noirish Los Angeles

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

snapshots from a photo-album 1928-29.
ebay

I like this photo ER. You can almost hear these old rattle-traps clunking down the street.

[Joe Gillis]

http://scartists.com/index.php?page=...hk=1&Itemid=71

Home of 'It' Girl Clara Bow who allegedly 'entertained' the 'Thundering Herd' USC Football Team here in a supposed Orgy in 1927. I've read somewhere that a young John Wayne was involved in this???

Anyhow the USC coach allegedly posted a note in the locker room stating that 'Clara Bow is off limits to all members of this football team'



Google

House looks to have been replaced

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

http://scartists.com/index.php?page=...hk=1&Itemid=71

Home of 'It' Girl Clara Bow who allegedly 'entertained' the 'Thundering Herd' USC Football Team here in a supposed Orgy in 1927. I've read somewhere that a young John Wayne was involved in this???

Anyhow the USC coach allegedly posted a note in the locker room stating that 'Clara Bow is off limits to all members of this football team'



Google

House looks to have been replaced

Is it possible that the Spanish tile roof was replaced with composition?

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

Home of 'It' Girl Clara Bow who allegedly 'entertained' the 'Thundering Herd' USC Football Team here in a supposed Orgy in 1927. I've read somewhere that a young John Wayne was involved in this???

Anyhow the USC coach allegedly posted a note in the locker room stating that 'Clara Bow is off limits to all members of this football team'

I'm afraid that FredH made the post below some time ago, and according to Snopes.com, the allegations are false. Read the story here.

Originally Posted by FredH

Just to link together (so to speak) a couple of recent posts:




Darn! That would have been noirish.

[Martin Pal]

A short time ago, back on page 815, there were some photos posted of the intersection of Santa Monica Blvd. (SMB) and La Cienega Blvd., particularly the Northeast corner, from the 70's and 80's. 100 years ago this area was mostly undeveloped and much of it was farmland. It became known as the town of Sherman, changed it's name to West Hollywood in a controversial move in 1925 and remained an unincorporated part of Los Angeles until 1984 when it became it's own separate city.

Using some new photos, similar photos and previously posted ones, here is the last 100 years of the intersection of SMB and La Cienega, particularly the Northeast corner!

(1920's)

As opposed to Hollywood, in the top right corner, West Hollywood is still quite undeveloped.


Dept.Water&Power

The Sherman rail yards are on the left where the small town of Sherman has established itself, where many of the railyard workers have settled. The angled road from the left side of the photo is Santa Monica Blvd. and meets the horizontal road near the photo's center and continues east as Santa Monica Blvd. The horizontal road continues West for about six blocks as Holloway Drive until it connects to Sunset Blvd., which you can see winding it's way along the base of the Hollywood Hills.

The first street to the left of where Holloway meets SMB is the intersection of SMB and La Cienega. In this photo the northeast corner, which is a triangle of land bordered by SMB, La Cienega and Holloway, is undeveloped.


(1931)
Nine years after the above photo was taken we can see how much has happened in that short time. The area is almost completely filled in and urbanized. (The Sherman rail yards appear just below center in this view). The farmland between Hollywood & West Hollywood is gone.

The larger white block building on SMB is the Bekins storage (now Emser) building. The first street before that building in the photo is the corner of SMB and La Cienega and that Northeast corner is still not developed.

WestHollywoodHistory

(1940's)
I love this photo taken in the 1940's! This is the SMB/La Cienega intersection. To the left of the Red Car is the La Cienega Lanes Bowling Alley which was built in 1940 on the Northeast corner. (Notice the Gruen Watch Time neon near the entrance.) The Bekins building is in the distance to the right of the Red Car. Look at that forest of electrical/telephone poles!


Metro Photo Archive
gogonotes.blogspot.com/

***Update: (A KCET article I read that included this photograph said it was taken December 18, 1952.)

(1955)
At some point, Art Linkletter and his associates acquired the bowling alley. (One source says 1946.) The following two photos were taken in 1955 of the Bowling Alley entrance on the Northeast corner.



Here's a photo I found listed as c.1955 captioned as: Art Linkletter in bowling alley with friends. (Thanks for the information, lol!) The shirt tells us we're in his La Cienega Lanes Bowling Alley. Anyone recognize any of his friends?

