noirish Los Angeles

[rcarlton]

Exterior of the Wilshire Theatre, designed by S. Charles Lee and built between 1928-1930. This classic Art Deco structure, located at 8440 Wilshire, originally operated under the Fox theater chain and includes a 2,500 seat auditorium, a tower with residential and office space (no longer used), and commercial space on the ground floor.

LAPL




Wikipedia

Saban Theater

Google Earth

[rcarlton]

The Beverly Theater, domed building, center, is temporarily closed for remodeling in this aerial view of Beverly Hills. Photograph dated: May 26, 1978.
LAPL


Exterior of a Moorish style structure, located at 206 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, originally known as the Beverly Theatre; a Christmas garland hangs from above. Designed by L.A. Smith, this was the first vaudeville and movie theater to be built in Beverly Hills. In 1977, after decades of serving as a movie house, the building was closed. The interior was gutted and redesigned to accommodate commercial use; it was occupied by Fiorucci, the boutique seen here, and later an Israeli bank. Despite hopes that the structure could be saved, it was demolished in 2005.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

[rcarlton]

Looking north across Wilshire Boulevard towards a Porsche and Audi dealer in Beverly Hills. This Spanish style building from the 1920s and located at 8423 Wilshire Boulevard, was originally a drive-up shopping center known as the Clock Market.
LAPL I cleaned up the picture in Photoshop.

LAPL

Google Earth with help from Photoshop

[rcarlton]

Looking southeast across the street towards a French style building located at 8634 Wilshire Boulevard and occupied by a florist called Jef's, An Affair with Flowers.
LAPL I cleaned up the photo in Photoshop.

This collection is comprised of approximately 1,000 slides capturing buildings along Wilshire Boulevard. The slides were taken during Tuesday afternoon walks in 1978-1979 by Marlene Laskey and her daughter 15-year old daughter Annie, who was the primary photographer. Marlene (1933-1989) was a Michigan native who moved to Los Angeles in the 1950s and became a Los Angeles historian and architecture enthusiast. At the time of her death from cancer, Marlene was working on a Master of Urban Planning degree at UCLA, and was an interviewer for UCLA's Oral History program.

Google Earth with a little help from Photoshop

[MichaelRyerson]

Few Los Angeles buildings have seen more history pass through their doors...


georgia street receiving hospital, circa 1936
LAPL

The hospital actually only occupied the third floor, Georgia Street Police Station being the original tenant at street level. Later the hospital began to take over the second floor as well.



georgia street receiving hospital, circa 1954
LAPL

[rcarlton]

Looking southwest towards the Bullock's Wilshire department store, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard. Designed by John and Donald Parkinson and built in 1929, the department store became the library for the Southwestern Law School in the mid-1990s.
LAPL, Anne Laskey Straightened up in Photoshop.

Exterior view of the Bullock's Wilshire department store, showing the bas-relief panel designed by Cedric Gibbons and sculpted by George Stanley above the main entrance; it reads, "To build a business that will never know completion."
LAPL, Anne Laskey

Architectural element at the Bullock's Wilshire department store, showing a dressage motif.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

Iron gate from the porte-cochère found on the eastern side of Bullock's Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard. During the store's heyday, this is where customers would enter to meet valet staff to drop off their cars.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

The "Spirit of Transportation" mural by Herman Sachs located on the ceiling of the porte-cochère found on the eastern side of Bullock's Wilshire; this view shows the section of the mural which includes the god Mercury.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

Rear exterior view of the Bullock's Wilshire department store.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

Google Earth modified by Photoshop

Google Earth

[rcarlton]

The northwest corner of Wilshire Boulevard (foreground) and S. Oxford Street (right, background) showing a Churrigueresque style commercial building; this block-long structure, located at 3771 Wilshire Boulevard, has been demolished.
LAPL, 1978 Anne Laskey

[rcarlton]

e_r posted pictures here earlier. I expanded somewhat on what he found.

The very ornately carved exterior facade of the Mayan Theater can be seen from the side looking toward the corner of the building which now has an electric sign with the name Mayan on it. The marquee has: Eugene O'Neill's "Days Without End" advertised.

