noirish Los Angeles

[rcarlton]

Oil rigs and infrastructure are hidden all through L.A. Here is an example of a rig at the Beverly Hills High School.

Google earth

Apparently there is a building on Pico Blvd. that is made to look like an office building but is actually a platform for some 50 wells.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by rcarlton

Oil rigs and infrastructure are hidden all through L.A.
Apparently there is a building on Pico Blvd. that is made to look like an office building but is actually a platform for some 50 wells.

Lots of info re LA oil wells here including the faux-office-building ones:
http://www.nileguide.com/destination...n-los-angeles/
-and-
http://www.clui.org/newsletter/sprin...ur-urban-crude

Map of all wells and related sites:
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...,0.011362&z=17

When I owned each of two houses in WLA I got a little check every year to compensate me for the oil pumped out from under the houses by the slant-drilling Venoco "Flower Tower".

It now looks different from the old days, but the pumping continues:

www.mtfca.com

Beverly Hills Oil Field, 1928, at left. Fox Studios at center. WLA on the right. Santa Monica Blvd at lower margin:

waterandpower.org

[FrankAbignaleJr.]

Originally Posted by malumot

Great pics and aerials.....

I couldn't help but notice.....for an neighborhood that is within a stone's throw(or two) from Downtown, it looks to be underutilized......vacant lots, broad parking lots, etc....Densities look to be little different than what you would find anywhere in the LA Basin. You'd be hard pressed to find so much as a three-story building in ER's aerial.

I s'pose the underlying oil field has something to do with it, and the lack of major arterial roads......

but still........

(Understand I am NOT complaining......not in the least. I would be more than happy if they left the entire neighborhood hermetically sealed.....I just find it a bit odd that, apart from the Belmont fiasco (and a very, VERY expensive fiasco it was) much of the neighborhood has remained gentrification- and mostly CRA-free all these years.....)

The 10 pump well site that you see off of Rockwood was active up until just a couple of years ago. It was owned by the McAlmond Oil Co, and it's owner Phillip McAlmond initially only had one pump until 1983, when he had nine more drilled. The first well on the property was drilled in 1940 by McAlmond.

He spent his later years living in a trailer on the property to ward off vandals and thieves, and believed that some folks working for the City of LA were illegally stealing his oil, as his tanks (he claimed) never reached full capacity. Whether it was true or not, he was an interesting fellow, and unfortunately died a couple of years ago.

[DouglasUrantia]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

RIP Gloria Pall.


http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlla/




Ms. Pall debuted on KABC-TV as 'Voluptua' December 15, 1954.


http://www.capitalbay.com/headline/2...s-aged-85.html


Between breaks she took calls on her mink trimmed telephone that didn't ring, but sang softly, "Voluptua...Voluptua".
She also read from a heartshaped 'Book of Secrets' on how to attract and hold men.

'Voluptua', also know as the 'Eyeful Tower', unfortunately was a little too hot for the small screen. She was fired after only seven
weeks under pressure from bible-thumpers who called her 'Corruptua' from pulpits throughout California.




http://www.capitalbay.com/headline/2...s-aged-85.html

I have no idea why the camera man is in his pajamas.

__

What a most interesting post. She's rather tame by today's lowcast standards. The LA Times had a story on her this week...http://articles.latimes.com/2013/jan...-pall-20130106

We need some more dames like Gloria Pall. Was she LA Noir? Sure...why not.

[FrankAbignaleJr.]

Did you guys hear that Huell Howser died? He was one of the best folks around that represented our great city (and state)
http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/lo...185922911.html

[revheavyg]

California TV Personality Huell Howser Dead at Age 67

Photobucket
http://i345.photobucket.com/albums/p...uellhowser.jpg
The Tennessee native with an interview style described as "magnificently unslick" moved to Los Angeles in 1981
By Jonathan Lloyd | Monday, Jan 7, 2013
California television personality Huell Howser, known for his affable interview style as he toured some of the state's landmark locations, died Sunday night at age 67, according to KCET.
Map: Huell Howser's California
Howser, the host of TV's "California's Gold," retired from the show at the end of November after nearly two decades on public television stations. Howser died Sunday night from "natural causes," according to KCET.
Ryan Morris, Howser's producer and long-time friend, confirmed he died Sunday night at home after a "long illness."
Howser moved to Los Angeles in 1981. The Tennessee native worked at a television station in Nashville before serving in the Marine Corps.
He worked at WCBS in New York before moving to LA. "California's Gold" became the best known of Howser's magazine-style TV shows about his travels in the state, but he also hosted "Visiting with Huell Howser," "Road Trip with Huell Howser" and other programs.
Howser, who lived in Twenty-Nine Palms and Los Angeles, was known for his friendly style during his behind-the-scene interviews at restaurants, historic sites, schools and other community institutions.His style was described as "magnificently unslick" by LA Times columnist Howard Rosenberg.
"We operate on the premise that TV isn’t brain surgery. People’s stories are what it’s all about," Howser said in a post on CalGold.com, the website of Huell Howser Productions. "If you have a good story, it doesn’t have to be overproduced. I want our stories to reveal the wonders of the human spirit and the richness of life in California, including its history, people, culture and natural wonders."
NBCLA Facebook visitors called Howser's death a "huge loss" for California.


