noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

ebay

[ethereal_reality]

I would have never guessed this was a Chinese Restaurant except for the soy sauce on the tables.



ebay

[ethereal_reality]

utilitarian buildings at LAX, Sept. 1955.

[oldstuff]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

House falls into air raid shelter.

ebay

The house was located at 2521 Ridgely and may have actually belonged to Glave's uncle Claude Atkins. They appear in the 1940 census. Henry Glave was 25 when the house collapsed.

[ethereal_reality]

thanks oldstuff.



2nd floor at 635-637 South Broadway.

1910s
ebay



this sounds like an amazing place.

[FredH]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I'm unsure where this open space is located that's large enough to host this giant flag.


Does anyone recognize this INN and Garage?
ebay
__

Another clue: Is that city hall on the top right of this photo?


LAPL

ER - Also, I showed your picture to the wife. She thinks it is a Chinese New Year celebration, not Moon Day.

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Does anyone recognize this INN and Garage?

It looks like the photo was taken from what remained of the Calle de los Negros.

Originally Posted by gsjansen

i guess i was kind guessin' wrong. in this 1943 image of calle de los negros during a rally for Madame Chiang Kai-shek, the "Y" was actually for Ye Bull Pen Inn


Source: Calisphere http://content.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/hb6k4007sj/FID5

Here's the same location as the El Torro Cafe.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/3345511...89901205/?rb=1 (gsjansen)


More Here: http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...postcount=1379

[rlrdrken]

Originally Posted by FredH

Another clue: Is that city hall on the top right of this photo?


LAPL

ER - Also, I showed your picture to the wife. She thinks it is a Chinese New Year celebration, not Moon Day.

Jake-It's China Town.

[FredH]

Paramount Pictures

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here is a color photo of the Schindler designed Sardi's on Hollywood Blvd. I know numerous photographs of Sardi's have been posted throughout this thread but I don't recall this one.


theblackdahliainhollywood

below: The interior


zilf/flickr

I'm not sure why the woman is pushing an iron lung.

The above postcard image is the only glimpse of the interior of Sardi's I recall seeing posted before. Here's a couple others:

HHP

Opened at 6315 Hollywood Blvd in 1932.

LAPL

Owner Adolph “Eddie” Brandstter, center with customers.

Eddie had a bit of a noir side. I didn’t know Sardi’s was destroyed by a fire! From the linked article:

The Sunset Inn, Café Montmartre, Sardi's: Wherever Adolph "Eddie" Brandstatter's night spots were, Hollywood once gathered. [After some questionable business decisions] in 1932 he declared bankruptcy and, after he sold the Montmartre, was convicted of theft for having absconded with assorted furnishings, including drapes, china and a large statue of a nude woman (described in the Los Angeles Times as "a cherished art object").

He bounced back with the even grander Sardi's, an Art Deco palace at 6315 Hollywood Blvd. In 1936, it was destroyed by a fire. Once again he bounced back, though a little less high, with the Bohemian Grill on Vine. He had been planning more restaurants (altogether he opened about 10 in a 20-year period) when he committed suicide in 1940.

It's hard to avoid the suspicion that he was what we would now call bipolar, with his expansive periods of new projects alternating with catastrophes. This would explain his charisma, and also episodes like his cutting through the wall between the Montmartre and a jewelry shop next door … without telling the landlord. The grandiosity of a manic phase might also explain why his newspaper ads never bothered to mention the Montmartre's address (6757 Hollywood Blvd.).

On the other hand, that might have been a marketing ploy, like Ma Maison's having an unlisted telephone number in the 1980s. Or, for that matter, the exceptionally inconspicuous entrance of today's Montmartre Lounge, a bar specializing in private parties for Hollywood people in the old Montmartre location, which has no sign but the letters ML.

[HossC]

R.I.P. Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014)

Seen here at Rancho Palos Verdes alongside Edie Adams, Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney in the recently discussed 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'.


MGM

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

The above postcard image is the only glimpse of the interior of Sardi's I recall seeing posted before. Here's a couple others:

HHP

Opened at 6315 Hollywood Blvd in 1932.

LAPL

Owner Adolph “Eddie” Brandstter, center with customers.

Eddie had a bit of a noir side. I didn’t know Sardi’s was destroyed by a fire! From the linked article:

The Sunset Inn, Café Montmartre, Sardi's: Wherever Adolph "Eddie" Brandstatter's night spots were, Hollywood once gathered. [After some questionable business decisions] in 1932 he declared bankruptcy and, after he sold the Montmartre, was convicted of theft for having absconded with assorted furnishings, including drapes, china and a large statue of a nude woman (described in the Los Angeles Times as "a cherished art object").

