Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9172928)

Moving east from The Galaxy and Galaxy Overflow, we come to the location that in 1955 opened as The Unicorn Book Loft/Coffee House at 8907 Sunset Blvd. It's said to be one of the first coffee houses in LA.


The following has been attributed to Domenic Priore, author of "Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in the 60's":
Unicorn was opened by Herb Cohen and Victor Maymudes in 1955. It was the first beatnik coffee house in Los Angeles. It was a place where the young rebels of the day congregated to drink coffee, listen to live music, conduct poetry readings and play chess. The walls inside of the Unicorn were painted dark with paintings of nude women (hung upside down) and photos of beatnik heroes covering the walls. The waitresses were hip, beautiful, blunt and mean!
It was ground zero of the emerging counter-culture in the late '50s and early '60s and advertised itself with slogans such as "Where casual craznicks climb circular charcoal curbs for cool calculated confabulations". The young kids would come together to discuss poetry, politics and religion, all while sipping their brandy flavored latte's.

They also sold books in the upstairs loft. I know there was a bookstore in West Hollywood at 8920 Santa Monica Blvd. called The Unicorn. I don't know when it opened but it was there in the late 70's. I wonder if when the coffee house closed they opened a bookstore with the loft bookshop? See HERE.

Warner Bros. album from 1958. The cover photo was taken inside The Unicorn. If you look at the upper right of this photo, behind the chandelier, you can see the "Unicorn" sign on the back wall.


Here is a rare 1959 photo taken at The Unicorn's entrance: (The Unicorn looks more like a bull to me.)


Help! Right before I was going to post, I discovered this small Unicorn photo (for sale or already sold?) on WorthPoint. I cannot host it to any photo site now. (Could anyone else?) It's a great little snapshot. It's got writing on the back. It's dated 1-11-59.

It has some writing on the front, too. Along the edge it says Hamburger Heaven and an arrow to a spot in the distance on the photo. (I'm guessing they meant Hamburger Hamlet.)

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthoped...ffee-440655762
...........................................:previous:


Priore: In 1963, Lenny Bruce was booked to play a show at the Unicorn and was arrested after the performance for violating California's obscenity law and put on trial for that performance.

The ad at top for the Unicorn announces Bruce's upcoming performance:


In 1966, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band recorded a live album at the Unicorn.



The Unicorn closed in 1966 and it became Sneeky Pete's.

1966: You can see the striped awning for it below, behind the telephone pole. (Apparently Pete's moved the entrance to the left side of the premises, whereas The Unicorn used the right side as an entrance.)




You can see the striped awning for it in the distance from this 1967 photo looking through the Whiskee á-Go Go's awning. And notice, yes, it is spelled "Sneeky."


As for the spelling of Whiskee, someone writes: "The City pressured them into changing the spelling to Whiskee to avoid the liquor connotation of the original and present Whisky spelling to the younger crowd (under 21) that they were trying to keep out of the clubs. This was around the time of the Sunset Strip Riots."

I have to say, changing the spelling of Whisky or Whiskey to Whiskee isn't going to fool any reasonably intelligent teenager, is it? Advertisers have been doing those cute spellings for their products as far back as I can remember.

A color photo I hadn't seen before of the 1966 Sunset Strip protests around these times:


An original Sneeky Pete's Menu:



Several sources say that, apparently, Pete's was a mob hangout.

Allison Martino writes: Sneeky Pete’s was popular with wise-guys (there was even a photo of Al Capone in the men’s rest room). It was also popular for show biz entertainers like Miles Davis and Johnny Carson. In fact Johnny used to sit in on the drums. | VLA/Facebook


Sneeky Pete's was around until the late 1970's. A 1973 photo:


By 1973 it looks like all the places on that block to the west that I've been covering so far are now gone!

