Interesting post cards of the freeway interchange back when it was new, landscaped, and not a parking lot. It is none of those things today, sadly.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-m...alentinoFB.jpg


I guess there's a Facebook page for everything:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rudol...29507953774418

But then there's this:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas..._b_700927.html


That Valentino may or may not have been gay is not news, but I'd never heard of this:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1...eliftcompl.jpghttps://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...ino81compl.jpg
From the Times, Oct 19, 1927 and June 15, 1981


Alberto and his son Jean in 1951:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6...2520PM.bmp.jpg

It looks as if Jean had followed his father's footsteps and had his nose whittled down, he could have been Valentino III.

LAT, USCDL

I used to walk by the Van de Kamp's bakery every day on my way to school in the 60's. Oh the aroma of fresh baked goods!! Bakery was built in 1930. Missing, is the Van de Kamp's restaurant and drive-up just ahead at the signal on the right on the corner of Fletcher Drive and San Fernando Rd. It was quite the hangout in its day. I can still taste the onion rings with a side of blue!

Andys

:previous:


Andys--these prior posts show the drive-in:

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6800

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=6802

http://imageshack.us/a/img845/7942/rlv0.jpg

-here's the link to the video. (it has sound)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkkjpDmf7zw

At one point a car has to swerve to avoid hitting a pick up truck trying to turn left ..and then 10 seconds later we see a wrecked car being towed.
The lack of a center line seems a bit dangerous.

Of course there's a lot more interesting things to look at than the traffic.
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I noticed that gas was going for 9 cents a gallon, and there were very few pedestrians even though car ownership was so much lower.

Camera lenses
 

I asked the same question on page 560 #11200. There was no answer except from Tovangar (#11217) who didn't convince me. I did some research and yes : "it's mainly the camera lenses", like HossC said !
Like limiters/compressors which flatten the music level on the radio - making the music sound stronger than real - old lenses in black & white photos flatten the buildings making them look bigger.

Updates on MANY of the buildings discussed over the last 835 pages
 

Here is a link, if anyone is interested, detailing 94 of the latest developments in the downtown area. For example here is just one:
TITLE INSURANCE BUILDING: According to the most recent information available, Bel-Air based Capital Foresight is planning to convert the Title Insurance Building at 433 S. Spring St. into an as-yet-undetermined number of residential units. The company has yet to finalize its proposal but had expected to submit plans to begin the entitlement process for the 1913 Art Deco structure in the spring. The deal is tied in to the adjacent building at 419 S. Spring St., where an entity called PNK I Group plans to create a hotel. The status of the hotel deal is uncertain.
There is also an update on the PACMUTUAL and many more.

http://goo.gl/9NyxRB

Just as I was getting a grip on Vermont Avenue Square and Vermont Square, along comes Van Ness Avenue Square.

http://imageshack.us/a/img32/2053/1bvb.jpg
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
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Surely there have been psychological studies done about why so many actors over the years that women consider to be Hollywood heartthrobs were, in fact, gay. Rudolph Valentino, Rock Hudson, Wentworth Miller. It happens in every generation, despite the best gaydar. Or maybe it's more about how Hollywood packages them? Their ability to make eye contact with the camera. Interesting to ponder.... ;)

Explanation below....
 

[QUOTE=austlar1;6273015]http://imageshack.us/a/img845/7942/rlv0.jpg


Can anyone identify what block of Wilshire this would be?

:previous:

Blaster, I believe we're looking west toward Wilshire and Robertson. (I'm going by the slight curve in the road)
http://imageshack.us/a/img802/6664/1gn8.jpg
GSV

The heavily remodeled building on the northwest corner of Wilshire and Robertson may or may not be the same building that appears in the
1930's film.

In the black and white screen-grab the building in the upper left hand corner would be on the southwest corner of Wilshire and Arnaz Drive. (I think) :)
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You're either joking or this is the single most ignorant thing that has ever been posted on this thread.

I thought this might interest you GW.

http://imageshack.us/a/img837/3964/nwku.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img34/3033/qrqq.jpg
Chronicling America

I certainly didn't expect this home to still be standing.



