noirish Los Angeles

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Oh man, that "Double Indemnity" grocery store set was so terrible and fake. It always breaks the spell of the film for me.



I'll take an actual location anytime:

RKO Pictures "Cry Danger" (1951)


Paramount Pictures "The Turning Point" (1952)


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The market scene in the film Double Indemnity was filmed at the Los Feliz Mart on Vermont. The studio even had city cops on the location scene for security.

Those old markets look very funky when compared to today.


Los Feliz Mart, on Vermont.

This interior is a real market.

Paramount....http://vickielester.com/

The old 1939 Los Feliz market building was torn down in the 1990s.

[Mstimc]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

1981. Richard Crenna? Check. Kathleen Turner? Check. Samantha Eggar? Not so much.

MR

Please see below and GW's post right after your reply. Yep, it was Ms. Eggar and it was 1973. 1981 with Kathleen Turner would have been Body Heat, which is a lot more memorable!

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070000/...f_=tt_ov_st_sm

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The market scene in the film Double Indemnity was filmed at the Los Feliz Mart on Vermont. The studio even had city cops on the location scene for security.

LOL, my bad. Thx CBD :-)


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Originally Posted by unihikid

First off...Great piece on Fire Station No.23, ive always wondered about that building, I hope it gets restored. I didnt know it was the ghostbusters station at all!

Fire Station No. 23 is used as a location so much, the studios ought to buy it.

No. 23 was used for the interiors only in Ghostbusters/Ghostbusters II. The exteriors were shot in New York, which must have driven the continuity people crazy


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[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

It reminds me that I read somewhere recently that CBS is colorizing some if not all of 'I Love Lucy'...supposed to be on this month. Wonder if the Hollywood episodes will get the treatment?

Well, one of them is. On May 17th CBS is having another colorized I Love Lucy special with two episodes. One of them is the first in the Hollywood series, "L.A. AT LAST." (The William Holden episode.)

So this will be colorized:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

"I Love Lucy" famously managed some coverage of the Brown Derby:

youtube

(In the opening of the episode they are on a downtown freeway and drive by a gas-o-meter.)

The other episode being colorized for the airing is "LUCY AND SUPERMAN."

Originally Posted by unihikid

I wonder how many ILL episodes they will be doing.

I suppose my long answer is off topic, but here's the answer: It's my opinion that eventually CBS will be colorizing all of the I Love Lucy episodes. They were one of the first to colorize anything a bit when they released some I LOVE LUCY episodes mail order through "Columbia House" in 1985. They colorized the I Love Lucy characters (not the backgrounds) in an opening montage of the theme for the video releases. (Which, inexplicably, was never put on ANY of the dvd releases even once.)

Of course, then coloriztion was being stigmatized by many and any plans they might have had to colorize the series never happened. (I don't know that there were actual plans to do that.) In any case, they first aired the I Love Lucy Christmas episode again in 1989 or '90. It was never put into syndication so it hadn't been seen since 1956. It was in the Top Ten programs for the week. The following year CBS aired it again, but colorized it. (They didn't colorize the flashback segments of the episode.) Again it got huge ratings.

The next episode they colorized wasn't until 2007 when they released the entire series in a box set. They had a disk of extras and one was the colorized episode of "LUCY GOES TO SCOTLAND." It was explained that this episode had been designed to be shot in color. It was pesumably to be I Love Lucy's answer to NBC's Bell Telelphone Hour which was airing opposite I Love Lucy and in color. This episode was musical and had colorful costumes. There was a lot of behind the scenes home movie footage shot of it in color and so they knew what all the colors should look like. Ultimately, CBS decided they wouldn't pay the extra money required to film it in color and so it wasn't. (This particular episode happens to be my least favorite I Love Lucy episode. WHAT'S YOURS?) As far as I'm aware, this one hasn't been broadcast on CBS.

TIME-LIFE released a set of the BEST I Love Lucy episodes for sale and as an extra, the LUCY'S ITALIAN MOVIE was colorized on it. In 2013 CBS had a December special where they aired this colorized episode and a re-colorized version of the Christmas Episode. (For my money, the first version colorized of the Chrismas Episode was better.)

