noirish Los Angeles

[sopas ej]

Ah yes, Gaylord, that shopping center is the enclosed, 3-level Burbank Town Center Mall; it used to be called the Media City Center, built in the early 1990s. Nearby is the closest IKEA to me; yeah, I've been there a number of times.

Downtown Burbank is actually quite thriving; lots of people walking about, especially on Saturday nights, being that there's many restaurants and a cinema complex there. I don't really hang out there, though.

I do occasionally like going to Burbank for the old, retro-cool, 1949-era Bob's Big Boy. It's open 24 hours and can get very crowded.

The lamp posts that you see in those older photos are no longer on San Fernando Blvd. in downtown Burbank, but they still exist on many stretches of other major thoroughfares in Burbank, albeit now with modern light fixtures.

Here's Providence St. Joseph Medical Center on South Buena Vista Street in Burbank (where John Ritter died), with the Walt Disney Studios across the street. You can see the lamp posts, though they've been painted black.

Google Street View

[sopas ej]

A little more Burbank.

A parade in downtown Burbank, 1952, headed down San Fernando Blvd., crossing Olive Avenue.

USC Archive

The same corner today.

Google Street View

San Fernando Blvd. has been narrowed through downtown with bulb-outs and diagonal parking.

[3940dxer]

Originally Posted by gsjansen

Outpost Estates is a canyon neighborhood of Hollywood and the Hollywood Hills in the central region of the City of Los Angeles, California.

It is located directly east of Runyon Canyon Park and centered around Outpost Drive. Outpost Estates is bordered by Mulholland Drive to the north, Franklin Canyon to the south, Runyon Canyon to the west and Cahuenga Boulevard to the east. Developed by Charles E. Toberman, it is one of the original 1920s Hollywood luxury residential neighborhoods in the heart of Old Hollywood. Most of the original houses have been preserved, and Lower Outpost looks much like it did in the 1920s.

The origin of the name "Outpost" derives from an early building on the site. General Harrison Grey Otis, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, acquired the estate from Don Tómas Urquidez through legal wrangling associated with California's scession to the United States. Otis converted the adobe into a clubhouse for entertaining which he called The Outpost

In the 1920s, Outpost Estates once had a sign not unlike the Hollywoodland sign (which later became the Hollywood sign). The OUTPOST sign is still there, buried in the weeds. It was one of the largest neon signs in the world. Even the original foundation and electrical junction boxes survive.

The Outpost Estates development was one of the first neighborhoods in the country to offer all-underground utilities.

A 1927 view of the sign


outpostestates.com

a 1927 closeup view of the sign


Outpostestates.com

view of the sign from the Chinese Theater


Bison Archives

a recent view of the Outpost sign remains looking across towards the hollywood sign


Digitalartform.com

gsjansen, seeing this post totally made my day. I always liked the Outpost area, have hiked Runyon Canyon for years, and always wondered about all that twisted metal wreckage! It makes perfect sense and I remember seeing the electrical parts. After seeing your thread I found a photo that shows the letters a little more clearly, and shot a few photos of my own. There's lots of interesting stuff in this area!


http://www.digitalartform.com/archiv...post_sign.html

The remains of the sign seem more or less centered along the steep eastern trail that runs along a ridge that looks south towards La Brea. They are scattered near a lookout point along the trail - which may have been a dirt access road when the sign was built.

Just north and up the hill on a large, fenced and somewhat hidden lot is a triangular Frank Lloyd Wright home, the Headley-Handley house. (Built in 1947?) Nearby is an old home with horses and goats in a side area.


http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/0...e.php#runyon-5

On another hilltop to the northwest is the weird monstrosity at 2450 Solar Drive, partially built in 1980's but never occupied. A resident told me the noirish story behind it. This "dream house" was built by a porn star and her manager (think Boogie Nights) but apparently the project was grossly mismanaged and the money ran out.. Since the house was never finished it was never approved for occupancy. Notice the boarded up windows.

Gang bangers and squatters took over, the neighbors hated it. The house is huge and has a great view, but spoils the other homeowner's views. It became an illegal party hangout and got progressively trashed, finally someone installed a caretaker, who lives in a motor home in the driveway. My wish is that the place is torn down one day. Here are some photos, from me.








