noirish Los Angeles

[BifRayRock]

Both Harold Lloyd's 1924 classic "Girl Shy" and the 1926 "For Heaven's Sake" include action scenes with the Bunker Hill "BPOE" sign prominently in the background. Catch a glimpse of Girl Shy (mit out the Bunker Hill shots) here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDqtgoznzQw Additional, in depth discussion here: (http://silentlocations.wordpress.com...noir-its-true/) In exploring the subject, I revisited several photos of the Hillcrest and Elks - previously posted on this forum. Different perspective may invite a different appreciation.


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3339

Undated. Hillcrest Hotel adjacent to Elks Club. Olive and 3rd Street - Bunker Hill.
http://onbunkerhill.org/theAstoria

The Elks Lodge:
lapl
lapl

Courtesy of ER
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=2871
_________________________


Reverse perspective


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=8157
Elks lodge rooftop, ca. 1910
http://www.tommyjones.org/salisburye...oofTop1910.jpg
http://www.elks.org/who/history/angels.cfm
1909
http://www.uncanny.net/~wetzel/bunkerhill.htm



Was it "Hill Crest" or "Hillcrest"?
ebayebay

USC Digital and http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=2865
http://www.cable-car-guy.com/html/cclafun.html

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Never paid much attention to the "B.P.O.E." carved into the lower archway, until viewing this higher resolution image.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...0807/AFLA2.jpg

The upper entrance, circa 1960. This photo was previously posted on this forum (P67), but seems to have vanished. In any event, it is included here in large format because of its depiction of the Hillcrest.
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r...0807/AFLA5.jpg



_________________________

Originally Posted by gsjansen

what a great photo of the upper angels flight station ethereal_reality. since the photo is dated 1960, the Hillcrest Inn on the left has very little time left in it's existence.

here are some photos from 1961 showing the Hillcrest being demolished.
The caption for the photographs is: Community Redevelopment Agency representatives Richard Thor and Miss Vicki Alonzo survey interior of old Hillcrest Hotel at 258 Olive Street which is first to be leveled by Bunker Hill project

[so-cal-bear]

.

[Los Angeles Past]

Originally Posted by Earl Boebert

Re: The Big Map

The 10,000 x 7436 pixel version that was linked to in the posting chokes Safari running on a new iMac, which is a pretty good feat.

Interesting. My G4 Mac is 10 years old, and it handled the full-res image files just fine (and it's only got 2 gigs of RAM). I'd glad to have it (the map, I mean). Now I won't have to unfurl and re-fold my own fragile 1920s Hill's map every time I want to reference it!

-Scott

[Lwize]

I just want to know how the large maps were scanned in the first place. Someone have a mattress-sized scanner out there?

Anyway, more noir LA pictures, please. 358 pages isn't enough!

[ProphetM]

Never paid much attention to the "B.P.O.E." carved into the lower archway, until viewing this higher resolution image.

It is indeed pretty hard to see in that pic. These days it's painted orange and easier to see.

Click for full size

Photo by me

[BifRayRock]

B.P.O.E.
In 1909 the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge No. “99” built its headquarters atop Bunker Hill, just in time to host the Elk’s national convention. To help lead the way to the new digs, the Elks paid for a red beaux-arts arch and colonnade over the “Angels Flight” Hill Street entrance. The initials “B.P.O.E.” were carved into the archway to direct visiting lodge members to the hilltop convention.http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=32455

Lodge No. 99 eventually moved into their impressive building at Westlake Park in 1925. And evidently, the "BPOE" (best people on earth) sign was removed in 1931 when the Loyal Order of Moose occupied the building. http://onbunkerhill.org/elksannex The observation tower posed a hazard to those using it and it was removed in 1938. http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=32455

Most of the "colorized" versions/post cards depict Angeles Flight in white or gray tones; however, as noted in the above quote, the arch was at one time "red." Not that I have anything against the Halloween "orange" of today, but I do wonder whether any of the color choices were deliberate rather than dictated by the sun and maintenance economics.

http://onbunkerhill.org/elksannex

[Lwize]

Another cars v. mass transit documentary (56 min).
Not sure if this documentary was posted here before, but was posted on YouTube yesterday.

