noirish Los Angeles

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

March 25, 1950

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xhdb0C20aM...car%2B1950.jpg

Why is there a Oscar on the window sill when it looks as if the Academy Awards are about to start (per the klieg lights) across the street.

Notice the 1940s wallpaper in the top right-hand corner.
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I always enjoy the little details someone points out that I may have overlooked!

AMPAS history shows that these were the first awards held at the Pantages and it was on March 23, 1950. So I'm assuming the date above is a publication date of this photo in a newspaper or something. It's certainly a great find!

A little story to go along with the photo: I talked to a man at a screening of a vintage film a few years ago. He said that when he was younger (I'd guess late teens or early 20's) he dressed up and went to the Pantages to see the arrival of the stars for that year's Oscars. Obviously, security isn't like what it is now and they were quite close to the entrance there at the theater. (You can see bleecher stands in this photo and standing crowds nearby.) He even got a couple autographs. As the awards were about to begin, crowds were dispersing and the Pantages was closing the doors, a man came out of the Pantages, surveyed the people for a bit and then walked over to him. He said "Come on, kid, you wanna go inside? I got an extra ticket!" Whereby, he was escorted into the Pantages for the ceremonies! (I know I asked him what year it was, but I'm not at all sure of his answer now.)

That would never happen today. Tickets are bar-coded to the exact name that is supposed to have them and if you're not that name, you don't get fruit cup.

[Martin Pal]

SANTA CLAUS LANE aka Hollywood Blvd.

We’ve all seen some photos of the decorations on Hollywood Blvd. when it turns into Santa Claus Lane. (One or two of the following have been previously posted and another is similar.) It started in 1928 to promote Christmas shopping and lure shoppers away from downtown. The first year 100 living firs were dug up from the forest near Big Bear and placed along Hollywood Blvd. in wooden planters! L.A.asSubject/KCET

Daytime view:
USC
They were even lit up at night by 10,000 incandescent lightbulbs! The following year it is
said they were all transplanted to areas around the Hollywood Bowl.

At some point (maybe the tree supply was dwindling) the organizer’s experimented with
metallic wreaths featuring Hollywood stars likenesses. Here’s a photo from 1932 at Vine Street.
You can make out John Wayne’s photo on the corner. (The CoCo Tree Café!)
USC

After the wreaths, these conical lighted metallic trees followed.
(Taft Bldg. is at right so photo is near Vine Street.)
LAPL

Here’s a noirish 1935 view of “Santa Claus Lane”
USC

Circa 1938, this Christmas Tree designed to fit over the light standards arrived. Paint and
lighting varied but this classic decoration stayed for over two decades!
Dick Whittington Collection/USC
The building in the background is the Bank Building on the corner of Hollywood & Highland.
I wonder what can be found in that store next door at 6773 Hollywood Blvd.? “Her Secret”…

There was no parade during the war years (1942-1944), but the mid to late ‘40’s still saw these
marvelous creations in use, as we see here in another noirish view of Santa Claus Lane in 1948.
LAPL

And they weren’t all the same colors as we see in these color photographs circa 1950:
LAPL
Melody Lane is on the North West corner of Hollywood & Vine.
(Anyone know what Brooks or Chi Chi were? Or make out the marquee on The Admiral?)

This was taken at Highland looking West on Hollywood Blvd. The Owl Drug Store is on the
corner and the Roosevelt Hotel in the distance. Anyone make out any of the great neon signs
in the middle?
LAPL

To give you an idea of how large these lighted trees were, here’s Joe E. Brown
(“…nobody’s perfect”) and Santa Claus in a storage area.



This photo shows two young boys peering at them through a fence.
PatricksMercy/Flickr
A commenter who remembers seeing these writes:
This tree lot location in Burbank is now the Southern most NBC parking lot at the North West corner of Bob Hope Drive and Warner Blvd.

NBC Burbank in 1953. Note Hollywood Blvd. Christmas trees in upper left corner of photo:
mepurina/Flickr

And in 1953, we see a Pacific Electric Streetcar coming toward Ivar Street. The caption states
that 1953 would be “the last year streetcars would take part in Tinseltown’s Yuletide Festvities.”

Metro Transportation Library and Archive

And a few more:

LAPL

LAPL


Walter Abenseth P.E.Collection/VLA
Looking towards the Hollywood Hotel at the NW corner of Hollywood & Highland in Dec. 1953. Behind the P.E. Red Car is Grauman's Chinese Theater.

[ethereal_reality]

...'tis the season!



I thought perhaps we had seen all the photos of the elevated bicycle path that ran from Los Angeles to Pasadena.
Here's one that's new to the thread. (-notice the toll booth in the distance)

January 26, 1900
ebay

other views of the bicycle path.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...170279&page=41

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=815

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=841

this one shows another toll booth.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=8068

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[ethereal_reality]

[QUOTE=GaylordWilshire;6377613]

originally posted by GW
LAPL
A taxidermy shop, Colburn's Inc., at 716 South Flower Street, Los Angeles.


Norman Bates' younger brother?
ebay

-ok I have to admit, I don't believe this is anywhere close to Los Angeles proper, but the image of this young man posing
with his taxidermy is so amazing I had to post it.
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[OutlawImages]

Hello all I am in need of help enlarging and sharpening a photo. I was not sure if it was acceptable to post for this assistance but ethereal_reality says you members here would be supportive and most likely could help me

It is not a LA related image but is a older image from the 1940s that I am trying to read the street signs to verify a location for a research project.

I as a photographer have used Photoshop but not in this area and just dont seem to know which adjustments to use to enlarge and not pix-elate it

And I see you guys here enlarge some amazing images to huge proportions and make things legible

If you might be willing to help please PM me and I can get an address to email image?

