noirish Los Angeles - Page 2059

ethereal_reality · #**41161** Posted **Apr 12, 2017, 9:08 PM**

I found this original slide from the 1950s last night on ebay.

I like the two old trucks...in Beverly Hills of all places. (of course they weren't old then)

ethereal_reality · #**41162** Posted **Apr 12, 2017, 9:10 PM**

Just for fun, here's another one.

ebay

That's the Paramount Gate in the distance.

What's the heavy cross on the back of the stop sign? -is it the back of a lighted sign?

The two cars parked by the service station on the left look like the car t2 pointed out that was parked next to TAIX.
----

I wondered about Geller's (on the right at 706 N. Bronson) in a similar slide I posted a few years back.

Hoss had the answer.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=31200

But I wonder what the restaurant is on that corner? (by the man in the gray suit)

_

Blaster · #**41163** Posted **Apr 12, 2017, 11:15 PM**

Thanks for that amazing shot of the Paramount gate. They rarely ever showed the short street and the other businesses leading up to it. I think that all went down some time in the 80's, maybe around the same time as the Western Costumes building which was just East.

tovangar2 · #**41164** Posted **Apr 12, 2017, 11:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

The two cars parked by the service station on the left look like the car t2 pointed out that was parked next to TAIX.

_

Nah, that's a pair of MGs. It was a Jeepster (the last of the touring cars, or phaetons) at Taix. I like them both.

The Bronson Gate at Paramount looks much grander nowadays, but less fun:

gsv

Gloria Swanson arrives, "Sunset Boulevard", 1950:

glamamore

The original gate, before it was simplified. Not sure why. Earthquakes? The crown (and another on a building along to the left) went missing between '37 and '45:

paramount tumblr

Now, with ducks at the new fountain:

paramount pinterest

Blaster · #**41165** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 1:18 AM**

I had an office at Paramount from 1987 to 1991 in the Marx Brothers Building (previously the Story Building) on the north side of Stage 24. This was on the RKO side of the lot toward Gower.

When I first came to Los Angeles in 1978 all the studio lots were pretty run down (and so was the Hollywood sign - crumbling, its letters tattered or fallen).

Warner Brothers was sharing its lot with Columbia and calling itself the Burbank Studios.

MGM was still MGM and its commissary (the Cub Room?) was still in operation but the lot seemed sad and old, full of ghosts.

20th Century Fox was also in pretty bad shape and when you drove in, you parked near the
deteriorating Hello Dolly train depot.

By the 80's, though, fortunes had changed and all the lots had started sprucing up, to good and bad effect.

Paramount started renaming its buildings after stars and employees they had once employed and then fired decades ago - the Mark Brothers, Mae West, Preston Sturges, etc.

The worst offender may have been Sony who took over the MGM lot and built a faux studio street that has no function other than to appear to be a faux studio street.

tovangar2 · #**41166** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 1:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blaster

I had an office at Paramount from 1987 to 1991 in the Marx Brothers Building (previously the Story Building) on the north side of Stage 24. This was on the RKO side of the lot toward Gower.

That's a nice spot Blaster (this view looking south). Does it look the same as when you were there?:

google maps

ethereal_reality · #**41167** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 2:51 AM**

"Extras flood the Bronson Gate at Paramount Pictures to attend a casting call for the "The Spoilers," starring Gary Cooper." [1930]

http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/para...ures-at-100/6/

How did this work?........didn't they just call 'Central Casting'?

__

ethereal_reality · #**41168** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 3:01 AM**

http://jeffarnoldblog.blogspot.com/2...-spoilers.html

A young Gary Cooper as Glenister and Betty Compson as Cherry in 'The Spoilers'. [1930]

damn, Gary Cooper was handsome!

Blaster · #**41169** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 3:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

That's a nice spot Blaster (this view looking south). Does it look the same as when you were there?:

google maps

When I was there (late 80's) , the tented area to to right of the Chevalier Building was for pre-school kids.

Their classroom, as I recall, was the Chevalier Building itself.

ethereal_reality · #**41170** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 3:21 AM**

I know that we've seen numerous 'atomic blast' photographs on NLA, but I'm pretty sure we haven't seen this one.