It was pretty hazy this evening but if the skies were clear you'd see the buildings of Franklin, Hollywood Blvd., and Sunset, with mid Wilshire further out. It it was really clear you'd see the Palos Verdes pininsula, the Pacific and maybe Catalina Island in the distance.

To be continued...

[GaylordWilshire]

LAPL

[Pompeyuk]

Hi everyone.

I'm from England, & am fascinated by historical photos, especially then & now comparisons. I've never been to LA, & probably never will, but after playing LA Noire, i was intrigued to see what the game landmarks were like today, which is how i stumbled across this thread!

Some of the buildings & places destroyed in the name of 'progress' is astonishing.

I'm actually only up to page 46, but had to jump to the end to say thanks to all the contributors for this glimpse into the past.

Right, back to 46 i go.........................................!!

[so-cal-bear]

.

[FredH]

Los Angeles Times


Read the story here:

http://framework.latimes.com/2011/09/13/loyalty-oaths/


They needed Major--de Coverley to step in and put a stop to it:

(From Catch-22 by Joseph Heller)
Milo carefully said nothing when Major —— de Coverley stepped into the mess hall with his fierce and austere dignity the day he returned and found his way blocked by a wall of officers waiting in line to sign loyalty oaths. At the far end of the food counter, a group of men who had arrived earlier were pledging allegiance to the flag, with trays of food balanced in one hand, in order to be allowed to take seats at the table. Already at the tables, a group that had arrived still earlier was singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” in order that they might use the salt and pepper and ketchup there. The hubub began to subside slowly as Major —— de Coverley paused in the doorway with a frown of puzzled disapproval, as though viewing something bizarre. He started forward in a straight line, and the wall of officers before him parted like the Red Sea. Glancing neither left nor right, he strode indomitably up to the steam counter and, in a clear, full-bodied voice that was gruff with age and resonant with ancient eminence and authority, said:
“Gimme eat.”
Instead of eat, Corporal Snark gave Major —— de Coverley a loyalty oath to sign. Major —— de Coverley swept it away with mighty displeasure the moment he recognized what it was, his good eye flaring up blindingly with fiery disdain and his enormous old corrugated face darkening in mountainous wrath.
“Gimme eat, I said,” he ordered loudly in harsh tones that rumbled ominously through the silent tent like claps of distant thunder.
Corporal Snark turned pale and began to tremble. He glanced toward Milo pleadingly for guidance. For several terrible seconds there was not a sound. Then Milo nodded.
“Give him eat,” he said.
Corporal Snark began giving Major —— de Coverley eat. Major —— de Coverley turned from the counter with his tray full and came to a stop. His eyes fell on the groups of other officers gazing at him in mute appeal, and, with righteous belligerence, he roared:
“Give everybody eat!”
“Give everybody eat!” Milo echoed with joyful relief, and the Glorious Loyalty Oath Crusade came to an end.

[FredH]

Los Angeles Times


The story and more pictures are here:

http://framework.latimes.com/2011/11...929-auto-show/

[so-cal-bear]

.

[ethereal_reality]

Great post 3940dxer. I'm with you, that porn mansion needs to be torn down.
They should let the caretaker stay in the vacant house instead of some trailer. That guy could be livin' it up.

I'm glad you reposted gsjansen's post on Outpost....I had forgotten all about the story. I still find it amazing that the sign was in neon!
I would love to find a night-time photo of it.

_____
Welcome to the thread Pompeyuk. I spent a summer in Portsmouth many years ago.
I stayed at the YMCA across from the bombed out Royal Garrison Church. My cohorts and I would go to a pub called 'Still & West'.

_____

[Albany NY]

"Welcome to the thread Pompeyuk. I spent a summer in Portsmouth many years ago.
I stayed at the YMCA across from the bombed out Royal Garrison Church. My cohorts and I would go to a pub called 'Still & West'."

I know its off topic, but I had to let ethereal_reality and PompeyUK know I stayed at the Felton House (aka The Buckingham House) in Portsmouth in August. Supposed to be haunted, although the creepiest thing there was a guest from Belgium who smelled of old cheese and sauerkraut. Still & West is still there, as popular as ever. Had many (too many) enjoyable evenings there. There's no connection to Los Angeles, but more of an astonishing contrast. In LA the landscape seems to mostly change with every generation, while in most of the UK there is a quiet, dignified permanence to buildings that can be several hundred years old.