He bounced back with the even grander Sardi's, an Art Deco palace at 6315 Hollywood Blvd. In 1936, it was destroyed by a fire. Once again he bounced back, though a little less high, with the Bohemian Grill on Vine. He had been planning more restaurants (altogether he opened about 10 in a 20-year period) when he committed suicide in 1940.

It's hard to avoid the suspicion that he was what we would now call bipolar, with his expansive periods of new projects alternating with catastrophes. This would explain his charisma, and also episodes like his cutting through the wall between the Montmartre and a jewelry shop next door … without telling the landlord. The grandiosity of a manic phase might also explain why his newspaper ads never bothered to mention the Montmartre's address (6757 Hollywood Blvd.).

On the other hand, that might have been a marketing ploy, like Ma Maison's having an unlisted telephone number in the 1980s. Or, for that matter, the exceptionally inconspicuous entrance of today's Montmartre Lounge, a bar specializing in private parties for Hollywood people in the old Montmartre location, which has no sign but the letters ML.

Adolph "Eddie" Brandstatter was somewhat of a fraud and a thief in using the name "Sardi's" as the "real" Sardi's is located in New York City at 234 West 44th Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue) and was established in 1927. The bit about the star caricatures began when founder/owner Vincent Sardi thought it an idea that would attract business. Obviously he was right and it appears that Brandstatter had no shame in attempting to capitalize on that idea. Given that Vincent Sardi immigrated from Italy one has to wonder if the fire at the Hollywood fake Sardi's may have been Mafia folks looking out for fellow Italians.

The "real" Sardi's as it appears today in its original and current location in New York City's theater district.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Sardis.jpg

As a side note, the lyrics of the song "This Could Be The Start of Something Big" composed by TV personality, musician, author, comedian, and actor Steve Allen in 1956 makes reference to Sardi's. Obviously not the Hollywood Sardi's which was long gone in 1956. Strangely, the next line in the song refers to lying on the sand at Malibu.

I personally like the Steve Lawrence - Eydie Gorme recording.

[Beaudry]

Finally caught up on the last few months' worth -- so much to comment on and add to. While I catch my breath, I'll just throw something onto the "survivor's pile," from a piece of letterhead. Letterhead is overlooked and underutilized (at least in my personal research) but often features depictions of commercial/industrial buildings that were likely never photographed.

For example, here's a typical piece found while noodling about on the eBay:

ebay

The lithography is always handsome and the vintage typefonts don't hurt either.

And what of our friend, 3446 S Hill? According to assessor's records, it was built in 1921, and according to Facebook it's most recently been a club called The Well. Sadly, it no longer has a vintage tractor sitting outside:

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

he bit about the star caricatures began when founder/owner Vincent Sardi thought it an idea that would attract business. Obviously he was right and it appears that Brandstatter had no shame in attempting to capitalize on that idea.

Apparently Vincent Sardi had no shame either:

When business slowed [...] Vincent Sardi sought a gimmick to attract customers. Recalling the movie star caricatures that decorated the walls of Joe Zelli’s, a Parisian restaurant and jazz club, Sardi decided to recreate that effect in his establishment.

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

Adolph "Eddie" Brandstatter was somewhat of a fraud and a thief in using the name "Sardi's" as the "real" Sardi's is located in New York City at 234 West 44th Street (between Broadway and Eighth Avenue) and was established in 1927. The bit about the star caricatures began when founder/owner Vincent Sardi thought it an idea that would attract business. Obviously he was right and it appears that Brandstatter had no shame in attempting to capitalize on that idea. Given that Vincent Sardi immigrated from Italy one has to wonder if the fire at the Hollywood fake Sardi's may have been Mafia folks looking out for fellow Italians.

This is not a defense of Eddie B's questionable entrepreneurial ethics, but his activities regarding Sardi's Hollywood may not have been exactly as you portray them. Of course confusion is the norm when, allegedly, Brandstatter's obituary (erroneously) credited him with one-time ownership of NY Sardi's. http://historylosangeles.blogspot.co...eally-are.html

Adorning an eatery with caricatures may have been novel, but maybe not. Per one source, "Vincent Sardi wanted to imitate a Paris restaurant, Zelli's, that placed caricatures on the walls of the restaurant."http://archives.nypl.org/the/21509 It bears noting that Brandstatter was born in France and waited tables there too. http://books.google.com/books?id=MjP...tatter&f=false NY Sardi's catered to the Broadway Crowd and Broadway celebrities. With the growth of Hollywood and its well known product, many Broadway celebrities became Hollywood Movie Stars too. It is only a guess that despite the blurred lines, LA Sardi's capitalized mostly on the latter type of celebrity. I could be wrong, but walls with caricatures (and 8 x 10's) has taken on a life of its own. Consider the Brown Derby and so many tailors, shoe makers, dry cleaners and even Post Offices in Hollywood. Of course, beyond the similarity of cuisine served amidst caricatures, there is the Sardi's name, which lends itself to several plausible possibilities. (Is Original Tommy's better than Tom's No. XXX? )

