noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

.
re: La Brea Social Club



In the same time period as Kon-Kre-Kota, Cohen also operated a gambling establishment on North LaBrea Avenue called "The La Brea Social Club".





excerpts book




I've searched all morning and I haven't had any luck finding a photograph of "The La Brea Social Club". Does anyone have a pic in their possesion?

The closest I came was an image of La Brea Social Club membership cards.


pinterest / non-working link


hmm. . .I also see a card from a place called the "Cloverdale Social Club". I've never heard of that one. It must have been over in Santa Monica area. (near the Cloverdale Airport, perhaps)

.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Scott Charles

E_R, I couldn't resist turning those two photos into a single panoramic image:



I removed the watermarks from my personal copy, but kept them visible for the forum, out of respect for the eBay seller.

If anyone wants the version with the watermark removed, just ask and I'll PM it to you.

EXCELLENT job, Scott Charles! It's seamless.





This slide is from the same group of slides that included the Hollywood Blvd. photograph shown above.

I believe it was taken by the same phootgrapher
as he was about to leave Los Angeles. (the seller notes the image was taken at LAX) The date is 1965. (same as the Hollywood Blvd. slides)


eBay

Bye. Bye.


.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here are the often seen (on NLA) gas-o-meters from a new angle.

Seller's description: "1966 ORIGINAL SLIDE SOMEWHERE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AREA CALIFORNIA"


eBay

I've been looking around in the area but haven't figured out where the photographer was standing. (of course, it's difficult since the gas tanks are no longer there)

The image below is from 1971. I've placed my arrow where I think the photographer was standing. The building I've labeled "1" is the gray-roofed one on the left of e_r's photo, and "2" is the white building in the center. We're looking across Alameda from just north of Temple. The site is now occupied by the VA Outpatient Clinic.


mil.library.ucsb.edu

[Beaudry]

Originally Posted by robeach11
Gee, you may be right! A story I accepted as gospel. So much for being an Anna May Wong Super Expert.
Related... we've seen aerial and long distance photos of the Wong's Figueroa laundry. I refuse to believe there aren't better pics out there somewhere. Newspapers, magazines, fans knew of the place. NO ONE took a clear, up close shot??

Originally Posted by rick m

I have only found the Wong Laundry on WPA street survey with its line drawings- WPA Los Angeles maps (c. 1935) Mine all loaned to Prudent Beaudry. So he could tell which sheet # this is located on..... Some detail, but very simple wooden 2 story structure----- near 2nd Street on west side.

Here's, at least, a drawing of the structure in question!



Sam Kee was at 241 N Fig, midway between Diamond and Temple on the west side:



According to DBS, it was built as a "store, work and living room" by Aurelia Corker in 1907. It was converted to Sam Kee Laundry in the summer of 1915. Not sure when Lee left but it was advertised as possible repair/machine shop in 1935, and owned by a Frank Lew in 1941. It became the site of a George Novikoff Engineers-designed County Health Dept building in 1951.

[Lorendoc]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

.



hmm. . .I also see a card from a place called the "Cloverdale Social Club". I've never heard of that one. It must have been over in Santa Monica area. (near the Cloverdale Airport, perhaps)

.

The Cloverdale Social Club was at 742 S. Cloverdale Ave., near La Brea and a half a block south of Wilshire. This Tudoroid residence was a card club (ostensibly bridge, but in reality high-stakes poker etc.) It was the subject of various vice raids in the 40s.


Google Earth Pro

The cards shown in e_r's photo were found on the body of Paulie Gibbons, a Cohen flunky who was murdered on N. Gale Drive in Beverly Hills on May 2, 1946 by persons unknown.

[robeach11]

Originally Posted by Beaudry

Originally Posted by robeach11
Gee, you may be right! A story I accepted as gospel. So much for being an Anna May Wong Super Expert.
Related... we've seen aerial and long distance photos of the Wong's Figueroa laundry. I refuse to believe there aren't better pics out there somewhere. Newspapers, magazines, fans knew of the place. NO ONE took a clear, up close shot??



Here's, at least, a drawing of the structure in question!



Sam Kee was at 241 N Fig, midway between Diamond and Temple on the west side:



According to DBS, it was built as a "store, work and living room" by Aurelia Corker in 1907. It was converted to Sam Kee Laundry in the summer of 1915. Not sure when Lee left but it was advertised as possible repair/machine shop in 1935, and owned by a Frank Lew in 1941. It became the site of a George Novikoff Engineers-designed County Health Dept building in 1951.

Interesting. I know the Wong's moved into the 241 N. Figueroa address in 1910. Phone directory shows Sam Kee laundry at that location in 1911. Sam Sing Wong and family stayed at that location until 1934 when they left for China, except for Anna May and her mother (who died in front of laundry in 1930).

