noirish Los Angeles

[jg6544]

Interesting post cards of the freeway interchange back when it was new, landscaped, and not a parking lot. It is none of those things today, sadly.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

hahaha thank you Mr. Wilshire. When I posted that I was thinking, 'I wonder if Mr. Wilshire will notice this'. Bingo.
Rudy was always hiring handsome gardeners and then inviting them to his Sunday parties. Hollywood gossip was sorta big then but nothing like it is now.

I guess there's a Facebook page for everything:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rudol...29507953774418

But then there's this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas..._b_700927.html


That Valentino may or may not have been gay is not news, but I'd never heard of this:


From the Times, Oct 19, 1927 and June 15, 1981


Alberto and his son Jean in 1951:


It looks as if Jean had followed his father's footsteps and had his nose whittled down, he could have been Valentino III.

LAT, USCDL

[Andys]

Originally Posted by HossC

The Chevron sign is still in the same place, but the TV footage makes it look much closer. The original angle also hid the underpass and just missed the Van de Kamp's Bakery building on the right.


GSV

.

I used to walk by the Van de Kamp's bakery every day on my way to school in the 60's. Oh the aroma of fresh baked goods!! Bakery was built in 1930. Missing, is the Van de Kamp's restaurant and drive-up just ahead at the signal on the right on the corner of Fletcher Drive and San Fernando Rd. It was quite the hangout in its day. I can still taste the onion rings with a side of blue!

Andys

[GaylordWilshire]

Andys--these prior posts show the drive-in:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6800

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6802

[austlar1]

-here's the link to the video. (it has sound)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkkjpDmf7zw

At one point a car has to swerve to avoid hitting a pick up truck trying to turn left ..and then 10 seconds later we see a wrecked car being towed.
The lack of a center line seems a bit dangerous.

Of course there's a lot more interesting things to look at than the traffic.
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I noticed that gas was going for 9 cents a gallon, and there were very few pedestrians even though car ownership was so much lower.

[AlvaroLegido]

Originally Posted by fhammon

Why is it that old photos seem to show things larger than recent photos?
I've noticed that a lot with the "then and now" building photos as well.
They always look bigger then than now when shot from the same or similar locations.
It's it the camera lenses? In this case maybe it's the different elevations from which they were shot. Still....

I asked the same question on page 560 #11200. There was no answer except from Tovangar (#11217) who didn't convince me. I did some research and yes : "it's mainly the camera lenses", like HossC said !
Like limiters/compressors which flatten the music level on the radio - making the music sound stronger than real - old lenses in black & white photos flatten the buildings making them look bigger.

[alanlutz]

Here is a link, if anyone is interested, detailing 94 of the latest developments in the downtown area. For example here is just one:
TITLE INSURANCE BUILDING: According to the most recent information available, Bel-Air based Capital Foresight is planning to convert the Title Insurance Building at 433 S. Spring St. into an as-yet-undetermined number of residential units. The company has yet to finalize its proposal but had expected to submit plans to begin the entitlement process for the 1913 Art Deco structure in the spring. The deal is tied in to the adjacent building at 419 S. Spring St., where an entity called PNK I Group plans to create a hotel. The status of the hotel deal is uncertain.
There is also an update on the PACMUTUAL and many more.

http://goo.gl/9NyxRB

[ethereal_reality]

Just as I was getting a grip on Vermont Avenue Square and Vermont Square, along comes Van Ness Avenue Square.


http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
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[Moxie]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Surely there have been psychological studies done about why so many actors over the years that women consider to be Hollywood heartthrobs were, in fact, gay. Rudolph Valentino, Rock Hudson, Wentworth Miller. It happens in every generation, despite the best gaydar. Or maybe it's more about how Hollywood packages them? Their ability to make eye contact with the camera. Interesting to ponder....

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Surely there have been psychological studies done about why so many actors over the years that women consider to be Hollywood heartthrobs were, in fact, gay. Rudolph Valentino, Rock Hudson, Wentworth Miller. It happens in every generation, despite the best gaydar. Or maybe it's more about how Hollywood packages them? Their ability to make eye contact with the camera. Interesting to ponder....

Gay guys are very creative and like to live different a·vant-garde style of lives and put on faces. They're attracted to theater in high school and college.

Next thing you know they're off to Hollywood and in the movies...maybe. That's how it works. All very simple.