Moving on down the block...(to be continued)

Originally Posted by CaliNative (Post 9173023)

General impression of Social/youth/bohemian/entertainment centers in L.A. over the years (pre-pandemic):

Pre 1940: downtown, Hollywood
1940-60: Hollywood
1950-1970: Hollywood, Sunset Strip
1970-90: Westwood, Santa Monica and Beach towns, Beverly Hills
1990-present: downtown, westside, Pasadena, Hollywood, WeHo, Silver Lake, Ktown, Santa Monica & Beach towns including OC

Is this fairly correct? Any new hotpots? Westwood used to be a big gathering center, but it sort of fell out of favor in the 1990s after some gang violence. Is the "Sunset Strip" making a comeback?

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9172928)

Moving east from The Galaxy and Galaxy Overflow, we come to the location that in 1955 opened as The Unicorn Book Loft/Coffee House at 8907 Sunset Blvd. It's said to be one of the first coffee houses in LA.


The following has been attributed to Domenic Priore, author of "Riot on Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Roll's Last Stand in the 60's":
Unicorn was opened by Herb Cohen and Victor Maymudes in 1955. It was the first beatnik coffee house in Los Angeles. It was a place where the young rebels of the day congregated to drink coffee, listen to live music, conduct poetry readings and play chess. The walls inside of the Unicorn were painted dark with paintings of nude women (hung upside down) and photos of beatnik heroes covering the walls. The waitresses were hip, beautiful, blunt and mean!
It was ground zero of the emerging counter-culture in the late '50s and early '60s and advertised itself with slogans such as "Where casual craznicks climb circular charcoal curbs for cool calculated confabulations". The young kids would come together to discuss poetry, politics and religion, all while sipping their brandy flavored latte's.

They also sold books in the upstairs loft. I know there was a bookstore in West Hollywood at 8920 Santa Monica Blvd. called The Unicorn. I don't know when it opened but it was there in the late 70's. I wonder if when the coffee house closed they opened a bookstore with the loft bookshop? See HERE.

Warner Bros. album from 1958. The cover photo was taken inside The Unicorn. If you look at the upper right of this photo, behind the chandelier, you can see the "Unicorn" sign on the back wall.


Here is a rare 1959 photo taken at The Unicorn's entrance: (The Unicorn looks more like a bull to me.)





Priore: In 1963, Lenny Bruce was booked to play a show at the Unicorn and was arrested after the performance for violating California's obscenity law and put on trial for that performance.

The ad at top for the Unicorn announces Bruce's upcoming performance:


In 1966, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band recorded a live album at the Unicorn.



The Unicorn closed in 1966 and it became Sneeky Pete's.

1966: You can see the striped awning for it below, behind the telephone pole. (Apparently Pete's moved the entrance to the left side of the premises, whereas The Unicorn used the right side as an entrance.)




You can see the striped awning for it in the distance from this 1967 photo looking through the Whiskee á-Go Go's awning. And notice, yes, it is spelled "Sneeky."


As for the spelling of Whiskee, someone writes: "The City pressured them into changing the spelling to Whiskee to avoid the liquor connotation of the original and present Whisky spelling to the younger crowd (under 21) that they were trying to keep out of the clubs. This was around the time of the Sunset Strip Riots."

I have to say, changing the spelling of Whisky or Whiskey to Whiskee isn't going to fool any reasonably intelligent teenager, is it? Advertisers have been doing those cute spellings for their products as far back as I can remember.



A color photo I hadn't seen before of the 1966 Sunset Strip protests around these times:


An original Sneeky Pete's Menu:



Several sources say that, apparently, Pete's was a mob hangout.

Allison Martino writes: Sneeky Pete’s was popular with wise-guys (there was even a photo of Al Capone in the men’s rest room). It was also popular for show biz entertainers like Miles Davis and Johnny Carson. In fact Johnny used to sit in on the drums. | VLA/Facebook


Sneeky Pete's was around until the late 1970's. A 1973 photo:


By 1973 it looks like all the places on that block to the west that I've been covering so far are now gone!