• Video Link

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The gangland slaying of two Kansas City mobsters Tony Trombino and Tony Brancato.
The rub-out took place on North Ogden Drive just off Hollywood Boulevard in 1951.


usc digital archive



usc digital archive


Toe tags.


usc digital archive


_______________

The Two Tonys, a couple of free-lance jitterbugs from Kansas City who had begun to knock over mobbed-up profit centers on the coast, even going so far as to stick up a Family-owed and Operated casino in Vegas without so much as a mask. Of course, their days were numbered and the numbers ran out on N. Ogden Drive.

Everyone knew who did it. But that didn't necessarily mean very much in 1951in Los Angeles.


Trombino-Brancato murder suspect (Hollywood)-2, 25 August 1951.

Joe Flever (cleverly hidden behind handkerchief, but take my word for it); Detective E.M. Goosen; Detective G.G. Greeley.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961




Trombino-Brancato murder suspect (Hollywood), 1951

Trombino-Brancato murder suspect (Hollywood), 25 August 1951. Joe Flever (suspect) here about to discover the staircase; Detective E.M. Goosen; Detective G.G. Greeley.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961



Gang shooting, 1951

Gang shooting, 8 August 1951. Detective Mark Nolan; Jimmy Fratianno (murder suspect); Detective Al Goosen; Mrs. Jewell Fratianno (wife of murder suspect). Mr. and Mrs. Fratianno are seen here using the traditonal Sicilian salute.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961



Gang shooting-2, 1951

Jewell 'mrs. weasel' Fratianno signals her husband using the traditional Fratianno family sign for 'you-can't-see-my-face-so-you-don't-know-who-I-am'.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961



Gangland Murder Suspect, 1951

Gangland Murder Suspect, 28 October 1951. Angelo Polizzi, 38, suspect in Trombino-Brancato murders finds himself without a handkerchief.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961




Gangland Murder Suspect-2, 1951

Angelo Polizzi, 38, suspect in Trombino-Brancato murders, sees the irony, 'My mother always said, 'wear clean underwear and carry a handkerchief.'

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961




Hollywood gangster murder, 8 August 1951

Hollywood double murder. Lt. Lee Jones, in charge of LAPD Scientific investigation examines Fratianno car for blood stains but, unfortunately, discovers Sicilians know a thing or two about auto detailing.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961




Double murder, 1951

Mrs. Jimmie 'the weasel' Fratianno

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961



Double murder-3, 1951

Jimmy continues to believe no one will recognise him when this is all over.

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961



Double murder-2, 1951

Warren Fratianno (center), sits with his attorney (left) and an unidentified weasel (right).

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961


In the end, the cops had nothing. Fratianno and the others walked, Mrs. Fratianno ended up running an auto body shop and Jimmy traded in 'the weasel' for 'the rat' turning state's evidence in 1977 (and admitting to the Two Tony's rub-out), wrote a book, did the talk show circuit and ordered his Italian food over the phone. And unsuspecting Angelinos continue to walk their dogs on N. Ogden and talk about the smog.

[ethereal_reality]

I have to admit, that is one of the most noirish posts we've had in a while. Good job Michael Ryerson.

__

[Earl Boebert]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Past

Interesting. My G4 Mac is 10 years old, and it handled the full-res image files just fine (and it's only got 2 gigs of RAM). I'd glad to have it (the map, I mean). Now I won't have to unfurl and re-fold my own fragile 1920s Hill's map every time I want to reference it!

-Scott

Checking the Apple support forums indicates that Safari 6 has all kinds of rendering problems.

Cheers,

Earl

[ethereal_reality]

The aftermath of a shootout circa 1953.


found on ebay






below: Detail.



