noirish Los Angeles

[Martin Pal]

FYI: Related post about Metromedia, Helen Bernstein High School and vicinity HERE.

[GaylordWilshire]

I'm still working on house histories...mostly these days on Fremont Place. But as images of heretofore-obscure houses turn up by way of interested parties--such as the single small snapshot of 3033 Wilshire on which this illustration is based--I am completing the stories of the boulevard. (All houses from MacArthur Park to Rossmore have been identified; most have illustrations of one sort or another but actual photos of the obscure continue to trickle in.) William C. Price invested alongside the biggest names in Los Angeles, including Doheny, Kerckhoff, Hellman, Chandler, and O'Melveny. He was among the originators of Beverly Hills and Dana Point but chose to live in his 1905 Roehrig-designed house at 3033 Wilshire Boulevard until he died in 1929, even as Bullock's-Wilshire was going up across the street. The full story of the man and the house is here: http://bit.ly/1I6ltNc (FB page: http://on.fb.me/1roPXOM)

[Matt Maxwell]

• Video Link

Billed as driving down Wilshire in 1935. Not sure if this has been posted before, but just found it and couldn't pass it up. Hopefully I get the code right.

Yes, I'm still working my way through. This might take forever.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

Speaking of Roehrig, do you happen to know if this one ever actually got built?


LA Herald 18 Nov 1903

P.S.

Oh wait. n/m. It seems something got built there:

LA Herald 7 Jan 1906

[CityBoyDoug]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Speaking of Roehrig, do you happen to know if this one ever actually got built?


LA Herald 18 Nov 1903

That $8,000 home in 1903 would inflate to approx. $200,000 by 2015, under ''normal'' circumstances.

BUT, Los Angeles real estate values have inflated that home to a whopping million dollars by 2015.

Money is a very strange thing...especially if its not backed by gold.

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by Matt Maxwell

...a made-for-TV movie called CONDOR, which was shot all over LA in 1984. In a post-BLADE RUNNER media landscape, they tried to push the noir-ish contract detective loner (living in a Victorian in the middle of retrofuture LA). It only sorta-worked.


Here's Ray Wise driving up on what was probably an artificially-wetted street.

Screencaps came from Netflix, and CONDOR was an Orion production, which I think finally got aired on NBC in 1986, but wouldn't bet anything important on that. It's a weird and not great movie that made some predictions which came strangely true (namely drones). There's a good chase scene through the riverbed as well. But it may test folks' patience these days.

The film really did try to point up the contrast between slick, corporate, dangerous, futuristic LA and 'bad', derelict, also dangerous, historic LA. The basic plot is master criminal Black Widow (played by Carolyn Seymour who I've adored since she was 'Alison' in Steven Frears' 1971 nod-to-noir film "Gumshoe") takes over the LAPD computer system in order to unleash the department's drones on various civic targets until her ransom demands are met. Besides drones, computers are a big part of the futuristic element in the film (the hero's A.I. partner has to explain to him what a 'PC' is).

Anyway, it's about what you'd expect from a mid-80s made-for-TV effort. (The special effects are pretty terrible, Ed Wood would've been embarrassed.) The fun is in the locations, not least because the modern locations were filmed in the era they were built. They make a bit more sense with 80s people running around in them.

The film starts out with an establishing shot of LA and its famous monorail:


A double-slaying shoot-out occurs at this hotel:


The A.I./human partners walk away from the hotel, turn a corner and are crossing the plaza at the 444 S Flower building with the BIOLA 'Jesus Saves' sign glowing in the background (that was fun to see):


The hero lives at 1320 Carrol Avenue (1885) proving his quirky individualism (I guess):


Carrol Ave looks better since the utilities were buried:

gsv

A chase on the W 4th St ramps:


A well-padded stuntman gets thrown from a van on Lower Grand:


The climax in the river (do people in other cities, when they see footage of our river, wonder what they're looking at?). In a the end, the vehicle containing the bad guy exits the riverbed, bumps over a desolate clifftop and plunges into the ocean (an ending that came as a bit of a surprise):




All screenshots: JayGee Productions/Orion Television/netflix

Thx MM

Originally Posted by Wig-Wag

There's nothing better or more entertaining than bad Sci-Fi!

[Tehmeh]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Here is the aerial view of the famous Quality Studio. Its outlined in green. You enter the stage building via the driveway and the small door on Santa Monica Blvd.
Movie star Elvira would do her own makeup at home and travel the city bus on Santa Monica to the studio.
The name ''Quality Studio'' may have been a bit of an overreach but it never hurts to try.
I used to live about 5 blocks to the west of this site on Santa Monica.


google earth

From this photo it appears that a private limo tour company [GraveLine] has let out passengers for a quick visit to the old Quality Studio building.

