New from across the pond !
 

Hi everybody - I found this thread by chance some time ago and have been so enthralled by it all that I haven't looked at anything else - I have been through all 259 pages and am amazed by the knowledge and information generated by a simple photograph - the detective work in locating and placing a subject is marvellous and I am also amazed at the number of photographs of Los Angeles that exist and how clear they are - in fact some of the old black and white are clearer than the modern coloured ones.

Living in Southern England - and having only passed through L A on a couple of occasions I am afraid I can not add anything to this site - however I do have an interest in 1930/40 LA and I hope that you will help me with information and photos.

I take my hat off to all of you for a wonderful thread and once I fathom out how to use the site will post a question - keep up the good work and thank you.:worship:

:previous: Welcome to the thread Bilbo!

I was away for the weekend and came home to all these great posts.
Mary, your history of the Vine Street Theater was extrememly interesting. I had no idea it had such a wondrous past.
I was also amazed 684 North Hill Place is still there....thanks for pointing that out SilentLocations.

I just found this great shot of the Clover Trailer Park from the movie Cry Danger. The caption reads: Dick Powell, Richard Erdman, and Jean Porter wait between shots.

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/8257/clover10.jpg
www.electricearl.com
Courtesy of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Check out the great old house across the street, just loaded down with gawkers.

The old tires leaning up against the fence railing add a real touch of class to the place! :cheers:

Glendale
 

On the second map under Glendale Airport - the is an entry for "night club" - I believe this was the "Club Continental" - a night-club and casino for the rich and famous owned - or run by - an LA crime lord called Nola Hahn.

Hahn seems to be a mysterious character and I cannot find any photos of him - or the Club Continental - does anyone have any information on him and any other clubs he was invovled in ?:shrug:

:previous:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-h...2520AM.bmp.jpgParadise Leased

That's Diana Dors and hairstylist Raymond of London in front of 9550 Heather Road in Beverly Hills. What has this to do with Nola Hahn? Apparently the house was owned by Nola in the '30s. He sold it to Dick Powell and Joan Blondell. They divorced in 1944... aside from Hahn, Powell, Blondell, and Dors, the house has had quite a few celebs in residence: http://la.curbed.com/archives/2010/0...terclick_1.php


What you see on the map is not a separate Glendale airport but rather the Airport Gardens Night Club. Here is an interesting item on the Club Continental, which replaced it in 1934:
http://www-tc.pbs.org/opb/historydet...tinental_1.pdf

I'm sure there must be a pic or two of Hahn the man in old Los Angeles Times articles--not easily accessible for free outside of a library.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/--...ertanhouse.jpgSt. James Park/Historic Los Angeles

Bulletin from the publicity department of Gaylord Wilshire Enterprises: In the manner of our history
of Berkeley Square, we have begun a new blog meaning to tell the story of another West Adams
enclave, St. James Park. Unless the Countess Doheny has any objection to the spotlight being
diverted from her Chester Place fiefdom, please visit us here for an introduction:

http://stjamesparklosangeles.blogspot.com/

James Lileks at the Biltmore Hotel
 

James Lileks, the Minnesota blogger, writer, and admirer of the past is in Los Angeles for a bloggers convention and is staying at the Biltmore. You can read is impressions here:

http://lileks.com/bleats/archive/11/11/110711.html

Be sure to watch his little video in the middle of the blog entry.

Here is another day:

http://lileks.com/bleats/archive/11/11/110911.html

If you are a fan of motel postcards and old match books, check out his collections on his home page:

www.lileks.com

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-y...2520PM.bmp.jpgdowntownla.com

I am of the belief that noir extended through the '60s, and even into the '70s, through the writings of Joan Didion. Worth reading, or rereading, are Slouching Toward Bethlehem and The White Album, both of which contain essays evocative of the era in noirish terms--I think her descriptions of the effects of the Santa Anas in "Los Angeles Notebook" and of such incidents as the Tate-LaBianca murders are mesmerizing. Not specific to L.A., but still intensely felt, are her feelings about growing up in & around Sacramento in Where I Came From--like her earlier essays, an incredible literary delineation of the meanings of California.

