noirish Los Angeles

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I second the motion, NCD, thanks for sharing the photos and family intrigue!

I third the motion! Thx for sharing your personal photographs NoirCityDame.

[rbpjr]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Downtown Los Angeles, 1940s


eBay

_

This is the downtown L.A. that I remember...bustling, possibly noon time crowds...a lot of energy...1947-1952...

[ethereal_reality]

It's like a completely different city isn't it.

I believe things are looking up though. There's a lot of construction and retrofitting going on downtown.
__________



Earl, thanks for the screen-grabs from an episode of 'Cannon' (1971). I really liked your tongue-in-cheek commentary.

I tried to find the various locations you posted.....but I struck out on all of them.


I thought I knew where this was....but I was mistaken.

Cannon episode / 1971

I thought it was along a stretch of Riverside Drive.
__

[rbpjr]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

The biggest DJ for KFWB was Al Jarvis, another was Joe Yoakum and the only other one I remember was Gene Weed. I was in Jr. High at that time. Bill Balance and BMR were my favorites.

I remember Al Jarvis as well...his program was called something with "Ballroom" in the title...his girl Friday was none other than Betty White, of Golden Girls fame...

[ethereal_reality]

Was it "Make Believe Ballroom" rbpjr?

[ethereal_reality]

Another fine Kodachrome slide from the 1940s.

The Medical Building (?) and a Don Martin School of Radio at 'Crossroads Of The World'.


eBay

The nice looking lady in the photograph reminded me of Secretary Jane Yaeger (below).

posted a few days ago by NoirCityDame

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=29641

[John Maddox Roberts]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Thanks ER for posting this grand exposition. It gave me some food for thought!

Its very easy for me to see why this mural didn't really sit well with the cultural mores of the 1930s. Its the central figure that goes over the edge
and sits squarely in the realm of what is called today ...soft core porn.

His ''proportions'' are wildly off key and for some reason... just plain kinky.

Its one thing to be classically nude and its another to be in your face as this fellow appears to be. It doesn't bother me but I can see why a lot of 1930s people would say..."I don't think so."

The various symbolisms scattered throughout the saga are harmless and excruciatingly vague. Even the pendulous breasts eagerly echo the Daliesque women of that era. But its that precursor of a
Speedo that leaps at you, as if to assault, and wants to collide with your face.

Now, if the artist wanted to achieve the effect I describe above....he achieved it in spades.

I didn't know the Underground Comix artists went back that far. This could have been done by s. Clay Wilson.

[Noircitydame]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Table Magazine: L.A. Observatory

One or both of these may have been posted before.

Spotlights abound at a War Bonds event at the Hollywood Bowl.
On June 14th, 1944, radio actors and actresses performed at the
Hollywood Bowl during a war bond program. CBS broadcast the
event live.

LAPL Image Archive

They're wonderful photos. I realized Water & Power made a typo in listing the date for this event; it was held July 4, 1944. It was the LA/Hollywood "backing the Fifth on the Fourth" rally in support of the national 5th War Loan drive. An audience of 20k made the evening a huge success. Bing Crosby and Ginny Simms were two of the radio stars who performed.

A special guest of honor was Army Air Corps ace of aces, war Maj. Richard I. Bong. At the time he'd shot down 27 enemy planes in the Pacific and was doing this war bond tour. He probably could have had a cushy stateside job, but returned to the combat zone to fly more missions.

from LAT, a sponsor of the rally, 7-3-44

Once he got to 40 victories, he was retired from combat whether he liked it or not. Gen MacArthur presented him with the Medal of Honor, and he had the DSC, Silver Star, and at least 20 other decorations. In Feb 1945 he married his sweetheart Marjorie (Marge), who had become almost as famous as he was because of her photo on his P-38, which he named Marge.


source

The newlyweds honeymooned in Hollywood then settled there as Dick's new assignment was being a millitary test pilot at Lockheed. The story ends sadly, though, as he was killed August 6, 1945 while testing a P-80 "shooting star" over N. Hollywood. Witnesses described how he guided the plane away from homes, before trying to eject, too late.

Here he is with Beryl Wallace in 1943, from a 1945 Earl Carroll program. It's discussing the Hollywood Guild Canteen-sponsored dances at Earl Carroll's on Sunday afternoons. The photo below shows one of the dances (look at all those sailors!) A great man, who like Audie Murphy, died too young.


own collection

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by John Maddox Roberts

I didn't know the Underground Comix artists went back that far. This could have been done by s. Clay Wilson.

John Maddox Roberts....I have to agree with you. That mural is definitely in the mood and style of S. Clay Wilson.

The seed of that unrestrained style evidently started very early.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S._Clay_Wilson


[CBD reply....Ref: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=29702

Thanks ER for posting this grand exposition. It gave me some food for thought!

Its very easy for me to see why this mural didn't really sit well with the cultural mores of the 1930s. Its the central figure that goes over the edge
and sits squarely in the realm of what is called today ...soft core porn.