I'd like to see a plaque placed at the site. If Bruce Lee can have a statue in Chinatown, why not honor Anna (a Los Angeles native)?? There's a little park-ish(?) area to the immediate north of the Health building that would be a nice area for some tribute.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by HossC

The image below is from 1971. I've placed my arrow where I think the photographer was standing. The building I've labeled "1" is the gray-roofed one on the left of e_r's photo,
and "2" is the white building in the center. We're looking across Alameda from just north of Temple. The site is now occupied by the VA Outpatient Clinic.


mil.library.ucsb.edu

Excellent sleuthing, Hoss.

Thanks for figuring out where the gas-o-meters slide was taken.




Here's a slide of the Tishman Building at 615 Flower Street. It was taken a year earlier than the gas-o-meters slide.

1965...................................................

eBay / original slide

I've tried to figure out where the photographer was positioned (when he took this image) but so far I haven't been able to figure it out.


.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Lorendoc

The Cloverdale Social Club was at 742 S. Cloverdale Ave., near La Brea and a half a block south of Wilshire. This Tudoroid residence was a card club (ostensibly bridge, but in reality high-stakes poker etc.) It was the subject of various vice raids in the 40s.


Google Earth Pro

The cards shown in e_r's photo were found on the body of Paulie Gibbons, a Cohen flunky who was murdered on N. Gale Drive in Beverly Hills on May 2, 1946 by persons unknown.

Thanks Lorendoc.

Well, I've learned one thing. It's almost impossible to find any additional information on the 'Cloverdale Social Club'. *wipes brow*




It just dawn on me. - perhaps the other name on Gibbon's membership card might yield some clues.



The last name is clearly "Ross", but I can't make out the first. (except for the B)


.

[ethereal_reality]

.
Here's an exceptional photograph showing workers posed in front of a large piece of machinery owned by the C. E. Green Eng. Construction Co. Los Angeles.


eBay

The seller doesn't included a date but there are horses and wagons on the left. ........... .so 1900s(?) . . .1910s(?)





Enlargement for your viewing pleasure.


eBay


LARGER, you say.



I'm pretty sure the large mechanical-thingy is an excavator.




.....

[CaliNative]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Excellent sleuthing, Hoss.

Thanks for figuring out where the gas-o-meters slide was taken.




Here's a slide of the Tishman Building at 615 Flower Street. It was taken a year earlier than the gas-o-meters slide.

1965...................................................

eBay / original slide

I've tried to figure out where the photographer was positioned (when he took this image) but so far I haven't been able to figure it out.


.

^^^
My guess for the location is across the Harbor Freeway to the west, perhaps in the old Sinclair Oil or Unocal Buildings??? You can see a bit of the beloved old Richfield tower in the pic, the once with the gold and black/brown color on the left. Black gold. I do miss the Richfield, ttorn down in the late 1960s to make way for the ARCO/BA twins. The Tishman was only 250' tall, but was considered a skyscraper back then. Built soon after LA lifted the 150' height limit. The Richfield with its "oil derrick" spire towered over it, a magnificent 380' high. In the backround on Spring street you can see the top of the United California Bank building, also one of the first "skyscrapers" built after the height limit was removed. Also about 250'. The Statler Hilton on the right was of course replaced with a real scraper, the 1100' Wilshire Grand.

[JimCraig]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Thanks Lorendoc.

Well, I've learned one thing. It's almost impossible to find any additional information on the 'Cloverdale Social Club'. *wipes brow*




It just dawn on me. - perhaps the other name on Gibbon's membership card might yield some clues.



The last name is clearly "Ross", but I can't make out the first. (except for the B)


.

I believe the name is Barney Ross.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's a slide of the Tishman Building at 615 Flower Street. It was taken a year earlier than the gas-o-meters slide.

1965...................................................

eBay / original slide

I've tried to figure out where the photographer was positioned (when he took this image) but so far I haven't been able to figure it out.

The building on the right is the top of the Statler Hotel, so could the photographer have been on the top floor/roof of the hotel on the part near the Harbor Freeway?

[odinthor]

Originally Posted by JimCraig

I believe the name is Barney Ross.

Though there could be many Barney Rosses around, I wonder if the Barney Ross of the time who (according to various articles I glanced over) was a former welterweight champion, war hero, sometime sports promoter, sometime morphine addict, could be the Ross who signed the card:


LA Times, 11/6/1945

The friend Ross was helping eventually perished in an auto accident.

edit add: Here's a pic of the boxer's signature:


Jo Sports Inc.

[Noir_Noir]

It's very likely the same Barney Ross.






"Barney Ross (born Dov-Ber "Beryl" David Rosofsky; December 23, 1909 – January 17, 1967) was an American professional boxer.
Ross became a world champion in three weight divisions and was a decorated veteran of World War II.