She has a new book out, Blue Nights, which, though not about California, prompted this post. I notice that, as part of a week the Los Angeles Review of Books is devoting to her, is "An Evening With Joan Didion" on November 16, here:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-9...2520PM.bmp.jpgUSCDL
St. Vibiana's, 214 S. Main

More info: http://www.laobserved.com/intell/201...oan_didion.php

Hi Bilbo, welcome!

Digging through different files I found out a little bit on Nola Hahn and Club Continental. No pictures yet, but I'm hoping to come across some soon.

That is indeed Club Continental on the map. The building originally housed the Airport Gardens Supper Club, which was a well-known speakeasy during prohibition. After the repeal, Nola Hahn was brought in by a group of investors to establish an illegal gambling club for high rollers. The club was also remodeled extensivley and quite elaborately.

Nola had established himself as a leading expert on designing gambling pits that could be hidden away by panels or other camouflaging contraptions in case of a bust. Club Continental was seen as his crowning glory. The club was set back quite a ways from Sonora, with a very long driveway. Guards watching the street entrance could radio the club and the gambling area could be completely converted to a dining room by the time agents reached the front door.

Raids didn't happen often since the then mayor of Los Angeles, Frank Shaw, was one of the club's best customers and received kickbacks from the operation. By 1938, Hahn seems to have ended his partnership in the club because he then bought the Trocadero from Billy Wilkerson. His timing for that purchase was not good because later that year Mayor Shaw was recalled and Fletcher Bowron was voted in as his successsor. Bowron ran on the platform of a crackdown on vice.

Nola Hahn kept the Trocadero for a couple of years, then sold it and headed for the pre-Bugsy Siegel Las Vegas. He opened the hugely successful Colony Restaurant and within a few years became the go to guy when it came to designing legal gambling clubs.

There is not much of anything about him after that, other than he committed suicide in 1957 at the age of 60.

~Jon Paul

[QUOTE=FredH;5470830]I just found this great shot of the Clover Trailer Park from the movie Cry Danger. The caption reads: Dick Powell, Richard Erdman, and Jean Porter wait between shots.

...and Miss Porter, is here shown, checking her cell phone messages.

Her LA novel from that era, "Play It As It Lays", is pretty noirish in many ways. It certainly captures a kind of existential funk that many seem to experience in the City of Angels. It is "Freeway Noir" writing. A lot of time is spent by the main character driving on the freeways just for the sake of it.

Hello and welcome Bilbo:
A site that will interest you is the Bruce Torrence Hollywood Photograph Collection. There are hundreds of photos of every aspect of the city of Hollywood in the 1930s and 40s (also earlier and later) - the Hollywood Canteen, Hollywood Studio Club, Sunset Blvd., drive-ins, theatres, nightclubs, street scenes, etc. etc.
http://www.hollywoodphotographs.com/...ywood-canteen/

The Los Angeles Public Library Photo Collection and the USC photo archives have a wealth of Los Angeles photographs of every imagineable category.

Thanks for the warm welcomes
 

Thanks GaylordWilshire - Jon Paul and JeffDiego for your information and suggestions - and warm welcomes - Hahn is indeed a mysterious character - I know he opened La Rue's restaurant and casino in Las Vegas in 1950 in partnership with Billy Wilkerson - which lasted about a month before being bought by "Mack Kufferman" ( another man of mystery )

I wonder what prompted his suicide ? if it truly was suicide - in the world in which he mixed mysterious deaths were the norm !

In relation to Billy Wilkerson are you aware of any photos of "The Top Hat Cafe" or "Sunset House" ?:shrug:

thanks Bill

:previous:

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-M...2520AM.bmp.jpg


Nola Hahn committed suicide--or otherwise died--at the Beverly Hilton in 1957. Something unrelated to that incident that I never knew was that Simon Rodia apparently once considered building his towers on the hotel's triangular plot instead of the one in Watts. While I suspect that the towers wouldn't still be standing if they were built in Beverly Hills, it's interesting to imagine that the Beverly Hills Towers might have become a civic icon, the town's Eiffel Tower, "as it were"...

