:previous:

Also, in the above photo, notice the top of the streetlamps; during WWII in Los Angeles, the tops of streetlamps were blacked out to dim the lights from above, because of the fear that the Japanese were going to attack the west coast of the US at night (as if they still wouldn't be able to see the lit streetlights anyway). And if you watch the film noir "Double Indemnity," which was released in 1944, you'll see in the night scenes outside that the streetlamps were blacked out on top.

That's a pretty cool piece of WWII trivia sopas_ej.
It's something I would have NEVER noticed in that photograph.

I have a photo somewhere of the night Los Angeles was 'attacked'.
Do you have any information concerning that incident?

I'll try and find the photo (it's basically just a bunch of searchlights).

I found the photo. It's dated February 25, 1942.
(This event occurred three months after the attacks at Pearl Harbor)


http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/8...b251942ufo.jpg
unknown

above: Mystery objects (U.F.O.s) over L.A. triggered a massive anti-aircraft artillery barrage.


For more details google 'Battle of Los Angeles'.

I love the photos but always get so disappointed when looking at them. We demolished so much of Los Angeles' early identity.

^^^ I feel your pain buddy but keep in mind it isn't just L.A.
Many U.S. cities have destroyed a significant portion of their past.
It's a sad fact, but hopefully we have learned from our mistakes.

Ok, I found an example that isn't depressing dktshb.
This great example of art deco still stands at Wilshire Blvd. and Western Ave.

Originally known as the Pellissier Building, it is home to Wiltern Theater.




http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4...lesthepell.jpg
USC archive







http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/8...lespelliss.jpg
USC archive





http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4...sierbldgwi.jpg
USC archive






http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8...siermodern.jpg
Modern view. photographer unknown.




http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9...wilsonworl.jpg
Julie Wilson's World

above: The blue-green Pellissier Building can be seen in the distance on the right in this 1954 photograph.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6...igueroa195.jpg
unknown


6th & Figueroa in 1932.

Hotel Clinton...I'd love to know what has gone on there.

:previous:
Very nice photo.

The taller, elegant building still exists. It's the home of an exclusive social club, called the Jonathan Club, the address of that building is 545 S. Figueroa Street. That structure was built in 1924. Interesting to me because there's another social club nearby with its own taller building called the California Club, adjacent to the main library; I wonder if they competed with each other for members; or not. I'm sure they were both very exclusive, and probably still are-- though I know that the California Club isn't as "exclusive" as it was; I've been inside the California Club; I know that a long time ago, it didn't even allow Jews.

Whatever secrets and stories the Hotel Clinton could have told, it's been silenced forever-- that's where the Arco Towers-- uh, City National Plaza, is now.

Here's a long-shot of that intersection, courtesy LAPL, in 1952
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics47/00058393.jpg

Thanks for the interesting information sopas_ej.
I always look forward to your posts.

(the photo is cool as well)

No prob, ethereal_reality. I always looks forward to your posts too.

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/2...ausersjund.jpg
USC archive


above: Marijuana users July 1951.




http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1...nausersjun.jpg
USC archive


above: Marijuana users subjected to a photo op July 1951.

Beverly Hills City Hall, circa late 1930s (?). Intersection of Santa Monica Boulevard and Rexford Drive. Notice the street names stenciled on the curbs on the street corners. I've noticed these in photos of Beverly Hills pre-mid-1950s. If you've seen the opening credits of the movie "Sunset Boulevard," they do an extreme close-up of such a sign. I guess back then, Beverly Hills didn't use regular signs and signposts for street names?
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/1...lscityhall.jpg


Palm-lined Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills, 1942.
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/366...everlyhill.jpg

Those palms are a lot taller now. Both photos from the USC archive.

Woah, all these old photos of LA are great!:tup:

http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/611...hlicksprin.jpg
USC archive

above: The Amestoy Building pictured in 1945 at the northeast corner of Market and Main.
Many consider this building the first 'skyscraper' in Los Angeles.
Built in 1887, it was the first building in Los Angeles with an elevator.

Notice the Stake Out Bar in the lower right.
This was a popular hang-out for the LAPD in the 1940s.
At the time, the Police Dept. was located in City Hall across the street.

awesome thread http://img.imeem.com/img/render_bg/r...bgcolor=FFFFFF

Next year will be the 70th anniversary of the completion/opening of the Pasadena Freeway, the oldest freeway on the west coast, which runs from downtown Los Angeles to Pasadena. It was originally called the Arroyo Seco Parkway. When it opened, it became the new alignment for the famed US Route 66. In 1954 it was renamed the Pasadena Freeway. I think it's still officially called the Pasadena Freeway but some years ago the State of California officially declared it a historic highway, so there are a few signs that call it the Historic Arroyo Seco Parkway. Its Route 66 designation ended in 1964 when it was re-signed state route 11. Since 1981, it's been California State Route 110.