[FredH]

Originally Posted by cleats

And my absolute pride and joy of almost 17 years, my 1958 Cadillac Coupe deVille purchased on 11/07/57 at Lou Ehlers Cadillac by Mrs. Lucille D. Arnaz of 1000 N. Roxbury Drive Beverly Hills, Calif. My girl (also named Lucy is always a hit at car shows)!!! Can you just imagine how beautiful that redhead looked driving this car???

~F3


I LOVE LUCY

That is one fine looking ride Fab Fifties...if I saw you coming I would pull over and bow!
Here is a surprising find of Lucy's voters registration with commie affiliations![/QUOTE]

Lucy Explains the 1936 Communist Registration:

(And doesn't Desi look thrilled!)


Los Angeles Times

Story and additional picture here:

http://framework.latimes.com/2011/09...ommunist-link/

[3940dxer]

(Continuing my post about Runyon Canyon on Page 263...)

Southward, down the hill, is narrow but mostly paved Runyon Canyon Road. This road once linked Mulholland to North Vista St. but is gated now -- walkers only.

Partway up the Canyon was a mansion called San Patrizio built in the 30's with tennis courts, a swimming pool, and various guest facilities. Supposedly, Hollywood stars rented the mansion. The few historical accounts are fuzzy, but I believe that the main house was demolished in the late 70's. The tennis court remains, along with a swimming pool filled with dirt. Here's a photo of the tennis court, with Hollywood and Sunset Blvds. in the background (me). The tennis court overlooks Fuller Avenue, which is 3 blocks west of La Brea. (Sorry for the fuzzy image - it was getting dark!)



Stories of San Patrizio's creation and end differ, but according to Wikipedia, tenor John McCormack bought the property from Carman Runyon in 1930:

"McCormack toured frequently and in his absence the mansion was often rented out to such celebrities as Janet Gaynor and Charles Boyer. The McCormacks made many friends in Hollywood, among them Will Rogers, John Barrymore, Basil Rathbone, C. E. Toberman and the Dohenys. After his farewell tour of America in 1937, the McCormacks deeded the estate back to Carman Runyon, expecting to return at a later date. World War II intervened, however, and, McCormack's health was broken by a wartime concert tour. McCormack died in 1945. In the meantime, Huntington Hartford, heir to the A&P Grocery fortune and patron of the arts, purchased the property in 1942, moving into the mansion and renaming the estate "The Pines". He commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd Wright, who had offices in Hollywood, to draft ambitious plans for developing the estate. These included a "cottage hotel" lower canyon and a futuristic "play resort" country club on the ridge. When neighborhood opposition to the design put the project on hold, Hartford had Lloyd Wright design and build a pool pavilion on the crest of the hill at Inspiration Point, facing Hollywood.

Schemes were later proposed for galleries in the canyon, but after 1955, Hartford began to spend more time in New York where his Gallery of Modern Art was eventually built. In the mid '40s, Hartford wrote an adaptation of "Jane Eyre" called "Master of Thornfield," which ran for two weeks in Cincinnati and starred Errol Flynn as Mr. Rochester. This partnership led to Flynn staying in the pool-house briefly in 1957-58, and is the origin of a legend that "The Pines" was Flynn's estate.

In 1964, Hartford offered the property as a gift to the city, but this was turned down by Mayor Sam Yorty. As Lloyd Wright recalled in 1977, "Here was this very wealthy man and he wanted to give something very stunning to Hollywood. The Chambers of Commerce, the hotel owners and the various businesses were jealous of the park, and with the help of the City officials, the City refused to give us permits. Hunt was so angry that he wanted to get out immediately and sold the property at a low price to [Jules] Berman, who then destroyed the mansion and let the place run down." Jules Berman, who had made a fortune importing the well-known Mexican coffee-flavored liqueur Kahlúa, saw the estate potentially as a "Tiffany development, a beautiful subdivision of 157 luxury homes." After purchasing the canyon, he razed Son Patrizio and the guest houses to avoid paying taxes on the deteriorating structures. His "Huntington Hartford Estates" development, trading on the name of its famous former owner, encountered resistance led by Daniel deJonghe, a park activist. The project was stopped in 1978 before building could begin. The Lloyd Wright pool-house remained standing until 1972 when a fire in the canyon destroyed all but its natural stone foundations."
(Wikipedia)

I can't find any original images of San Patrizio. Anybody?