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/us/08watts.html?_r=1

Walking Down Vine Street
 

Hi Everyone,
Thought I'd add an image and an anecdote about the Vine Street Theatre.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3608/...ac6819b0_b.jpg
photo: KNX

My Dad and his mother walking down Vine Street just south of Hollywood Blvd. They lived on Selma Avenue at Hudson (now Schrader), so would have turned right at the next intersection. He took lessons nearby and his mother would walk him home afterwards; he clearly remembers the outfits both were wearing, including his cowboy outfit with chaps.

Taken sometime between January 1937, when KNX became a CBS affiliate broadcasting from this location, and April 1938, when its operations moved to Sunset Blvd in Hollywood. The Lux Radio Theater, Burns & Allen, as well as the Campbell's Soup "Hollywood Hotel" broadcast, originated from the Vine Street Theatre at this time.

Some forty years later my Dad was looking through a picture history of old time radio and came across this photograph.* The sidewalk, the theater and shops, his favorite clothes, and his Mom in her best white dress, all came flooding back. He spent many years in television and radio broadcasting, so he looked up the station manager of KNX and they sent him an 8x10" of the photo. I have a version annotated with notes on flickr.

My Dad will celebrate his 80th birthday this December :)

cheers,
Ken

*Curtis Mitchell, Cavalcade of Broadcasting
(Follet Publishing Co., Chicago, 1970), p. 91

What a treasure the photo must be to you and your dad Ken! Thank you so much for sharing it and the provenance! I like everything about this photo.

~Jon Paul

There doesn't seem to be any business ca. 1937-39 named "Grand Central" in this location--so I'm wondering if the sign in the fragment of Ere's pic above is advertising Grand Central Market downtown.... Have we seen a clearer pic of this sign before in any pics of Hollywood?

Could it be a movie theater marquee? There was a 1942 movie called "Grand Central Murder" but that would be inconsistent with the other internal clues. I looked around thoroughly and had the time narrowed down pretty closely to January 1937 to April 1938, based on when KNX was located in the theater.

I LOVE THIS THREAD and will have more to add, soon. But I am starting with Clifton's Cafeteria because I just happened to read that they have been remodeling and are offering the public a "sneak peak" this Thursday, as part of an L.A. Art Walk. My wife and I will be going.

http://www.cliftonscafeteria.com/

I exchanged some emails with my mom, who grew up in L.A. I asked her if it really was "Pay As You Wish" (as is seen on the sign) and she wrote:

"Absolutely! This was emphasized on the brochures at each table. Some of the customers were poorly dressed, as I recall. The place really seemed open to all. The items were marked with a price, but there was no problem if one wanted to pay less, or not at all. We were not well off, but always paid full price. Interestingly, it was not considered a low-class place. Different areas were decorated with a theme. Hard to remember those themes, but Hawaiian would have been one, maybe the witch's house from Hansel and Gretel, maybe one which seemed to be a cave. I have fond memories of it. Corny but nice."

Again, fantastic thread. Be back soon!

Hi Everyone!

I have been lurking in the background here for many months looking at all the fantastic pictures and reading all the interesting articles. What a great and entertaining source of information! I live in San Diego, and have visited the Los Angeles and Hollywood areas on many occasions looking for things from the past. I'm very much into early radio and television broadcasting, and love the pictures of old radio studios, stations, and transmitting towers. I also love to look at pictures of the Richfield Building, an architectural gem that was sadly lost so many years ago. I would like to thank all the knowledgeable participants here who share so much of their good knowledge. This has brought me great enjoyment, and I have learned a lot too.

I liked the pictures of the Vine Street Theater that were recently posted. And I was compelled to write because there were some errors in some information given earlier that I would like to correct.

It is indeed true that Lux Radio Theater was broadcast from the Vine Street Theater as of June 1, 1936 when the show moved from New York to Hollywood. The theater was owned by CBS and always known as The Vine Street Theater. CBS utilized the theater for the production of Lux for many years. As the pictures show, CBS and Station KNX were featured prominently on the theater's lettering.