GSV

Here's an incredible documentary from 1992 called "The Plan 9 Companion." There are interviews with then-survivors of Ed Wood's opus, and a tour of Quality Pictures by Conrad Brooks, longtime Ed Wood friend and member of his stock company (skip to 45:38 for the Quality Pictures story and tour). Really, an amazing documentary...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1HHEf667rc

[HossC]

Originally Posted by BifRayRock

Yamato Inc. 635 S. Broadway, ca. '10 "Visitors Welcome"
http://content.cdlib.org

I've just found this 1910 postcard showing The Yamato Tea Garden on the second floor of the building above - "where you will be served with Japanese tea and cake by pretty Japanese maidens, free of charge".



eBay

[GaylordWilshire]

Originally Posted by tovangar2

Speaking of Roehrig, do you happen to know if this one ever actually got built?


LA Herald 18 Nov 1903

P.S.

Oh wait. n/m. It seems something got built there:

LA Herald 7 Jan 1906

We've seen it here before, but, well, you know how useful the search feature is--- It was moved along with a house owned by a Newmark from Arapahoe to a lot on Alvarado. (I'm pretty sure the pics we saw here were of the houses sitting on the lot on trucks. Perhaps LAPL.) Amazingly, after severe dilapidation and a fire after the move, it's in the 1100 block of S Alvarado across from the great Ponce de Leon (see ER's post 3638)....




Both GSV


Quite a comeback:


LAcurbed/lottaliving.com



Small pics below from http://blog.preservationnation.org/---

[HossC]

The seller doesn't give a date (other than 1930s/50s) or location for this negative. I've found several references to Tony Sein being the manager of the Hispano Broadcasting Co between the late 1930s and early 1940s. The address was 105 E 1st Street, which is consistent with the route of the P-Line.


eBay

The building on the left appears to be the former Traders Bank, seen below circa 1929.

"Exterior view of Traders Bank (formerly the German American Savings Bank) on Main and 1st Streets, in downtown Los Angeles. The building later became Yokohama Specie Bank."


LAPL

Here's an earlier view when it was the German American Savings Bank.

"Exterior view of the German American Savings Bank on the northeast corner of 1st and Main Streets, in Los Angeles. Bank occupied the building from 1894 to 1906."


LAPL

[Wig-Wag]

Originally Posted by HossC

The seller doesn't give a date (other than 1930s/50s) or location for this negative. I've found several references to Tony Sein being the manager of the Hispano Broadcasting Co between the late 1930s and early 1940s. The address was 105 E 1st Street, which is consistent with the route of the P-Line.


eBay

The building on the left appears to be the former Traders Bank, seen below circa 1929.

"Exterior view of Traders Bank (formerly the German American Savings Bank) on Main and 1st Streets, in downtown Los Angeles. The building later became Yokohama Specie Bank."


LAPL

Here's an earlier view when it was the German American Savings Bank.

"Exterior view of the German American Savings Bank on the northeast corner of 1st and Main Streets, in Los Angeles. Bank occupied the building from 1894 to 1906."


LAPL

HossC, this is part of the first group of PCC's delivered to the Los Angeles railway in 1937. A second group was delivered in 1938 and a third to Los Angeles Transit Lines in 1948. The latter were used only on the P-Line and can be easily distinguished from the others by their oval "standee" windows.

All were retired in 1963.

Cheers,
Jack

[Ed Workman]

[QUOTE=HossC;7047641]The seller doesn't give a date (other than 1930s/50s) or location for this negative. I've found several references to Tony Sein being the manager of the Hispano Broadcasting Co between the late 1930s and early 1940s. The address was 105 E 1st Street, which is consistent with the route of the P-Line.


eBay

The building on the left appears to be the former Traders Bank, seen below circa 1929.

"Exterior view of Traders Bank (formerly the German American Savings Bank) on Main and 1st Streets, in downtown Los Angeles. The building later became Yokohama Specie Bank."


LAPL

The street scene is pre 1940. The LARy PCC cars are in their first, as delivered paint, and at the tail of the string is a PE 600 class car, which has yet to be remodeled into its later and familiar " Hollywood" style that featured red and orange paint, streamlined roof vents and roll sign, and skirts

[tovangar2]

Originally Posted by GaylordWilshire

It was moved along with a house owned by a Newmark from Arapahoe to a lot on Alvarado.


GSV

Thank you. That was a happier result that I expected. It's still engulfed by urbanization, but shares an alley with our famous block of Lake St. It's actually back-to-back with the "Lady in a Cage" (1964) house, at 1132 S Lake, you posted about.

1115 S Alvarado's handsome back as seen from the alley (with the Newmark place, designed by Sumner P Hunt, on the left and 777 Tower in the distance):

gsv

I notice Jack and Genevieve Jevne's home is still sporting its Arapaho Street number, 987:

gsv


This article details a bit more of the history of the homes and the laudable use they are being put to currently.