Slightly southwest, nearer the bottom of the hill, is Wattles Mansion:

"In 1907, the Wattles family commissioned noted architects Myron Hunt and Elmer Grey, whose portfolio also included the Beverly Hills Hotel, Huntington Library, and Pasadena's Rose Bowl. The team of Hunt and Grey designed this Mission Revival residence with extensive grounds that featured a Japanese Garden, an Italian Rose Garden, a Formal Spanish Garden, Palm Court, and orchards, as well as boasting exotic plants from around the world. In the early days of this century, the Wattles Mansion and its gardens, along with the estate of painter Paul De Longpre and the Sturtevant family's giant lily pads, generated nationwide interest, and soon became Hollywood's first tourist attractions."
www.wattlesmansion.com

Looking northeast:

www.wattlesmansion.com

Looking southwest:

LAPL


www.wattlesmansion.com

The Japanese Garden, most of which remains:

LAPL

Wattles Mansion is maintained by the Hollywood Heritage organization. The grounds of are open to the public but the interior is only open for special events. I think Wattles may have been used for some scenes in Chinatown - anybody know?

Wattles Mansion today:

http://www.theokaynetwork.com/apps/m...433N-38L1D433R

[3940dxer]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Sopas: Love the Smiling Irishman's lot, and love that fur-covered T-bird. And the model--I am continually amazed by the style of brassieres in the fifties--how men got women to display their goods so weirdly, and then designed car bumpers the same way, up and OUT, watch out, I'm comin' through!

And so the model reminded me of Dagmar, who bequeathed her name to the bumpers...

LAPL
Per the LAPL: "Looking every inch a television star, Dagmar enjoys an evening at Ciro's with her husband, Dan Dayton
(left); Lorraine Cugat (second from right), estranged wife of Bandleader Xavier Cugat, and her escort, Gould Morrison.
Dagmar, who is big on TV in the east, flew out here to spend some time with her husband."

And, GaylordWilshire, your post reminded me of this classic shot, in which Sophia Loren gazes disapprovingly into Jayne Mansfields bra-less decolletage. 1957, Romanoff's Restaurant, Beverly Hills. Looks like the meal hadn't started yet - it must have been one slow dinner!


Public Domain

Miss Mansfield was killed in an auto accident near Biloxi, Mississippi in 1967. Her car crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that had slowed because of a truck that was spraying mosquito fogger.

[sopas ej]

I thought this might be of interest, from blogdowntown.com:

38 Years Ago: Broadway Department Store Moved Off Namesake Street

By ERIC RICHARDSON
Published: Wednesday, November 16, 2011, at 09:46AM


USC Archive

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — On November 16, 1973, the doors to the Broadway Department Store were closed one final time at 4th and Broadway, the corner the then-massive store had inhabited since its founding in 1896.

The next day, the store opened its doors at 7th and Flower, inside the new mixed-use Broadway Plaza.

It was actually in August of 1895 that the "Broadway Department Store" opened its doors at 401 S. Broadway, but the store's first incarnation was forgettable. J.A. Williams and Co. opened the small store, advertising that "the people of Los Angeles have never seen goods sold at our prices." The store made it through the holiday season and then promptly went bankrupt.

On February 24, 1896, Arthur Letts took over operation of the failed enterprise, advertising a massive bankruptcy sale to move all of the store's previous wares within 30 days.

Letts had a magic touch, and by 1911 the store had grown to four floors and 125,000 square feet.

It wasn't enough, though, and in 1913 Letts leased three floors in the Clark Hotel on Hill Street as a temporary home during the construction of a new nine-story building with nearly 11 acres of floor space. The three-phased construction project wrapped in 1915.

Read the rest by clicking on this.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by 3940dxer

(Continuing my post about Runyon Canyon on Page 263...)

