noirish Los Angeles - Page 2336

ethereal_reality · #**46701** Posted **May 3, 2018, 6:14 AM**

I agree ScottyB. The green awnings were nice

update:

There's something stuck in the hole on top.

justabovesunset

At first I thought it was a propeller

but now I think it's some kind of antenna.

Scott Charles · #**46702** Posted **May 3, 2018, 9:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Let's drive down Gower in 1954 and in 2016.

Here's a nice 1938 photo taken on the rooftop of the (Lucille) Ball Building (the building highlighted in green):

View on Google Maps

The women are the “Radio Pictures Chorus Girls”.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Now let's zero in on the corner of Gower and Melrose.

GSV

Harking back to the discussion of nightclubs we had a few pages back, the building on the right used to be called “Small's” back in the 90s. I never played there, but I saw some of my friends perform there.

You can read a bit about Small's here.

GaylordWilshire · #**46703** Posted **May 3, 2018, 1:03 PM**

Mimi raises sash-- found this curious item that was made in an AP reporter's notebook.... At first glance I thought it meant she ran around opening all the windows before she left. Then I realized...cash.

Charley Project

HossC · #**46704** Posted **May 3, 2018, 1:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

as a friendly reminder to newbies...here's the tower of which I speak.

i.pinimg

I forgot about that spikey ball on top. Does anyone know if it rotated?

(surely there's an old travelogue or 8mm film somewhere on the internet) I'll go look.

Most of Ed Asner's 1987 six-part documentary Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story is on YouTube. Going by the shot of the tower at around the 50 second mark in the first episode (below), it doesn't look like the spikey ball rotated.

• Video Link

The remaining episodes:

Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story - Episode 2: Let’s Face The Music and Dance (edited)
Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story - Episode 3: A Woman’s Lot
Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story - Episode 4: It’s All True (edited) - not currently available (blocked on copyright grounds)
Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story - Episode 5: Dark Victory
Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story - Episode 6: Howard’s Way

CityBoyDoug · #**46705** Posted **May 3, 2018, 2:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

as a friendly reminder to newbies...here's the tower of which I speak.

i.pinimg

__

[SIZE="3"]One night in 1976 I was driving west on Melrose

Scott Charles · #**46706** Posted **May 3, 2018, 2:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I forgot about that spikey ball on top. Does anyone know if it rotated?

(surely there's an old travelogue or 8mm film somewhere on the internet) I'll go look.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC

Most of Ed Asner's 1987 six-part documentary Hollywood The Golden Years: The RKO Story is on YouTube. Going by the shot of the tower at around the 50 second mark in the first episode (below), it doesn't look like the spikey ball rotated.

Speaking of animated signs, does any footage exist of the animated sign atop the Richfield Tower?

Quote:

“The 12-floor building was 372 feet (113 m) tall, including a 130-foot (40 m) tower atop the building, emblazoned vertically with the name "Richfield". Lighting on the tower was made to simulate an oilwell gusher and the motif was reused at some Richfield service stations.” - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richfield_Tower

Scott Charles · #**46707** Posted **May 3, 2018, 2:34 PM**

I thought LA Noirishers might enjoy this:

This company sells pewter replicas of famous buildings:

https://www.replicabuildings.com/pro...page=5&filter=

They have many more LA buildings, as well as buildings from around the world.

Martin Pal · #**46708** Posted **May 3, 2018, 6:04 PM**

The site with the pewter replicas is quite interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Charles

Speaking of animated signs, does any footage exist of the animated sign atop the Richfield Tower?

Not finding anything so far showing this.

I also looked through several pages of NLA to see if the following photo had appeared, and, not to say I didn't miss it, but here's a sunset photo lighting up the Richfield Tower I've liked. Taken February 28, 1963.

L. Mildred Harris Slide Collection at LAPL.

Martin Pal · #**46709** Posted **May 3, 2018, 7:22 PM**

.

Since the area around Sunset & Vine (Cinerama Dome, Wallich's, NBC Building, Sunset Tower, Norm's and the RCA Building) plus the time period (early 60's), were all recently discussed, here's some additional photos that combine these locations and time period, as well as showcasing a number of famous cars from the times:

Cinerama Dome, with "It's a Mad...World" marquee; Sunset Tower.
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Looking across Sunset Blvd. from Ivar Ave.: RCA Building.
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Then looking east at the corner of Sunset & Vine:
Wallich's Music City, NBC Building in early stages of demolition. Notice the fence around it and the American flag has been removed.
(And I wish the mural had been, too!)
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Looking at the NBC Building and Sunset Tower from Vine Street looking toward Sunset Blvd.
Vine Street looks in pretty rough shape, too, like they are repaving it or something.
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Back to Sunset Blvd. looking northeast at the NBC building.
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Six months later. Cut to the scene of the crime: October 30, 1964.

LAPL

BDiH · #**46710** Posted **May 3, 2018, 8:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

.

Then looking east at the corner of Sunset & Vine:
Wallich's Music City, NBC Building in early stages of demolition. Notice the fence around it and the American flag has been removed.
(And I wish the mural had been, too!)
Photo dated May 3, 1964.

