noirish Los Angeles

[unihikid]

Here's a photo of my family circa 1957. By this time my grandfather was divorced from my grandmother. Im not sure who the four younger kids are,but the guy in the sports coat is my Dad, to the right of him is my aunt Delores (her son was in the original "Bad News Bears") and in the yellow is my aunt Mildred.

I know this is somewhere in LA but any ideas where? I thought it was Marineland or maybe POP. Any help would be great.

http://

Photo by Me

[hereinvannuys]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Mystery photo?

Eesomest/Flickr

It's not a mystery as to one of the people in this photo, Clark Gable.

Lots of text to go with the photo by the original poster:

My aunt, Virginia, with Clark Gable, perhaps in Van Nuys, California (c. 1944). She was modeling then, and had gotten an invitation from a friend to see the motorcycle hill climbs, which were evidently a regular weekend event. Gable and his friends were motorcycling enthusiasts, and my aunt met a few of them there. As one of the group happened to be a photographer, and happened to have color film loaded in the camera, this image must have been in the, uh, stars.

I think my aunt was eighteen at the time, and says that Gable was the biggest thing in Hollywood. One might imagine the impression this meeting left on her, newly arrived in Los Angeles. She never saw him again in person.

I don't know exactly where the photograph was made. To my aunt's recollection, the group didn't drive far into the San Fernando Valley, which leads me to think it might have been near Ventura Boulevard. The then-undeveloped Santa Monica mountains probably would have made for a good place for the hill climbs.

I don't believe Gable signed the photo, despite the autograph. The signature doesn't match well with other specimens I've seen online. Too, I don't know why the word "Tex" appears in the upper right hand corner, other than that my aunt had decided to go by the nickname for awhile. It may be that the photographer wrote both of these items on the photo to remind him of his subjects.
___


Clue? Can we find the location using that sign on the right? It looks like three words. The second and third words are MILITARY ACADEMY, but the first one?
Anyone know any Military Academy's in the valley in 1944?

Somewhere else on this forum I saw a photo in Venice, CA of a California Military Academy. It was located at 4001 Venice Blvd. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show....php?p=7139165

So this photo of your aunt and Clark Gable probably was shot in Venice.

[oldstuff]

Originally Posted by HossC

The wall in the background looks like the wall around the Rose Garden at Exposition Park.


USC Digital Library

The rose garden and the building behind stand in for the "Jeffersonian" in the TV series "Bones", from the same angle.

[Bristolian]

Originally Posted by unihikid

Here's a photo of my family circa 1957. By this time my grandfather was divorced from my grandmother. Im not sure who the four younger kids are,but the guy in the sports coat is my Dad, to the right of him is my aunt Delores (her son was in the original "Bad News Bears") and in the yellow is my aunt Mildred.

I know this is somewhere in LA but any ideas where? I thought it was Marineland or maybe POP. Any help would be great.

http://

Photo by Me

I'm pretty sure that's Marineland in Palos Verdes. The hill in the background looks like a yet to be developed Palos Verdes and this photo shows what looks to be the same boom shown in your photo. I'm having a little trouble with the resolution but the lettering on the life preserver says "Marineland of the Pacific"


https://www.flickr.com/photos/247362...n/photostream/

[Wig-Wag]

Originally Posted by unihikid

Here's a photo of my family circa 1957. By this time my grandfather was divorced from my grandmother. Im not sure who the four younger kids are,but the guy in the sports coat is my Dad, to the right of him is my aunt Delores (her son was in the original "Bad News Bears") and in the yellow is my aunt Mildred.

I know this is somewhere in LA but any ideas where? I thought it was Marineland or maybe POP. Any help would be great.

http://

Photo by Me

Unihikid,

I am pretty sure it is Marineland. Follow this link and you will see a number of structures in the style of the one shown in the right background of your photo.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mari...HQQjApUQsAQIJg

Also: http://www.image-archeology.com/Dive...Verdes_L20.jpg

Cheers,
Jack

[HossC]

Here's part 2 of Julius Shulman's "Job 925: Earl Heitschmidt, two buildings (Los Angeles, Calif.),1951", which shows the other building in the set.



The fourth and fifth images are almost identical, so I picked the one without the blurry car.



