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Seating for 725? Have to wonder about "Walt's" exterior depicted above. Could the image be an artist's rendering rather than the real thing? Not that Disney wasn't forward thinking but restaurant pictured and its angularity smacks of a era later than '35 or possibly even later than '45. Googies before Googies? (Of course that doesn't mean Googies or McDs or Burger King couldn't have adapted a good idea.) Could "Walt's" have been known by another name? A cursory look through a few directories has not been productive. One might imagine there are photographs and souvenirs from this three-story establishment on popular Hollywood Blvd. I can't recall seeing any unless it was in the Mueller Bros.' customer waiting room. ;) Graubstein’s Peruvian Theater is another unknown. (Not clear that Graubstein has a listing either. :no:) Maybe it was more than just the food and ambiance that kept "Walt's" popular. There was another novelty. One source claims Walt's had the distinction of being the "first" establishment to install a pay toilet in the U.S. (1936) http://www.todayifoundout.com/index....ay-as-you-use/ http://also.kottke.org/misc/images/o...ds-menu-02.jpghttp://also.kottke.org/misc/images/o...ds-menu-02.jpg http://www.rockying.com/art/Picture/...ger%20king.jpghttp://www.rockying.com/art/Picture/...ger%20king.jpg http://static5.businessinsider.com/i...zen-yogurt.jpghttp://static5.businessinsider.com/i...zen-yogurt.jpg |
With a nod to NLA stalwart HossC and our recent conversation about the 4th Street cut...
https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3899/...d4e6c27e_o.jpgLooking west from the Goodyear blimp 'Paegel' at Grand Avenue and 3rd Street, 1954 Looking west from the Goodyear blimp 'Paegel' from about Grand Avenue and 3rd Street in late 1954. Really a great view showing the scourge of the 4th Street cut being applied across the southern slope of Bunker Hill. Many important structures are gone by now (although many remain and are captured in this great image). First the obvious: on the left, on this side of the Harbor Freeway, we have a wing of the Statler, (unfortunately no view of the Richfield), the Rex Arms and the Jonathan Club. Still moving to the right, we find the Architects Building on the SE corner of 5th Street and Figueroa and the Monarch Hotel catty-corner on the NW corner. Following 5th Street back to the left edge we find the back of the Sunkist and just a bitty corner of the Central Library, then behind the Sunkist (to the right) we find the Touraine is still in business, the little Sons of the Revolution Library, the dark and rather nondescript Santa Barbara, the Wentworth (Rubiyat), a parking lot and then the bright Barbara Worth (the Briggs). And now a great expanse of open ground wherein we are missing the single-family residence which used to sit in the shadow of the Barbara Worth on the SW corner of 4th and Hope Streets and the Castle Tower Apartments which had clung to the hillside above Flower Street behind the Barbara Worth (and the now missing single family residence) are gone as well. Then the roadbed for the 4th Street stub which overlooked Flower Street and on the north side of 4th street the now missing Hildreth Mansion and the carriage house studio of Margrethe Mather (who had died two years earlier on Christmas Day, 1952) on the NW corner of 4th and Hope Streets. We have a view of the roof of the oddly contemporary Stuart K. Oliver house which will succeed in being the absolute last private residence to go under on this side of Bunker Hill. The 4th Street roadbed has not yet been lowered in this image but by January of 1955 they will begin dropping the grade in this area by thirty feet or more. Following the 4th Street right-of-way to the east (left toward the bottom of the image) across Hope Street, we find every street-side structure missing. Across Hope Street from the Barbara Worth (south side of 4th) we have the LaBelle, the Bronx and the Gordon all gone and at Grand Avenue all that's left of the Zelda is a surprisingly small basement cavity (next door is a parking lot and then the Grenada). Across Grand Avenue we can see that the Leonard Rose Mansion is finally gone, it being little more than a pilfered shell for a decade or more. On the north side of 4th Street, across Hope Street from the Stuart K. Oliver house we find the Gibson, the Kiernan and the Crestholme all asunder. The missing Crestholme brings us to Bunker Hill Avenue (which runs north from 4th Street), that storied lane of early prominence and at what appears to be its summit we find 'The Castle', whiter than her neighbors, and awaiting a distant and fiery end (with the Salt Box), in ignoble circumstances, having been designated for preservation, suffering the indignity of being uprooted from this long-time perch, to be stored briefly behind chain-link only to be torched by Christine Sterling or Norris Poulson or the Ghost of Otis Chandler or somebody. But that's in the future, for now, with devastation all around, we go a bit further to the north (right) on Bunker Hill Avenue and find the enormous Alta Vista (and we're looking at her short side!) standing watch