NY Sardi's may have been an "overnight" success when it opened in the Roaring '20s, but by 1922, Brandstatter was a well established LA impresario with his Montmartre. Here is a 1927 article about EB apparently authored by Tom Mix. http://books.google.com/books?id=7vc...tatter&f=false
EB may have had an understanding (formal or informal) with NY Sardi regarding LA Sardi's. At least one source identifies the LA Sardi's as a "sister" to the NY restaurant.http://allanellenberger.com/sardis-restaurant-then-now/ https://www.facebook.com/VintageLosA...61803547225972 The existence and/or extent of any relationship between the two entities remains unclear.

It would be interesting to know how far in advance of the project EB planned to use the Sardi's name. The Depression caused many to retool their business plans. Whether and how this influenced EB and his LA Sardi's enterprise - is speculative. Startup dates between the two restaurants was roughly 5 years. In the thick of the Depression, it may not have been economically practical for NY Sardi's to take any action to protect its business name and reputation in CA. It is equally possible that for a handshake and nominal consideration, LA Sardi's could have started with NY Sardi's knowledge and approval. Per my earlier query, Sardi's started out as the Gore Building and underwent a substantial facelift and internal changes before becoming Sardi's. One source claims that this was also the location of the Henry's [Bergman] Cafe and the "Brass Rail." https://sites.google.com/site/hollyw...of-fame-part-2 Unless the street was renumbered, there are discrepancies regarding the addresses of these businesses. The '27 CD lists Henry Bergman's at 6325 Hollywood Blvd. There is a "Hollywood Brass Rail" listed at 6321 Hollywood Blvd. in the '36 CD. FWIW, the Admiral Theater apparently took over the Brass Rail's location at 6321 H Blvd. Sardi's was listed in '36 as 6313 1/2 Hollywood blvd.


This may be a photo of "that" original Brass Rail.
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=13571

And its purported former iteration, Henry's [Cafe]Delicatessen
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics45/00072174.jpg http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics45/00072170.jpg


http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3988

Amazing that Eddie was able to operate as many well known Hollywood businesses, especially after his several brushes with the law. Eddie was not as attractive as Clara Bow, but he evidently made up for IT with copious charm and bravado. One source suggests, albeit tongue in cheek, that Eddie deserved a sidewalk star. As noted in a recent post, Eddie may have had his manic moments, some high some low.http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr...atter-20110414

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=3988

Brown Derby Caricatures
http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/14/55/50.../3/628x471.jpg

More Sardi's courtesy of ER http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=1180



http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4057/4...8accfb14_o.jpg


_________________________

In front of Montmartre - Brandstatter's Cafe http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/71068/rec/33

1928 - Women and dead foxes.

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Apparently Vincent Sardi had no shame either:

When business slowed [...] Vincent Sardi sought a gimmick to attract customers. Recalling the movie star caricatures that decorated the walls of Joe Zelli’s, a Parisian restaurant and jazz club, Sardi decided to recreate that effect in his establishment.

Yeah, I read that as well. I seriously question the statement due to timeline and the fact that Zelli's was located in Paris, opening in 1920 and Sardi being in NYC opening his first restaurant in 1921. On the other hand, there is at least one photo on the WEB that shows caricatures displayed on the wall of Zelli's. It's of note that Zelli's in Paris closed in early 1928.

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by HossC

R.I.P. Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar (September 8, 1922 – February 12, 2014)

Seen here at Rancho Palos Verdes alongside Edie Adams, Buddy Hackett and Mickey Rooney in the recently discussed 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World'.

MGM

Goodby Sid. Thanks for the laughs, insight and entertainment.

I missed the 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' discussion so I had to go searching the interwebs for "The Big Double-ya" myself.

It was in the park at Portuguese Point RPV.

Then:



..and now (I think)



http://steve-mgtp.blogspot.com/2012_10_01_archive.html

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

http://ww1.hdnux.com/photos/14/55/50.../3/628x471.jpg

Today in the year 2014 you can still see these caricatures at the Brown Derby restaurant in .....Disneyland.

More info at.......http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Derby


Disney Food Div.

[Krell58]

This is good...

• Video Link

[Lwize]

Originally Posted by Krell58

This is good...

• Video Link

That was awesome!

RIP Sid...