Source: http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/loca...#ixzz2HKRgVGwI

[Lwize]

Haunted Pico House - seen every week on The Mentalist (AKA the fictional CBI headquarters in Sacramento)


(Image - T. Hoffarth via Flickriver.com)

R.I.P. Huell Howser - when his abrupt "retirement" was quietly announced in November, I figured it was only a matter of time. Probably cancer, but who knows. His shows were like comfort food. California's biggest cheerleader will be sorely missed.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by FrankAbignaleJr.

Did you guys hear that Huell Howser died? He was one of the best folks around that represented our great city (and state)

He was great. He lived in William Frawley's former apartment in the El Royale on Rossmore, sleeping in the big, carved bed inherited from his parents, covered with a large Soviet flag given him as a gift while visiting the USSR. I thought Howser was delightfully odd and charming.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

RIP Gloria Pall.
__

Gloria Pall had a wonderful, breezy website. It's still up: http://www.gloriapall.com/gpall.htm

Her favorite "Voluptua" pose:

www.gloriapall.com

[revheavyg]

GOLDEN GATE THEATRE
(William and Clifford Balch, 1927)
903 and 909 S. Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles


http://s1299.beta.photobucket.com/
(Photos by ME revheavyg)
(story by L.A. Conservancy staff writer)
On August 19, 2012, the Golden Gate Theatre reopened as a CVS Pharmacy, returning public access to the historic building through a new use.

In March 2010, the Los Angeles County Regional Planning Commission approved plans for the retail conversion. The Conservancy and the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation worked to make sure the plans included a long list of conditions to protect the Golden Gate’s historic features – from retaining the balcony to exposing at least seventy-five percent of the auditorium ceiling, keeping all of the original gold ornamentation visible.
An important aspect of our work was making sure modifications by CVS were reversible (not permanent), so that the building can function as a theatre in the future. Safeguards included leveling the auditorium rake in a reversible manner and safely storing the shell-shaped concession stand for future use.
Although the building’s use as a retail pharmacy is not ideal, we believe it’s far better than leaving the theatre vacant and deteriorating, as it has been for twenty-five years. The realized plan is a significant improvement over the original proposed project, and we appreciate the willingness of the Charles Company and CVS to reconfigure their plan to protect the theatre’s most significant features. We also applaud the County Regional Planning Commission for making the building’s preservation a priority.About the Theatre Built in 1927 at the prominent corner of Whittier and Atlantic Boulevards in unincorporated East Los Angeles, the Golden Gate Theatre is one of a handful of neighborhood movie palaces remaining in Southern California. It is the only East Los Angeles building listed in the National Register of Historic Places.The Spanish Churrigueresque-style theatre was designed by William and Clifford Balch, who also participated in the design of the El Rey Theatre on Wilshire Boulevard and the Fox Theatre in Pomona. The Vega Building formerly surrounded the Golden Gate Theatre. Photo courtesy Los Angeles Public Library.The Vega Building, a historic retail building that once surrounded the theatre, suffered severe damage from the 1987 Whittier Earthquake and was demolished in the early 1990s.The theatre has sat vacant ever since.The Process: In March 2009, the County released the draft environmental impact report (EIR) for a proposal to convert the Golden Gate Theatre into a retail pharmacy. The original plan would have left the theatre interior virtually unrecognizable by removing or covering up architectural features, including removing the balcony.The Conservancy commented on the draft EIR stating our position that any alterations should meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, be reversible, and maintain the theatre's listing in the National Register of Historic Places.We also requested thorough consideration of alternative uses more compatible with the theatre's historic function, as desired by many in the community. At the request of the County Planning Commission, the Conservancy provided several examples of historic movie theatres that have been sensitively converted for retail use.In response to concerns raised by the Conservancy, the State Office of Historic Preservation, the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, and community residents (among others), the project was substantially modified to leave more of the historic theatre interior intact and visible. The Conservancy has worked with owner the Charles Company, tenant CVS, and preservation architect Robert Chattel over the past year to explore options for improving the project. While the final EIR concluded that the modified project does not fully meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, the revised plan retains the theatre’s listing in the National Register of Historic Places.The final EIR was released on February 2, 2010 and certified by the Regional Planning Commission on February 17. The Conservancy and several members of the public spoke at the hearing.
The Conservancy asked the commission to impose specific conditions to ensure maximum retention of historic fabric, including an explicit requirement to repair the auditorium ceiling and leave it exposed to the public. These conditions were incorporated into the project before its final approval in March 2010.
http://www.laconservancy.org/issues/...goldengate.php

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by HunterK

Does anybody have any older pictures of South Park?