Thanks in advance to any help and thanks to the members for patience and understanding with my post

Brian

[ethereal_reality]

-another early business card. White Steam Cars!
ebay

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[ethereal_reality]

March 26, 1921
ebay




-as 1712 Bellevue Avenue appears today

GSV



-looking east toward Echo Park Lake.(was Bellevue Avenue already be blocked off by 1921? -looks that way)
ebay



down the block (but which way?)
ebay




-aerial view of the neighborhood (Echo Park Lake is at far right)

google_earth
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[sadykadie2]

Hey Fellow Noirians! Found this great 3 ft long image at a garage sale in Orange County.There are 9 images in all to form a panorama. The photographer is a man named M. F. Weaver. These long LONG images were popular around this time. This is the Ville-Dyas company picnic at the "Santa Monica Pleasure Pier". Not sure how Noir this is (maybe the potato salad was bad, maybe one of the kids scraped a knee).

[OutlawImages]

Nice find on box of negatives

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

...'tis the season!



I thought perhaps we had seen all the photos of the elevated bicycle path that ran from Los Angeles to Pasadena.
Here's one that's new to the thread. (-notice the toll booth in the distance)

January 26, 1900
ebay

other views of the bicycle path.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...170279&page=41

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=815

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=841

this one shows another toll booth.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=8068

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Interesting shadow lines in many of the photos.

Honorable mention: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=16240

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

originally posted by HossC


I can't let this amazing detail of 5000 S. Central Ave. pass without pointing out the Green Lantern Fountain sign at upper right.
It immediately brought back memories of having 'Green Rivers' at the one and only drug store in my hometown.
After all these years looking at vintage photographs I've never noticed a sign such as this.
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http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...id/13780/rec/6


1929



1929









201 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...id/13721/rec/8

Exterior



Interior



PM










Could some of the malted milk be too strong for minors?

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Three Tanner Gray Line Motor Coaches --->
ebay

Where do you suppose this was taken?
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I think it was taken at the north end of Palisades Park in Santa Monica. The grass has since been removed, but on the left side of the vintage photo note the low stone wall in the
background above the left shoulder of the lady in the folding chair. In the photo below, I've marked the same low stone wall. The line of palms along Ocean Ave is still there (only last
2 are in photo below). But now there's a building where Ocean Avenue turns and drops down into Santa Monica Canyon, so the view across the canyon to Pacific Palisades is
obscured in the October 2012 image below:

GSV

[Tetsu]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

down the block (but which way?)
ebay




-aerial view of the neighborhood (Echo Park Lake is at far right)

google_earth
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The house in the background of the picture with the little girl appears to have been right across the street (you can see it even in the Google aerial):



Looks like a fun neighborhood to explore, with more (however altered) Victorians left than I would've thought!

[ethereal_reality]

Good eye Tetsu. thanks!

Flyingwedge, I believe you've pinpointed the 3 Tanner Gray Lines photo. I was also thinking Santa Monica but wasn't sure.
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Am I the only one who can't see sadykatie2's photographs?
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[ethereal_reality]

Tourmaline, thanks for finding & posting the photographs of the 'Green Lantern Fountain' in Santa Monica.



I was a bit surprised to see that the young man was barefoot.


..and what's hanging out of his pocket...a watch fob?
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[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Tourmaline, thanks for finding & posting the photographs of the 'Green Lantern Fountain' in Santa Monica.



I was a bit surprised to see that the young man was barefoot.


..and what's hanging out of his pocket...a watch fob?
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I noticed his feet also, ER. This location is only a block and half from the beach. It was common in those days to go barefoot. Of course the laws have changed and today most all places of business do not allow you to walk in barefootin' it. As for myself, I've mostly given up on shoes...I wear flip-flops everywhere I go these days.

From his clothes he could be a yacht hand or pool attendant at a hotel.

[CityBoyDoug]

In the mood to post a noir scene from Sunset & Vine. Carpenters Sandwich Drive-In.

[Those Who Squirm!]

Yesterday I had a couple of cards to mail, so I headed for the main Post Office in Palms, here:



I parked across the street on the northbound side near the corner of Regent Street, and just by chance noticed this old rusty flagpole and official-looking relief image of an eagle over the main entrance of 3740 Motor Avenue.



Closer up view of the eagle, all the more interesting since the building is only about 63 years old. This has all the relief and depth of a St-Gaudens $20 gold coin.



Most of us here know that it's not unusual for post offices to be relocated, so it's not all that surprising to learn that this building, now occupied by the business of one Robin Piccone, used to be the post office. But besides the eagle there's one other detail of note:



I don't know why but I love the frosted glass window to the left.

Here's a better view of the window:



It turns out that Robin Piccone is a fashion designer. She designed a bikini for Body Glove in the 1980s; this was their first foray into casual, workout, and swimwear other than wetsuits.

[Lwize]

(ignore this)

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by sadykadie2

Hey Fellow Noirians! Found this great 3 ft long image at a garage sale in Orange County.There are 9 images in all to form a panorama. The photographer is a man named M. F. Weaver. These long LONG images were popular around this time. This is the Ville-Dyas company picnic at the "Santa Monica Pleasure Pier". Not sure how Noir this is (maybe the potato salad was bad, maybe one of the kids scraped a knee).

Since your scans didn't appear, I downloaded them and stitched them together.
Of the nine images, eight are shown below (the ninth being the back of the photo showing Weavers stamp).
Unfortunately, the eight scans of the image were incomplete, as there seems to be a missing section. The first stitch contains the first five images, and the second stitch contains the next three.
If you find the missing scan, upload it and I can put it all together as one image...