LAPL 1937

A view of the detail of the wall and door of the balcony exit inside the Mayan Theatre. Opened in August 1927, the theater was designed by architects Morgan, Walls and Clements. 1927
LAPL

LAPL 1927

LAPL

A view of the auditorium ceiling details as seen from the balcony of the Mayan Theater, in Mayan Revival style. Morgan, Walls and Clements were architects of the theater, which opened in August 1927.
LAPL

Two photographs of the proscenium arch of the Mayan Theatre: one directly in front of the arch and including the ceiling lighting. The other from an angle and including th orchestra pit. The pictures were taken at different times--the curtain and decorations to each side differ.
LAPL

The marquee reads: "Now Playing, Elsie Janis in Oh, Kay!" Also in the photo is the Belasco Theater to the right next door, where "The Great Necker" with Taylor Holmes is playing.
LAPL

LAPL

The carved marquee is all black and is still under construction in this photo, as the workers put the finishing touches on the building in 1927.
LAPL

LAPL

LAPL

Four artisans at work on one of the decorative terra cotta panels before installation at the Mayan Theatre.
LAPL

View of the exterior of the Mayan Theater to the left of the marquee. Workmen can be seen repainting the walls in 1971. "101 Acts of Love" is having a world premiere there at the Mayan Revival style theater.
LAPL

A night view of the vertical neon sign and marquee at the Mayan Theater, showing Spanish language films--with sign reading "Home of Mexican Films". Currently showing is "Dios se lo pague" with Carmen la de Triana, Arturo de Cordova, and Imperio Argentina. 1948-1949.
LAPL

Exterior view of the Mayan Theater showing the stone figures, abstract geometrical mosaics and assorted celestial symbols that adorn the facade of the theater. 1983 (maybe as early as 1981 based on the movies showing).
LAPL

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation

The Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation

Detail: Google Earth

Google Earth with help of Photoshop

The Mayan Theatre is in the center.
Google Earth

Legend has it that Marilyn Monroe once stripped in the Mayan; however, it is no legend that flesh flicks were filmed in a below stage studio in what for years was a run-down venue for pornography.

Sorry I got carried away.......

[MichaelRyerson]

rcarlton here's another, earlier shot of your Clock Market back in a time when one could apparently swing in for a quart of milk, a loaf of bread and a four door sedan.


ClockMarketHAT
LAPL

[Handsome Stranger]

Originally Posted by rcarlton

e_r posted pictures here earlier. I expanded somewhat on what he found.

Many thanks for these Mayan Theater photos. Unfortunately they don't quite do justice to the interior. I saw an odd stage show at the Mayan a couple of years ago, and the interior is jaw-droppingly spectacular. (I really did see people looking up and all around with their mouths agape.)

Thanks also for the photos of the former Bullocks Wilshire store, absolutely my favorite building still standing in Los Angeles. There's a great story about Marlene Dietrich showing up in the Tea Room at Bullocks Wilshire some time in the 1930s and bringing all conversation to an immediate halt, because she was wearing...gasp...SLACKS!

[MichaelRyerson]

As I have already mentioned, if my mother lost sight of my younger brother and I at the local Sears, Roebuck store on Santa Monica Blvd., she always knew where to look for us.


the pedascope

from retronaut

“Shoe-fitting fluoroscopes, also known as Pedoscopes, were X-ray fluoroscope machines installed in shoe stores from the 1920s until about the 1960s in the United States (by which time they were prohibited), and into the mid-1970s in the United Kingdom.”


the pedascope II


the pedascope III

note especially the 'Safety Seal' so let's relax people, this shouldn't be a problem.


the pedascope IV


the pedascope V

all images from retronaut

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

^^^

Below: The area lost.



usc digital archive

I believe Prudent Beaudry's house appears in this image as well. Extreme left edge.

[ethereal_reality]

Great posts today rcarlton and MichaelRyerson! It took me a while to go through them all (that's a good thing).