GettyImages

(1969)
These next two photos show the Northeast corner at the top right and the La Cienega Lanes are still there, but Art Linkletter apparently isn't. Lots of noirish ambiance--a misaligned phone booth...a motel (seedy?) across the street...a Corvair next to a tow truck...a bus bench in front of a car...?...a sign (lighted in one photo) for the intriguingly named "Phone Booth Restaurant"...? The Richfield billboard says "Motion Potion," lol!

www.rayandrobby.com (archived)

(c. 1973)
Similar shot with the P.E. Car in the photo. Seems that Salem Cigarettes used the "Refreshes Naturally" ad 1973/1974, which makes sense when "getting back to nature" was in mode.


Martino'sTimeMachine

Also check out a color/colorized(?) photo of the above

HERE on Vintage L.A.


(1975)
A few years later and we have this snapshot taken from a moving car.
The La Cienega Lanes are nearing the end of their almost 40 year run.

N06@Flickr

(c.1977-78)
I guess even the Automatic Pinsetters couldn't save the old girl.

Nick Faitos at flickr

(1980)
Roller disco replaced bowling in 1979 when Flipper's opened, first as a private club for a few months before being opened to the general public.


Central1179 @ Flickr

Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past

It was a firework that bloomed briefly for two years and then, just like disco, suddenly vanished.

Two TV series that filmed episodes in Flippers were "Charlie's Angels" and "CHiP's." Flippers at night from the Charlie's Angels episode:
Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past

"Denny Cordell Presents" was renamed "Freddie Fortune Presents" for the episode.

Allison Martino
Denny Cordell on Myspace
gogonotes

(1982)
Flippers for Sale. (No wonder it's in b&w!)


(1991)
After Flipper's closed, the Esprit clothing company decided to spend 14 million dollars to open a flagship store at this location. ESPRIT opened around Thanksgiving of 1984 and remained there for about a decade before closing, mostly, it is said, to the relationship turmoil between the couple who owned this enterprise.

I cannot find any photos of the building during this time, except this screen capture from the 1991 film, appropriately titled "L.A. Story." That's Sarah Jessica Parker and Steve Martin outside the entrance in the (real or Hollywood?) rain. I am told the latest release of the film has a special feature included on the design of the film and the production designer talks about filming in Esprit and why they did so. There's a scene or two in the film that takes place "inside" the store itself.



When they remodeled, they also purchased the popular Jim Morris Gym located adjacent to the building and built a parking structure in its stead.

parking structure

iamnotastalker

In this current photo, I am told you can see the outline/remnants of Esprit's distinctive sign, especially the "E". (I confess I don't really see it.)


(Today)
After Esprit closed the building was vacant for approximately ten years. Before they decided to build their own building, the West Hollywood City Council was considering moving the city government offices to this location. Instead, the SAV-ON pharmacy moved in and was subsequently taken over by CVS, which this building currently houses.



Todd Conversano

As we've seen on this thread, some areas of the city change drastically and even disappear totally. This particular corner has stayed relatively the same, despite the different incarnations of the times!

In conclusion: "Hooray for [West] Hollywood!"


wehoville

[Linda Hammonds]

Do you have a date for the menu?

[Linda Hammonds]

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I know several of our members were taken to Bullock's Pasadena by their mothers when they were children.


ebay

Do any of you remember having lunch there? please tell-
__




A reminder of the ultra-modern architecture of Bullock's Pasadena circa 1947 (yes, 1947!)

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...postcount=4681

__

Do you have a date for the Bullock's children's menu?

[Blaster]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

The concrete streets of Windsor Square are pushing 100 years old--actually, I don't really know if any of them in this district have ever been replaced, but, from the looks of them here, perhaps not. I wonder how many times the asphalt streets in the later part of Windsor have been replaced in the past century?

I live in the 200 South block of Lucerne which is a concrete street. I don't know if it's ever been completely replaced but there sure are a lot of concrete "patches." I have a feeling residents wouldn't mind it being replaced with asphalt but it's an historic district so possibly that's an issue.

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Joe Gillis

Home of 'It' Girl Clara Bow....



Google

House looks to have been replaced

According to the assessor's information, it was built in 1925 and effectively rebuilt in 1973.

[Martin Pal]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

(1955)
The following two photos were taken in 1955 of the Bowling Alley entrance on the Northeast corner.

Update, cool, IMO!

