SkyscraperPage Forum

SkyscraperPage Forum (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/index.php)
-   Found City Photos (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=23)
-   -   noirish Los Angeles (https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=170279)

HossC Oct 23, 2020 6:47 PM

:previous:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9083278)

Horrendous fires there two years ago in November, 2018.

It was only after I made my post that I zoomed out and looked at the area in 3D. From my brief look at the entrance to Horizon Hills, it looked like a small fire had taken out the sign. The site opposite was cleared and being rebuilt, but that's nothing unusual in these hillside neighborhoods. With a longer view I could see that every other house was either missing or in ruins. Thanks for filling in the background, Martin Pal.

ethereal_reality Oct 23, 2020 7:35 PM

.
If The Jetsons were in L.A. waiting for a bus they might have used one of these Tel-A-Chairs.


Passengers watching coin-operated TV’s in the LA Greyhound terminal in 1969.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/XgJXQa.jpg
vintage.es

"Take note of the space age chairs, ashtrays, phone booths, and terrazzo floors.

The 49 Tel-A-Chairs at the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 6th and Los Angeles were grossing $4,000 every month.
Ten minutes of television time cost 10 cents while a half-hour cost 25 cents."


The gentleman closest to the camera appears to be watching football.

.

HossC Oct 23, 2020 8:04 PM

:previous:

People sitting around ignoring one another while staring at tiny screens - that'll never catch on. ;)

Handsome Stranger Oct 23, 2020 9:22 PM

I saw these, or something very similar, in one of the terminals at LAX around the same era. Seven-year old me thought they were incredibly cool. I remember persuading my dad to give me a dime so I could watch TV for a few minutes.


Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9083433)
.
If The Jetsons were in L.A. waiting for a bus they might have used one of these Tel-A-Chairs.


Passengers watching coin-operated TV’s in the LA Greyhound terminal in 1969.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/XgJXQa.jpg
vintage.es


Handsome Stranger Oct 23, 2020 9:36 PM

The lovely streamline moderne Firestone service center at La Brea and 8th survives, and appears to be getting gussied up a bit! Is it being repurposed? I hope they will restore the neon lighting that used to grace the curved tiers at the entrance.

https://i.postimg.cc/HnHQzBWM/Firestone.jpg

Wenders Oct 24, 2020 4:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Handsome Stranger (Post 9083576)
I saw these, or something very similar, in one of the terminals at LAX around the same era. Seven-year old me thought they were incredibly cool. I remember persuading my dad to give me a dime so I could watch TV for a few minutes.

I saw those at Greyhound terminals around 1986 when I took Greyhound from NYC to L.A. (not directly, stopped in Miami, Memphis ). Not every terminal had them. The design was somewhat different, the TV wasn't as separated from the chair as it is in these pictures. Instead, the screen was sort of blended in the area where one is supposed to insert the money in these chairs. They were all black too.

GaylordWilshire Oct 24, 2020 11:41 AM

Speaking of Sigourney


Interesting and changing names in the Weaver family. Her grandfather Sylvester Laflin Weaver was a major LA roofer (Weaver Roofing--"Saves Overhead") and served as president of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce and the All-Year Club. His son Sylvester Barnabee Weaver—later, apparently in tribute to his father, styling himself as Sylvester L. Weaver Jr.--aka Pat--Weaver ran NBC from 1953 to 1955 and is credited with creating the Today and Tonight shows. Looking for a catchy stage name, the more conventionally named Susan Weaver became Sigourney. Then there was Pat's brother Winstead Sheffield Glenndenning Dixon Weaver--aka--"Doodles." He appeared in several notable movies including The Birds...was married four times (three divorces and one annulment). Doodles had the comedian's dark side--a suicide at 71. Here he is in 1956 with Vampira--the article is from the Times, November 14, 1956.

Btw, we've seen posts about Drooperts here on NLA before....


https://i.postimg.cc/BQPYqCDp/doodles-vampira.jpghttps://i.postimg.cc/5NFXnHdj/doodlestippi-bmp.jpg
Doodles with Vampira and Tippi. He's straddling a Dagmar of a conventional '55 Buick Super Riviera...but apparently he liked cars and had a number of exotics over the years.


https://i.postimg.cc/JngFqYZy/doodleslat1-bmp.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/mkyQDtLb/doodleslat2-bmp.jpg

Martin Pal Oct 24, 2020 6:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9083433)
.
If The Jetsons were in L.A. waiting for a bus they might have used one of these Tel-A-Chairs.

Passengers watching coin-operated TV’s in the LA Greyhound terminal in 1969.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/XgJXQa.jpg
vintage.es
.
_________________________________________________________________

You brought back a memory! I used to take Greyhounds home from college in the early 70's. I tried one of these once in a Greyhound station (it was 25¢ for thirty minutes, I believe). It was crowded and it was more fun to watch others pictures go off when the time ran out. (No one wanted to put more money in if you didn't have to.) Some people only used these because they could sit down when the place was crowded. Even so, all of the TV's on different channels in a noisy crowded bus station was not optimal. Only did it once.