His ''proportions'' are wildly off key and for some reason... just plain kinky.

Its one thing to be classically nude and its another to be in your face as this fellow appears to be. It doesn't bother me but I can see why a lot of 1930s people would say..."I don't think so."

The various symbolisms scattered throughout the saga are harmless and excruciatingly vague. Even the pendulous breasts eagerly echo the Daliesque women of that era. But its that precursor of a
Speedo that leaps at you, as if to assault, and wants to collide with your face.

Now, if the artist wanted to achieve the effect I describe above....he achieved it in spades.]

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Was it "Make Believe Ballroom" rbpjr?

Al Jarvis was a LA Radio legend. He was one of the first to play records on LA radio.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0419028/bio

Here's his theme song "Make Believe Ballroom"..by Glenn Miller: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67UhyDqvJss

Al Jarvis ...1959

http://classicdjradioscrapbook.blogs...rvis-1959.html

[Noircitydame]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I third the motion! Thx for sharing your personal photographs NoirCityDame.

I just wish I had more of them!

[Wig-Wag]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Thanks tovanger2 and oldstuff for the information on the old telephone co. garage on Daly Street.

This is my favorite. Amazing

http://digital2.library.ucla.edu/vie...198/zz0025gn14

Can anyone read the name of the hotel?

*never mind. I just realized I could enlarge the photograph further.



And there's a train I didn't see before.



__

Great stuff, ER.

That lady did a nice job of rock climbing in that coat and those shoes!

Based on the address of the hotel, the coach and gondola in the background should be on at the extreme southern end of Southern Pacific's Taylor yard on the east bank of the Los Angeles River, about where today's Metrolink shop facility resides. Present day Google satellite images show an abandoned section of right of way on the very edge of the riverbank and the two visible cars are quite ancient. The hopper appears to be of steel construction mounted on a steel frame flatcar, while the passenger car is of wood wood construction. The letters SP can clearly be discerned while the letters below appear to read MW suggesting railway maintenance of way equipment. Amazingly, equipment of this type survive into the early 1960's!

Cheers,
Jack

[Noircitydame]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Thanks, tovangar2, it dawned on me after I'd made the inquiry it might be a camera!
___


There's been a dozen or two posts showing incarnations of Carpenter's Drive-In's.


HossC's post #17962 has photo's of Carpenter's Drive-In and links to some other posts of the same.

Segments from the above post:




Nighttime view of Carpenter’s Sandwich at the S/E corner Sunset and Vine. 1940's.
DWP

What caught my eye is this:

This Carpenter's Drive-In replaced the one located near the northeast corner of Sunset and Vine (6265 Sunset Blvd),
which was torn down in 1938 to make room for the new NBC Radio City building.

I looked through most all of the posts on NLA concerning this Carpenter's at Sunset and Vine and I don't
think it's clear that we 1.) knew the Drive-In was remodeled (rebuilt) because it moved across the street
to make way for the NBC Building that was being constructed, or 2.) that there were two Carpenter's for
awhile across the street from each other.

At least I didn't know that.

The info that HossC posted: "The 1936 CD lists [Carpenter's] at 6285 and 6290 Sunset Blvd." indicates
two locations, then, maybe they did have one on both corners for a time? (And the info I posted says
the address was "6265", slightly off the CD list.)

And speaking of the NBC Radio City building being constructed, I have no idea what this was originally
published in, but I found this link to a three page 1938 article titled "Is Radio Moving to Hollywood?" and
it's about the NBC building construction and the possibility of radio moving to L.A. from N.Y and what
will Hollywood do? There's a few photos and some tidbits like: "The construction was delayed by the
recent floods." (1938.)

http://www.durenberger.com/resources...LYWOOD0638.pdf

Great info Martin, thank you. I always had a question mark about that corner business and the drive in(s) location(s).

LAPL has this shot of NBC under construction, which they date to 1938.

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics06/00012888.jpg
It does seem like the construction took a long time, for those days: the groundbreaking took place 1-20-38 and the dedication was held 10-17-38. CBS took even longer with Radio Square: its groundbreaking was 4-27-37 and the dedication on 4-30-38.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Leo Katz mural "Youth Arisen", Frank Wiggins Trade School, Los Angeles, 1935.

Does anyone know...is there a repository for WPA artwork? I'd really like to know if "Youth Arisen" has survived.

e_r, I emailed the Living New Deal and the GSA's WPA Art Inventory Project re the mural. I'll let you know if I hear back.


Leo Katz mural "Youth Arisen", Frank Wiggins Trade School, Los Angeles, 1935:

archive.org (<--- zoomable at the link)
(per oldstuff)



ucla/los angeles daily news negatives
(per e_r)

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by Noircitydame

They're wonderful photos. I realized Water & Power made a typo in listing the date for this event; it was held July 4, 1944. It was the LA/Hollywood "backing the Fifth on the Fourth" rally in support of the national 5th War Loan drive. An audience of 20k made the evening a huge success. Bing Crosby and Ginny Simms were two of the radio stars who performed.