Lux featured dramatizations based on popular films of that time, starring the same artists who appeared in the pictures. While it is true that Fibber McGee and Molly, Jack Benny, and Burns and Allen appeared on episodes of Lux, their appearances did not lead to "spinoffs" and notoriety due to their appearances on Lux. All of them were already established stars at the time of their appearances. Indeed, it was because they were established stars, and now were appearing in motion pictures, that they appeared on Lux Radio Theater.

In reviewing the log of Lux episodes, I don't see any that list Fred Allen or Phil Harris as appearing on any episodes. Also "Life of Riley" with William Bendix was not an episode of Lux. I did find that the on-line info at Wikipedia regarding Lux Radio Theater contains many errors, and perhaps this is where some of this information posted earlier was found.

Station KNX did not broadcast from the Vine Street Theater. The station and offices were located at 5939 Sunset Blvd (later The Spaghetti Factory) from 1932 until 1938. At that time, CBS (which had purchased KNX in 1936) moved to the brand-new Columbia Square, at 6121 Sunset, which was the Western headquarters for the Columbia Broadcasting System and also held studios and facilities for KNX.

Sorry for the long initial post. I hope this was of interest. Just wanted to make sure all the facts were straightened out. Thanks again to everyone for a great site!

Hi Radio63 -
Based on the dates of the Hollywood Hotel broadcast, other internal clues, and your knowledge, what date would you assign this photo? bigger version here. Thanks.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3608/...ac6819b0_b.jpg
KNX

When the "Grand Central" sign seen in Ere's pic is blown up, it appears to say "The Hollywood Grand Central Market"... but still, I can find no listings in '30s directories for it and no other photos showing the sign. I did find some interesting shots of what appears to have been next door: The Hollywood Branch Library in its successive incarnations.

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038881.jpg

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038916.jpg

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038917.jpg
Apparently parts of the prior library on the site were incorporated into the 1940 version, seen below...

http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038887.jpg

...and after a 1982 fire.
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038921.jpg
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics38/00038920.jpg


http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics19/00029460.jpg
Books and boobs: What's not to love about this view of the new library being built in Ivar Street after the fire? There's
even a Coupe de Ville in the picture.


All photos: LAPL

Hi radio63 - Thanks for your post about KNX, etc. It's a little frustrating trying to find info on the history of broadcasting in Los Angeles pre-1950, and what little can be found on the Internet is maddeningly brief and often contradictory.

Ere - What a terrific photo! And I love the anecdote. It's personal stories such as yours that make the history of Los Angeles come alive for me.

Hi Ere,

The best I can do on this at present is to narrow it down to a span of a few years. Hollywood Hotel aired from October of 1934 to December of 1938. So this photo was taken sometime in that four-year period. I might be able to narrow it down further since CBS obviously owned the Vine Street Theater at this point, due to the CBS-KNX signage. Because of this I might guess the photo is more likely from 1936-38. I'm going to study the photo in greater detail and see if any other clues are hiding. So Ere, this is your dad and grandmother in the photo? Wow!

Hi Handsome Stranger,

You are very right, details of Los Angeles broadcasting history can be hard to track down. What little knowledge I have, I'll be glad to share. Yes, the information on the internet apart from being brief is often in error as well. Somehow facts and dates have gotten lost along the way. I have some good reference books I rely on to help me try and figure things out!

The big black sedan just in front of the lady in the white dress, the car with whitewalls and sidemounts is a 1937 Buick, so that's a clue.

I can't really tell for sure, but it looks like the coupe towards the bottom left, facing the other direction, has a license plate with a light background and dark lettering, which would mean a yellow plate with black letters, meaning 1938. If it is black with yellow numbers it would be 1937.

YAHOO! Something to look forward to!!!

Yes, here they are about the same time standing in front of the Manson Apartments, where they lived, a few blocks to the west.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/...e95cdc75_z.jpg
Those apartments have been renamed but still stand at 1611 Schrader Blvd.
Based on his age (born late 1931), the Vine Street view must be towards the end of your time frame.
They walked that route many times and he remembered her white outfit, and his cowboy chaps he used to wear.

