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^ If one looks hard enough, they'll see that Los Angeles is more than just 20th century sprawl.:)
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Keep spreading the word....and we'll be able to keep this thread active for a long time. ;) |
Ethereal's picture of "The World's Longest Lunch Counter" at the Woolworth's at 431 S. Broadway reminded me of a postcard of the same counter, and of the Chocolate Shoppe nearby at 217 West 6th St.:
I give up on trying to get the pictures to show up here, so here are the links: http://www.flickr.com/photos/miehana/3217413082 http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Woolwo...s_i884274_.htm see also: http://www.dinosaursandrobots.com/20...ngeles_25.html |
The Origins of Noir?
I'd like to recommend a great book as accompaniment to this blog: L.A. Noir by John Buntin. It's a great history of L.A. crime and politics, extremely well-written. It really made me think about the origins of noir when I read "The bucolic Los Angeles of blue skies, sunshine, and orange groves had disappeared (or at least withdrawn to wealthy Westside enclaves like Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Brentwood). In its place was a new Manchester [presumably he's referring to the English city], a dark, industrial city.... Los Angeles's transformation had occurred suddenly--so suddenly that it could almost be traced to a single day: July 26, 1943 [the date of the first big smog attack].... By late 1943, [the smog] had settled permanently over downtown Los Angeles. The noir atmosphere that the director Billy Wilder captured so brilliantly with Double Indemnity in 1944 was not just a symbolically frought artifact of black-and-white film technology, it was real. Not until 1946 would... downtown Los Angeles see sunshine and blue skies again. Los Angeles had become a noir city."
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As an aside I've already ridden Angels Flight 4 times since it opened a few weeks ago. I try to imagine what it would've been like riding it 70 years ago... |
From the USC Archive, here's a larger photo of the Dutch Chocolate Shop, circa 1914:
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/1359/chs41335.jpg |
Wow and wow....those links concerning The Chocolate Shop are great!
It's amazing how cities evolve (devolve) over time. The Chocolate Shop's dreamlike interior now housing a cheesy arcade. I'm astonished that someone with gobs of money (I mean...this is L.A.) hasn't stepped up and rescued this architectural treasure. I found Robert Miller's comment on site below interesting. http://bigorangelandmarks.blogspot.c...cafeteria.html It's been YEARS since I've personally been in downtown L.A. Is it still as bad as a 'rat hole' like Mr. Miller says? In my mind's eye I had envisioned significant improvements. |
Another architectural 'fantasia' in downtown L.A.
Clifton's Cafeteria on Olive at 6th Street. http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5...soliveat6t.jpg postcard ebay |
Since sopas_ej mentioned he had ridden the newly opened Angels Flight four times,
I thought I'd post this photo from 1942 I found a few weeks ago on ebay. http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/6...ht1942ebay.jpg ebay Below: Interesting commentary on the reverse side. http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7...light1942r.jpg ebay Sopas_ej, did you take any photographs? |
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More Clifford Clinton L.A. "noir color" (an oxymoron?) here: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...802420,00.html http://articles.latimes.com/2006/aug...al/me-clifton9 |
Interesting details about Clifford Clinton GaylordWilshire.
I've placed a hold on L.A. Noir at my local library. I can't wait to read it. |
Those are indeed GREAT photos sopas_ej. Thanks for sharing.
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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...acgangster.jpg At the Southward Museum in New Zealand The carmuseum.co.nz |
Welcome, Tony! Funny that Mickey Cohen's Caddy would end up in New Zealand.
A few weeks ago I rented Orson Welles' "Touch of Evil," which was released in 1958. I love that film because of Marlene Dietrich's wave after wave of sassy one-liners, like "You're a mess, honey." "I didn't recognize you; you should lay off the candy bars." "Your future is all used up." And of course she says them the only way she can say them, with her husky German accent. But anyway, the film is set in a fictional Mexican border town; Orson Welles chose to shoot it in Venice. Venice started out as a beachside resort in the early 1900s, complete with canals and even Italian gondoliers; there was also an amusement park. Most of the canals were filled in in 1929. But by the 1950s, Venice had become a run-down place with oil wells dotting the landscape, perfect for "Touch of Evil." The low rents attracted the artsy crowd and by the 1960s the hippies started hanging out and moving in. Of course now, Venice has been gentrifying but it's still known as an artists' area; a few canals still exist and have been cleaned up. I haven't been to Venice in a while; watching "Touch of Evil" makes me wanna go there soon. Windward Avenue, Venice, 1920s http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6...evenice192.jpg USC Archive Windward Avenue 1929 http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/644...evenice192.jpg USC Archive 1953 (?) This building used to be the railroad station; this photo shows that it was turned into a bank. http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057237.jpg LAPL Bridge over a canal in 1966 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057280.jpg LAPL 1960 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008969.jpg LAPL 1960 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009143.jpg LAPL 1953 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057300.jpg LAPL 1953, debris in a canal, oil derricks in the background http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057305.jpg LAPL Windward Avenue, 1953 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057227.jpg LAPL 1953 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057292.jpg LAPL 1930 http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics41/00070423.jpg LAPL 1934-- this image made me think of the Little Rascals theme. http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009222.jpg LAPL 1928 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009219.jpg LAPL 1927 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057240.jpg LAPL 1922 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009200.jpg LAPL Camel-riding, 1906 http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics29/00064200.jpg LAPL Windward Avenue, 1906 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057211.jpg LAPL Venice Oceanfront, 1905 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics30/00034595.jpg LAPL 1905 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009131.jpg http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008934.jpg LAPL Gondoliers on the Venice canals, 1909 http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics19/00009204.jpg LAPL Windward Avenue, 1906 http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2987/venice1906.jpg USC Archive Making way for the wrecking crew, 1946 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057224.jpg LAPL Venice Pier closed, 1946 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057222.jpg LAPL Venice Pier, 1920s http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057210.jpg LAPL 1946: A heavy truck loaded with steel plates crashes through the deck of the condemned Venice pier. http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057234.jpg LAPL Ship Cafe, 1946 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057223.jpg LAPL Ship Cafe and Venice Pier, 1902 http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics45/00057207.jpg LAPL Ship Cafe, undated photo http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics18/00008970.jpg LAPL |
Angels Flight operational again
I'm so happy to see Angels Flight operational again. I wonder why Sinai does not have it's car top sign.....i hope it has nothing to do with how lovingly stored and cared for sinai and olivet were during the 1st storage period. 1969-2006:rolleyes:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/...c29b5d54_o.jpg LAPL http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/...5f985e8b_o.jpg LAPL http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3369/...07aa8c47_o.jpg LAPL |
Hill Street Tunnels No 1 & 2
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here is a link to a page that describes in detail both tunnels; http://www.oerm.org/pages/LARy%20hillst.htm here are two images clearly showing tunnel No. 2 during the grading process of Moore Hill for the freeway. The North Portal of double Tunnel No.1 is directly beneath the white house in the photo. 215 N. Hill, Burt Lancaster's family's house in the 1949 film Criss Cross 1951 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3327/...8df1360b_o.jpg usc digital library 1952 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2484/...6afb6dbc_o.jpg usc digital library |
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Two views looking East from Beaudry towards bunker hill
These two shots, the 1st one taken in 1937, and the 2nd in 1968, (only 31 years apart :stunned: ) are identical views taken from the same location, above Beaudry between 2nd and 3rd street looking due East at bunker hill.
1937 http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/...2b8a727b_o.jpg 1968 http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/...5269db6a_o.jpg Cal State Library simply amazing.................. |
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