The two above photos were screenshots of a noir film from 1956 titled THE MAN IN THE VAULT. It was produced by John Wayne's Batjac Company. It was filmed in 1955 and released the following year. The 72 minute film is mostly shot on locations in Hollywood and West Hollywood.

As for the La Cienega Lanes, there are many scenes shot outside the bowling alley with shots, at night, looking up and down La Cienega Blvd. There are some daylight scenes with a driver coming from Holloway and driving into the back area of the building and then coming inside from a back door entrance.

Then there are many scenes, including a climactic one (gunplay), shot inside of the bowling alley itself. You can see the entire bowling alley, plus the pin set-up area behind the lanes and also of the cocktail bar inside. One scene has the lead character exiting the front doors to the outside.

Then, there are outdoor scenes of driving along Sunset Blvd. and up into the hills on Marmont Lane. In another scene you can see the Chateau Marmont and Sunset Blvd. at night lit up in the distance.

A house up in the hills is shown, but I don't know where that is located.

There are some scenes shot on a Beverly Hills residential street and exterior of a house.

There's a key shop in the 6000 block of Santa Monica Blvd. where the lead character works.

The plot revolves around a guy who ends up having to do some things in the Bank of America on the corner of Hollywood and Highland. I don't know if the bank interiors were shot there, but the intersection of Hollywood and Highland is covered from every direction. You can see the Hollywood Hotel in it's last days. The Chinese Theatre is down the street. There's one shot of him coming out of the bank and I wanted the camera to pan left so we could see the Coffee Dan's restaurant right there, but alas, that was not to be.

Last, but not least, are some scenes filmed at a vacant Hollywood Bowl.

A wonderful film for noirish L.A. buffs with lots of location filming!

I'd post screencaps, but I have no way to do that at the moment.

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Linda Hammonds

Do you have a date for the menu?

I am sorry Linda, I don't.

Great post on the 'flippers' corner of La Cienega & Santa Monica Boulevard Martin_Pal.
I only remember it as the Esprit store (I mentioned it not too long ago). It was really impressive for the 1980s.

[HossC]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

(1980)
Roller disco replaced bowling in 1979 when Flipper's opened, first as a private club for a few months before being opened to the general public. It was a firework that bloomed briefly for two years and then, just like disco, suddenly vanished. Two TV series that filmed episodes in Flippers were "Charlie's Angels" and "CHiP's."

Central1179 @ Flickr

The CHiPs episode was the imaginatively titled two-parter "Roller Disco", which was the season 3 opener. After helping out a troubled young musician named Jimmy Tyler (played by teen heartthrob Leif Garrett), Ponch has to organize a star-studded charity roller disco. About 15 minutes of the second part are filmed at Flippers. Apologies for the poor quality of the screengrabs - it's not out on DVD yet.

Leif Garrett and band:


"First-Ever Roller Disco Beauty Contest":


I'm guessing that the tropical backdrop was a regular feature of the roller disco. The guy in the blue shirt is George Peppard!

All screengrabs Rosner Television/MGM Television

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

In this current photo, I am told you can see the outline/remnants of Esprit's distinctive sign, especially the "E". (I confess I don't really see it.)

I don't know what color the sign was originally, but going by the remnants, I'm guessing it looked something like this:

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by Blaster

I live in the 200 South block of Lucerne which is a concrete street. I don't know if it's ever been completely replaced but there sure are a lot of concrete "patches." I have a feeling residents wouldn't mind it being replaced with asphalt but it's an historic district so possibly that's an issue.

LAT Feb 8, 1920


Your block of Lucerne is part of the Windsor Heights tract, which had its official opening on January 4, 1920. The Tracy E. Shoults Company developed it, apparently specifying concrete streets--different developers were responsible for the original Windsor Square (concrete streets), its extensions to the west including Lucerne south of 3rd (asphalt) and to the north, New Windsor Square (asphalt), and Windsor Heights. There is actually quite a bit of early coverage in the Los Angeles Times about Windsor Heights, including the construction of new houses in the tract--perhaps yours is covered, which you may already be aware of.

Lucerne above 3rd Street was, at the time, called El Centro Avenue, an extension of that street from Hollywood to the north. The change from El Centro to Lucerne (from 3rd to Melrose) came about by early 1924.