over the west portal of the 3rd Street tunnel (and I'd be remiss if I didn't make the nearly de ri-guer observation that the Alta Vista was, of course, at one time, the residence of diminutive, Los Angeles novelist John Fante. And yes, he used it in Ask the Dust, renamed in the novel as the Alta Loma). USC digital archive/Los Angeles Examiner Collection, 1920-1961 https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7341/...628b551f_o.jpgBunker Hill, going away piece by piece, 1954 Archived caption material perpetuates long-standing error concerning Hildreth house. First the caption: "Time is catching up with Bunker Hill--it's going away piece by piece. This is the west end of Fourth Street cut, newest inroad into the Hill. Arrow points to Stuart K. Oliver home, site of Dr. Ed(win) Hildreth's old "House of Sorrows." Photograph dated December 7, 1954." The problem with the caption is Stuart Oliver's house was not built on the Hildreth property (357 S. Hope Street), it was built next door (at 351-53 S. Hope Street), one property to the north of the Hildreth house. The Hildreth house would have stood just about where this steam-shovel's cab is now sitting albeit perhaps fifteen or twenty feet straight up, as much of the Hildreth lot has been excavated. Margrethe Mather's beloved studio, in the Hildreth carriage house, would have been about sixty or eighty feet to the left of the steam shovel. A slight variation on this pernicious rumor is that the Oliver house was built next door on the site of the Hildreth carriage house! But, of course, we all know the Hildreth carriage house was on 4th Street (715 W. 4th Street), due west of the house NOT on Hope Street north of the house. The Hildreth carriage house was leased to Margrethe Mather in about 1916-17 and that lease remained in effect until her death in 1952 (property was demolished in 1954). In those later years, Mather's health failing, it served primarily to store her belongings. She lived over in Glendale with George Lipton. LAPL https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3920/...cc817922_o.jpg4th Street cut from Bunker Hill, January 16, 1955 Steam shovel is parked approximately on the corner of 4th and Hope Streets. Looking west across the Flower/Figueroa draw, a corner of the Stuart K. Oliver house can be seen at the right edge behind the shovel. The Hildreth Mansion (or more properly in 1955, Hopecrest) is gone, it's last resting place the pile of rubble in the shadow. Fitting. Adieu Margrethe. Huntington Digital Library,Palmer Conner Collection of Color Slides of Los Angeles, 1950 - 1970 https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5562/...45fe76a2_o.jpg4th Street cut at Grand Avenue, 1955 Looking generally south on Grand Avenue across the excavation of 4th Street. North side of the Sherwood Apartments and beyond it the Edison Building at 5th and Grand and the white Engstrum Apartments on upper 5th Street peeking over the shoulder of the Sherwood. Pile of rubble in the right foreground is all that's left of the Grenada and the Zelda (which would be nearer the camera) has been carted away. They're breakin' up that old gang of mine. Huntington Digital Library, Palmer Conner Collection of Color Slides of Los Angeles, 1950 - 1970 https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7368/...0373c584_o.pngLooking south from 4th and Grand Avenue, 1960 Looking south across the 4th Street cut at the exposed back of the Edison Building, Grand Avenue running south on the left. The 4th Street roadbed is perhaps fifty feet below the original grade, so that we would be looking pretty much directly into the side of the Zelda whose entrance would be twenty or thirty feet above those parked cars. The photographer has his back to the 4th Street garage which is situated on the site of the Brunson, all those years ago. USC digital archive/Automobile Club of Southern California collection, 1892-1963 https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/...0ba76304_o.jpgLooking north on Grand Avenue from the south side of the 4th Street cut, 1956 Looking across the 4th Street cut from the approximate location of the Zelda. 4th Street Garage on the site of the Brunson Mansion, Biltmore Apartments dark building directly above the Ford station wagon, the bright white Judd Apartments on the right and far up the street, the white Lovejoy Apartments at Grand Avenue and 3rd Street. LAPL https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5336/...ea785565_o.jpgExtension of 4th Street through Bunker Hill, 1956 Looking west over 4th Street where half a mile extension will carry it from Hill Street under Grand Avenue (middle distance) and Hope Street (Hildreth house is gone, only shrubs appear to remain) and over Figueroa and Flower (which cannot be seen) to the Harbor Freeway, part of which can be seen in the background. Camera appears to be situated on the south east corner of Olive and 4th Streets probably on the upper floors or roof of the Subway Building. Lovely curved staircase at center/bottom is from the now demolished Fremont Hotel. The $1,256,085 project is scheduled to be finished Jan. 1st, 1956. 135,400 cubic yards of dirt are in the process of being moved and work can be seen from the Harbor Freeway. |
