Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 7127575)

"Aftermath of torrential rains, 1938."

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/540/wN9zzS.jpg
eBay

A very interesting photograph, but I am not sure of the exact location.

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Originally Posted by rcarlton (Post 5849323)

Found an interesting theater at Whittier and Atlantic.

http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater2/00015322.jpgLAPL
Exterior of the Spanish style Golden Gate Theatre, located at 5176 Whittier Boulevard in East Los Angeles. Guadalajara Jewelers and Vasquez Shoe Repair, along with other shops are also visible in a neighboring building located. Some of the signs are in Spanish. Theater designed by Clifford A. Balch.

Architect Clifford A. Balch designed the 1927 Churrigueresque/Deco style Golden Gate Theater and Vega Building, located at 5176 East Whittier Boulevard, at the corner of Atlantic in East Los Angeles. The entrance replicated the portal of the University of Salamanca in Spain and the original 12 stores, also of Spanish design, were housed on the first floor of the Vega Building. The theater was designed both as a legitimate playhouse, seating 1,500 and a movie house. The courtyard contained two fountains and A.B. Heinsberger created the interiors.

Originally Posted by HossC (Post 7127773)

Great extra information on Arrigo Balboni, e_r. You also beat me to posting that chop suey picture :).


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The whole of rcarlton's 2012 post, including interior and "now" pictures, can be found here. I think this "c1930" image pre-dates all of them. It's also the only one I've seen that shows the weathervane on the tower.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...1.jpg~original
eBay

I remember when I first saw the "now" pictures, I had trouble working out what was left. Here's a 1948 aerial showing the theater near the middle of the block on the south-west corner of the intersection. It looks like there was a circular drive-in on the north-east corner. It became a gas station sometime between 1953 and 1964.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

In 2004, the theater was virtually the only building on the block.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...3.jpg~original
Historic Aerials

As has been previously mentioned (see links below), the theater is now a CVS Pharmacy...

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...4.jpg~original
GSV

...and the block has filled in with other businesses.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...5.jpg~original
Google Maps


Follow-ups to rcarlton's original post:

revheavyg - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11432

tovangar2 - http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=11442

Originally Posted by Johnny Socko (Post 7127175)

Forgive me, for I have sinned: Although I was always an infrequent poster here, I have been remiss in following the board for a while. As part of my penance, I shall post something hopefully interesting (as well as catch-up on the recent posts). I apologize in advance for any formatting errors.

First things first: It was gratifying to see myself recognized by Alfaro Legido as a "Smart Contributor" in post # 29037. I would have settled for "Enthusiastic Follower". :)

Second, I saw my name invoked last year by one of the regulars, in response to this post in which I mentioned that Lafayette Park Place used to be named "Sunset Place". My source for that was a historic street map identifying the street as Sunset Place, but of course I am now unable to find both the map and the post that referred to mine.

With that out of the way...I would like to introduce Miss Anita King.

Anita King, known as "The Paramount Girl" for a time, was a unique and remarkable woman who was an actress, automobile racer, and stunt driver. These days she is best remembered not for her fame as an early Hollywood cinema actress, but as the first woman to drive across the United States, and the first person to do it solo (as far as I've been able to find).

http://i.imgur.com/slok4t6.jpg
Anita King (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped.../AnitaKing.jpg)

Ms King was under contract with Famous Players-Lasky Corporation, later known as Paramount, after their merger with Adolph Zukor's production company. She appears on the Lasky promotional flyer that E_R has posted here before (in relation to the Lasky Ranch):

http://i.imgur.com/gnjc3oe.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Famous...yers_Lasky.jpg

Anita King was born Anita Keppen to German-American parents in Michigan City, Indiana. Both parents had died by the time she was 14 (her father by suicide), and she later lost a beloved sister to illness.

Having found work as a model and stage actress in Chicago, she moved to Los Angeles around 1908, where she developed a fascination with autos and driving, eventually becoming a competitive race driver. Following an accident in 1910, she decided to slow down, and returned to her previous profession of acting -- eventually landing at FP-L/Paramount.

