noirish Los Angeles

[belmont bob]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here is an interesting view showing the back of the Auditorium Building (as well as the back of the Temple Baptist Church sign).

1963

http://www.lapl.org/
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This is an interesting view of the old auditorium that I’ve never seen before. It’s also interesting that it would be regarded as the back of the auditorium. Perhaps when it was built the front would have been considered to be on Fifth Street, but when I got my first tickets to the old Los Angeles Civic Light Opera productions in 1962 and up until the time the company moved to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion we entered the theatre on the Olive St side. So to my way of thinking that was always the “front.” As a young man with little money and a big love for musical theater I managed to afford two seats in the nose-bleed section with seats just wide enough for my not to wide (at the time) butt to fit into. It’s a good thing my girl friend at the time was not fat. There was about ¼ inch of leg space to the seat in front, but fortunately my seats were on the aisle, read stairs, and I could stick my legs out into the aisle when the ushers weren’t looking. But the place made up for those faults with really bad acoustics so it wasn’t a total loss.

The LACLO brought road productions into LA for 6 weeks at the auditorium and then the production moved to the Pasadena Civic for one additional week before heading for San Francisco.

[TheFasterGun]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I accidentally came across this site earlier today.
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/...53&forum=16&20
The Embers Lounge (1963) 11332 Washington Blvd. Whittier

According to GoOgLe, that advertisement on the wall for Muaythai Kick Boxing, (562) 695-7280...is STILL THERE and ACTIVE. Cool
https://www.google.com/search?q=562-...hrome&ie=UTF-8

[TheFasterGun]

Originally Posted by sopas ej

And some Then and Nows:

1930s: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. I'm surprised to learn this used to be a market.

USC archive

2010: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. This is now part of the Sunset Gower Studios, I think.

Photo by Me

This sure STRONGLY resembles an old aircraft hanger....hmmmm

[TheFasterGun]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here is a photo of the Herald-Examiner Building that Johnny Socko had mentioned earlier.
I didn't realize it was designed by Julia Morgan

This is actually showing the back of the building (and it's still beautiful).





usc archive



I like the miniature 24hr. gas station.

Was this building before, or after the first Hearst Castle talks in April 1915?

[belmont bob]

Originally Posted by TheFasterGun

Was this building before, or after the first Hearst Castle talks in April 1915?

I find the backs and sides of old buildings are sometimes more intriguing than the front because it's frequently without the detailed swag that can detract from the human side or functionality of the building. And although the craftsmanship of the decorative features are wonderful, it’s more about the structure whereas the back is more about the function and the human side. give me an alley view anytime...And besides much of the Noir happens in the dark hidden corners..

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Los Angeles 1962

ebay

I've been trying to identify the building in the background.

Wilcox Ave. just north of Hollywood Blvd. Thanks to Unihikid for the location.


Google SV

[ethereal_reality]

Very interesting CBD. It's looking a bit shabby these days (with the hand painted sign...the crumpled venetian blinds, etc.)
Luckily the elaborate grill-work is still in place as well as other architectural details.
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[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

View across Pershing Square showing the same buildings in 1973.


LAPL

I didn't realize street vendors were allowed on the periphery of Pershing Square.
_

I think we're looking at the half block of 6th between Hill and Lindley Place (entrance at lower right), now site of the International Jewelry building. The foreshortening is rather confusing. Security Pacific HQ is rising in the background at 3rd and Hope.

P.S.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

...seat auditorium building...remodeled in 1938 by Stiles O. Clements

Is that confirmed? I've read in some accounts that Beelman did the remodel. I never could figure out which is correct.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by sopas ej

1930s: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. I'm surprised to learn this used to be a market.

USC archive

2010: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. This is now part of the Sunset Gower Studios, I think.

Photo by Me

As this one has been recently quoted, I wanted to note that this building is now EastWest recording studios. At one time it was half of Bill Putnam's famous, important and historic Western Recording. The other building, which was once part of Putnam's facility, is on the other side of Sunset-Gower Studios' main gate and is now called Ocean Way recording.

EastWest has a Starck-designed interior, but I was glad to see the truss ceiling was left on view:

architonic (more interior shots at the link)

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by TheFasterGun

Was this building before, or after the first Hearst Castle talks in April 1915?

The building was completed in 1914. It was Morgan's first commission for Hearst.

She was mentored by Bernard Maybeck (much mentioned elsewhere on the thread) starting during her last year at Cal. It was he who encouraged her to go to École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts for her architecture degree.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Is that confirmed? I've read in some accounts that Beelman did the remodel. I never could figure out which is correct.