:previous: --excellent post MR. :)
We've visited Venice many times, but I don't think we've looked closely at the Hotel Antler across the lagoon at the end of Windward. Here are two snapshots I came across on ebay last week. The seller had one dated 1915 and the other 1923. To me they look like they could have been taken the same year (actually, the same day...same shadow angles..same trash on the sidewalk). Anyway, here are three tourists (one woman appears twice) posing in front of the Hotel Antler (where I presume they were staying at the time) http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/673/5ZLL7s.jpg http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/537/xl9vYk.jpg Here's an even earlier view of the Hotel Antler. (no roof-top sign yet) http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/908/aiPMsX.jpg http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/540/RAYmoJ.jpg virtualvenice.info. (perhaps it had one of the rum-runner tunnels HossC mentioned back in June. Here's a very interesting view with an elaborate roof-top billboard. I can't quite make out what it says..something KING. (date unknown) http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/673/kbvMFX.jpg old file photo I was looking at the site today, and I believe the Hotel Antler could possibly still be standing, albeit beneath an extreme makeover. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...539/OVBYLd.jpg GSV The dimensions appear the same. (compare it with this sepia postcard) http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...540/zPMHKx.jpg So what do you think? Is this post-modern poster child the old Hotel Antler? http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...537/wkb9db.jpg GSV __ |
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Walt Disney's restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard
[QUOTE=Tourmaline;6683700]Seating for 725?
Have to wonder about "Walt's" exterior depicted above. Could the image be an artist's rendering rather than the real thing? Not that Disney wasn't forward thinking but restaurant pictured and its angularity smacks of a era later than '35 or possibly even later than '45. Googies before Googies? (Of course that doesn't mean Googies or McDs or Burger King couldn't have adapted a good idea.) Could "Walt's" have been known by another name? A cursory look through a few directories has not been productive. One might imagine there are photographs and souvenirs from this three-story establishment on popular Hollywood Blvd. I can't recall seeing any unless it was in the Mueller Bros.' customer waiting room. ;) Graubstein’s Peruvian Theater is another unknown. (Not clear that Graubstein has a listing either. :no:) That's what struck me about that article. I thought, "How could Walt Disney have had a popular diner on Hollywood Blvd for 16 years and I've never heard of it, nor seen any evidence of it (ashtrays, menus, photos)???" I suspect your theory that there was a name change somewhere along the line is quite possible. The photo of the place does look like it could have been photoshopped, but the article did include a link to the place's menu http://www.martinturnbull.com/wp-con...14/08/menu.jpg But now that I look at the original article again, the photos seem to look more and more fake. Plus, I can't imagine NOT having heard of a Walt Disney diner that stood on Hollywood Blvd for 16 years. Conclusion: It's a fake. Unanswered question: Why bother??? |
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Thanks for posting the menu. Interesting facts? Disney operated a slaughterhouse in a "meat building"? (Third floor Burbank.); Place mats were artwork; and you could buy the dishes in the gift shop. Mystery shake? Brewmaster Mickey's beer. Was any alcohol involved? Is there a street number? |
:previous: Could the menu be from the Disney Studio Commissary? (just a guess)
__ Here's an early noirish view of Broadway, showing what looks like a popcorn wagon at the northeast corner of 1st Street. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...631/XgbUA0.jpg ebay reverse/ postmark 1906! http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...673/B7lVPB.jpg __ |
Historic Aerials
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...ps245267db.jpg HAerials |
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The Photoshoppery in the pics is really obvious - the words on the building are improperly skewed. Walt's head is pasted on pictures of other people. And c'mon - seating for over 700; "Graubstein’s Peruvian Theater"? And the Minnie on the menu is not what Minnie Mouse looked like in the 1930s. I'm a little embarrassed to feel the need to point this out as fake. Unless you were all just playing along, in which case the joke is on me! :haha: |