Both from Getty Research Institute

The summary describes this as the Commons Building at the University of Southern California. The Commons Building can be seen in the center of this site map detail.


met.usc.edu (PDF file)

Despite appearing on the map above, the building is no longer there. It's visible on the 2005 image at Historic Aerials, but gone by 2009, so it's only been replaced fairly recently. The Commons Building originally stood just above the circular building on the aerial below, although the circular building was only built around the time that the Commons Building was demolished. On the left, the H-shaped building is Stonier Hall, which was the subject of one of e_r's recent 'mystery locations' in post #33049. Part of the Commons Building can be seen above the black car in that post.


Bing Maps

[unihikid]

Originally Posted by Bristolian

I'm pretty sure that's Marineland in Palos Verdes. The hill in the background looks like Palos Verdes and this photo shows what looks to be the same boom shown in your photo. I'm having a little trouble with the resolution but the lettering on the life preserver says "Marineland of the Pacific"


https://www.flickr.com/photos/247362...n/photostream/

Thanks Bristolian and Wig-Wag! I went in the late 80's when i was young and don't remember too much of it, i did get my caricature and have it somewhere back in DeSoto. You guys are the best!

[Martin Pal]

Thanks for the reference, NCD, you may be on to something.

Originally Posted by Noircitydame

Could it be Ridgewood? 20764 Venutra Blvd. It was there by 1943.

lat 9-3-1944 ad

I thought that's why some families sent their kids to a Military Academy, because they were problem children and not happy or normal...?

Mmmm...excellent food at a military academy!

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

The ad says "No problem children accepted". Oh well, I guess that leaves me out.
The Navy was happy to have me anyway.

CBDoug, Front row left. 1969....Mid Atlantic Ocean.

USN photo

What is that by your left knee?
___

The Clark Gable photo could be at Ridgewood, but finding any photos of that place isn't particularly welcoming, heh!

The closest I came is because it happened to be in a shot of a GemCo store.

Valley Relics Museum

Full caption:

(1960's ) – View looking east on Ventura Boulevard showing GEMCO at 20801 Ventura Boulevard with ‘Chalk Hill’ in the distance. Just
up that hill were the restaurants Victoria Station and Charlie Brown. Across the street on the right is the Ridgewood Military Academy.

In the original information would "an invitation from a friend to see the motorcycle hill climbs" perhaps be at "Chalk Hill?"

Is that the outline of "Chalk Hill" in the background of the Gable photo? (Below.) Sure looks like it to me.

[Martin Pal]

Here's another view of Ventura Blvd. looking west toward Chalk Hill:


L.A. Times

A short article in the Oct. 18, 1955, Los Angeles Times explains:

“Two policemen, three dogs, a shepherd, two goats and a few students from Pierce College combined their talents yesterday to help Nick Costa
of Calabasas lead a band of 500 sheep across busy Ventura Blvd. to greener pastures in Woodland Hills.”
___

There was an M. Costa’s gas station at 22513 Ventura Blvd. circa 1930

Pierce College Photo history of San Fernando Valley

[Martin Pal]

Hollywood's Bar of Music
7351 Beverly Blvd.



Marjorie Casper and Lt. Michael R. Rusnack
This photo was taken on March 7, 1943.

For additional prints write to Bar of Music- Pictures are $1.25 each, tax and mailing charges included.
Be sure to mention this date: March 7, 1943, and this no.: 15.

Michael attached a note on the back of the picture:

Midge,
These wings I send to you my love
To keep my spirit at your side
Till I come winging from above
To claim you as my loving bride
Michael

___

I thought sure I'd heard of the Bar of Music before on NLA, but I haven't located anything.

In January, BifRayRock, on post #32931, quoted a 1929 amusement map referencing a place on Beverly Blvd. called The Cuckoo Clock and later in the post writes:

In 1930, the Cuckoo Clock was located at 7351 Beverly Blvd. Later became the "Katinka" and "The Carolina Pines."
In his post, the source of the referenced photo is this post by Chuckaluck:

Originally Posted by Chuckaluck

Not certain I have an answer but if you are looking for a different cuisine:

1939 - 7351 Beverly Blvd. - Katinka Russian Restaurant
http://jpg1.lapl.org/00101/00101650.jpg

While Katinka was definitely at 7351 Beverly Blvd., I don't believe Carolina Pines ever was, because E_R's post was inquiring about
the ad with Carolina Pines at 7351 Melrose Ave. (4 short blocks west of La Brea) and Chuckaluck happened to veer off on another tangent
with Katinka at 7351 Beverly Blvd. and then BRR joined the two together. In researching the location, however, I discovered that
Martin Turnbull's Garden of Allah site, now has this incorrect information as well.