Here are some photos of its early years, all from the USC Archive.

1941
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/3...rkway1941a.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/949...rkway1941b.jpg

http://img44.imageshack.us/img44/935...rkway1941c.jpg

1942. Then, as now, on most onramps, you have to make a complete stop before entering the freeway. And on many offramps, the driver is forced to slow down abruptly to 5 miles per hour. On/offramps are extremely short by modern freeway standards, and there are virtually no acceleration/deceleration lanes. Freeways built after this one benefited from these design flaws; obviously, highway engineers realized you need longer ramps and space to accelerate/decelerate.
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/927...1941stopbe.jpg

DO NOT ENTER signs, 1942
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/5...entersigns.jpg

New signs, 1951. I guess this freeway originally had those smaller signs you see. The larger, taller signs are obviously better for motorists, and were just recently installed in this photo. I guess they didn't think to remove the older signs at the same time they installed the newer ones.
http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/5...51newsigns.jpg

Suicide, 1952. Someone leapt to their death onto the freeway from the York Blvd. overpass.
http://img529.imageshack.us/img529/6112/1952suicide.jpg
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3...52suicidea.jpg

Car accident death, 1952
http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/725...tdeath1952.jpg

Under construction in 1939.
http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/3...constructi.jpg

^^^ Pretty stunning photographs there sopas_ej.
I was kind of shocked to see the suicide and the traffic fatality.
Especially the suicide close-up with the hand clutching the keys.



below: I'll repost this pic of the Arroyo Seco Parkway to go along with yours.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/1...undarroyos.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/5...ebeach1930.jpg


above: On the lighter side, Venice Beach 1930.

sopas, i'm not able to see your photos unfortunately. (not even placeholders)

it's interesting that there are a significant number of historic mid/highrises in places relatively far outside the core.

it's also interesting that i continually seem to read the thread title as "no irish" instead of "noir-ish" los angeles.

http://www.rzuser.uni-heidelberg.de/...oto/Image7.gif

I think the USC website is down; I had linked the images from that website. If I get the chance, I'll download the photos and upload them to my Imageshack account and link them through there.

oops!
I never thought that noirish might look like no-irish.
I'm half Irish and half German does that help? :)

I searched "homeless" on the LAPL website, and this picture popped up. I find it fascinating and creepy at the same time:

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics40/00054753.jpg
Caption: Two prospective "tenants" look over jalopy jungle at Fourth and Omar Streets just off L.A.'s skid row. Old cars are used as sleeping quarters at night by homeless men, and city health and police authorities have declared the jalopies will be hauled off. Two cars have been burned up in recent weeks by sleepers, police say. Photo dated: March 26, 1954.

^^^interesting...and yes, a bit creepy.

I've been out of town.
I'll post more photos soon.

Totally amazing thread. Seeing black and white pictures of LA is quite haunting indeed.

Construction of the 101
http://helios.library.ca.gov/soca/hylen/2001-0576.jpg

Ah, the freeways...

Fatal accident, Cahuenga Freeway (Cahuenga Pass), 1951; victim, 26 year-old John J. Thornton. Just looking at this makes me cringe; of course this was back when cars weren't designed with crumple zones, let alone having seat belts and airbags.
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/111...fatal1951b.jpg

This one really gets me. Look at that bent steering column and deformed steering wheel; the driver really hit those with a strong force before pushing his head through the windshield. And look at that driver's seat.
http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/661...fatal1951a.jpg

Both photos from the USC archive.

1952, Four-level interchange. Where the Hollywood/Santa Ana Freeway meets the Pasadena/Harbor Freeway. This interchange is the first 4-level interchange ever built in the world. Note the route signing; US Route 99 is now Interstate 10; the Hollywood Freeway is still US Route 101. Of course US Route 66 doesn't exist, the Pasadena/Harbor Freeway now being California State Route 110/Interstate 110, respectively. California already had an extensive highway/freeway system which predated the Federal Interstate system; this was the reason why California was exempt from having exit numbers until fairly recently.
http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/8...rlevel1952.jpg
From the USC archive.

The Four-level, 1953
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/653/fourlevel1953.jpg
From the USC archive.

Aerial view of the four-level, 1970
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics17/00008249.jpg
From LAPL

The four-level under construction, late 1940s
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics48/00058615.jpg
From LAPL

Wilshire and Bonnie Brae, 1937. From the USC archive.
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/475...nniebrae19.jpg
By the 1920s, LA already had the most cars per capita than any other city on earth at the time. I'm sure it was scenes like this that led to the encouragement of the building of freeways. Reading through old LA traffic plan books from the 1950s at the LA Central Library, it's funny to know that back then, freeways were really seen as a salvation for many, as they would "forever free up traffic from surface streets and cut down travel times across the city."