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ProphetM, are you saying Pinocchio's nose is getting longer? There was no Peruvian theater on Hollywood Blvd? Adding a stool and then another? I suppose anything is possible, but this scenario on Hollywood Blvd is highly unlikely. Pretty sure we've discussed Walt's interest at eating at the Tam O'Shanter and I'm sure he frequented many, if not all of the well known restaurants in Hollywood, Wilshire and Beverly Hills. I also suspect he got behind the grill or the soda fountain at home or at one of his theme restaurants in Orange County, but the photo of him doling out the ice cream is dubious. :no: Hadn't scrutinized the source which is why I missed the menu link. Notice it alleges Walt ballooned to 300lbs because he taste tested everything on the menu. The one thing that made me laugh is the site discussing pay toilets. Quote:
1940s http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q41HVtQoIk...inside+640.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Q41HVtQoIk...inside+640.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6DeC72w2Lt...utside+640.jpghttp://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6DeC72w2Lt...utside+640.jpg 1958 http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oyqpODRjvl...inside+640.jpghttp://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oyqpODRjvl...inside+640.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...yMenusmall.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...yMenusmall.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...nsidesmall.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...nsidesmall.jpg |
Read through the menu in post #23027.
"We deeply regret we are out of the following: . . ." including coffee, is my favorite, after "Duck a la Donald" in its take-home sailor suit. Considering how corny some of the jokes are, I can guess this is vintage (bad photoshoppery) and even possibly put together by Disney staff as an internal joke. Because Disney lawyers. EDIT: Going back to the source, it's clear it's all humorously fake and the menu was created for it. Those of you who went to Disneyland in the earlier years: do you recall how mediocre the food was? The place was thrilling, but the food . . . |
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A Bambi Alexander for me, please. With extra cream. Bottom's up! :D |
Walt Disney's restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard
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It's actually a homage to the earlier building by Venice architect Steven Ehrlich. http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...537/eOg8Qf.jpg virtualvenice.info. -from an article dated March 28, 1991 http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/102...539/XwVnta.jpg http://articles.latimes.com/1991-03-...rcle-in-venice __ |
Forced Labor?
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Eventually the city jail system was abandoned and left to the county, only detention prior to arraignment or release from custody were now city jail purposes. The city continued arresting drunks but they served no time and had no chance to dry out. They were instead released upon sobering up and return to the bars and liquor stores to start the process over again. Lot of drunks died because of the loss of this system. |
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Mea Noirish Culpa! Mea Noirish Culpa! I should have dug a little deeper before posting this nonsense on this thread but I was focused more on the (alleged) building itself than the fake photos of Walt serving Grandma from behind the counter. I was so caught up in "HOW HAVE I NOT HEARD OF THIS?" to notice the other glaringly obvious indications. I have no idea why someone would go to the bother of creating FOUR PAGES of this, including an entire menu, but I guess some people have way more time on their hands than I do... |
Following MichaelRyerson's very detailed and informative post about the 4th Street cut, here are a couple of extra images.
This one is simply titled "4th Street cut." The camera was somewhere near to Grand Avenue, looking roughly west along 4th Street towards the Harbor Freeway. Just behind the "Smith's" sign on the white wall is the southern end of Bunker Hill Avenue, and the large building on the left is the Barbara Worth on Hope Street. The picture is dated 10/15/54. http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...1.jpg~original Huntinton Digital Library Fast forward to 3/1/70, and we have a picture showing the elevated part of 4th Street as seen from just south of the intersection of 5th and Flower Streets. The end of the Sunkist building is on the right. http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original Huntinton Digital Library To bring things up to date, I've positioned the Googlemobile in the middle of Flower Street, just north of 5th Street, roughly where the blue truck is in the picture above. The Westin Bonaventure is now on the left, and the City National Plaza parking garage is on the right. Bunker Hills Tower/Towers and the Water and Power Building in the distance appear in both pictures. http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original GSV |
Ciro's bandstand, circa 1940s
Courtesy of "Playground to the Stars" Facebook page, this is Ciro's bandstand, circa 1940s. Oh, to have seen the headliners who have stood on that stage!
http://www.martinturnbull.com/wp-con...14240592_n.jpg |
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