Here's the rather vague description.

"An uncredited, undated photo of an 'atomic dawn' taken from an unknown location."

amusingplanet.com

I'm pretty sure that's the tower of the Richfield Building.

So where the heck was the photographer standing? It looks like an empty lot with overgrowth, dirt mounds and some liter. (not unlike a body dump) -noirish
__

ethereal_reality · #**41171** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 4:32 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blaster

MGM was still MGM and its commissary (the Cub Room?) was still in operation but the lot seemed sad and old, full of ghosts.

I was at MGM during this same time period Blaster (late 1980s).

As I recall, the commissary was just called the MGM Commissary. It was a very large room with white walls and a lot of windows.
Black and white photographs of old MGM movies hung on the walls (between the windows). In the back on the right was a separate 'executive' room.
It was partitioned with glass from the rest of the room. It's walls, the two that weren't glass, were lined with Academy Awards. (I never had the opportunity to eat in there

)

1940s / looking at the northeast corner I believe

MGM Commissary https://martinturnbull.com/2012/11/0...mmissary-1940/

More often than not, I ate in the 'Lion's Den' which had a separate entrance. It was in the same building as the commissary but on the west side.
I believe it would have been located on the opposite side of the back wall were the glass executive 'room' was located. (does that make sense?)

The Lion's Den was really nothing more than a glorified greasy spoon in a small square room with white walls and a high ceiling (windows facing west)
You worked your way along the counter and ordered from the grill. There were perhaps 10 small tables.

The MGM Commissary was famous for it's chicken soup.
----

below: Commissary building outlined in red.

gsv

The blue arrow

at the end of Jasmine Ave. points to the old MGM Gate...the one with the impressive Corinthian columns.

this one.

As most of you know, the large I-shaped building at upper left in the google-aerial is the old Irving Thalberg Building.
Believe it or not, back when I was there it was actually outside of the studio lot. Now I believe Sony has extended the lot/gate to Madison Ave. (which makes sense)

__

p.s. What's up with that tacky rainbow in front of the Thalburg Building. Is it permanent or for special events?

tovangar2 · #**41172** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 4:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

p.s. What's up with that tacky rainbow in front of the Thalburg Building. Is it permanent or for special events?

It's been there five years

............................................................................

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I'm pretty sure that's the tower of the Richfield building.

So where the heck was the photographer standing? It looks like an empty lot with overgrowth, dirt mounds and some liter.
__

It looks like the Statler to the left of the Richfield beacon and Barker Bros to the right of it. I'd guess the POV is from land cleared for the 1954 Harbor:

lapl

tovangar2 · #**41173** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 5:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

"Extras flood the Bronson Gate at Paramount Pictures to attend a casting call for the "The Spoilers," starring Gary Cooper." [1930]
__

I couldn't resist posting this 1926 shot, made during the construction of the Bronson gate, only because of the "casting office" sign on the right:

cbs/paramount

ethereal_reality · #**41174** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 5:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

It looks like the Statler to the left of the Richfield beacon and Barker Bros to the right of it. I'd guess the POV is from land cleared for the Harbor
or the 1971 Convention Center.

I'd say you're spot on t2. It's probably land cleared for the Harbor Freeway.

amusing.planet

So the Richfield beacon/tower is rising above the building circled below. It's all pretty clear now. Thx

Good sleuthing!

Hollywood Graham · #**41175** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 5:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

Just for fun, here's another one.

ebay

That's the Paramount Gate in the distance.

What's the heavy cross on the back of the stop sign? -is it the back of a lit sign?

The two cars parked by the service station on the left look like the car t2 pointed out that was parked next to TAIX.
----

I wondered about Geller's (on the right at 706 N. Bronson) in a similar slide I posted a few years back.

Hoss had the answer.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/show...ostcount=31200

But I wonder what the restaurant is on that corner? (by the man in the gray suit)

_

Stop sign is in fact a lighted sign. It was a battery powered STOP sign.

tovangar2 · #**41176** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 5:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

I'd say you're spot on t2. It's probably land cleared for the Harbor Freeway.