[OLeander5-5225]

That's a great image. I think that this photo that I found on eBay is just further north, up the street, La Cienega and Beverly, yes?



http://www.ebay.com/itm/La-Cienega-B...80752767200%26

[HossC]

OLeander, just to warn you, that Ebay link will only work for a short time (it'll be a certain amount of time after the auction finishes). I found a slightly larger version of the same picture on Ebay a few weeks ago. I tweaked it a little to remove some of the patterning. The seller in your link describes it as "La Cienega Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 1930 Photograph".


Ebay

[ethereal_reality]

I like the white arrow pointing west advertising a country store (the arrow is huge/compare it to the truck).
Does anyone know what store it's advertising?
__

[Flyingwedge]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

(1982)
Flippers for Sale. (No wonder it's in b&w!)

Hey, great post MP. I never knew that building had been a bowling alley.

In the mid-80s I worked in the Petersen Building up on La Cienega and Sunset, and I remember the Esprit store down on La Cienega and Santa Monica. In the b/w photo you can see a tiny bit of the Petersen Bldg above and to the right of the DON'T WALK sign.

I've been by the Petersen Building within the last year, and it looks vacant -- there's plywood in one column of windows in the photo below -- except that the parking structure is being used:

GSV Feb 2011


GSV May 2011

Petersen Publishing also owned that fire-damaged building next door on Sunset. I think Petersen moved to Westwood a few years after I left. I wonder if those buildings have been vacant all this time?

When I worked there, Mr. Petersen's office was on the top floor, and right off the elevator in a glass case was a stuffed polar bear that he'd shot. In 2011 his estate donated it to the NRA:
http://www.nrablog.com/post/2011/05/...the-lobby.aspx

[ethereal_reality]

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

This particular corner (La Cienega & Santa Monica Blvd.) has stayed relatively the same, despite the different incarnations of the times!

Directly across La Cienega Boulevard from the old 'La Cienega Lanes/Flippers' is another untouched relic, the Alta Cienega Motel.


1949



today

GSV

One reason this small motel has been relatively untouched is that Jim Morrison used to live in room 32!

http://urlm.co/www.rayandrobby.com

-there it is!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mykalburns/2729346886/



Room 32 today

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/28211271
__

-in the same vicinity.

I've been trying to remember what venue used to be located just north of the Alta Cienega Motel (northwest of the old Flippers).

-the southwest corner of La Cienega Boulevard & Holloway Drive.

google_aerial

-here's a side view from La Cienega Blvd. (it resembles an old spanish kitchen)




-the view from Holloway Drive (La Cienega is at left)

GSV

This noirish looking place encased in all that burnt umber paint has intrigued me for quite some time.


A big source of income for the owners of the property are the two massive billboards.
(one actually emerges from the vacant structure)

GSV
__

[Noircitydame]

Nice shots of Billocks/Southwestlaw.

I don't have any other photos of Coffee Dan's - I remember coming across some but don't seem to have saved them. (as far as I could gather, the later coffee shops had no connection other than the name to the older speakeasy-ish ones).

Originally Posted by Martin Pal

Do you have any other photos and/or info about Coffee Dan's?
I've been interested in photos of Coffee Dan's on Vine Street in Hollywood and on Hollywood Blvd. near Highland. There's conflicting info I've uncovered whether or not they were there at the same time or the Vine Street location relocated to Hollywood Blvd. In any case, full on photos of these places have not been seen by me anywhere!

But speaking of Topper, did you know that the Sea Breeze Hotel entrance in the film was shot in front of the Bullock's Wilshire porte cochere?

Can't find a screen grab, but this'll give you an idea:

[Those Who Squirm!]

Originally Posted by ProphetM

I think it bears remembering that Olvera Street itself was a contrivance, an alley that got turned into a tourist trap. It has some wonderful old buildings but they have been repurposed and changed throughout their existence. They don't line up with each other because you're looking at their backsides, and they are largely obscured by 85 hojillion vendor stalls. The whole thing was out of place and time even when it was 'new' in the early 1930s. A big cover and some shades over what was once an industrial shop and storage space doesn't really seem like a violation to me.

For that matter, in 1930 the word "new" pretty well described most of the buildings lining Olvera Street, only two or three of which were much more than thirty or forty years at the time. With regard to age, the remnant of Old Chinatown that lived on into the 1950s, on the east side of the Plaza, were considerably more historic.

That said, over the 83 years since I consider that the Olvera Street structures have acquired historic value by virtue of their age.