Last December, 2014, CBS had another special airing the Christmas Episode and a colorized version of JOB SWITCHING (the chocolate factory). These have gotten good ratings for CBS so this month, May 17th, they're having another special with colorized versions of L.A. AT LAST and LUCY AND SUPERMAN. (Since I mentioned my least favorite, I wil mention that L.A. AT LAST is my favorite I Love Lucy episode.)

Since audiences watch these I am kind of confident that eventually I LOVE LUCY episodes will all be colorized.

I've never thought colorization was the "devil" so many have made it out to be. The criticisms of "it wasn't made that way" were hypocritical in light of the fact that no one was objecting when sound was redone or 3-strip technicolor was computer enhanced or The Wizard of Oz was turned into 3-D IMAX, for example. I also grew up watching most every movie and series that was in color in black and white and eventually saw them in color, so it didn't seem so big a stretch to me. And, by the way, I have turned off the color on my tv and watched some of my favorite films that were shot in color in black and white, just to experience them in a different way. (E.T. in b&w is a much more noir movie by the way, heh!) If I had cable when Turner was airing a lot of colorized versions of films, I probably would have watched a lot of them. (I am still looking for a copy of MILDRED PIERCE in color, just out of great curiosity.) Yes, I prefer the original versions and they should never be replaced.

[HossC]

I think this 1962 image of a streetcar on South Broadway is new to NLA. From right to left, the visible businesses are: The State Theatre (703 S Broadway), F W Woolworth (719), Leed's Shoes (731), Jerome's (735).


eBay

Here's a current view of the same block.


GSV

I found a 2011 article on blogdowntown.com titled A Thin Residential Conversion Proposed for Broadway. It reports that permits were filed to convert the top three floors of the "100-year-old structure" at 735 South Broadway into residential units. Does anyone know if this is what happened? The building has certainly had a makeover since the image below was taken.


blogdowntown.com

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The market scene in the film Double Indemnity was filmed at the Los Feliz Mart on Vermont. The studio even had city cops on the location scene for security.

Those old markets look very funky when compared to today.


Los Feliz Mart, on Vermont.

This interior is a real market.

Paramount....http://vickielester.com/

The old 1939 Los Feliz market building was torn down in the 1990s.

I thought the market scene--at least the exteriors--were shot at Jerry's Market once at 5330 Melrose across from Paramount.





Paramount

[Krell58]

Originally Posted by HossC

Thanks for the links, Krell58. As e_r will tell you, a lot of people skip links, so here's one of the images to whet your appetites.
The fact that I've reduced it to half the width of the original should give an indication of the detail these images contain.


http://sploid.gizmodo.com/Vincent LaForet

Thanks, Hoss

[tovangar2]

I kept meaning to post a screen grab of the Vista Theater from "True Romance" (1993). Here it is. The theater is in two short scenes at the beginning of the film (it's supposed to be Detroit) back when the original box office was in place:

warner bros

After the show, the protagonists go to Rae's, 2901 Pico Blvd, Santa Monica (I love how they have steam coming out of street vents to make it look cold here and above)

warner bros

Near the end of the film, they, like everyone else, end up at the Ambassador Hotel:

warner bros

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

I thought the market scene--at least the exteriors--were shot at Jerry's Market once at 5330 Melrose across from Paramount.





Paramount

The problem is that the film dialogue says one thing and the actual filming location is another, in some scenes. It makes sense that the market interior was filmed at Jerry's on Melrose and maybe the exterior also. Various websites report differing information.
Hollywood...such a place of mysteries. I'm still searching for the real tinsel. I did hear that it was replaced by fake tinsel. I wonder if Tovangar knows anything about this...or maybe mistimc, GW or ER, anyone.?

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I have to admit,I prefer the days before CGI. It's so disappointing that CGI effects are being over-used in movies.
Today, if a production calls for a 1,000 person crowd scene, the CGI effects team will say,
"Why stop at 1,000, when we can make it a 100,000 person crowd scene!"
It's just bloated over-kill without any of the charm......like watching a 90 minute video game.