T2, here are some interesting excerpts from 'Theaters in Los Angeles' by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper 2008
http://books.google.com/books?id=Fma...torium&f=false




http://books.google.com/books?id=Fma...torium&f=false





http://books.google.com/books?id=Fma...torium&f=false





http://books.google.com/books?id=Fma...torium&f=false
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[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

T2, here are some interesting excerpts from 'Theaters in Los Angeles' by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper 2008
http://books.google.com/books?id=Fma...torium&f=false
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Thx! I like the idea of a Stiles/Beelman collaboration.

Historic Los Angeles Theaters (https://sites.google.com/site/downto...res/auditorium)
gives it all to Beelman as does Big Orange Landmarks (http://bigorangelandmarks.blogspot.c...uditorium.html). No wonder I was confused.

Does anyone have the story on the little building directly east of the Auditorium? I don't think I've ever seen it identified.

[ethereal_reality]

Here is a remarkable postcard showing the extravagances bestowed upon Hollywood premiers, in this case 'The Good Earth' (1937).


ebay

It says the exhibit was in the forecourt, but from this postcard you can see that it also extended down the boulevard facing Carthay Circle.
The theater's tower can be seen in the distance.




below: the postcard makes me think the exhibit extended quite a ways down the blvd.


gsv




http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=719



http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...&postcount=719
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[ethereal_reality]

afterthought: 'The Good Earth' won the Academy Award for best picture of 1937.


dvdbeaver.com

It's especially famous for it's spectacular locust scene.
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[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's another mystery location.

Los Angeles

ebay
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This station was at the southeast corner of 3rd and Normandie; 3rd Street is in the foreground. The apartment building in the background is the Elmwood at 326 S. Normandie.


GSV

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Does anyone have the story on the little building directly east of the Auditorium? I don't think I've ever seen it identified.

Los Angeles Herald Jan 14, 1906



25 years later--looks like it might have been a complete replacement, but then again it might have been more of a reskinning:




Los Angeles Times Oct 4, 1931

[tovangar2]

Hey GW. Thanks.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

This station was at the southeast corner of 3rd and Normandie; 3rd Street is in the foreground. The apartment building in the background is the Elmwood at 326 S. Normandie.

Thanks for locating that Mobil station GW. I was hoping the large house behind it was still there.

Here's a look at the Elmwood Apt.

gsv

I'd like to get closer look at the embellishments atop the two dormer windows. They look fairly unique.
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[ethereal_reality]

Does anyone remember when the Title Guarantee and Trust Building had this sign?


ebay

Whenever I see a photograph like this I check the windows to see if there's anything nefarious going on.
One day I expect to solve a murder this way.





The complete photograph showing people gathered in Pershing Square.

ebay

And what about the fountain?
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[ethereal_reality]

One of my favorite photographs of the Title Guarantee and Trust Building


http://www.publicartinla.com/Downtow...guarantee.html
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[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

Apparently, yes. Here are photos from your earlier posts. Compare this tree . . .

http://www.flickr.com/photos/84263554@N00/7637123686/

With this one on the left . . .

http://www.lamag.com/citythink/cityt...dest-palm-tree

With the one that has a guy on a ladder leaning up against it. The guy probably secured the ropes seen in the middle photo. All three photos could be the same tree, especially the last two photos. I realize it has a longer "beard" in the top photo. I count four trees along the wall, with two of the other three palms in the photo right next to each other. There is no St. Vibiana's in the background.

LAPL -- http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068408.jpg
The caption at LAPL says: The moving of palms on the east side of San Pedro Street, between 2nd and 3rd Street, on the old Wallace Woodworth property. A crew of men is working on the project, using a tall ladder and a horse and wagon. An orchard lies behind a wall. Photo dated: 1888.

However, this is the only photo that identifies the location as the Woodworth property. Other sources attribute the palms to William A. Hammel.

According to the 1881 Map of Los Angeles, Hammel (#205) and Woodworth (#208) lived across from each other on San Pedro near Second -- Hammel on the west side, and Woodworth on the east side. Maybe they both had palm trees? Look for Blocks 50 and 51 on the left side of the drawing, which are also on the lower left portion of the model (50 is the triangular block):



Calisphere -- http://imgzoom.cdlib.org/Fullscreen....and=calisphere

This photo of the Woodworth residence is dated c. 1880. I don't see any palm trees, not even small ones. And where's that long brick wall? Note the small home to the right:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics41/00055089.jpg

This is a closeup of the "Res. of W. Woodworth Laur" (I don't know where Laur comes from) on an 1871 E. S. Glover map of Los Angeles; it seems like the same home. I'm guessing the small house was built first, then the big one:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/3993/rec/16

BTW, that Glover map seems to have been incorporated into the c. 1929 Gore's 1871 Birdseye Map of Los Angeles:
http://www.bigmapblog.com/2011/los-a...eared-in-1871/

Anyway, this is looking south down San Pedro Street, across 1st Street. LAPL says c. 1875; USC says c. 1868. LAPL caption reads: "View of San Pedro Street looking south at 1st Street. The tall building is on the Wallace Woodworth property and has an observatory cupola. It was built in 1871. Fan palms were planted later." So, maybe this is the same small home as above, although the roof and cupola look a little different? No palm trees yet, unless they're too small to see:

LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081438.jpg

A few other things to note in the above photo:
1) The thing on the street corner in the lower left corner of the photo . . . it looks a little like those watering troughs or whatever they were in the old photos of the plaza.
2) Is that a zanja in the shadows on the right side of the street?
3) The asterisk marks the Antonio Maria Lugo adobe, built in 1819.