Yes, I think 1954 is about right. Are those houses and apartments (on the right in your photo) on Georgia?

The building you circled is the 1925 Medico-Dental Building by Walker and Eisen. It was on W 8th.

Man, this one really made my head hurt.

Rustifer · #**41177** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 1:24 PM**

The photo of the motorcycle folks outside Dino's (pg. 2049) got me to sign up on Skyscraper. I have had a long fascination with this part of the Strip since I was a 10 year-old watching 77 Sunset Strip (which is now being shown in reruns on MeTV to my delight). On my occasional business trips to Orange County over the past few years, I'd take a day and drive up to 8524 Sunset Blvd (the real address of 77 Sunset Strip) to bask in the history. By that time, Dino's was gone and the office that served as home for Stu Bailey and Jeff Spencer had become Tiffanys Theater. However, the drive through that existed between the office and Dino's was still there, along with a plaque commemorating the tv show.
It's all gone now, having given way to some high rise condos. A shame.
Sure would love to see more pics of this area from those days gone by!

odinthor · #**41178** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 3:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ethereal_reality

"Extras flood the Bronson Gate at Paramount Pictures to attend a casting call for the "The Spoilers," starring Gary Cooper." [1930]

http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/para...ures-at-100/6/

How did this work?........didn't they just call 'Central Casting'?

__

Check out Make Me a Star (1932), an excellent movie . . .

Blaster · #**41179** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 4:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

It's been there five years

............................................................................

The "Over the Rainbow" rainbow commemorates the fact that THE WIZARD OF OZ was shot on the Sony Studio Lot, even though it was MGM at the time.

BifRayRock · #**41180** Posted **Apr 13, 2017, 6:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tovangar2

The Bronson Gate at Paramount looks much grander nowadays, but less fun:

Now, with ducks at the new fountain:

paramount pinterest

Did Paramount's Adolph Zukor lead a secret life as a WB exec, or maybe he only played one in the pictures?

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/73...2da4ef8781.jpg

Since T2 and others mentioned it, here are a mishmash of "outtakes," all of which are marked "Paramount" from '37, taken by Margaret Bourke-White. For numerous reasons, some images are definitely not related to ParaMount and more likely they are of Warner Brothers properties. Guessing most, "western" exterior shots are of the former Warner Ranch. Interiors could be Mae West's spare bedrooms on Rossmore.

Mr. Zukor in his office

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/8adb398b3e117b92_large

Mr. Zukor

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/bd66cee1459986ae_large

Sorry Blaster, wrong memory lane.

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/3a905a76a591bcfb_large

Could this be a set piece that Errol and Basil might recognize?

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/276f470f68d71b58_large
Pay no attention to the crane.

http://theenchantedmanor.com/wp-cont...-filming-3.jpg

How tall are the ceilings in WigWag's garage?

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/34e6009fda1e29d7_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/7e3dd2d948cc77c4_large

Tim Holt in WB's 1938 release of "Gold Is Where You Find It" ?

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/e73b8c726b8724ca_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/fbcd51f6e0501b9d_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/149fc858d683fe46_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/42627b4612c7ee9d_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/c2b80bb7183e02c0_large

Do not forsake me . . . (No. not High Noon set.)

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/1c4a4178b2289587_large

Ms. Colbert?

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/d9968e127131d81e_large

Giant pirates take over the Steamship, Colossal. (A likely prop from "Paramount's Big Broadcast of 1938."

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/65bd1ed274a8b24e_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/266043f9c31fa295_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/4edb9a8575ff84c7_large

From the same production.

1938 Big Broadcast

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/4feacd55674ae314_large

For those interested in desks with drawers, and a Warner Brother.

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/c67c1c80a506de27_large

Maybe someone recognizes the topography.

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/a64f26ddf5e0cb8e_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/e97b73575f110c62_large

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/3c41654ef738b1cb_large

It's in the genes?

A relative of Harry Macafee's tortoise?

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/d4f1e01978d94ed9_large

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...bacc03a38a.jpg

Fin

http://www.gstatic.com/hostedimg/c51b53ffc328cd71_large