Moving on down the block...(to be continued)

Originally Posted by Snix (Post 9173854)

Here is a better version of the poster for The Unicorn, designed by Rolly Crump. Crump worked for Walt Disney imagineering and made big contributions to the Haunted Mansion, it's a small world, and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.Photo by Mark Berry, from "The Great Crump Presents His Magic" as reviewed at https://wdwnt.com/2020/03/review-the...f-rolly-crump/

https://www.babytattoo.com/shop/the-...of-rolly-crump
_________________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9172928)

Originally Posted by MartinTurnbull (Post 9173936)

On my website, there is a page on which I have a collection of views of the Richfield Tower during the all-too-brief time it stood at 555 South Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles from 1929 to 1969. You can see that collection here: http://bit.ly/RichfieldBuilding


I suppose it was for this reason that I was recently contacted by someone who said that he had the entry plaque into the Richfield Tower building and would I like to see a photo of it? WOULD I EVER?!?! So he sent me this photo and said: “This came to me from a friend of many years. It was given to the foreman of the demolition crew when the demo started in 1967. He had it set in the entry way of his home. After his passing, it was removed and given to my friend and now to me.”

The words “ERECTED 1929” is surrounded by eight discs. Richfield was an oil company (now part of ARCO) so I’m guessing these eight discs represent fields of endeavor in which oil has played a central role. They are: oil wells, airplanes, skyscrapers, small boats, trains, ships, factories, and automobiles. I'm not sure why sea craft are there twice, unless the "small boats” is something else. I am SO glad that someone thought to save something from the jewel in the crown of Los Angeles architecture aside from the two bronze doors.



https://martinturnbull.com/wp-conten...aque-small.jpg

Originally Posted by MartinTurnbull (Post 9173936)

On my website, there is a page on which I have a collection of views of the Richfield Tower during the all-too-brief time it stood at 555 South Flower Street in downtown Los Angeles from 1929 to 1969. You can see that collection here: http://bit.ly/RichfieldBuilding


I suppose it was for this reason that I was recently contacted by someone who said that he had the entry plaque into the Richfield Tower building and would I like to see a photo of it? WOULD I EVER?!?! So he sent me this photo and said: “This came to me from a friend of many years. It was given to the foreman of the demolition crew when the demo started in 1967. He had it set in the entry way of his home. After his passing, it was removed and given to my friend and now to me.”

The words “ERECTED 1929” is surrounded by eight discs. Richfield was an oil company (now part of ARCO) so I’m guessing these eight discs represent fields of endeavor in which oil has played a central role. They are: oil wells, airplanes, skyscrapers, small boats, trains, ships, factories, and automobiles. I'm not sure why sea craft are there twice, unless the "small boats” is something else. I am SO glad that someone thought to save something from the jewel in the crown of Los Angeles architecture aside from the two bronze doors.



https://martinturnbull.com/wp-conten...aque-small.jpg

Originally Posted by riichkay (Post 9174705)

The Ruschamobile in action, reflected in the glass of 1424 Santa Monica Bl., Santa Monica.
_________________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9173972)

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9175474)

That was quite interesting, riichkay, thank you!

Speaking of Ed...




A recap of this block from Hilldale east to Clark Street, seen in Ed Ruscha's 1966 photoshoot of Sunset Blvd.:



And...

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9175341)

.
mystery aerial


This negative is currently on eBay.


"Aerial view of Los Angeles Streets & Shops, c.1950"

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/zqlwrr.jpg

I've looked at this for waaay too long. I'm hoping someone will recognize the area.



Here's a positive of the negative.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/aLVPVF.jpg
eBay.








Let's take a closer look at the. . .umm. . .apartment complex(?) with a hidden interior courtyard.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/fvd7pk.jpg
detail







And here's a closer look at the buildings on the north side of the street.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/v3mCjf.jpg
detail


The whitish one has the unmistakable shape of a movie theater.




.

Originally Posted by Arch2000 (Post 9175488)

While I don't recognize the area, I think I can provide some more context to the photo. What ER has called out in the center as an apartment building, I think, looks to be a high school complex. The area immediately behind the building is a quad/lunch area, and there are tennis courts and a ball field further behind the building. I suspect the complex at lower left to be a middle or elementary school, and they may have shared facilities- note the striped white crosswalk mid-block connecting the two.

To the middle right, I suspect that could be a library building fronted by a park. Many times smaller cities will have civic facilities grouped like this. So perhaps it's one of the smaller municipalities in the LA area, or not near LA at all!

But I do agree about the white building likely being a movie theater.