A special guest of honor was Army Air Corps ace of aces, war Maj. Richard I. Bong. At the time he'd shot down 27 enemy planes in the Pacific and was doing this war bond tour. He probably could have had a cushy stateside job, but returned to the combat zone to fly more missions.

from LAT, a sponsor of the rally, 7-3-44

Once he got to 40 victories, he was retired from combat whether he liked it or not. Gen MacArthur presented him with the Medal of Honor, and he had the DSC, Silver Star, and at least 20 other decorations. In Feb 1945 he married his sweetheart Marjorie (Marge), who had become almost as famous as he was because of her photo on his P-38, which he named Marge.


source

The newlyweds honeymooned in Hollywood then settled there as Dick's new assignment was being a millitary test pilot at Lockheed. The story ends sadly, though, as he was killed August 6, 1945 while testing a P-80 "shooting star" over N. Hollywood. Witnesses described how he guided the plane away from homes, before trying to eject, too late.

http://discussions.mnhs.org/collecti...879872383e.jpg




Epilogue


http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/2013/...s-last-flight/

[Tourmaline]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Little Marjorie Belcher (born 1919), is the child in the 1930 photo,. She became famous as Marge Champion.
She began teaching at her father's school when she was twelve. She's 95 now:

broadwayworld


uscdl



Marge Champion gave a wonderful series of video interviews in 1998. In the first one she recalls that Cecil B DeMille built the school for her father. Well worth watching.

Ms Champion interview for the New York Sun:
"He had a very large school as I was growing up - first in downtown Los Angeles, then on Western Avenue. C.B. DeMille built the new building for my father and gave him a 99-year lease. I have a picture of myself at age 11 with C.B. at the dedication, with my foot on the spade. The building is still there, and on the top floor is a ballroom studio that my father designed. The first two floors of that school are where I grew up."


uscdl


Maria Tallchief recalls the Belcher Studio in her 1997 autobiography

"We reached Los Angeles after an overnight stay with Mother's relatives in San Diego. Without knowing where we would settle, we just drove on. In the Wilshire District Daddy stopped for gas. Marjorie and I were restless and hungry, so Mother took us to the local drugstore. We ordered hamburgers and soda pop at the fountain, and we sat on red-leather stools while waiting for them to be served. Mother asked the druggist if he knew a good dancing school in the neighborhood.

"Yes, I do," the man told us. "Ernest Belcher's."

. . . . .


Mr. Belcher was a family man, and sometimes in class his daughter Marge would study with us. She was a beautiful, friendly young girl, and I liked her. When she grew up, she and her husband, Gower Champion, became film stars."

More of little Marge:

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...32_306x423.jpg




http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopo...49/marge1c.jpg

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

e_r, I emailed the Living New Deal and the GSA's WPA Art Inventory Project re the mural. I'll let you know if I hear back.

That's great. thanks t2.

[Martin Pal]

Regarding this mural, does anyone have a photo of the entire mural? We've been looking
at the "middle panel" and I wondered what the other two panels looked like.

[And in the "HERE I GO AGAIN" department, the topic of murals of this era leads me to
mentioning the NBC Radio City mural and if any color photos of it can be located. Somehow
I feel if I keep putting it out there, it will appear somehow. Heh!]
___

NoirCityDame, thanks for that photo of the Hollywood Guild and Canteen dance at
Earl Caroll's. I knew donations were taken at Earl Carroll's for the Guild, but I didn't know
about the Sunday dances!
___

Earl, I liked the Cannon screengrabs, too, but no luck with locations.
The motel certainly looked like a stetch of Ventura Blvd. in Studio City, but I
wasn't able to locate anything there.
___

E_R -- another great Kodachrome slide -- drool...

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Noircitydame

I realized Water & Power made a typo in listing the date for this event; it was held July 4, 1944. It was the LA/Hollywood "backing the Fifth on the Fourth" rally in support of the national 5th War Loan drive. An audience of 20k made the evening a huge success. Bing Crosby and Ginny Simms were two of the radio stars who performed.

That date of June 14, 1944, did seem plausible as that's Flag Day.
That's a clever slogan, backing the Fifth on the Fourth!
___

Since you liked that photo, here's a slightly different one of the same thing,
with a few different people in it.

LAPL

W&P got their info from LAPL so I don't know how LAPL arrived at the June 14th date.
It's from the Lucille Stewart Collection, maybe it's her doings, lol!

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/...32_306x423.jpg

Thank you Tourmaline. That's Marge Belcher Champion in costume for Disney's "Snow White" (1937).

She tells a bit about her involvement in the animated film, as the movement model for the Disney artists to draw, in a less-than-2-minute clip here


observer.com


disney

Marge Champion was, and is, a knockout:

life


The Belcher School, 607 S Western in 1933:

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/61061/rec/18