I'm trying to find some of the FRA Apartments building at 11th & Hope

No luck with old pix. Even though 1130 S Hope was supposed to have been built in 1909, it doesn't show on the 1909 map.
Fiesta Park (on the next block over) was a surprise to me:


http://www.bigmapblog.com/2011/birds...f-los-angeles/

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

http://losangelesparanormalassociation.wordpress.com/

__

I LOVE this!

[fhammon]

What can be said about this grand place at 1752 Serrano Avenue, Hollywood?
The Chateau Le Trianon built in 1928. I searched the forum and found almost no mention of it.

http://www.eastsidelalifestyle.com/l...-architecture/

The unromantic truth, I’m sorry to say, is that Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks neither built nor resided at the Le Trianon. Others did though, from famous set decorator George James Hopkins to Vincent Spano, but not so for Pickford/Fairbanks. The dull facts (and they are dull) are that this fantastic building was built by a development company called Chateau Holding Company.

http://paradiseleased.wordpress.com/...-parade-again/

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by revheavyg

GOLDEN GATE THEATRE
(William and Clifford Balch, 1927)
903 and 909 S. Atlantic Blvd., Los Angeles

Apparently the Golden Gate was enclosed in a courtyard formed by the Vega Building and accessed by a pair of breezeways from Atlantic and Whittier. Plans are afoot to rebuild the Vega:

orngejuglr/flickr


http://oneshotexhibition.org


P.S.
The beautiful old Whittier theater also had a courtyard and shopping arcade

http://fineartamerica.com

All gone now:

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Haunted Pico House.
__

Thank you e_r so much for the evocative photos of Pico House (Ezra F. Kysor, 1870), a personal favorite. As fhammon pointed out, the basement brickwork is amazing. One can't get more authentic than that.

[revheavyg]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Apparently the Golden Gate was enclosed in a courtyard formed by the Vega Building and accessed by a pair of breezeways from Atlantic and Whittier. Plans are afoot to rebuild the Vega:

orngejuglr/flickr


http://oneshotexhibition.org


P.S.
The beautiful old Whittier theater also had a courtyard and shopping arcade

http://fineartamerica.com

All gone now:

i remember shopping with my parents in the beautiful spanish Biuldings in the front! so beautiful as i recall thanks pal!!

[revheavyg]

Historic photo of the Golden Gate interior. Photo courtesy Los Angeles Public Library
http://www.lapl.org/

[radio63]

Originally Posted by Lwize

Yup. a tragic end for a comedy legend...

This was one of the greatest tragedies of the entertainment world. Ernie Kovacs was an originator of visual television comedy. He learned to use special effects, camera tricks, and was an early innovator of videotape editing in the very early days of television. I often wonder what other things he would have done later as technology developed.

As was mentioned earlier, he apparently lost control of the Corvair on the wet pavement as he was reaching for or lighting a cigar. A very tragic end.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

No luck with old pix. Even though 1130 S Hope was supposed to have been built in 1909, it doesn't show on the 1909 map.
Fiesta Park (on the next block over) was a surprise to me:


http://www.bigmapblog.com/2011/birds...f-los-angeles/

Los Angeles Times April 18, 1897


LAPL


Fiesta Park was the site of sporting events, car shows, and, evnetually, the site of a Chevrolet dealer.


Los Angeles Times April 4, 1920


If the building above looks familiar...we've seen it before. The Chevrolet franchise, eventually the famous Felix Chevrolet, moved slightly east to Grand: post 2894

1200 S Hope became an outlet for Reo and Hudson: post 6463; post 10986; and post 10998

[tovangar2]

Thx revheavyg for the pix. The Golden Gate interior has lost a lot of detail, particularly the incredible wall and ceiling painting, but at least it's still there:


lapl


revheavyg

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

LAPL
Fiesta Park was the site of sporting events, car shows, and, evnetually, the site of a Chevrolet dealer.

Thank you so much GW for conjuring up Fiesta Park. The sloping track looks absolutely thrilling.
The Chevy dealership building is still there, essentially unchanged.

And there's the FRA apartment building HunterK was looking for, 1130 S Hope, in the background, beyond Salem Kirche:
(What does "FRA" mean?)

gsv