The name of the street is obscured by a glare in the window. Can any one figure out the address by using that small portion
of the telephone number? DU 2

__

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The aftermath of a shootout circa 1953.

below: Detail.



The name of the street is obscured by a glare in the window. Can any one figure out the address
by using that small portion of the telephone number? DU 2

__

Bsaed on this random article I found while Googling, there may have been a Famous Cafe in Boyle Heights.

http://libraries.ucsd.edu/yiddish/Pogorelsky.html

I looked at addresses starting with "2017" in Boyle Heights, but the results are inconclusive. Some of the 2017's are in industrial areas and some are simply gone due to freeway expansion.
But maybe Boyle Heights helps...

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks Lwize...that's a good start.

__

[ethereal_reality]

This 1940s viewpoint of City Hall confuses me a bit.


unknown/perhaps ebay

I can't quite place this vantage point. The fence post-like stanchions are unfamiliar to me.

__

[ethereal_reality]

I found this group of Civic Center slides, dated 1961, on an old cd of mine. (I believe they were on ebay several years ago)






I love the vintage cars.








below: Pan right on the horizontal photos ---> (you can spot the L.A. Times Building in the photo below)





















below: City Hall in all it's glory!




_

[MichaelRyerson]

Bank robbery at Sunset and Alvarado, 1958

Shirley Lee Jones (witness).

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961




Bank robbery at Sunset and Alvarado-2, 1958

Kenny Matchin, holdup man

USCdigital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Negatives Collection, 1950-1961

While I find Shirley to be a puckish and earnest witness, I've got to say Kenny steals the day with his Martin Sheen/Charles Starkweather haircut, the great sport coat and man can this kid work a smoke!

[ProphetM]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

This 1940s viewpoint of City Hall confuses me a bit.


unknown/perhaps ebay

I can't quite place this vantage point. The fence post-like stanchions are unfamiliar to me.

__

Compare to this picture from your opening post of this thread:



I bet it was taken from right next to those stanchions. So, it's Bunker Hill just north of 1st St., standing just west of the Hill St. tunnels. In the night shot above, you can catch just a tiny piece of the railing over the tunnel entrance at bottom center.

Thus, the point of view is from the top left corner of this photo, left of the house:

KCET - Lost Tunnels of Downtown L.A.

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

This 1940s viewpoint of City Hall confuses me a bit.


unknown/perhaps ebay

I can't quite place this vantage point. The fence post-like stanchions are unfamiliar to me.

__

That line of sight is placing the photographer on the current location of the LA Law Library on N Hill, NE of W 1st.
What was there beforehand?

[Los Angeles Past]

Originally Posted by Lwize

That line of sight is placing the photographer on the current location of the LA Law Library on N Hill, NE of W 1st.
What was there beforehand?

We're standing west of Hill here; the Law Library is on the east side of Hill.

The vantage point would be up near the vacant lot at the upper center of this photo, or maybe one or two lots just to the north. That general vicinity, anyway. (The year is circa 1890.)


U.S.C. Digital Library

I'm kicking myself for not remembering the name of the hotel at far left at the NW corner of First and Hill. Dang it - I just can't bring it to mind at the moment...

-Scott

EDIT: Highland Villa! At least I think that was it.

[rick m]

Originally Posted by Los Angeles Past

We're standing west of Hill here; the Law Library is on the east side of Hill.

The vantage point would be up near the vacant lot at the upper center of this photo, or maybe one or two lots just to the north. That general vicinity, anyway. (The year is circa 1890.)


U.S.C. Digital Library

I'm kicking myself for not remembering the name of the hotel at far left at the NW corner of First and Hill. Dang it - I just can't bring it to mind at the moment...

-Scott

EDIT: Highland Villa! At least I think that was it.

It was the rickety-placed Highland Villa ! Nearly knocked away when the donkey path was widened to become eastern extnsion of First Street