During his recovery at the hospital from his wounds suffered in that battle, Ross developed a habit for the morphine administered for pain.
Back in the States, the morphine became heroin. This habit became so bad he would sometimes spend $500 a day on the drug. Ross went
to a recovery center and beat his addiction.

Ross spent his last days using his celebrity status in promotional work for casinos and other businesses."

wikipedia.org - Barney Ross


He was a lifelong friend of Jack Ruby. He testified as a character witness on Ruby's behalf at his trial for killing Lee Harvey Oswald.


Another old friend of Ruby was one Maurice "Frenchy" Medlevine. He was interviewed for the Warren Commission Report regarding his links to Ruby.


I wonder what Maurice was up to in the mid 1940's.


From an FBI General Crime Survey in 1945.



archives.gov

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by HossC

There's no prize for guessing this Julius Shulman location, although the second and third shots are more obvious than the first. This is the Bank of America on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue. Unusually for these photosets, there's no close-up of the bank building. There is, however, another of those "Chop Suey" signs on the left. For search/credit purposes, this is "Job 1268: Bank of America (Los Angeles, Calif.),1952".



Now we're looking east along Hollywood Boulevard. In 1952, the Hollywood Hotel would still have been hiding behind the trees on the left.


The view looking north is dominated by the Hollywood First National Bank building.

The old bank building is still standing, but has been transformed into Ripley's Believe It or Not.


GSV

Here's my attempt to recreate the third Shulman image with GSV. Considering the changes that have taken place on the northwest corner of Hollywood/Highland, this view still has a lot of the buildings from 1952. On the right, the old Max Factor building is now the Hollywood Museum.


GSV

The Bank/Ripley's is glimpsed below the Highland street sign




1977, looking east on Hollywood Blvd. Joan Jett




https://i.pinimg.com/originals/37/3e...1a8f39723e.jpg

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Noir_Noir

It's very likely the same Barney Ross.

sports collection

According to wiki he was able to go 15 Rounds in boxing matches and never suffered a knockout. This alone mean one thing. He's fit and very tough.

[Beaudry]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

:


Here's a slide of the Tishman Building at 615 Flower Street. It was taken a year earlier than the gas-o-meters slide.

1965...................................................

eBay / original slide

I've tried to figure out where the photographer was positioned (when he took this image) but so far I haven't been able to figure it out.


.

Hoss is right I think, that we're on the roof of the Statler. I threw together these little pix:


lapl

paradiseleasedlapl

Check out this guy (Statler exec Arthur F. Douglas), he's literally saying "so if you stood over there on the roof, you could get a nice shot of the windows over here—"



The Tishman was a pretty wild looking building, once. Kind of an aquatic blue/robin's egg. Now:

you-are-here

[BDiH]

Check out this guy (Statler exec Arthur F. Douglas), he's literally saying "so if you stood over there on the roof, you could get a nice shot of the windows over here—"




The Statler was certainly one of the grand hotels of Los Angeles in it's day. I first visited when Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands held a press conference there in 1963.

Manny Aguirre, beloved Musso & Frank bartender, served James Dean coffee during a break in the filming of the banquet scene in Giant.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by JimCraig

I believe the name is Barney Ross.

What a surprise that the name on Gibbon's Cloverdale Social Club card was boxer Barney Ross.

Originally Posted by Noir_Noir

Barney Ross was a lifelong friend of Jack Ruby. He testified as a character witness on Ruby's behalf at his trial for killing Lee Harvey Oswald.


Another old friend of Ruby was one Maurice "Frenchy" Medlevine. He was interviewed for the Warren Commission Report regarding his links to Ruby.


I wonder what Maurice was up to in the mid 1940's.


From an FBI General Crime Survey in 1945.

My gosh . . .what a discovery Noir Noir!



I found some interesting information on Irving "Ruff" Goldenberg (mentioned, above, with Medlevine) and with a TYPO.




California Organized Crime Report 1957


This is where it gets real weird, folks.

After piecing together bits of information I believe that, there is a slight possibility, Irving Goldberg is the father of. . .are you ready for this?. . . .Frank Gehry!....(don't laugh)


You see:....Frank Gehry's last name, before he changed it, was Goldberg. . .and Gehry's father's first name was Irving.


below: note the mention of slot machines.


encyclopediaofworldbiograhies



Here's a 2nd source that also mentions slot machines.








They had relatives with connections to mobsters.





And this is very strange. Irving Goldberg was buried as Irving Gehry.



Why would they do that?




.

[ethereal_reality]

.
Before I sign off I have a favor to ask.



I happened upon this (see below) but google doesn't allow me to see Page 90.


link


I really want to find out more about the Culver Auto Dealers' Club.

Help!


.