Legend has it that in 1915, she overheard Jesse Lasky assert that the Lincoln Highway would not in sufficient shape for a woman to drive it for another 10 years. Ms King challenged the notion, and Mr. Lasky recognized an outstanding promotional opportunity...

Thus, on August 25, 1915, Ms King set out from Los Angeles to San Francisco, the first leg of an epic journey to New York that was sponsored in part by Firestone and KisselKar. KisselKar marketed itself as the rugged and reliable choice -- sort of the Subaru of its day.

http://i.imgur.com/fAVXaL6.png
TheOldMotor.comhttp://theoldmotor.com/?attachment_id=135445

She accomplished the feat in 49 days, with her most valuable tools being a shovel and a rifle. She was greeted in New York City by a delegation that included the Treasurer of the Lasky Coropration, one Samuel Goldfish. He would later achieve fame (and a higher station) after changing his name to Samuel Goldwyn.

Back in Los Angeles, King would star in a fictionalized feature film account of her own endeavor, titled "The Race", co-starring fellow Lasky player Victor Moore. For this film, King would famously perform a stunt that involved driving off a burning bridge at 65 mph, making a 70 ft jump, and wrecking the car (I did say it was a "fictionalized" account).

http://i.imgur.com/YK4eE3g.png
TheOldMotor.com http://theoldmotor.com/?p=135438

I've been an admirer of Anita King's since I first learned about her a few years ago. Therefore, I thought it was only fitting to honor her on this, the 100th Anniversary of her history-making journey. I suspect that she did it not for glory, but because she was grieving for her sister, and this challenge was sort of a reconciliation of her own life.

You can learn more about Anita King at various historic websites, including TheOldMotor.com and the Lincoln Highway Museum.

Most intriguingly, her great-great-grandnieces have set up an excellent Facebook page with many more photos, clippings, Paramount posters, and other effluvia. The nieces are planning a cross-country trip this summer to retrace the steps of their amazing aunt. To them I say: Excelsior!

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 7123493)

On this anniversary of the Tate-LaBianca murders, here's a collection of Rosemary LaBianca's credit cards. I guess even in 1969, women still weren't allowed to have their own credit cards? Mrs. Leno LaBianca... I don't even think I've seen a "Mr." or "Mrs." on a credit card before.
https://scontent-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d0&oe=563E30FE
cielodrive.com

Originally Posted by HossC (Post 7127773)

As has been previously mentioned, the theater is now a CVS Pharmacy...

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...4.jpg~original
GSV

Originally Posted by BifRayRock (Post 5863237)

5136 Whittier Blvd. - the former Alameda Theater.
http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...JPG?1317673279http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...jpg?1312821629http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...jpg?1312821586http://photos.cinematreasures.org/pr...jpg?1312821537http://cinematreasures.org

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 4322026)

http://img115.imageshack.us/img115/1...atowndestr.jpg
USC archive

This was labeled Old Chinatown destroyed.
So, this area in the foreground is now Union Station? Is that correct?

I just noticed the buildings at the extreme bottom right are missing their roofs.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 7127218)

I just found this rare snapshot of old Chinatown on eBay. Ferguson Alley and Alameda Street.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/911/QHnHFd.jpg
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/CHOP-SUEY-NEO...item35ef67df1b

Originally Posted by C. King (Post 7127682)

Looking south along the LA River from the Riverside Dr/Figueroa St Bridge that was just replaced. Building in the background on left is the old City Jail in Lincoln Heights. Far right hand side is the "Pigeon Farm" Yard for the SP RR. Currently the Metro Gold Line Yard.

Hope that helps.

Originally Posted by sopas ej (Post 7123493)

On this anniversary of the Tate-LaBianca murders, here's a collection of Rosemary LaBianca's credit cards. I guess even in 1969, women still weren't allowed to have their own credit cards? Mrs. Leno LaBianca... I don't even think I've seen a "Mr." or "Mrs." on a credit card before.

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 7128697)

Fleet of mobile "Bungalows", Los Angeles 1931.

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/128...913/EzD6XF.jpg
eBay


W.T. Halliday, repair shops on wheels.

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