Here's an exterior of the club: (I left it large to notice the building next to it--the blade sign and also painted on the side--is the Spanish Kitchen,
it's history and mystery mentioned previously on NLA, but no older photos of it!)

TripAdvisor

It's said to have a circular bar and behind this bar was a stage with two pianos on it, which
looks to be drawn on this napkin from the place. Phone: WEbstr-7811

jericl cat/Flickr

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

What is that by your left knee?
___

Martin: That's a clipboard with the roster of our Detachment. The top page has fallen over to my knee. That was our ''inspection" day.
I'm still in contact with a couple old shipmates you see that that photo.

++++++++++++++++++++++

This is YMCA Camp Orizaba on Catalina Island at White's Landing in 1955. I spent a week there as a 12 year old.
The large dark rubber lifeboats were used as landing barges [lower right]. They would float them out to sea and the water taxi boats would offload. Then they would pull them ashore
to disembark the supplies and kids. At that time there was no dock.

Its now a multipurpose camp, catering to many groups.


CDfile

Here is a water taxi of that era. From LA Harbor to Catalina was a very rough 2 hour ride in one of these small boats.

CDfile

[Bristolian]

I don't believe this building has been discussed here before. To me, the reality of what happened when a Torrance attorney attempted to purchase a to-be-demolished 1888 Council Bluffs, Iowa courthouse, dissasemble it, move it piece by piece and reassemble it in Torrance is not as fantastic as what might have been but building codes limited what eventually happened. I think you still have to give the man credit for seeing it through though.

This is the building on Crenshaw Boulevard in Torrance, just south of the 405.

GSV

And a link to the story: http://blogs.dailybreeze.com/history...g-to-torrance/

Here is a photo of the courthouse as it appeared in Iowa. Clearly, what was eventually erected in Torrance was altered considerably.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/37603091@N02/4100715241

Personally, I much prefer the Iowa version of the building but again will give the man his due for making it happen.

I'm not too well versed in architectural terms but I think the carvings at the feet of the columns by the entrance shown here in a photo from the Daily Breeze article can also be seen in the Iowa shot.

[Noircitydame]

[QUOTE=Martin Pal;7344939]Here's another view of Ventura Blvd. looking west toward Chalk Hill:


A short article in the Oct. 18, 1955, Los Angeles Times explains:

“Two policemen, three dogs, a shepherd, two goats and a few students from Pierce College combined their talents yesterday to help Nick Costa
of Calabasas lead a band of 500 sheep across busy Ventura Blvd. to greener pastures in Woodland Hills.”
___

There was an M. Costa’s gas station at 22513 Ventura Blvd. circa 1930

QUOTE]

I found a mention of the Costa family from June 1955: only a few months before the sheep incident Mariano and Gevannena Costa, still at 22513 Ventura, celebrated 50 years of marriage.

6-20-1955 lat

[C. King]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Martin: That's a clipboard with the roster of our Detachment. The top page has fallen over to my knee. That was our ''inspection" day.
I'm still in contact with a couple old shipmates you see that that photo.

++++++++++++++++++++++

This is YMCA Camp Orizaba on Catalina Island at White's Landing in 1955. I spent a week there as a 12 year old.
The large dark rubber lifeboats were used as landing barges [lower right]. They would float them out to sea and the water taxi boats would offload. Then they would pull them ashore
to disembark the supplies and kids. At that time there was no dock.

Its now a multipurpose camp, catering to many groups.


CDfile

Here is a water taxi of that era. From LA Harbor to Catalina was a very rough 2 hour ride in one of these small boats.

CDfile

I remember riding over to Scout Summer Camp at Emerald Bay in the mid 70's in one of those water taxis. Not fun having to sit in place for a cpl of hours, and not having a chance to stretch your legs.