LAPL

Really enjoy those photos. I was working the singles counter (aka 45 counter) at Wallich's in May, 1964, so everything looks very familiar. There were 21 (supposedly) sound proof booths facing Sunset Boulevard. The clerk stood behind a counter with a turnstile allowing customers to enter on one side and another to exit on the other side. They were allowed three demo LPs to play and fifteen minutes in which to play them.

One Saturday afternoon, Red Skelton came by and asked if he could stand behind the counter and help. He stayed for a long time and we had lots of laughs. People looked at him but never said a word. Fun times.

CityBoyDoug · #**46711** Posted **May 3, 2018, 9:28 PM**

BDiH:...........

One Saturday afternoon, Red Skelton came by and asked if he could stand behind the counter and help. He stayed for a long time and we had lots of laughs. People looked at him but never said a word. Fun times.[/SIZE][/QUOTE]

[SIZE="3"]A lot of celebrities

Martin Pal · #**46712** Posted **May 3, 2018, 9:33 PM**

BDiH, Heh! "Smile, you're on Candid Camera!"

Is this what it looked like? It's from a blog post on Vintage Los Angeles talking about Wallich's. No date listed for the photo.

VLA

Does anyone recognize the photo the girl has in her lap?

odinthor · #**46713** Posted **May 3, 2018, 9:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

BDiH, Heh! "Smile, you're on Candid Camera!"

Is this what it looked like? It's from a blog post on Vintage Los Angeles talking about Wallich's. No date listed for the photo.

VLA

Does anyone recognize the photo the girl has in her lap?

I was a habitué of the Wallichs Music City across from Lakewood Center, and well remember the sound booths there, very much like those in the last photo. It seemed to me then that, though they weren't used very often, those who did use them were very intense in doing so, and completely oblivious to the rest of the world. I never used one, because I was a very shy li'l odinthor, and it would have been necessary to actually talk to another human being to request to use a booth.

Or could one just stroll in and use them? I dunno: I was too scared to ask and find out.

Edit Add:

I can't seem to lay my hands or any other part of my body on a pic of Wallichs Lakewood in its heyday; here's the same building now:

gsv

We're looking west on Candlewood St. at its corner with Lakewood Blvd.

The listening booths stretched along the length of the building to the left of the entrance.

I included the building across the street, built as a branch of Great Western Savings, because somehow I've always liked the design of the freestanding sign's support structure . . . meant to suggest . . . ? . . . something about the Old West . . . ? . . . a Hanging Tree? . . . a totally misimagined Saguaro Cactus? . . . ? . . . an Old West ancestor of L.A.'s Triforium? . . .

. . . Still, whatever it is, I like it.

BillinGlendaleCA · #**46714** Posted **May 4, 2018, 2:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Charles

I thought LA Noirishers might enjoy this:

They have many more LA buildings, as well as buildings from around the world.

I got the Richfield Tower for my b-day this year(present for myself).

Scott Charles · #**46715** Posted **May 4, 2018, 2:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillinGlendaleCA

I got the Richfield Tower for my b-day this year(present for myself).

Very cool!

CityBoyDoug · #**46716** Posted **May 4, 2018, 3:00 AM**

[QUOTE=Scott Charles;8175531]I thought LA Noirishers might enjoy this:

This company sells pewter replicas of famous buildings:

https://www.replicabuildings.com/pro...page=5&filter=

They have many more LA buildings, as well as buildings from around the world.

w0w Scott...those are so cool...

Slauson Slim · #**46717** Posted **May 4, 2018, 4:33 AM**

I saw the film Zabriskie Point last night. Lots of shots of Los Angeles. Worth a view.

Scott Charles · #**46718** Posted **May 4, 2018, 4:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

w0w Scott...those are so cool....I want one.

They're pretty cool, CBD!

tovangar2 · #**46719** Posted **May 4, 2018, 5:02 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

i.pinimg

__

Does anyone have any info on Paramount's plan to demolish Stages 11,12 and 14 (renumbered 19,21 and 21)? They make up the Melrose/Gower corner and carry the billboards seen above plus the globe.

There was a great hue and cry about it two years back, but I cannot find any updates.

ETA:

fb

Closed petition here

ethereal_reality · #**46720** Posted **May 4, 2018, 5:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Charles

View on Google Maps

The women are the “Radio Pictures Chorus Girls”.

The rooftop boxing photograph was one of my mystery posts a long long time ago. I described it as "Women boxing on a Los Angeles rooftop, 1933."

of course I followed up with a question.

"Where would you find a group of young ladies on a rooftop?" Could it possibly be a Y.W.C.A?

If I remember correctly, we eventually figured out the location...but not in nearly as much detail as you did in your post.
I am especially impressed that you pointed out the ladder and the vantage point of the photographer. That's so awesome Scott!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Charles

The women are the “Radio Pictures Chorus Girls”.

I didn't know the girls were members of a specific 'troupe'. I thought they were probably studio contract players.....or women from a casting agency.

& since there are nine women on the roof-top and nine in the photograph below... I think these lovely ladies might be the "RKO Pictures Chorus Girls".

flickr

It's pretty clear this pic was taken at a movie studio. I wonder if it's RKO?

(& just so you all know...I'm also curious about that odd 'flue'-like thingy that looks like a giant matchstick)
__

p.s. if you feel the need to count the ladies on the roof (like I just did

) you can see it HERE