I see a day when a movie might advertise...
No CGI effects used! Real Explosions! Real Crowd Scenes! Real Sets! Real Models!

Now that's something I would go and see.

__

Total agreement. Many films start looking like video games to me. I really think some of these films will be looked upon, in hindsight, as having very bad special effects, like we look back on some films with optical effects and the like. I prefer matte paintings as an effect than CGI. Not alwasy a Tarantino film fan, but I appreciate that he likes to stay away from CGI and do things "in camera." I think David Fincher uses CGI to good advantage. I saw special features on the Zodiac dvd and was amazed at some of the special effects in it that I thought was location filming.
____

Speaking of Double Indemnity, I have only heard of the remake, but those screen photos do not seem very inviting. I understand a recent release of the film on dvd or blu-ay included the 73 minute TV version.
____

Last time I saw Double Indemnity, it was in a theatre...well...did you ever start wondering about a relatively unknown actor that people see all the time because they were in a hugely successful or famous film?

I started wondering about the actor who played Nino Zachetti.

imdb

I love this brooding photo. His name was Byron Barr. I couldn't find out much about him except what imdb related. (Gig Young's birth name was also Byron Barr, incidentally.) He was born in Iowa in 1917 and only lived until 1966 when he was 49. His first film was Double Indemnity (!) when he was 26. How did he get that role? What was he doing before that? Was he in the service during World War II? (Did he know Joe Roig?) During the next seven years, until 1951, he racked up credits in 19 films, a couple more noirs among them, and 1 tv series episode. Then he was gone from Hollywood in his early thirties. Then what?

[GaylordWilshire]

Noir106

And an interesting dissection of the scene above:
http://jcpdigitalstorytelling.com/th...ion-to-detail/

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The problem is that the film dialogue says one thing and the actual filming location is another, in some scenes. It makes sense that the market interior was filmed at Jerry's on Melrose and maybe the exterior also. Various websites report differing information.

The line in the script: "So we had picked out a big market on Los Feliz." Nothing specific about "the Los Feliz Mart."

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Last time I saw Double Indemnity, it was in a theatre...well...did you ever start wondering about a relatively unknown actor that people see all the time because they were in a hugely successful or famous film?

I started wondering about the actor who played Nino Zachetti.

imdb

I love this brooding photo. His name was Byron Barr. I couldn't find out much about him except what imdb related. (Gig Young's birth name was also Byron Barr, incidentally.) He was born in Iowa in 1917 and only lived until 1966 when he was 49. His first film was Double Indemnity (!) when he was 26. How did he get that role? What was he doing before that? Was he in the service during World War II? (Did he know Joe Roig?) During the next seven years, until 1951, he racked up credits in 19 films, a couple more noirs among them, and 1 tv series episode. Then he was gone from Hollywood in his early thirties. Then what?

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Here's Byron Barr [at the Hollywood Western Building] in "Double Indemnity" (1944):

Paramount Studios/netflix

Byron Barr was a nice-looking guy. I could turn up nothing more on him except that he died up in Sacramento.

[Hollywood Graham]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The market scene in the film Double Indemnity was filmed at the Los Feliz Mart on Vermont. The studio even had city cops on the location scene for security.

Those old markets look very funky when compared to today.


Los Feliz Mart, on Vermont.

This interior is a real market.

Paramount....http://vickielester.com/

The old 1939 Los Feliz market building was torn down in the 1990s.

The coppers used as security were wartime emergency officers. As you see they were beyond draft age. The badges were the type 3 badge not the present type 4 that is used now.

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Noir106

And an interesting dissection of the scene above:
http://jcpdigitalstorytelling.com/th...ion-to-detail/




The line in the script: "So we had picked out a big market on Los Feliz." Nothing specific about "the Los Feliz Mart."