This c. 1885 view of the Antonio Maria Lugo adobe shows it with palm trees:

LAPL -- http://jpg1.lapl.org/00081/00081446.jpg

Back to those palms along the brick wall . . . keeping in mind the 1888 photo above of the trees being removed, with the guy on the ladder against one of the palms . . . I think this c. 1886-87 photo was taken from the other side of the brick wall, looking the other way. I again see four palms along the wall and, well, four others in the background, but two of them are right next to each other, as in the 1888 photo. But if you're on San Pedro Street and you can see St. Vibiana's in the background, you've got to be looking west, so this has to be the Hammel property, not the Woodward property. Note that we seem to be looking end-on at a brick building (we see one wall and a slanted roof) behind the one along the street:

USC Digital Library (where this photo is reversed; I've flipped it the right way) -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/13914/rec/11

More similar photos; this one is c. 1880:

CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...L8XPBNS7PB.jpg

This is dated c. 1895. The caption reads in part "California Fan Palm (Washingtonia filifera) trees behind brick retaining wall on San Pedro Street":

CA State Library -- http://catalog.library.ca.gov/exlibr...EXHX78F14R.jpg

Now look at this undated photo . . . sure looks like same brick wall, palms, and wooden shack . . . but the brick building at right is different. I have no explanation:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/14500/rec/13

More palm photos, which I believe show the same brick building (not the one along the street, however many stories it had -- I mean the one behind it). The first one is captioned "c. 1885 Photograph of the two old palm trees on San Pedro Street, home of Sheriff Hummel [sic], showing old well, Los Angeles":

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/13965/rec/1
Note: Photo above is also reversed; see JScott's post below (thanks!) for correct orientation.

"c. 1886 Photograph of 2 large fan palm trees at the residence of Sheriff Hammel on San Pedro Street near Second Street, Los Angeles. A well is situated between them":

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si.../id/8915/rec/9

"Fan palms, c. 1890":

LAPL -- http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068404.jpg

So if they're Hammel's Palms, we must credit Dr. William A. Hammel (d. 1889), who came to Los Angeles in 1849 and built one of the first brick homes in the city (perhaps the one seen in the photo above?), on San Pedro near 2nd Street (This source -- http://www.badgehistory.com/page_two.html -- and Harris Newmark put the house on San Pedro between 2nd and 3rd, but the 1881 map/model has it on the NW corner of 2nd and San Pedro. Whatever.)

His son, also William A. Hammel, was LA County Sheriff 1899-1902 and 1907-1914. In 1899 he hired LA County's first African-American Deputy Sheriff, and in 1912 hired the nation's first female Deputy Sheriff (his sister-in-law).
From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg...&GRid=15683350 and https://nixle.com/alert/4791785/

# # #

I'm surprised and delighted to learn that that palm tree, now outside the Coliseum, has survived so long. I figured it had just been unceremoniously ripped out like all of William Wolfskill's orange trees.

As to the change in the building facing on San Pedro:

USC Digital Library -- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/14500/rec/13

I think this was taken after our palm was moved. The reason the palm was moved to begin with was to build a warehouse (this according to Nathan Masters http://www.lamag.com/citythink/cityt...dest-palm-tree), which is what appears to be going on in the photo below. The single story pitched roof building seems to be in the process of being remodeled into the two-story structure with a pediment pictured above:

LAPL -- http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics37/00068408.jpg

The photo of the large mansion in your post, identified as Woodworth's, does not appear to bear any relation to the Woodworth home on San Pedro. The smaller structure, in the same photo,looks to be its carriage house.

It does seem extraordinary that these trees, such landmarks and so famous that cabinet cards were being sold picturing them:

Originally Posted by JScott

eBay/May 2012

And our particular tree rated a granite and bronze monument commemorating its 25 years of faithful service outside the Arcade Depot.

Yet I could find no photos of the replanting at Exposition Park or the placing of the monument. The tree is not mentioned in any of the histories of Agricultural/Exposition Park I've seen. Maybe its anonymity has protected it. I would enjoy seeing its little circle of fence restored.

P.S.

The "Pierce" in the Pierce and McConnell name on the cabinet card was CC Pierce: http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark...8vx0hb8/admin/