:previous:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-5...2520PM.bmp.jpgGoogle Street View

I've looked at so many maps over the years, I thought I was familiar with just about every street name in L.A., but Schrader Blvd is a new one on me. Had to go looking for it....

Ken's wonderful photo of his father and grandmother walking down the street in 1930's Hollywood (and wow, what a find!) reminded me of a funny story along the same lines.

First of all, let me explain what this photo is. This was wallpaper made from a photo of Little Tokyo, taken sometime prior to 1971. The wallpaper took up an entire wall of a small
office at Modernage Photo on East Third Street, where I worked.

Our building was the black and white one directly above the electrical outlet. (It was really wallpaper!)

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/1096/25532c.jpg
Earl Witscher, Modernage Photo Service

Back to the story: Sometime, I would say about 1995 or 1996, I was meeting with a lady who was selling insurance of some sort, I believe. During our conversation, she mentioned
that she used to work across the street in the late 1960's. I took her into the office with the wallpaper, and she immediately pointed to a small parking lot across the street and
said, "That's my car". "I drove a Volkswagon Beetle."

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/5812/parkinglotk.jpg

Well, she didn't find herself in the photo twenty five years later, but she found her Bug. Next best thing, I guess.

Thanks srk1941,

I forgot to add in my previous post that the cars might hold a clue to narrowing down the date of the picture. Thanks for your input. Good observation! Not sure why, but I have a feeling this picture dates from 1937-38.

Wow Ere,

That's great! They just happened to be walking along that particular street, on that particular day, at that particular time, that this picture was being taken. Can you imagine the chances of being there at that moment and being caught in a historic photo? So yes if your dad was born in late 1931, then he must have been perhaps 7-8 years old at the time of this picture? Something tells me the picture is from around 37-38. I wonder where it was taken from?

:previous: What a wonderful find Ere!
It is fascinating that you recognized the two people walking down Vine Street as your Father (in chaps!) and your Grandmother.

It makes me smile. :)

My Grandmother divorced her husband in Chicago shortly after my Dad was born ~ then got the idea to go out to Hollywood and take advantage of his natural talent for showmanship and make him a star ~ he has loads of photos of these years, it's a real time warp!

At the time Dad and Grandma Ina lived there, it was part of N. Hudson. They lived in apartment 307. The name for this block must have been changed - if I recall, a friend of mine who had a recording studio on Hollywood Blvd remembered the name was changed in the 1990s?

I consulted an application my Dad submitted for a DOE security clearance in 1962, where he had to list all his places of residence, work, references etc. On it he says they moved into the Manson Apartments in January 1937 so I agree: '37 or '38 for the Vine Street view. They lived there for over ten years. He graduated from Hollywood High in 1949.

Actually, it was my Dad who found the photo in a book on Hollywood around 1971 or so. It must have knocked him over because he instantly recognized himself and his Mom ~ they walked that block almost every day for over a year and he even says that, besides their outfits and proximity to this location, the body language was the same. He told me this story years ago and I finally wised up and got him to tell me about it again, on video, and scanned the original print from KNX.

Here he is in his favorite outfit - possibly taken on Mulholland Drive?

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2672/...78073847c9.jpg

This may have been the acting school where he took the lessons: here is the class about to leave for a performance at the San Francisco Fair in 1939.
Look at those cute kids! so many stories.... big version here.
Dad is sitting on the hood, with his Charlie McCarthy :D

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5072/...5f67a137_b.jpg

:previous: These photos are priceless Ere....thank you for sharing.



Do any of you radio aficionados recognize this fantastic little bar? I believe it was located somewhere on Vine Street.


http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/9...loungeonvi.jpg
http://www.radiohollywood.net/



http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/849...radiocityh.jpg
http://www.radiohollywood.net/

Here is another location on Vine with a 'radio' theme.

http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1...vinefromra.jpg
http://www.radiohollywood.net/

I am surprised that I can't place this market.....perhaps it was located on Sunset?