An October 2015 update from FW:

Originally Posted by Flyingwedge

Photo by me

Hans Jevne, Jack's father, also employed notable architects, Samuel and Joseph Carter Newsom, to build the home below in 1887 at 849 S Burlington:

lapl

There's still five of the big houses left on that block of Arapahoe. My daughter knows the people who live in one of them.

[Godzilla]

1934 - Wilshire and South Westlake Av., Medical Bldg. construction. Source also mentions library and assembly hall.



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../67559/rec/124









Westlake Fireproof












http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../43084/rec/223


















Progress, still 1934


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../56112/rec/187






http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../57224/rec/143

[GatoVerde]

I found this on ebay. At first glance I thought it was the Saltbox which burned as it was being moved for preservation but after comparing I think it's clearly not. Still, it looked so much like it I wondered how many saltbox houses existed in the city and if there are any left. The photographer is Throop, who I believe was well known. I am also hoping that this forum will provide more insight into this particular family portrait in front of the house.





http://www.ebay.com/itm/1900s-PHOTO-.../181759626404?

[Godzilla]

Tovangar2, more Hills.




1932 - 245 S. Fremont Ave. Tartaglia Apts. (Source misidentifies as Tartaclia at 245 W Third)



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../53216/rec/172







The Manor Arms at 239 S Fremont







Long shot of same Apt bldgs. Notice the decline.


http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../53216/rec/172



From same compilation, unable to confirm address. Per source, could be 1222/1244 West Third St.?

1934 - 1224 West Third Street (?)










Little doubt about this address. Commonwealth Ave and Third Street




















Don't miss this.






Wilshire Hospital. On the Hill >>>>>

[HossC]

Originally Posted by GatoVerde

I found this on ebay. At first glance I thought it was the Saltbox which burned as it was being moved for preservation but after comparing I think it's clearly not. Still, it looked so much like it I wondered how many saltbox houses existed in the city and if there are any left. The photographer is Throop, who I believe was well known. I am also hoping that this forum will provide more insight into this particular family portrait in front of the house.

Interesting pictures, GatoVerde, but please don't hotlink to eBay images - they tend to only last a few months at best. I've played with the contrast on the images below. Hopefully it makes them easier to see.



eBay

[Godzilla]

Originally Posted by CityBoyDoug

Yes, Hoss, I see those island waiting zones in the middle of the street. Why some planning genius thought it was a good idea for people to jaywalk into the street and stand in an unprotected spot in the middle of the street while cars were speeding by on both sides is beyond me.

GW offered a reasonable explanation for the "safety" area locations. http://skyscraperpage.com/forum/show...ostcount=18423 But that begs the question, whether people walking to the safety zones were actually jaywalking. And when/why did LA gain the reputation of being the only major metropolis with little tolerance for Jaywalking?





http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../76039/rec/141


1935 - Western Av. and Washington Blvd.



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../76039/rec/141






Washington looking West from Western





Same Washington/Western intersection






Ask for Bromo Seltzer before or after the ice cream?




http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../76039/rec/141

[Beaudry]

Originally Posted by HossC

The building on the left appears to be the former Traders Bank, seen below circa 1929.

"Exterior view of Traders Bank (formerly the German American Savings Bank) on Main and 1st Streets, in downtown Los Angeles. The building later became Yokohama Specie Bank."


LAPL

Here's an earlier view when it was the German American Savings Bank.

Funny this structure should be mentioned—I was just looking at it, as I'm working on a little something regarding the early-50s clearance for the Health Bldg and Police Facilities Bldg. The recently much-mentioned Mr. Nadel has (of course) a couple shots via the Getty, from Housing Authority>Civic Center Area>First Street Area:





And here's a handful from Hylen:
calstatelib
(FYI that domed building to its east down First is the Pouyfourcat Block)


calstatelib



calstatelib

Why am I investigating this area? *Shameless Plug Alert!* If you're so inclined, there's an event this Friday at the LAPHS where the authors will talk about the LAPD '53 book, researcher Joan Renner will show a rare crime scene walkthrough film and discuss the case, and I will screen a never-viewed-by-the-public ten-minute color film from 1955 wherein WH Parker narrates at trip through the brand-new Police Facilities Bldg (AKA Parker Center). For more information click here.

[Godzilla]

Pacific Ready Cut Homes. http://www.antiquehome.org/House-Plans/1925-pacific.htm

The Pacific Corporation sold it's Ready-Cut homes from 1908-1940. Considered to be the third largest mass producer of pre-cut houses in the United States, Pacific delivered approximately 40,000 units. Business for the company peaked in 1923, sales in 1925 were just 500 homes. In the 1920s working class people aspired to the "good life" of home and auto ownership and Pacific was there to provide the little California bungalow that they were dreaming of

1925 - 1330 S. Hill Street Come and visit the model house. Enjoy the music. Pay no attention to the trombone player.



http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/co.../68183/rec/160


























S. Hill Street and 14th Place






























Couple of interior shots here >>>> http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p15799coll170/id/68183/rec/16