Southward, down the hill, is narrow but mostly paved Runyon Canyon Road. This road once linked Mulholland to North Vista St. but is gated now -- walkers only.

Partway up the Canyon was a mansion called San Patrizio built in the 30's with tennis courts, a swimming pool, and various guest facilities. Supposedly, Hollywood stars rented the mansion. The few historical accounts are fuzzy, but I believe that the main house was demolished in the late 70's. The tennis court remains, along with a swimming pool filled with dirt. Here's a photo of the tennis court, with Hollywood and Sunset Blvds. in the background (me). The tennis court overlooks Fuller Avenue, which is 3 blocks west of La Brea. (Sorry for the fuzzy image - it was getting dark!)



Stories of San Patrizio's creation and end differ, but according to Wikipedia, tenor John McCormack bought the property from Carman Runyon in 1930:

"McCormack toured frequently and in his absence the mansion was often rented out to such celebrities as Janet Gaynor and Charles Boyer. The McCormacks made many friends in Hollywood, among them Will Rogers, John Barrymore, Basil Rathbone, C. E. Toberman and the Dohenys. After his farewell tour of America in 1937, the McCormacks deeded the estate back to Carman Runyon, expecting to return at a later date. World War II intervened, however, and, McCormack's health was broken by a wartime concert tour. McCormack died in 1945. In the meantime, Huntington Hartford, heir to the A&P Grocery fortune and patron of the arts, purchased the property in 1942, moving into the mansion and renaming the estate "The Pines". He commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright and his son Lloyd Wright, who had offices in Hollywood, to draft ambitious plans for developing the estate. These included a "cottage hotel" lower canyon and a futuristic "play resort" country club on the ridge. When neighborhood opposition to the design put the project on hold, Hartford had Lloyd Wright design and build a pool pavilion on the crest of the hill at Inspiration Point, facing Hollywood.

Schemes were later proposed for galleries in the canyon, but after 1955, Hartford began to spend more time in New York where his Gallery of Modern Art was eventually built. In the mid '40s, Hartford wrote an adaptation of "Jane Eyre" called "Master of Thornfield," which ran for two weeks in Cincinnati and starred Errol Flynn as Mr. Rochester. This partnership led to Flynn staying in the pool-house briefly in 1957-58, and is the origin of a legend that "The Pines" was Flynn's estate.

In 1964, Hartford offered the property as a gift to the city, but this was turned down by Mayor Sam Yorty. As Lloyd Wright recalled in 1977, "Here was this very wealthy man and he wanted to give something very stunning to Hollywood. The Chambers of Commerce, the hotel owners and the various businesses were jealous of the park, and with the help of the City officials, the City refused to give us permits. Hunt was so angry that he wanted to get out immediately and sold the property at a low price to [Jules] Berman, who then destroyed the mansion and let the place run down." Jules Berman, who had made a fortune importing the well-known Mexican coffee-flavored liqueur Kahlúa, saw the estate potentially as a "Tiffany development, a beautiful subdivision of 157 luxury homes." After purchasing the canyon, he razed Son Patrizio and the guest houses to avoid paying taxes on the deteriorating structures. His "Huntington Hartford Estates" development, trading on the name of its famous former owner, encountered resistance led by Daniel deJonghe, a park activist. The project was stopped in 1978 before building could begin. The Lloyd Wright pool-house remained standing until 1972 when a fire in the canyon destroyed all but its natural stone foundations."
(Wikipedia)

I can't find any original images of San Patrizio. Anybody?

3940dxer-
This is the ONLY photo I have of San Patrizio/The Pines. On the right through the trees there seems to be a enormous picture window.


LAPL

http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=54420

[ethereal_reality]

Artist's cottages nestled in a peaceful canyon March 25, 1965.



LAPL

http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=39705



below: Huntington Hartford sitting in a wagon. This photo is dated March 25, 1965 (the same date as the photo above).
The descriptions of these two photos are quite vague. I'm guessing they were taken in Runyon Canyon.


LAPL

http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=39704






LAPL

http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/F...olNumber=54421

_____

[GaylordWilshire]

LAPL

[GaylordWilshire]

LAPL

[GaylordWilshire]

LAPL