Oh, and I enjoyed the L.A. centric car advertisements kznyc2k.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

I believe Prudent Beaudry's house appears in this image as well. Extreme left edge.

below: Do you mean here MR? (red oval)


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...ller/index.htm

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by kznyc2k

The first time I've ever seen 1950s boxes look even the slightest bit noirish...



1958 Century City model, USC.

Here is another model of Century City (photo dated 1959).


http://www.lapl.org/

So how much of this 1959 model was built?

The only thing I recognize is Minoru Yamasaki's arc-shaped Century Plaza Hotel (but it seems to be in a different location).





below: Information on the reverse of the above photograph.


http://www.lapl.org/







below: I don't think this portion of the Century Plaza hotel was ever built (circled in red).


detail

I believe this might have been plans for a large theater with a skybridge connecting it to the Century Plaza Hotel.*


*I think this because the one & only movie premier I ever attended was at the Century Plaza Theater across from the hotel.
If my memory is correct, we used a tunnel under the avenue to reach the Century Plaza Hotel ballroom for dinner.
___

I recently read that the 1,400 seat theater (as well as a 800 seat theater) across from the Century Plaza Hotel
was destroyed in the mid 2000s. Does anyone know if this is correct?

___

[MichaelRyerson]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

below: Do you mean here MR? (red oval)


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/search...ller/index.htm

Yes, I think so. The superimposed 'arrow' indicating 'plaza' is sitting right on the Pico House, I believe, which makes the building to the immediate left the Brunswig Building and hence to your red oval, which I think must be the Beaudry house.

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I recently read that the 1,400 seat theater (as well as a 800 seat theater) across from the Century Plaza Hotel
was destroyed in the mid 2000s. Does anyone know if this is correct?

___

The Shubert Theatre used to be across from the Century Plaza, yes. I believe it was finally gone in 2004, but here's an article about the decision to get rid of it from 2001 that gives a bit of history/context: http://articles.latimes.com/2001/aug...iness/fi-39151

[ethereal_reality]

Thanks Moxie.

Originally Posted by rcarlton

May 26, 1978.
LAPL


Exterior of a Moorish style structure, located at 206 N. Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, originally known as the Beverly Theatre; a Christmas garland hangs from above. Designed by L.A. Smith, this was the first vaudeville and movie theater to be built in Beverly Hills. In 1977, after decades of serving as a movie house, the building was closed. The interior was gutted and redesigned to accommodate commercial use; it was occupied by Fiorucci, the boutique seen here, and later an Israeli bank. Despite hopes that the structure could be saved, it was demolished in 2005.
LAPL, Anne Laskey

below: I always thought this postcard was an early version of the Shrine Auditorium until I read rcarlton's post on the Beverly Theater.
This afternoon I researched old photographs of the Shrine Auditorium and realized that it never had a central dome.


ebay

Despite the name and location (New Hollywood Theater), do you think this is an early view of the Beverly Theater?

___

[ethereal_reality]

Another postcard 'mystery'.


Ann Harding was a popular actress who was nominated for best actress in 1931 for the film 'Holiday'.


http://www.nndb.com/people/150/000140727/




...and now for the 'mystery'.

below: Ms. Harding's estate was located on a 'hilltop' so this improves our chances of figuring out where it was located.
(We might need 3940dxer/David's expertise on this one)


ebay


The rather odd building in the foreground seems to be part of her estate. It looks as if there's a tennis court on the roof.
I wonder what's inside.....an indoor pool perhaps?

___

[BDiH]

Ann Harding's home is located at the top of Pyramid Drive in the Hollywood Hills, off Woodrow Wilson Drive. Rudy Valley purchased the home years after Mr. Warner had it built for Miss Harding. Rudy tried, unsuccessfully, to have the street renamed "Rue de Vallee." The building in the front housed Vallee's huge wine cellar and extensive personal memorabilia collection. It included photographs, records and sheet music from his career, as well as sketches and notes made by John Barrymore, W.C. Fields and others on the wall near his pay phone. The roof was a full tennis court. After Rudy Vallee's death, Arsenio Hall purchased the home, which is on the highest peak in the area. The long driveway ended at a turntable which, when a button was pressed, turned automobiles around and headed them down the hill. Arsensio did extensive remodeling.

________________________