINCE THEY ARE FROM THE SAME YEAR, SECOND PHOTO COURTESY OF THE USC DIGITAL ARCHIVES. ---> http://tinyurl.com/7uhjwen

Remarkably in this enlarged Shorby 1899 image I've just spotted on the bit of Court St. nearby the Main St. corner (on the left up front in this scene) the very notorious VIENNA BUFFET - Was a tony society place with a small stage in the late 1880s But turned into a haven for prostitutes of ALL persuasions - written up by 1902 in case of "she-males" arrests in the L.A.Times (these tough S.F. drag queens were rolling drunken gents in convenient alcoves) and subsequently shuttered- This image captures its simple flatboard signage at its rooftop--Verry cool discovery--

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by rick m

Remarkably in this enlarged Shorby 1899 image I've just spotted on the bit of Court St. nearby the Main St. corner (on the left up front in this scene) the very notorious VIENNA BUFFET - Was a tony society place with a small stage in the late 1880s But turned into a haven for prostitutes of ALL persuasions - written up by 1902 in case of "she-males" arrests in the L.A.Times (these tough S.F. drag queens were rolling drunken gents in convenient alcoves) and subsequently shuttered- This image captures its simple flatboard signage at its rooftop--Verry cool discovery--

This is the photo referred to I believe. (edited)

A Sorry Day’s Work. A man labeled “Police Commission” uses a broom to paint a door bearing the sign “Vienna Buffet.” The paint has been lifted from a tub labeled “Official Whitewash.” Beneath his arm is a scroll bearing the words “Evidence Against the Place,” and on the wall above his head is a sign with a finger pointing to “Door to Stage Boxes.”

"With a bucket of whitewash prepared privately behind the closed door of the mayor’s office, . . . the board of police commissioners . . . yesterday . . . gave the Vienna Buffet, inside and out, a thick coat of “purity paint,” at the same time presenting to the proprietors of the Court street dive a clean bill of health, officially entitling them to continue business at the old stand."

"From the Los Angeles Daily Times, June 11, 1902
AT THE CITY HALL.
VILE CONFESSIONS OF HERALD’S STAFF.
Boozed in the Vienna Buffet and Consorted With Low Women in Their Dressing-rooms."
http://www.ulwaf.com/LA-1900s/02.06.html

[MichaelRyerson]

originally posted by ethereal-reality (post no. 8317)

"In all seriousness, I believe the unique (rounded) building in the 1890s photograph originally housed a 'cyclorama'.

In later years it became the Panorama Skating Rink....located within the Panorama Building (see below)."


originally posted by gsjansen

___[/QUOTE]

E-R, Where is this map from? How big is it? How much of downtown does it cover? Did gsjansen provide a link? Do you have a post number? This one's a beauty.