noirish Los Angeles

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

The Cycletow secret?

I love the way you construct your posts and caption them, LOL!

[Those Who Squirm!]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Skyliner bus, downtown L.A. 1979.


ebay

I'm not sure what bus-line this would be.
__

That's the oval SCRTD logo you can just make out on the side; SCRTD was the predecessor agency to Metro. For a few years from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, these buses were used along the El Monte Busway between that city and DTLA. IIRC it would be impossible to use such equipment on the vast majority of routes because most freeway underpasses were not built with the necessary head clearance.

From the picture this looks like it isn't too far from the old Greyhound/SCRTD terminal at 6th and Main. At the time, RTD was using the lower level; I wonder if this type of bus could even go down there, or if it had to load and unload at the curb?

[BifRayRock]

ER, I thought I was pacing myself since I hadn't visited in several weeks.

Martin, sadly, I was, and still remain, unfamiliar with the team of Harris and Black. For all we know those publicity photos are their first and only performance.

Originally Posted by Tourmaline

Per LAPL:


http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics46/00057745.jpg

1935 Royal Albatross: "Giving away a new Plymouth."

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/44090/rec/77

[BifRayRock]

Glimpse of Mines Field Terminal Interior?


1928 - Mines Field Exposition


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/10012/rec/76



Ready or not, here's your closeup.








(Who wants to go Ballroom dancing?)

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co...d/10012/rec/76



February 1930 - Mines Field, Terminal One. The party continues.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...d/12552/rec/80

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

Acme Semaphore were not that short lived as some lasted into the 50's. The photo of one in someones den is a repro, done by a studio prop man.

How long some cities may have kept Acme Semaphores in service is obviously unknown. What is known is ACME TRAFFIC SIGNAL CO. was declared bankrupt in 1940 over it's inability to pay income taxes.

Now if you had read the article that was linked to in my post you would know that the signal in question was not a movie prop. It is the only remaining example known of the particular traffic signal type aside from one in the Smithsonian.

[Hollywood Graham]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

It wasn't safe. Eventually all of these ''safe boarding areas'' had a raised concrete platform added.

Notice that you had cars passing in front and back of you whilst standing in the ''safe'' zone.....dreadful. Imagine standing there with several children and your shopping packages or seniors and handicapped.


CD

[IMG][/IMG] This sign will keep you safe in the Safety Zone.. While selling newspapers as a young kid I used to stand in those zones pedaling the Herald Express depending on what corner I was given. Never thought once about it.

[Hollywood Graham]

Originally Posted by Retired_in_Texas

How long some cities may have kept Acme Semaphores in service is obviously unknown. What is known is ACME TRAFFIC SIGNAL CO. was declared bankrupt in 1940 over it's inability to pay income taxes.

Now if you had read the article that was linked to in my post you would know that the signal in question was not a movie prop. It is the only remaining example known of the particular traffic signal type aside from one in the Smithsonian.

There are many Acme Semaphore Signals out there I know personally of three and have seen several sold on Ebay a couple years ago by a prop house in the valley (all original). The person who listed the Acme in the article I believe bought one of them to replace a repro he had purchased from a friend of mine. The repro was made by a Disney prop maker. The bases on his and Smithsonian are not original by the way.

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by MichaelRyerson

And here are the jewels we were able to pull from the intersection of Fremont and Mignonette...

Los Angeles Pressed Brick Co., Mignonette

Interestingly, this one in the foreground actually has a radius which was placed in the roadbed near the curb to follow the curve of the road.


Los Angeles Pressed Brick Co., Mignonette II

Gently cleaned and placed in the morning sun to show the imprint and color of the brick.

personal collection


Bruno and Mignonette

Finis

Chips off the old blocks?

aerial view of Gladding, McBean & Company (former Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company), May 1928. At center, the large square, multi-level complex of the company can be seen.

1928

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/13529/rec/6








LA Brick Co 1925 - 1963

http://calbricks.netfirms.com/brick.labcocrescent.jpg


1932 - LA Bricks

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../47960/rec/103












http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../47960/rec/103


The heat is on.