Wow @ the speed limit only being 20 mph.

City Hall under construction 1928.

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/5...halluc1928.jpg
USC Digital Library

Another one of City Hall under construction 1928.


http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/6...alluc1928a.jpg
USC Digital Library

And several more from 1927/1928.


http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/9...alluc1928c.jpg
USC Digital Library




http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3...lwithgarag.jpg
USC Digital Library



http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3...alluc1928b.jpg
USC Digital Library

mmm old L.A. *Drools*

one hell of a city, pity they didn't realize that freeways would encourage more traffic and cause more problems, hell it probably would have been cheaper to add a few new tracks to the street car lines and build a new subway system :\

Yay for construction pictures.

Union Bank (and a few other towers) under construction
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...302EBAE43?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...51-4-ISLA?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...4448-ISLA?v=hr

Arco Towers
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...4435-ISLA?v=hr

Downtown in the mid 60's. Notice the Convention Center under construction and the vast emptiness of the Bunker Hill Redevelopment
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...75-2-ISLA?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...75-9-ISLA?v=hr

Downtown circa 1973 (Note AON Center and B of A Plaza under construction)
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-33340?v=hr

Downtown circa 1986 with the Wedbush building under construction. The Pac Bell building on the left is now 1010 Wilshire.
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-42064?v=hr

Bunker Hill (and Wilshire)
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-31165?v=hr

Downtown circa 1928
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-6981?v=hr

Downtown circa 1925 (Pershing Square on the left)
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-9066?v=hr

City Hall construction site circa 1926
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-35190?v=hr

http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-35191?v=hr

Music Center and DWP Building all under construction
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...23-2-ISLA?v=hr

Century City circa 1964
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...5-1a-ISLA?v=hr

More Union Bank
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...51-1-ISLA?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...85-1-ISLA?v=hr
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...85-2-ISLA?v=hr

LA Coliseum
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-44179?v=hr

Ah, Glendale. The setting for "Mildred Pierce."

"With this money I can get away from you. From you and your chickens and your pies and your kitchens and everything that smells of grease. I can get away from this shack with its cheap furniture. And this town and its dollar days, and its women that wear uniforms and its men that wear overalls."-- Veda from "Mildred Pierce," 1945

Was Glendale all that bad back then, Veda?

Brand Boulevard, Glendale, 1940
http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2933/dwc1192isla.jpg

Supermarket in Glendale, 1940
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/1...glendale19.jpg

Both pics from USC archive

Of course there's the Glendale train station used in the ultimate film noir, "Double Indemnity" (1944). The train station still exists, and is restored; it's now a Metrolink and Amtrak train station. The photo is from 1936.
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics30/00064743.jpg

From LAPL website

ThreeHundred, all the construction pics are great.
Thanks for posting them. They're really interesting.



I had no idea 'Mildred Pierce' was set in Glendale sopas_ej.
Doesn't she open a club along the coast eventually.... in Malibu?
Maybe I have it mixed up with another film noir.

Seeing the Glendale train station is a treat.
Certainly glad it still exists...and in use.


Below, is a cool blog you would appreciate sopas_ej.

http://tropicostation.blogspot.com/2...indemnity.html




And I thought this was especially cool.
I invited him to post the photos on this thread....but I haven't heard from him.


http://tropicostation.blogspot.com/2...wave-1952.html


http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/6...vetitle195.jpg

CRIME WAVE 1954......shot in Glendale.


This guy took the time to shoot about 20 before and after photos
comparing Glendale today to Glendale 1954 as seen in the film noir 'Crime Wave'.

Below is just one example.


http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8...ve1952glen.jpg

Above: Looking east on Glendale Blvd. in Atwater Village near the Hyperion Bridge.


http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/9...e1952glenx.jpg
tropicostation.blogspot


Above: The same scene today.


This is just TOO GREAT.

:previous:

Thanks for the link, ethereal. It's great; I've actually stumbled upon it a few months ago, I don't know why I never thought to post some photos from there on here.

"Mildred Pierce" is set in Glendale but you don't see any outside shots; you do see some neighborhood house shots near the beginning of the film but I don't know if that was actually filmed in Glendale. The story begins and ends in Malibu at a beach house, of course it's that flash-back sort of storyline.

Great additions....

More "Double Indemnity." Now I know I have to drive to these spots.