A few feet, one way or another, and it would have been destroyed.
http://imageshack.us/a/img163/4291/5sun.jpg
google_earth



from Toberman Street.
http://imageshack.us/a/img513/8104/npeu.jpg
gsv



http://imageshack.us/a/img401/4766/lnk2.jpg
gsv
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The front of the house from 18th Street
http://imageshack.us/a/img513/5412/2f4q.jpg
gsv


Sadly, this is the view from the front porch. -razor wire-
http://imageshack.us/a/img96/7459/w1jt.jpg
gsv
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An ill-advised apartment building has been built on the original lot. (but at least they didn't demolish the home)
http://imageshack.us/a/img534/4042/3ikg.jpg
google_earth

I am intrigued by the curved balcony above the front porch (it's visible in the 18th Street photo as well).
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:previous:

That house on 18th/Toberman is very close to a building I first spotted while watching 'CHiPs'. 1828 Oak Street is a large hall just across the freeway, and seems to date from around 1925. I've marked it in blue to show the relative position (the CHP building is the one with the gray roof in the loop to the left of the Harbor Freeway - it replaced the one seen in the show).

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...LAOakStMap.jpg
E_R/Google Earth

Here's the building from Washington Boulevard. There's an amazing amount of detail around the roofline. It also retains its small blade sign advertizing "Dancing".

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...LAOakStGSV.jpg
GSV

A similar view at night. The caption says "Casa Vertigo is a 88,000 + sq ft. filming & events venue."

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...OakStNight.jpg
Kerry M./yelp.com

A few exterior/interior shots:

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...A/LAOakSt1.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...A/LAOakSt2.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...A/LAOakSt3.jpg
http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...A/LAOakSt4.jpg
All by Dan Williams c/o imageevent.com (There are 176 pictures in the set.)

It looks like the building (or a portion of it) has also been known as Chateau Ballroom in recent years.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...akStPoster.jpg
plusoneeventz.com

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...A/LAOakSt5.jpg
californianightlife.com

In 'CHiPs', the building played the part of the 'Oak Street Youth Center'.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...Center0416.jpg
MGM TV/Rosner TV

Strangely, when the youth center appeared again in a later episode, they used 1727 North Spring Street.

http://i809.photobucket.com/albums/z...Center0522.jpg
MGM TV/Rosner TV

1727 North Spring Street has appeared in this thread several times, including post #7516, post #7520 and post #7524 (sorry if I missed anyone else's posts).

:previous: The old I.O.O.F. Hall (Odd Fellow Temple) was going to be my next post. You beat me to it HossC. :)
If I remember correctly, there was a radio station (now called the 'penthouse') on the roof for 85 years.
I'll have to find my notes with the details.



This close-up shows the mysterious Odd Fellow symbolism with the three rings and all-seeing eye.
http://imageshack.us/a/img198/9628/wi2p.jpg
gsv

You can see it above the banner in the CHiPS photo you posted.

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Hello on this noirish day
 

Thanks Mr. Wilshire, most appreciated and I always enjoy your posts. You have a lot of knowledge about LA.

Somehow we've overlooked the San Marcos Hotel (& Apts.) here on noirish.

http://imageshack.us/a/img7/8610/8nsi.jpg
ebay




today
http://imageshack.us/a/img89/1092/5ggd.jpg
gsv

Surprisingly, Ethical Drugs is still in business.







old entrance marquee at 242 N. Western Avenue
http://imageshack.us/a/img850/893/kdfg.jpg
gsv detail





http://imageshack.us/a/img826/3106/09r9.jpg
gsv

I didn't mean to steal your thunder, E_R :). I was hoping that someone would fill in some early details about the building, because I just got loads of property sites when I Googled it. The 'CHiPs' picture dates from 1980/81, but doesn't give many clues. Thanks for the info about the name, the eye and the radio station.

:previous: I'm still looking for that radio station information HossC. I even had interior photos of the small studio on the roof.

Hi [B]Martin, I lived on Hancock until around 1988.
It's too bad that outdoor news stand on Hancock & Santa Monica Blvd. is gone.
Of course, there's Book Soup just up the street. :)
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