1930 LA Brick Co Furnaces and Brickyard - 1078 N. Mission Rd.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/10600/rec/2


Bricks, "There they are. Take 'em."

1930 LA Brick Co.

[Retired_in_Texas]

Originally Posted by Hollywood Graham

There are many Acme Semaphore Signals out there I know personally of three and have seen several sold on Ebay a couple years ago by a prop house in the valley (all original). The person who listed the Acme in the article I believe bought one of them to replace a repro he had purchased from a friend of mine. The repro was made by a Disney prop maker. The bases on his and Smithsonian are not original by the way.

By the way, over the years of production the Acme signal had several different style bases with control circuitry in the base and/or in a box about mid pole. I think you might want to call the guy who restored the one in the article and get the straight scoop. I believe his business address in Tarzana is shown in the article. Get back to us on what you find out!

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

Looking at many of Architect Wayne McAllister's contributions to this forum. He is reputed to have designed many of the drive-in restaurants e.g., Simon's Herbert's, Wich Stand, Melody Lane and Bob's Big Boy. The list is long.

__________________________

Herberts 1940s - located on the lot currently occupied by CBS (Southeast Corner of Beverly and Fairfax). Look closely and you can see a bit of Gilmore Stadium in background. This also means that it might have been from this same location that the photo of the Fairfax Theater was taken. Of course if you couldn't find a parking spot you could try Simons - a few blocks south on Fairfax. Notice the omission of an apostrophe. Artistic license
http://waterandpower.org
C.St.Lib


Gilmore Stadium and Herberts?
USC Digital

1945 Herberts
http://waterandpower.org/3%20Histori...berts_1945.jpg

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

A tourist's snapshot of the RKO Studios soundstage on the corner of Melrose Ave. and Gower Street.


ebay



below: The soundstage today...now part of Paramount Studios.







below: Another tourist's snapshot. Notice the lightning bolts at the top of the RKO tower.


ebay





And finally, a beautiful RPPC.


ebay

You just gotta love old Hollywood!

___

And across the street at 5582 Melrose stood Rio Grande Oil.








1929 - Rio Grande Melrose

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../32524/rec/454









Pirates Den and Boomerang Cafe







http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../32524/rec/454














1929 Rio Rita http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY8xAmMBVPA
http://www.mccarter.org/blog/wp-cont...4/rio-rita.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_QwCt3eV28E...0/rita1024.jpg


Bebe Daniels in Rio Rita
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_94wGm5Prdv...1929)+(DT).jpg

[Godzilla]

Toward the eastern end of the Paramount is Bronson Ave.








1928 - 5404 Melrose Avenue (Looking east)

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../23286/rec/460

















http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../23286/rec/460


1927 - Raleigh Studios (on South Side of Melrose at Bronson)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...48c83056d539d1

[BifRayRock]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

http://photos.lapl.org/carlweb/jsp/D...Search&index=w

Pep Boys Grand Opening


1933 - 1344 S. Figueroa

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../51421/rec/124








http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../51421/rec/124









Manny, Moe and Jack were not the first occupants of the building. That distinction evidently belongs to AAA.


1917 AAA Headquarters. 1344 S. Figueroa
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2237/...4b808d42c8.jpg http://bigorangelandmarks.blogspot.c...-southern.html


Mystery?


Source identifies location as 1344 S. Figueroa and dates image as having been "created" as '47. Image suggests the building doubled in size while under the Auto Club's stewardship. For obvious reasons, including the three auto parts relatives ^^^, the date of the original exposure is more probably '17.

For comparison purposes:




http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/fu...ngleitem/rec/3

[JScott]

Anyone else feeling like this thread has been hijacked?

IMHO, there's long been an overabundance of transportation-themed posts here (remember, Skyscraperpage.com is a site about buildings), but lately, it's really reached the saturation point.

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by JScott

Anyone else feeling like this thread has been hijacked?

IMHO, there's long been an overabundance of transportation-themed posts here (remember, Skyscraperpage.com is a site about buildings), but lately, it's really reached the saturation point.