Years ago I went to an afternoon party in Malibu at the home of a famous older Hollywood agent man. I went with my architect friend Jim who was a former Frank Lloyd Wright apprentice. What some of these unknown young good looking guys would do to get in the movies was eye-opening to say the least. Did any get in the movies? Let's be realistic.

Of course there are exceptions.

[Blaster]

[QUOTE=austlar1;6273015]


Can anyone identify what block of Wilshire this would be?

[ethereal_reality]

Blaster, I believe we're looking west toward Wilshire and Robertson. (I'm going by the slight curve in the road)

GSV

The heavily remodeled building on the northwest corner of Wilshire and Robertson may or may not be the same building that appears in the
1930's film.

In the black and white screen-grab the building in the upper left hand corner would be on the southwest corner of Wilshire and Arnaz Drive. (I think)
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[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Gay guys are very creative and like to live different a·vant-garde style of lives and put on faces. They're attracted to theater in high school and college.

Next thing you know they're off to Hollywood and in the movies...maybe. That's how it works. All very simple.

You're either joking or this is the single most ignorant thing that has ever been posted on this thread.

[ethereal_reality]

I thought this might interest you GW.



Chronicling America

I certainly didn't expect this home to still be standing.



A few feet, one way or another, and it would have been destroyed.

google_earth



from Toberman Street.

gsv




gsv
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The front of the house from 18th Street

gsv


Sadly, this is the view from the front porch. -razor wire-

gsv
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An ill-advised apartment building has been built on the original lot. (but at least they didn't demolish the home)

google_earth

I am intrigued by the curved balcony above the front porch (it's visible in the 18th Street photo as well).
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[HossC]

That house on 18th/Toberman is very close to a building I first spotted while watching 'CHiPs'. 1828 Oak Street is a large hall just across the freeway, and seems to date from around 1925. I've marked it in blue to show the relative position (the CHP building is the one with the gray roof in the loop to the left of the Harbor Freeway - it replaced the one seen in the show).


E_R/Google Earth

Here's the building from Washington Boulevard. There's an amazing amount of detail around the roofline. It also retains its small blade sign advertizing "Dancing".


GSV

A similar view at night. The caption says "Casa Vertigo is a 88,000 + sq ft. filming & events venue."


Kerry M./yelp.com

A few exterior/interior shots:





All by Dan Williams c/o imageevent.com (There are 176 pictures in the set.)

It looks like the building (or a portion of it) has also been known as Chateau Ballroom in recent years.


plusoneeventz.com


californianightlife.com

In 'CHiPs', the building played the part of the 'Oak Street Youth Center'.


MGM TV/Rosner TV

Strangely, when the youth center appeared again in a later episode, they used 1727 North Spring Street.


MGM TV/Rosner TV

1727 North Spring Street has appeared in this thread several times, including post #7516, post #7520 and post #7524 (sorry if I missed anyone else's posts).

[ethereal_reality]

The old I.O.O.F. Hall (Odd Fellow Temple) was going to be my next post. You beat me to it HossC.
If I remember correctly, there was a radio station (now called the 'penthouse') on the roof for 85 years.
I'll have to find my notes with the details.



This close-up shows the mysterious Odd Fellow symbolism with the three rings and all-seeing eye.

gsv

You can see it above the banner in the CHiPS photo you posted.

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[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

You're either joking or this is the single most ignorant thing that has ever been posted on this thread.

Thanks Mr. Wilshire, most appreciated and I always enjoy your posts. You have a lot of knowledge about LA.

[ethereal_reality]

Somehow we've overlooked the San Marcos Hotel (& Apts.) here on noirish.


ebay




today

gsv

Surprisingly, Ethical Drugs is still in business.







old entrance marquee at 242 N. Western Avenue

gsv detail






gsv

[HossC]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The old I.O.O.F. Hall (Odd Fellow Temple) was going to be my next post. You beat me to it HossC.

I didn't mean to steal your thunder, E_R . I was hoping that someone would fill in some early details about the building, because I just got loads of property sites when I Googled it. The 'CHiPs' picture dates from 1980/81, but doesn't give many clues. Thanks for the info about the name, the eye and the radio station.

[ethereal_reality]

I'm still looking for that radio station information HossC. I even had interior photos of the small studio on the roof.

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

I was wondering, E_R, when was the last time you lived here in this area?

Hi [B]Martin, I lived on Hancock until around 1988.
It's too bad that outdoor news stand on Hancock & Santa Monica Blvd. is gone.
Of course, there's Book Soup just up the street.
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