All pics from dearoldhollywood.blogspot.com

The Dietrichson house.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1488.JPG

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1532.JPG
6301 Quebec Drive, Hollywood Hills

Fred MacMurray's apartment in the film, 1825 N. Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1489.JPG

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1502.JPG

Southwest corner of Hollywood and Western. I drive by this intersection often.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1491.JPG

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_XRrU8-3Nmi...0/DSCN1506.JPG

wow....I love the comparison pics from 'Double Indemnity' sopas_ej

http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3...ebrownderb.jpg
unknown

The Brown Derby on Wilshire blvd.

If the above photo from Wilshire blvd. says "Eat in the Hat."



http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/6...0813brneon.jpg

Where is this one from?
(it even says WILSHIRE in the brim)

This has become my favorite thread on this forum. Please keep the old photos coming.:cheers:

what a thread!

found this photo on flickr. it shows the area in front of city hall, where a couple of large older buildings used to be. one of them (municipal archives or something?) was aligned to the old street grid and stood directly between city hall and the rest of the civic center area, but the one which was further south, it's foundation can still be seen in this photo. it was aligned to the new street grid, but why was it demolished I wonder? would have been nice to have another older style building in the civic center.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/21...bc6b20a6_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8426355...7594215614353/

in this older photo we can see the two demolished buildings

http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics48/00058615.jpg
from LAPL

The building which you see its foundation in the modern photo, that was the State Office Building. It was deemed unsafe for use after the 1971 Sylmar Earthquake, so it was subsequently demolished. The other older building that was at an odd angle because it followed the old street grid, that was the old Hall of Records and was demolished in the early 1970s after the Criminal Courts Building (the ugly grey box that looks like a huge A/C unit) was completed; it was built right up against it. I could be wrong but I think the Civic Center mall was supposed to be extended through that area, but instead of course it's been a parking lot since the old Hall of Records demolition. And of course now if the new planned Civic Center Park is going to be built, there'll be a park running through that Civic Center Area from the DWP building to City Hall. I'm hoping it does happen.

My guess is that it could be the Beverly Hills Brown Derby, which was located at Wilshire and Rodeo Drive.

There were 4 Brown Derbys, the original one that was shaped like a hat across from the now-demolished Ambassador Hotel, the Beverly Hills location, and a Hollywood location on Vine Street. That was the one where you could see the stars dine at. There was also a location in Los Feliz; this location was used for the establishing shot as Arnold's Diner in the opening of the "Happy Days" TV series. After the other locations closed, this one eventually was renamed "The Derby." It closed earlier this year. I don't know what's going to become of the building.

Ah, another shot of the Richfield Building, with its reflection in one of the pools outside the Main Library, 1952.
http://jpg3.lapl.org/pics50/00074537.jpg
From LAPL

What is actress Debbie Reynolds doing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine in 1955? Notice the construction of the Capitol Records building in the background, the first circular office building in the world.

http://img169.imageshack.us/img169/8...s1955holly.jpg
From USC archive

She wasn't far from the Hollywood Brown Derby, shown here in 1938.
http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/3...nderby1938.jpg
From USC archive

I think I'll have a Cobb salad, please, it was invented at the Hollywood Brown Derby. Oh and Lucy, stop throwing pies at Bill Holden. "Excuse me miss, is that caricature of Shelley Winters or Judy Holliday?" "Neither, it's Eve Arden."

Hollywood and Vine, 1945
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics16/00007765.jpg

Hollywood and Vine, 1947
http://jpg1.lapl.org/pics17/00008115.jpg
both pics from LAPL

Within 2 years, the older, spiky twin-lantern streetlamps would be gone, replaced by the taller, teardrop streetlamps. And going by the Debbie Reynolds photo, by 1955, the old ACME semaphore traffic signals would be replaced by the standard 3-colored light traffic signals. You can see the Brown Derby in the background of both pics.

sopas_ej
The Brown Derby sign on the Wilshire location said "Eat at the Hat",
that's why I was confused about the other sign with Wilshire on the brim.
Perhaps it's a later sign.



http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/3...ebrownderb.jpg



Below: I just found this from 1954. Indeed, a different sign on top.


http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/9...wilsonworl.jpg

below: Hollywood & Vine 1965.


http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/8...odvine1965.jpg
unknown



below: The Hollywood Bowl.
I never knew there used to be a fountain in front of the stage.


http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/9...odbowlwith.jpg





below: Hollywood Freeway, with a good view of the long gone Gas Tanks.
I especially like the row of old buildings center left.


http://img140.imageshack.us/img140/7...eastoverfr.jpg
unknown

^^^^
Cool pics! That one of Hollywood and Vine in 1965 really shows that Hollywood Blvd. was already going down the tubes at that point, it already looks rundown, even though they tried to jazz it up with the weird 3-light streetlamps and the Walk of Fame stars on the sidewalk.


I think you're right; in my subsequent searches for images of the Brown Derby I saw pics of the original hat-shaped restaurant with the sign that says "Wilshire" on it.