Whatever the theme du jour of Noirish Los Angeles is this week, we must be doing something correct.

After-all, noirish is the most popular thread on the entire Skyscraper Forum, with millions of views.

But, I'm sure there is always room for improvement.

Thanks ER for starting this thread.

[Godzilla]

With respect, buildings may be the primary focus. but cars, planes, street cars, traffic (foot and auto), palm trees, signage, and even menus, are all part of the NLA fabric. Buildings were designed for, built with and influenced by many of these things - and vice versa. See also: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?f=25


http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...postcount=6595

Originally Posted by HossC

On the site where the Wiltern/Pellissier Building will be built a year or later is The Henry de Roulet Co., selling property in Pellissier Square (see GW's recent post).


USC Digital Library

On the northwest corner are the offices of another realtor, Kells & Grant. This shot is from 1927. Notice the real car on display in the box to the left.


USC Digital Library

1922 - "Provincial" Wilshire Blvd. and Western Ave. featuring Kells and Grant.
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/1344/rec/21

[mrfredmertz]

Actually, the story of Los Angeles IS the story of transportation. This sprawling metropolis is completely dictated by the roads that run through it. A large part of the noir feeling this city has is the glowing ribbons of light in the night - ribbons of light created by the thin pathways through the mountains that bisect her. This is a city that can only be viewed in its entirety from far above. One half of Los Angeles can't see what the other half is doing. The only way to maneuver at night in Los Angeles is by vehicle, on the dimly-lit roads.

Without the car headlight, this would be a thread entitled "Pitch Blackish Los Angeles."

[fhammon]

Thank's HossC.
That is exactly what I was looking for.
Very interesting about the Adam Wade/Jonas Salk connection as well.

Originally Posted by HossC

This doesn't sound exactly like fhammon's description, but it is a card where you can insert dimes. The caption says:

This is a vintage "March of Dimes" collection card marked The National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis. This card dates from the 1940's to early 1950's. The front has a squirrel climbing a tree with a school below. These were used in schools across the U.S. as a fundraising effort for Polio.

etsy.com/etsy.com
As an aside, actor Adam Wade, seen here playing a dentist in 'The Dukes of Hazzard', was part of Jonas Salk's research team.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

1930 LA Brick Co Furnaces and Brickyard - 1078 N. Mission Rd.

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/si...id/10600/rec/2

This is actually the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company's Alberhill plant. Here's an excerpt from an artical on calbricks.netfirms.com:

"In November 1915, plans were drawn for a new firebrick plant at Alberhill in Riverside County, where the company owned 320 acres of clay land. The plans included hollow-tile dwellings for the workers and a townsite. But more importantly was the negotiation of reduced freight rates by 20 percent for shipping with the Santa Fe Railroad Company, which made manufacturing bricks from this remote location feasible. By August 1916, the construction of the new plant had begun. By November 1916, Plant Number 4 of the Los Angeles Pressed Brick Company was completed. Harvey Gardner was the plant superintendent, R. S. Stone, assistant superintendent, and John Mills, superintendent of the clay mines."

The earliest aerial image I can find is dated 1967, but many of the buildings are still recognizable.


Historic Aerials

Here's an earlier view (even though USC currently date it as circa 1940) showing the sixth domed building still under construction.


USC Digital Library

The domed buildings may have gone, but you can still go there to buy bricks made by Pacific Clay Products. The view below is looking south, roughly in the same direction as the USC images.


Google Maps

[fhammon]

Originally Posted by Godzilla

1927 - Raleigh Studios (on South Side of Melrose at Bronson)
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.n...48c83056d539d1

That photo of the wooden architecture on Bronson and Melrose reminded me of this existent relic apparently built in 1912 according to Berkshire Hathaway.

Originally Posted by fhammon

Here's another great historical relic from an even earlier period.
The Las Palmas Market on the corner of Las Palmas and Fountain in Hollywood. It's got to be from @ 1900. Maybe earlier. I haven't found any historical info on it yet.