[Noircitydame]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

[Hollywood's Bar of Music
7351 Beverly Blvd.

Marjorie Casper and Lt. Michael R. Rusnack
This photo was taken on March 7, 1943.

___

I thought sure I'd heard of the Bar of Music before on NLA, but I haven't located anything.

In January, BifRayRock, on post #32931, quoted a 1929 amusement map referencing a place on Beverly Blvd. called The Cuckoo Clock and later in the post writes:

In 1930, the Cuckoo Clock was located at 7351 Beverly Blvd. Later became the "Katinka" and "The Carolina Pines."
In his post, the source of the referenced photo is this post by Chuckaluck:



While Katinka was definitely at 7351 Beverly Blvd., I don't believe Carolina Pines ever was, because E_R's post was inquiring about
the ad with Carolina Pines at 7351 Melrose Ave. (4 short blocks west of La Brea) and Chuckaluck happened to veer off on another tangent
with Katinka at 7351 Beverly Blvd. and then BRR joined the two together. In researching the location, however, I discovered that
Martin Turnbull's Garden of Allah site, now has this incorrect information as well.


It's said to have a circular bar and behind this bar was a stage with two pianos on it, which
looks to be drawn on this napkin from the place. Phone: WEbstr-7811

jericl cat/Flickr

What a sweet poem. I found more than one Lt. of that name so couldn't be sure which was the one of the photo; hope he & Midge had a good life.

***
7351 Beverly: right, no Carolina Pines here. The address shows up as Cuckoo Clock Plantation Kitchen also with a southern theme and cooking, as of 1928.

lat

But the Cuckoo went kaput in 1932

lat auction ad.

It was the Swiss Village for a while, then a Russian restaurant, pre-Katinka,
Berkoff’s Balalaika Russian Café and Cocktail Lounge as of March 1938
lat

It had become Katinka by 1939, but it didn't last that long. Pianist Bill Jordan's Bar of Music opened July 17, 1940. He also had a Bar of Music in Miami with the same set up.
lat

Matchbook from the Miami Bar of Music, looks just like the Hollywood graphics.


ads with the remodeled building show up as of 1947


Bar of Music was still going in February 1957 then is sold at auction that August.

lat

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by C. King

I remember riding over to Scout Summer Camp at Emerald Bay in the mid 70's in one of those water taxis. Not fun having to sit in place for a cpl of hours, and not having a chance to stretch your legs.

I also spent a week at a Scout Camp, which is also known as Cherry Valley. I believe this was in 1956 approx. I did rowing and some hiking if I recall. I'll see if I have some photos of it. Its a short distance from Emerald Bay Camp.

Cherry Valley is one of the most rugged camps on the island due to its terrain and location. There were few trees and high canyon walls. Its low terrain is a cause for flooding at high tide. It was a hot and dusty place but the water was warm in the summer for swimming.

[Martin Pal]

Thanks, CBD, for that explanation of the clipboard!
___

NCD, thanks for the ad clips for 7351 Beverly! Quite fascinating!

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Hollywood's Bar of Music
7351 Beverly Blvd.

Cardboard America Archives

Marjorie Casper and Lt. Michael R. Rusnak
This photo was taken on March 7, 1943.

Michael attached a note on the back of the picture:

Midge,
These wings I send to you my love
To keep my spirit at your side
Till I come winging from above
To claim you as my loving bride
Michael
___

Originally Posted by Noircitydame

What a sweet poem. I found more than one Lt. of that name so couldn't be sure which was the one of the photo; hope he & Midge had a good life.

NCD, Apparently Midge and Michael were not to be. In looking at the source I got the photo from and reading more that
some followers of it wrote, and who believe their findings to be accurate, there's more information about these two:


Michael R. Rusnak was born in 1915, and was from Beaver, Pennsylvania, and enlisted in the Army Air Corps
as a private in December, 1940, at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, CA.

Judging from the shape of the wings he is wearing, Michael was most likely a bombardier.