Can only make out a couple words on the sign attached to the back of the chairs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HossC (Post 9083486)
:previous:

People sitting around ignoring one another while staring at tiny screens - that'll never catch on. ;)
_________________________________________________________________

:haha: :tup:

Martin Pal Oct 24, 2020 7:04 PM

:previous:

Out of curiosity, I tried photo searching for other photos of these Tel-a-Chairs in operation, but that photo seems to be one of the very few.

There is an article about them in a 1970 edition of Parade Magazine (which was inserted into Sunday Newspapers throughout the country.
It was the idea of "John W. Rich, 56, of Salt Lake City. Inventor of the well-known "water bumper" used on buses and taxicabs."

Water bumper?

Relating to the sign I was trying to decipher: In the article he was asked if people wouldn't just fall asleep in the chair without putting money into the machine. Rich didn't think so saying, "because each chair comes, equipped with a sign which says in several languages that the chair's for TV watching. And most people are honest and obedient."

To reference HossC's post, "Obedient? Honest? That'll never catch on."

If you want to read the article, and find out what color those chairs are in a couple photos, click on this photo below:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wwJcA1uM...Bchair%2B3.jpg

:previous: I don't think I ever saw a pillow vending machine. For 50¢!

CityBoyDoug Oct 25, 2020 5:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9084285)
:previou

:previous: I don't think I ever saw a pillow vending machine. For 50¢!

This is before MyPillow which cost $39.00 and up.

CaliNative Oct 25, 2020 8:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug (Post 9084555)
This is before MyPillow which cost $39.00 and up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9083225)
.

A job worse than an elevator operator?




I don't believe we have seen the "Dippsy-Doodle" amusement ride on nla.


"Amusement park in Venice, Los Angeles, California, April 1942."

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/YTlKJj.jpg
vintageeveryday

This is a great photograph. I like the people milling about in the forground. . .the man eating caramel corn. . .the baby looking at the photographer.

One thing, in particular, caught my eye. . .if you look closely, the ride operator is on the ride! (he's in the middle of the orb)



He must be manipulating some sort of a spinning mechanism.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...923/ervjiP.jpg
detail

I imagine when he goes home at night it feels like his bedroom is spinning! :eeekk:





.

^^^
That contraption looks pretty flimsy. Did patrons get into by ladder?
Since he is in the center of spin, the operator would probably feel minimal centrifugal force. However if the thing also tilts as it spins, that could produce dizziness. Was this Venice amusement park the earlier version of Pacific Ocean Park in the same location? When I visited POP in the early '60s there was no Dipsey Doodle but just a large spinning cylinder ride that tilted as it spinned. It looked like a giant cake baking pan. It had room for maybe 30 riders. The operator was outside. The ride produced a pretty big centrifugal force that held you against the outer edge even as it tilted 30 or 40 degrees.

CaliNative Oct 25, 2020 9:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin Pal (Post 9084285)
:previous:

Out of curiosity, I tried photo searching for other photos of these Tel-a-Chairs in operation, but that photo seems to be one of the very few.

There is an article about them in a 1970 edition of Parade Magazine (which was inserted into Sunday Newspapers throughout the country.
It was the idea of "John W. Rich, 56, of Salt Lake City. Inventor of the well-known "water bumper" used on buses and taxicabs."

Water bumper?

Relating to the sign I was trying to decipher: In the article he was asked if people wouldn't just fall asleep in the chair without putting money into the machine. Rich didn't think so saying, "because each chair comes, equipped with a sign which says in several languages that the chair's for TV watching. And most people are honest and obedient."

To reference HossC's post, "Obedient? Honest? That'll never catch on."

If you want to read the article, and find out what color those chairs are in a couple photos, click on this photo below:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1wwJcA1uM...Bchair%2B3.jpg

:previous: I don't think I ever saw a pillow vending machine. For 50¢!

^^^
At 50 Cents they might be recycled pillows even at 1970 prices (hopefully cleaned). If I bought one I would put a paper towel over it.

In 1978 when I was in college on winter break I bought a cheap Greyhound pass for less than $100 and traveled from L.A. to New York and back. That was some trip. Very difficult to sleep on a bus. The smells. The noises. But it was fun, since I had never been to New York and I was afraid of flying. The people you meet. The changing landscapes and sights. Sometimes you ride next to someone who describes in detail 1001 ways to prepare shrimp. But they eventually get off in Memphis. I got to see New Years in Times Square on that trip.

alester young Oct 25, 2020 12:38 PM

Tel-A-Chairs
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9083433)
.
If The Jetsons were in L.A. waiting for a bus they might have used one of these Tel-A-Chairs.