The important item in this scene are those SOFTASILK cake flour boxes. The contrast is obviously noted and seen. Betty Crocker is so pure and wholesome, in contrast to Phyllis Dietrichson . Billy Wilder was always so clever with the symbolism.



noir106

[Earl Boebert]

Well, since we're on a Double Indemnity kick, here's Chandler and Wilder (I love Wilder's expression):



http://www.kcet.org/updaily/socal_fo...ler_wilder.jpg

and the famous Chandler cameo can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vN9THMXxndw

Cheers,

Earl

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The important item in this scene are those SOFTASILK cake flour boxes. The contrast is obviously noted and seen. Betty Crocker is so pure and wholesome, in contrast to Phyllis Dietrichson . Billy Wilder was always so clever with the symbolism.

Always wonder why he didn't have Fred MacMurray take off his wedding ring--you'd think if he noticed the name of the flour he'd have noticed the ring--or do you suppose there was symbolism in it?

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Werdin Alley and Winston Street looking south.

118 Winston (1887) on the left, John Parkinson's 1909 Canadian Building on the right.

gsv

LAT on the very noiry history of Indiana Alley/Werdin Place

I was driving the google-mobile around this same area the other day, trying to see the rear of the King Edward Hotel.




Like the Hotel Baltimore, I only recently realized the King Edward Hotel was L-shaped.

google_earth



After frustratingly peering through the locked gates on Winston Street, I was suddenly transported through the gate by 'Geo-Capture'.

below: A view from within the gates of Indian Alley/Werdin Place.


gsv

note the small sailboat marooned on the fire escape above the alley. -quite surreal.




Ghost sign for the King Edward Hotel above Werdin Alley/Indian Alley.


gsv


A view of E. 5th Street from behind the Werdin gate. That's the recently discussed C.M. Huff building on the right, with the Chernock on the left.


gsv
____





Now back to the epicenter of 'Indian Alley', 118 Winston Street.


gsv

"Built in 1887, 118 Winston Street was one of L.A.'s premiere piano shops, a brothel, and the headquarters of a youth communist society and the International Labor Defense.
Sister Sylvia May Cresswell, once crowned 'Queen of Skid Row', ran her 'Soul Patrol' there during and after World War II. The building had a cameo in the film 'The Sting'."

"Then, starting in the 1970s, 118 Winston was the United American Indian Involvement Center, opened to provide a safe place for American Indians to clean up, get a hot meal, and escape the harassment they encountered."

"Since the center moved in 2000, the building has housed a yoga studio, art gallery and residence."

118 Winston and Indian Alley in the 1970s.

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwor...ic-past-158563


information from:
http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-i...629-story.html
__

[Those Who Squirm!]

You're thinking of Gil Turner's, which stands on the NW corner of Doheny and Sunset and has been since 1953. It's basically a separate business and both are still going strong today, AFAIK. (See below for correction)


Bing Maps Streetside.

I grew up where Cherokee Lane, Bowmont Drive, and Loma Vista Drive all meet, just over the hill from the spot pictured.

ETA: The Turner family's kids attended the same ES I did, though not at the same time AFAIK. Through that channel I was able to reach out to one Jason Turner, who attended the school in the 1950s and cheerfully gave me the answer to the question he has probably been asked more than any other. Originally the Turners did own both stores and the "Turner" spelling was used for both. In the early 80's, though, the Larrabee store was sold to a new owner, with the stipulation that they would not be able to use the Turner name. So the new owners complied by changing one letter of the spelling. I'd say they got away on a technicality...

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I see that Terner's is still in business at Sunset and Larrabee. (I'm not sure when Turner's became Terner's)


gsv

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Always wonder why he didn't have Fred MacMurray take off his wedding ring--or do you suppose was there symbolism in that?

That's a good point. It may have something to do with that era....1944. A lot of people were hoping to get married in those days. Wedding rings were selling like hotcakes.

[GaylordWilshire]

So you'd wear a wedding ring hoping to attract someone to marry? Maybe it's a California thing. (Or maybe Mrs. MacMurray insisted that it be in his contract that he wear it..... As if that would have stopped a dalliance. Fred was looking good in those days.)