Lt. Michael R. Rusnak, only three months and 20 days after this photo was taken, was involved in an accident
and killed on June 27th, 1943, in a B-25, serial number: B-25C 41-12493, along with Horace S. Bowen, Jr.,
a Sgt. from Pennsylvania, Daniel F. Hall, SS (Staff Sgt.?) from Alabama, Gilbert P. Johnson, the pilot, a
2Lt. from Illinois, Mourse A. Nielsen, a 2Lt. from California and Joseph E. Redmen, a Sgt. from UN.
-- (UN - ? - might stand for unknown as another entry of his was blank.)
-- (In the report, Michael Rusnak is listed as a 2nd Lieutenant.)

(Michael Rusnak's brother (or other relative) also from Beaver, PA, John G. Rusnak, was also KIA on January 10, 1945.)

Michael was assigned to the 377th Bombardment Squadron of the 309th Bombardment Group, based at
Columbia Army Air Base in South Carolina and was killed when his ship crashed about 18 miles East
of Sandersville, Georgia while being piloted by 2Lt. Gilbert P. Johnson. The Action Code 'KCRU' indicates that
there were 6 fatalities (K) and that the aircraft crashed (CR). The 'U' most likely stands for 'unknown' or an
'undetermined' reason, as in 'cause unknown'.



Sources:
www.usaafdata.com
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/s...493&Submit4=Go
http://www.aviationarchaeology.com/src/help.htm#ACTION
http://www.ancestry.com
http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/usaaf/...mbardier.shtml

According to one of these sources that I was looking at that details USAAF accidents or worse in the Untied States,
I was pretty surprised at how many of them there are that have occurred over the years.

[Beaudry]

Originally Posted by Beaudry

So as regards this post (truncated a bit above for brevity) -- I was there last night, and am disconcerted by the fencing. I mean, this is such a great and important bit of remaining Central City West that we must fight to keep it from vanishing. This could be demo fencing, or this could be necessary for the total reroof/repaint/historically accurate windows & et cetera it's about to get. Right? Anyone know something?





Note that, in the image below, near every possible opening that could be open, is. Now, maybe they have to air out the place because they're using chemicals to strip paint, or something. But an open-air edifice allows ingress to a lot more than just pigeons; it was unsavory characters who got into the Castle & Salt Box and lit a fire. Heck, I was in a suit and I coulda vaulted that fence in two seconds without mussing myself.


According to the Assessor, the three (contiguous) buildings are 1895, 1907 and 1903. If anybody has the wherewithal to hunt down what's happening here, its address is (litany of addresses are) attached:

So to follow-up on my post from June 2014...



...I wish I had something good to report, but I most certainly do not. In fact, the Google Street View from the very same month:



From what I can determine, the gabled house facing Ingraham is 1895, and the turreted part furthest south is 1903. The center part connecting them is 1912, put up by Clara E Holt and designed by the Architectural Designing Company. Here it is, going away:



Here's what I don't get—the demo permit was taken out by a company called Lucas Lofts, LLC. Did they build lofts? No—they put in a parking lot. Which I suppose is charmingly retro in a 1952 sort-of-way. But it's the 21st century and we're supposed to be more enlightened that that. Right?



Not to mention, I can't go ten minutes in this town without somebody going on about the lack of housing, much less the lack of affordable housing, and these guys thew a 10,000sf, 19-unit Victorian/Edwardian showplace in a landfill for surface parking? With the blessing of all the attendant civic bodies? Well whoop-de-dee.

I suppose it's understandable—here's our girl, upper left, and you can certainly see the absolute dearth of surface parking nearby:

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Here's a 1940 photograph of the Melody Lane before the lettering on the façade advertising "LTHC" and "Fountain Service".


http://miraclemilela.com/the-miracle...s/melody-lane/

_

Here's a portion of e_r's photo. In the red box, above the man's head
is the end of a sign for Staber's, a beauty salon at 5361 Wilshire:


On April 3, 1947, a fire spread from the Melody Lane kitchen roof to adjacent businesses, including
Staber's. Here, women are evacuating the salon. You can see a fireman's reflection in the window:

UCLA -- http://lit250v.library.ucla.edu/isla...ilyNews%3A5410

Staber's was run by Christopher Staber. His salon on Wilshire first appears in the
1939 LA City Directory. He had a second location at 1773 N. Highland Avenue.

Acknowledgment to 1947project for details on the fire.