Passengers watching coin-operated TV’s in the LA Greyhound terminal in 1969.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/XgJXQa.jpg
vintage.es

"Take note of the space age chairs, ashtrays, phone booths, and terrazzo floors.

The 49 Tel-A-Chairs at the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 6th and Los Angeles were grossing $4,000 every month.
Ten minutes of television time cost 10 cents while a half-hour cost 25 cents."


The gentleman closest to the camera appears to be watching football.

.

I wonder whether any of these still exist? They are incredibly cool.

Godzilla Oct 25, 2020 2:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9083433)
.
If The Jetsons were in L.A. waiting for a bus they might have used one of these Tel-A-Chairs.


Passengers watching coin-operated TV’s in the LA Greyhound terminal in 1969.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/XgJXQa.jpg
vintage.es

"Take note of the space age chairs, ashtrays, phone booths, and terrazzo floors.

The 49 Tel-A-Chairs at the Greyhound Bus Terminal at 6th and Los Angeles were grossing $4,000 every month.
Ten minutes of television time cost 10 cents while a half-hour cost 25 cents."


The gentleman closest to the camera appears to be watching football.

.




Many iterations of the same concept.




https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8851/...5497fd19_b.jpghttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8851/...5497fd19_b.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/e3...f410b81339.jpghttps://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/e3...f410b81339.jpg




http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AUllWSIABI...uthorityTV.jpghttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AUllWSIABI...uthorityTV.jpg







https://edition.cnn.com/travel/artic...html?gallery=0


1959, LAX TWA Terminal Bldg.
https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-airport--.jpghttps://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-airport--.jpg






"Customers at LA [Municipal Airport] in 1950 could get a haircut before boarding the plane."
https://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-a-plane--.jpghttps://dynaimage.cdn.cnn.com/cnn/q_...-a-plane--.jpg

CaliNative Oct 25, 2020 9:08 PM

Before they had T.V. chairs, did they have chairs with portable radios at the airports, bus stations etc.?

Lwize Oct 26, 2020 2:18 PM

In the old days, the chairs had small stages for live vaudeville.

ethereal_reality Oct 26, 2020 3:27 PM

.
:lmao:........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................




.

ethereal_reality Oct 26, 2020 4:52 PM

.

I happened upon this Who's Who in Los Angeles (1924) a few days ago on eBay

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/6...924/9XAgIn.jpg
eBay





The book included a handful of photographs of retail stores.

The first one to catch my eye was the amazing interior of the "Southern California Music Store".

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/ZrdVcA.jpg
detail

I'm pretty sure this is the lobby of the Fine Arts Building at 811 West 7th Street.






This next image shows the spacious interior of the "Willard George Store".

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/YPSbkc.jpg
detail

-any ideas where this was located?













And here is the two-leveled interior of "Halbriter's Store".

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/8...924/Acji0Z.jpg
detail

-another mystery.









But the biggest mystery of all is this "Egyptian Salt Water Swimming Club".

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/fPWiHY.jpg

As you can see the image is an illustration so I doubt that it was ever built. That said, I'd still like to know where it was going to be located.

As most of you know 1924 was the height of the 'Egyptian Craze' following the discovery of King Tut's Tomb in 1922.







A closer look at the beautiful filigree on the cover.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/kYXvzl.jpg
LINK

.

HossC Oct 26, 2020 5:32 PM

:previous:

The 1924 CD has a full-page advert for the Southern California Music Company. The building shown is the extant 806-808 S Broadway.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/imag...080&fit=bounds
LAPL

Willard George Inc was a furriers located at 2126 W 7th Street.

Halbriter's Inc was a clothing and men's furnishings store at 633 S Olive Street.

HossC Oct 26, 2020 5:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality (Post 9085532)

But the biggest mystery of all is this "Egyptian Salt Water Swimming Club".

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1...924/fPWiHY.jpg

As you can see the image is an illustration so I doubt that it was ever built. That said, I'd still like to know where it was going to be located.

As most of you know 1924 was the height of the 'Egyptian Craze' following the discovery of King Tut's Tomb in 1922.

The 1925 CD has the following entry:
EGYPTIAN SALT WATER SWIMMING CLUB INC, Ben D Harris Pres. G W Simpson Sec, R E Hafer Mgr. 401 Metropolitan Theatre Bldg, 323 W 6th, Phone Trinity 2617.
However, the June 4, 1925 edition of the New Castle News from New Castle, Pennsylvania has the following information:
"Another new swimming palace, which is soon to be opened is owned by the Egyptian Salt Water Swimming Club. The plunge is 100 by 300 feet and is located 900 feet behind the breakers on Exposition."
I didn't find any other mentions.


All times are GMT. The time now is 8:30 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.