_____

Glad to add a personal touch to this awesome thread. :cheers:


That's where the Nat "King" Cole was playing in 1943 when Johnny Mercer of the newly-formed Capitol Records discovered and signed him.

:previous:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...2520AM.bmp.jpgThe Kid Ory Archive


It was here, as chronicled in a previous post:
More: http://web.me.com/fellan/Kid/1940s_Radio_Room.html

No.Hudson was renamed Schrader after gay city judge Rand Schrader about a dozen years ago - he was on the board of our LGBT Center which is located above to old Manson apts- Rand was an AIDS casualty/hero to many causes

More vintage Vine Street, from 1953.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/...2b06117b_o.jpg
[source: Flickr]


Looking south at the Vine Manor Hotel, at the corner of Vine and Yucca.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/...cb70c249_o.jpg
[source: Flickr]


Courtyard of the Vine Manor Hotel.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/...d1ef818d_o.jpg
[source: Flickr]

:previous:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-G...2520AM.bmp.jpgjericl cat

Apparently within about ten years the Radio Room had moved a few doors north, with Glorifried Ham n Eggs moving into its original space. As to the semaphore, I notice what a appears to be its bell. Not that they would have been physically removed from the signals, but does anyone remember reading that the bells were silenced at some point?

[QUOTE=sopas ej;4665453]And some Then and Nows:

1930s: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. I'm surprised to learn this used to be a market.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/638...tblvd1930s.jpg
USC archive

2010: 6000 Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. This is now part of the Sunset Gower Studios, I think.
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5649/p1090617.jpg
Photo by Me

Nope, 6000 Sunset was not part of Sunset Gower Studios - but this building has a very unique and interesting history!

Between the 1960's and the 1980's, this was the "Western" part of United/Western Studios (United was down the street, at 6050.) The studios were built by Bill Putnam and were the home to many, many famous recordings. I know all about this building, because I worked there from 1977 to 1981.

What was recorded at Western? Many (if not most) of the hits by the Beach Boys, The Mamas And Papas, Jan & Dean, Johnny Rivers, Frank and Nancy Sinatra, Dean Martin, Rick Nelson, Ray Charles, and many many more. Along with Capital, A&M, and Radio Recorders, this was one of the most famous of the "old Hollywood" sound studios. Hundreds and hundreds of hits were recorded there.

I personally was in the control room of Studio 1 (behind the center produce section!) when Mr. Sinatra recorded "New York, New York". In that building I also worked on sessions with Santana, Jonathan Winters, Abba, Ringo Starr, Dolly Parton, Joe Cocker, The Beach Boys, Herbie Hancock, Barbra Streisand, and dozens more. Needless to say it was a very exciting time in my life!

We had always heard that the building had once been a grocery store and at least two of the echo chambers resembled meat lockers or refrigerated rooms. Now I know that it was true!

I have much info about United/Western on my own web site, at http://studioelectronics.biz/URCNewsletter-13.html

In the 1980's United/Western was sold and became Ocean Way Recording. The 6050 Building is Still Ocean Way but 6000 changed hands again, and then fell into disrepair about 10 years ago. The facility came close to being demolished but was sold at auction to EastWest Studios, and has undergone an incredible multi million dollar renovation - design by Philippe Starck. Despite the plain facade, this new facility is one of the finest and most visually stunning studios in the world.

I did quite a double take, seeing the old photo from the 1930's! sopas_ej, thank you so much for posting it.

Now, it was also said that 6000 Sunset was a movie or stage theater in the 40's or 50's. Does anyone have a photo, or info about that incarnation of this famous building?

That truly is a priceless old photo and I've spent a lot of time staring at it, trying to translate the streets and landmarks to the way downtown looks today. I've also been discussing this image with my mom, who grew up in L.A. in the 30's and 40's. She has had trouble loading the data-heavy pages on this site, but raised some points that I'd like to pass along.

She notes that when the photo was taken, California had been a U.S. territory for only about 15 years and prior to that, it was part of Mexico.