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9175475)

...and a look back down the street, in psychedelic color...

...first in 1963.


https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...ed&oe=6032CEF3

Originally Posted by Bristolian (Post 9175714)

:previous:
At the time of his death in 1982, Jack Webb lived there in a two story penthouse apartment that he designed.
How cool is that?

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9175341)

.
mystery aerial


This negative is currently on eBay.


"Aerial view of Los Angeles Streets & Shops, c.1950"

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...922/zqlwrr.jpg

I've looked at this for waaay too long. I'm hoping someone will recognize the area.



Here's a positive of the negative.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/aLVPVF.jpg
eBay


.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9177057)

mystery location

Does anyone know where, in Hollywood, this horseshoe park was located?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/qHO7zs.jpg
shermangrindberg

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9177057)

.
mystery location

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...922/BhGXoX.jpg


The following images are from a short newsreel dated 12 / 25 / 1929. (go to shermangrindberg and type in "horseshoes")



Does anyone know where, in Hollywood, this horseshoe park was located?

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/qHO7zs.jpg
shermangrindberg






As you'll see there are numerous signs for clues.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/QYvg8W.jpg
shermangrindberg

Note the two gentleman enjoying a game of chess.











https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/GdWNNa.jpg
shermangrindberg

The ad with the all seeing eye and horseshoe looks like something out of the occult.







https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...922/Vn9G9M.jpg
shermangrindberg


I believe I've shown you all sides of the park.

Now go find it sleuths! :whip:



.

Originally Posted by santamonicadesign (Post 9177126)

I can't believe no one remembered the old Love/Arthur Lee song from 1967... Between Clark and Hilldale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwnyoH5DpNE

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire (Post 9176859)

https://i.postimg.cc/NGWwtS46/WAD1815-GSV-bmp.jpg


A demolition permit for this 1909 Craftsman at 1815 West Adams Boulevard, seemingly well-cared for, was issued last August. Perhaps if anyone in LA is covid-bored, lives nearby and/or needs to get out of the house, he or she might want to check to see if this has happened yet. It will probably be replaced by the type of multi-unit building for which houses like this one are rapidly being bulldozed. It sold for $820,000 in July 2019.

More pictures here https://www.redfin.com/CA/Los-Angele...8/home/6897982

Originally Posted by badrunner (Post 9177579)

Hill Street, 1961, colorized:

Originally Posted by santamonicadesign (Post 9177126)

I can't believe no one remembered the old Love/Arthur Lee song from 1967... Between Clark and Hilldale
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwnyoH5DpNE
_________________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9163610)

I got the following from a website that had posted some oral histories of musicians and the like about Hollywood in the 1960's. This one from Don Randi, a songwriter and member of the group The Wrecking Crew, talks about a lot of the eateries frequented back then. No details, but Gaiety is mentioned and a lot of others name dropped.
[...]
“Neil Young, Jack Nitzsche and I would go out to places like the Gaiety Delicatessen."[Text Quotes Copyright 2020 Harvey Kubernik]
_________________________________________________________________

Originally Posted by Mstimc (Post 9177735)

Shameful. Craftsman style has always been my favorite for home design. It just seems to lend itself to being lived in, if that makes sense.

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire (Post 9176859)

https://i.postimg.cc/NGWwtS46/WAD1815-GSV-bmp.jpg

A demolition permit for this 1909 Craftsman at 1815 West Adams Boulevard, seemingly well-cared for, was issued last August. Perhaps if anyone in LA is covid-bored, lives nearby and/or needs to get out of the house, he or she might want to check to see if this has happened yet. It will probably be replaced by the type of multi-unit building for which houses like this one are rapidly being bulldozed. It sold for $820,000 in July 2019.

Originally Posted by Handsome Stranger (Post 9178550)

Here's 1815 West Adams as of this afternoon, 2 February 2021.

https://i.postimg.cc/8Pkx6wfN/W-Adams.jpg

Originally Posted by Barstowboy (Post 9178711)

Martin,
I've tried that link and the one on the Getty page, but nothing happens. I get a blank screen.
Any ideas?
Thanks.
_________________________________________________________________