So, she asks, where are the adobe buildings, enclosed patios, chicken yards, etc? (Perhaps they were in some other part of town, and this was all newly built?)

Further, where are the barns for horses, and where are the vehicles? People had to have some type of conveyance to get around.

In later photos of early L.A. I see lots of horses but not in this shot, or in other very early images of L.A. I have found on this thread. Can anyone shed light on this?

Thanks in advance. I have to say it again - I LOVE this thread.

Mid Way Style Fun-House in downtown?
 

Friends, I seem to recall seeing a midway-style Fun House in an image from around the 1930's somewhere in downtown Los Angeles. I've been searching for days but can't seem to find it. Any ideas?

Initially posted by HANDSOME STRANGER. Vine Street circa 1953.

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/5...54electros.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/electrospark/

:previous: This is one of my favorite photographs of Hollywood.




below: Here is another photo with the same banners. This is looking west on Hollywood Boulevard.

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/736...oirishlaby.jpg
I've posted this once before....I can't recall the source.







below: Banners at Hollywood & Vine 7 years earlier (1946). I believe these banners are slightly different.

http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/7...ood1946ala.jpg
http://www.theblackdahliainhollywood.com/







below: Now jump in the Way Back Machine.

Banners along Spring Street in 1929. At right is the brand new Los Angeles City Hall.

http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/5...ringstreet.jpg
usc digital archive







below: Banners over the 4th Street viaduct in 1931.

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/8...streetviad.jpg
usc digital archive






below: Banners in front of Grand Central Market downtown (no date given).

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/169...aybetween3.jpg
LAPL






below: Banners as far south as Crenshaw and 48th Street.

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/767...ncrenshawa.jpg
usc digital archive






below: Back in Hollywood 1947.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/6...47hollywoo.jpg
ucla digital archive





below: There is no description with this photograph. The banner seems to have the American Legion logo.
Does anyone know where this is?


http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/4...2nodetails.jpg
unkown






below: A tourist snapshot showing banners over Vine Street near the NBC Radio Studios.

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/8...negsebay06.jpg
ebay






below: Another ebay find. The banner says Teen Age something.....perhaps Fair?

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/1...s1ebay1110.jpg
ebay





below: Extensive use of banners over Hollywood Blvd. as late as 1961.


http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/1...oodblvd196.jpg
unknown


So who owned these banners....the city? Did they rent them out like you would rent a billboard?


________


Also...thanks for the recording history of 6000 Sunset Boulevard 3940dxer. That building has a wonderful legacy.

__

welcome to the forum 3940dxer! great info on 6000 sunset, teh old western studios!

Sonora town which was the mexican settlement ran on the north side of the plaza. here is an 1873 view looking north from fort moore hill at the adobes of sonora town

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics03/00011129.jpg
Source: LAPL

here is a Rendall panoramic drawing of Los Angeles, ca.1869. The buildings and streets of the panorama are individually numbered and listed above the panorama.......

this was posted sometime ago

once again, welcome!

ethereal_reality, I really enjoyed your series of banner photos.

Question: Do you know the significance of these banners?

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/1672/banner1hf.jpg

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/6697/bannerwfa.jpg

They have the same basic shape and a lot of similar colors, and they appear in several of the pictures, but what the heck to they stand for? Are they just colorful banners?


By the way, I have a little before and after of your Fourth Street viaduct photo:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/8...streetviad.jpg
usc photo archives

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8...hstbridge3.jpg
Google Street View

Actually, things look pretty much the same, taking into account the passage of so many years. Gone are the trolley tracks and wires...and the banners. New additions include a massive tower full of power lines and the reversible lane system, put in maybe ten years ago. The reversible lane was a good idea. The center lane is one-way into town in the morning and one-way out in the evening. The rest of the day, the center lane is a "dead" lane, used for left turns only. Unfortunately, this system was never fully explained to the public. At least once a week, you would go sailing across the bridge only to encounter someone sitting in oncoming traffic, waiting to make a left turn (a real no-no when the reversible lanes were on). I wonder if anyone has been seriously injured? It was real close for me a time or two.